| Established | 1961; 64 years ago (1961) |
|---|---|
| Location | Carlisle Lake District Airport Irthington Cumbria |
| Coordinates | 54°56′36″N2°48′20″W / 54.9432°N 2.8056°W /54.9432; -2.8056 |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Website | www |
TheSolway Aviation Museum is an aviation museum located atCarlisle Lake District Airport inCumbria.[1]
The Museum is run by The Solway Aviation Society and staffed by volunteers. The Society is a registered charity supported by entrance charges to the Museum, and public donations. In addition to normal opening the Museum hosts educational visits for school classes studying theSecond World War and for Scouts achieving their Air Activities Badge. Following the closure of theRAF Millom Museum, many of the artefacts were moved to Solway Aviation Museum for safe keeping and eventual exhibition when space permits.
The Buildings contain exhibits and artefacts relating to aviation inCumbria, including the Second World War and also houses individual displays featuring the development of theBlue Streak missile,Martin-Baker ejection seats, and the development and activities of the Airport itself since the Second World War.

In April 2024, the museum raised enough money to move the only survivingBlackburn Beverly to the museum fromFort Paull.[2] Seven months later, the museum received aTornado GR1 which had been agate guard atRAF Spadeadam.[3]
The current collection includes the following:[4]
| Aircraft | Serial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Avro Vulcan B.2 | XJ823 | Royal Air Force, it was flown into Carlisle Airport in January 1983, after theFalklands War[5] |
| BAC Jet Provost T.4 | XS209 | Royal Air Force, was used as a training airframe |
| DH Vampire T.11 | WZ515 | Royal Air Force |
| Gloster Meteor NF.14 | WS832 | Built by Armstrong Whitworth, last used at the Royal Aerospace Establishment Llandbedr, Wales |
| English Electric Canberra T.4 | WE188 | Royal Air Force |
| BAC Lightning F.53 | ZF583 | Former Royal Saudi Air Force painted in Royal Air Force markings. |
| Hawker Hunter F.51 | XG190 | Former Royal Danish Air Force aircraft painted to represent an aircraft of theEmpire Test Pilot's School |
| McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 | XV406 | Royal Air Force, formerly a gate guard at 14 MURAF Carlisle |
| Percival Sea Prince T.1 | WP314 | Royal Navy |
| SEPECAT Jaguar | XX146[6] | |
| Sikorsky Whirlwind HAR.21 | WV198 | Royal Navy |