Target reached!
With extra money we would invest in a bigger visitor information centre, creat inter...
With extra money we would invest in a bigger visitor information centre, creat inter...
Ex RAF Avro Vulcan XL319 is the largest aircraft ever to land at Sunderland Airport and the first to go to a private museum in 1983.
There remains great public interest in the Avro Vulcan aircraft and Vulcan XL319 is the main attraction at the North East Land, Sea & Air Museum.
Part of Britain's V-Bomber nuclear deterrent force during the Cold War, the Vulcan saw active service only once during the 1982 Falklands conflict.
Vulcan XL319 was brought into service in October 1961. It first flew with the famous 617 (Dambusters) Squadron, then later with 44 and 83 Squadrons based at Waddington and Scampton.
With Sunderland's link to its international airshow, XL319 has been adopted by local people over time, and many visitors come to us and tell us where they were when they saw the Vulcan land for the final time at Sunderland Airport in January 1983.
2019 saw the airframe mostly repainted and one of the engines started for the first time for thirty-six years. The museum volunteers try to open the cockpit to the public when they can but because the aircraft isn't open to the public all of the time and because it is difficult to get into a static display would work better and give a greater number of visitor's a chance to learn about XL319 and its history.
To continue to preserve this aircraft and tell its story the museum is asking for Crowdfunding donations to complete the restoration of the airframe and establish an information centre next to it explaining XL319's role and history, and the history of Britain's V-Bomber force.
This project successfully funded on 26th July 2020