Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum

Having opened in 1975, the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum (N&SAM) has been a popular day out and tourist attraction for many years. Just a couple of miles west of Bungay you’ll find the village of Flixton. But, there are not many villages where you will be greeted by a fleet of aircraft!

It’s not hard to find N&SAM there is a Gloster Javelin and De Havilland Sea Vixen parked on the front lawn! Of course, these are just two of the hundreds of exhibits, including over 60 aircraft and cockpits and a whole host related artefacts and memorabilia – over 30,000 items! This really is a fascinating place to visit, whether you have an interest in aviation history or not. Best of all, it is completely free to enter – though donations are very welcome.

Of course, here in East Anglia we have a great history when it comes to World War Two airfields, Norfolk and Suffolk were peppered with airbases and here at N&SAM you will find themed buildings displaying artefacts from the period. There is special attention paid to the 446th Bomber Group who were based at Flixton during in World War Two. In fact, 446 were the longest-term resident at Flixton airfield during the war. Naturally, there are plenty of RAF related items here too as well as the Royal Observer Corps.

The museum is run largely by volunteers (there is a single paid member of staff) and the bulk of the maintenance and restoration work on the aircraft and exhibits is carried out by the team of dedicated and passionate volunteers. Over the course of the year N&SAM can expect to see around 40,000 visitors, many of which will be families and school groups and visits. It goes without saying that N&SAM is a big hit with the pupils on the school trips.

The team here prepare exciting and

fascinating talks taking the children into a replica Anderson Shelter, flight simulators and even using an aircraft as a classroom! Hardly a surprise to learn that schools travel from across the region to make the most of this fantastic place.

People are regularly donating items to the museum and are delighted when the volunteers here can bring it to life and explain what it is and how it would have been part of that person’s life. In a nutshell, that is what happens here. This is about human stories – bringing to life something from yesteryear and putting it into context. This is a fantastic place that has been running for over 40 years, thanks to the hard work and dedication of a small team of volunteers. With the themed NAAFI café on site, plenty of picnic benches outside and lots of easy parking, you really must come and discover N&SAM for yourself. Plan your trip today by visiting the website: www.aviationmuseum.net call: 01986 896644 or email: nsam.flixton@gmail.com

The Street, Flixton, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 INZ

Tel: 01986 896644

www.aviationmuseum.net