Aerospace Bristol
Aerospace Bristol is an aerospace museum at Filton, to the north of Bristol, England. The project is run by the Bristol Aero Collection Trust and houses a varied collection of exhibits, including Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, the final Concorde to be built and the last to fly. The museum is situated on Filton Airfield and the main exhibition is housed in a First World War Grade II listed hangar, with Concorde situated in a new, purpose-built hangar. The exhibition covers over 100 years of aviation history through two world wars, exploring the role of aircraft in these conflicts , through the drama and technological advances of the space race and on to the modern day. Exhibition. The collection contains over 8,000 artefacts. There are several Bristol-built aircraft including Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, a Bristol Scout, a Bristol Fighter and a Blenheim IV (World War II Bristol Bolingbroke bomber, under restoration), as well as many scaled models. The exhibition is themed around seven different eras of aviation with a separate hangar that celebrates the story of Concorde and its local connection. Collections and development. 2017. On 17 October, Aerospace Bristol opened its doors to the public. On 16 August, the  Red Arrows performed a flypast in Concorde formation whilst members of the public formed the shape of Concorde on the ground. On 8 March 2017 a Sea Harrier was delivered to the museum site by an RAF Chinook airlift where it is on display in the exhibition. 7 February saw the arrival of Concorde Alpha Foxtrot into the new purpose-built hangar at Aerospace Bristol. 2016. On 26 May 2016, Aerospace Bristol held a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of the new Concorde hangar. On 15 September, HRH The Princess Royal became the Patron of Aerospace  Bristol for the next two years. On 13 October, she visited the site to attend a 'topping out' ceremony celebrating a major milestone in the construction. 2012 to 2014. In December 2012 the Bristol Post reported that BAE Systems, who were selling Filton Airfield for development, would be contributing the site and £2.4million in aid to a new museum including listed hangars, for which other corporate sponsors and a Heritage Lottery grant would be sought. In 2014, the trust was awarded a grant of £4.7 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Plans were begun for construction of a  visitor centre, later named Aerospace Bristol and due to open in Summer 2017. The Concorde Trust, 2007 to 2012. The Concorde Trust was formed in 2007 and produced applications for support for a new museum that would house one Concorde. Arrival of Concorde Alpha Foxtrot in 2003. Concorde Alpha Foxtrot (G-BOAF) flew into Filton in November 2003.