vulcan tour duxford

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IWM Duxford General Admission 2024

Spitfire N3200: The VIP Experience

In the Cockpit: Spitfire N3200

In the Cockpit: Avro Vulcan

The Inside View: The Lancaster

The Inside View: Avro Evolution

Duxford in a Different Light D-Day 80

D-Day and the Aerial Battle for Normandy Tour

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Airborne Electronic Warfare Tour

TSR2 The plane that never was

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• Registered Company Name : Imperial War Museums
• Branch Address : IWM Duxford, Duxford, Cambridgeshire., CB22 4QR
• Registered Company Address : Lambeth Road,, London,, SE1 6HZ
• Registered Company Number : 03719634

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The Vulcan Experience

10 January - 26 November 2024

The Vulcan Experience is back for 2024, giving you the chance to get up close and explore some of the most significant Cold War aircraft in the RAF Museum’s collection.

Tickets: £50.00

Ticket holders will have the exclusive chance to explore two of the Cold War’s most iconic aircraft; the Avro Vulcan B2 and the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2, which between them tell a story of uncertainty and tension that loomed over the world for decades. You will gain special access to both these mighty warriors, and allow you to climb in to and take a seat in the cockpit of the Vulcan and the pilot’s seat of the Phantom. This is a rare opportunity to experience what it was like to fly these great aircraft.

Ticket holders for the experience will also be given a full behind the barriers ground tour, with the chance to get up and close to other significant Cold War aircraft, including the BAC Lightning F6, the Handley Page Victor K2, and the English Electric Canberra PR3, and hear fascinating real-life stories of the people who flew the aircraft.

The Vulcan and Cold War Experience runs on selected dates throughout the year on the middle Wednesday and last Tuesday of every month at the RAF Museum in London. Time slots are available from 10.30am to 2.00pm, it is one person per session:

Ticket information:

Please arrive at the Museum 15 minutes before your chosen time, this will give you time to make your way to the Vulcan, located in the far corner of Hangar 5. Our team of Aircraft Access Volunteers will take you through your experience. Each session will last around one hour and fifteen minutes. Please ensure you have read our access terms and conditions further below before booking.

The dates for this experience are:

• 13 and 26 March
• 10 and 30 April
• 8 and 28 May
• 12 and 25 June
• 10 and 30 July
• 14 and 27 August
• 11 and 24 September
• 9 and 29 October
• 13 and 26 November

Gift Voucher:

New for the Vulcan and Cold War Challenge, you can also get the opportunity of purchasing a ticket as a gift voucher. The perfect present for a loved one, family member or friend. Just click on the book now below and fill out the information to have an e-voucher code sent to your email.

Access Terms & Conditions for The Vulcan and Cold War Experience:

• For the Vulcan you must be physically fit to climb two ladders, pulling your body weight up them. There is a narrow gap between the pilots seat which some visitors may not be able to access. • The Phantom requires you to climb a number of steps and to climb over the side of the aircraft; you must be able to support your own body weight when climbing in and out. • You must be over the age of 16 to purchase a ticket and access the cockpits. • Please wear trousers or shorts. Skirts and dresses may prevent or restrict access. • Please wear flat shoes with a good grip on them. Please note, we cannot allow the public access without appropriate footwear. • You may take pictures once inside the cockpits – please come with a camera that can be zipped into a pocket or a camera with a strap. • If your Aircraft Access Volunteer feels it is not safe or possible for you to access the cockpits of either the Phantom or the Vulcan then we reserve the right to refuse access. • Please arrive for your access slot on time, if you are running late and miss your booked time then the Museum reserves the right to refuse access. • The Museum does not offer refunds for missed bookings or ‘no shows’ • Each experience ticket, and subsequent session booked, is only valid for one person. If you wish to book more than one ticket we would recommend booking two consecutive sessions.

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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IWM Duxford - Tripadvisor

• (1.54 km) Orchard Pond Bed and Breakfast
• (1.55 km) The John Barleycorn
• (1.55 km) The Lodge Duxford
• (13.38 km) Sayle House
• (12.05 km) Duke House
• (0.74 km) Provenance Kitchen
• (0.49 km) The Workshop Restaurant
• (3.71 km) Jade Fountain
• (2.79 km) The Green Man
• (0.19 km) Aerial Collective Duxford
• (0.85 km) American Air Museum
• (1.13 km) The Royal Anglian Regiment Museum
• (2.03 km) Classic Wings
• (11.54 km) LockHouse Escape Games

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Preserving XL426 at London Southend Airport

Join the Vulcan Restoration Trust and help us preserve Vulcan XL426 as part of the UK’s aviation heritage.

Buy from our range of Vulcan souvenirs and memorabilia.

Become part of the team looking after and raising funds for Vulcan XL426.

Vulcan Restoration Trust

Vulcan Restoration Trust owns and maintains Vulcan B2 XL426 in live ground running condition.

XL426 is open to the public at our Visit the Vulcan Days held throughout the year and at other events. 

Visit the Vulcan Day

Sunday 21 April 2024

Our Visit the Vulcan Day is a great chance to get ‘up close and personal’ with Vulcan XL426 in its hangar at London Southend Airport.

You can walk round Vulcan XL426 and see examples of the weapons carried by the Vulcan during its time with the Royal Air Force.

Vulcan Twilight Taxi-Run 2024

Saturday 18 May 2024

Hear the Vulcan’s engines unique howl and see XL426 speed down the runway at our Vulcan Twilight Taxi-Run on Saturday 18 May.

Our exclusive visitors enclosure gives uninterrupted views across the airport, ideal for the Vulcan enthusiast and photographers.

Music and Beer Festival at the Vulcan

Music and Beer Festival at the Vulcan is back in 2024 on Friday 2 August and Saturday 3 August.

Join us for two afternoons and evenings of live music and entertainment, with street food and beers from local breweries for you to enjoy.

We look forward to seeing you!

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Avro Vulcan In the Cockpit Duxford (and more...) September 2021

By Alpha Delta 210 September 11, 2021 in Aviation Photography

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Alpha delta 210.

When I saw that IWM Duxford were offering the opportunity to sit in their Vulcan's cockpit, I jumped at the chance! The flood-lighting was harsh in the cockpit, so I apologise for the image quality! I was delighted to see that there was so much activity on the airfield and that the beautiful BBMF Lancaster was still in temporary residence.

Pictures were taken on a combination of smart phone and Panasonic Lumix bridge camera.

Looking up towards the flight deck

The Captain and Co-Pilot were on the flight deck......

....with from L-R, the Navigator (Radar), Navigator (Plotter), and Air Electronics Officer (AEO) on the lower deck, facing rearwards.

Moving on to other Duxford residents and visitors....

Thanks for looking.

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Some great shots and what an opportunity to get into that cockpit! Looks smaller than I imagined...

Love that pic of the Bearcat and that lonely looking Lancaster. Great stuff.

Adam Poultney

Don't Duxford charge quite a lot extra for going in the Vulcan? I wouldn't bother, there's other museums with Vulcans that are free to go in once you paid the entry fee or at a much lower price. XJ824 is a particularly well kept Vulcan, but it's not the only immaculate cockpit.

spruecutter96

The Midlands Air Museum (Coventry) and the Newark Aviation museum don't charge for climbing into either of their Vulcans. I was at the Hendon RAF Museum for an open-cockpit evening a few years ago and they were charging £25.00 to go inside their Vulcan. Suffice it to say, I didn't partake. 

canberraman

A lovely and varied set of images that have whetted my appetite for attending the Duxford BoB airshow next weekend. It's been many years since I entered a Vulcan cockpit and its good to see that XJ824 remains almost untouched from since when she arrived at Duxford in 1982.

Thanks guys. I really enjoyed the day and was prepared to support IWM by paying to sit in the cockpit which was preceded by a 30-minute talk, charting the history of the Vulcan which my wife was also permitted to listen to. The guide also permitted my wife to climb the access ladder to have a peek inside.

I'm really looking forward to air show next weekend!

On 11/09/2021 at 19:29, spruecutter96 said: The Midlands Air Museum (Coventry) and the Newark Aviation museum don't charge for climbing into either of their Vulcans. I was at the Hendon RAF Museum for an open-cockpit evening a few years ago and they were charging £25.00 to go inside their Vulcan. Suffice it to say, I didn't partake.    Chris.  

Went in XL360 on Tuesday 

Terrific pictures. I was surprised at how small the Vulcan cockpit appears to be.

(Yet) another super set of pin-sharp photos by AD210!

So again I have to thank him for sharing ... I really should look-in at the IWM website more often - I wasn't aware the Vulcan was open for viewing!  My great loss.

On 9/12/2021 at 11:24 PM, SAT69 said: Terrific pictures. I was surprised at how small the Vulcan cockpit appears to be.

Thanks for the kind words, SAT69. Like you, I was surprised at the size of the Vulcan cockpit, which seemed much smaller than a narrow-body airliner cockpit.

At least the pilots had ejection seats, compared to the three cew below who would need to jump out of the access door in an emergency.

9 minutes ago, Jonny said: (Yet) another super set of pin-sharp photos by AD210!   So again I have to thank him for sharing ... I really should look-in at the IWM website more often - I wasn't aware the Vulcan was open for viewing!  My great loss.   Jonny  

Thanks very much Jonny. I'm pleased that you enjoyed them. I am an IWM member, so get member newsletters, but I think that non-members can sign up for email updates.

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excellent day trip from London - IWM Duxford

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excellent day trip from London

I made a day trip from London to visit the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, catching a train from the Liverpool Street station to Cambridge and the C7 bus to Duxford. The entire trip took under two hours and was well worth the time. As it was the day after my 60th birthday, I entered at the senior rate of £13.20. The bus from Cambridge was £5.40 and the train from London was £14.70, so it wasn't a cheap day, but well worth the expense. The collection of aircraft is extensive from a Eurofighter Typhoon to a Concorde and SR-71. The Battle of Britain hanger had Spitfires to Lightnings and s BF 109. The land museum had lots of tanks including a German panzer. Be prepared to do a lot of walking but it will be worth the effort.

Fantastic day out for all age ranges. £16.50 admission for an adult but well worth it, you get a full day out here. There are indoor and outdoor picnic facilities if you want to avoid the cafeterias but they werent terribly expensive anyway.

The Imperial War Museum in Duxford has an outstanding collection of aircraft from WW II and newer models, including a Concorde and SR 71. The Avro Vulcan takes up a large area in one of the hangers. There are several hangers with aircraft and another with tanks and ground assault vehicles. It does require a bit of walking, so be prepared for that. I attended a display of military vehicles and there were over 100 that attended this event. It was well worth the trip from London to Cambridge by train with an easy transfer to Duxford on the C7 bus.

Really interesting, loads to see and do. Particularly liked the 2 main hangars and the land warfare hangar. Kids loved it and only 33 pounds for all of us for the entire day. Highly recommended

A great day out for young and old alike. Lots to see and do BUT don't eat there as the food is terrible and way over price. Take a picnic as even if it rains there are "Picnic Rooms" available.

We hoped for a good visit and we got a brilliant day out. Duxford isn't just a warplane museum since it has many other items of both warfare and commercial interest. Exhibits range from Concord(e) through the V1 "buzz bomb" and ramp to vehicles, communications, artillery, etc. - far too many exhibits to list. Go for the full day because you will be fascinated and still find that you are short of time. There is a free mini bus to take you around the site. What a wonderful visit - we live a long way away but I hope to be able to go again sometime.

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Imperial War Museum Duxford

• Private car/minibus

TOUR PRICES

Prices include:.

Prices are per car/minibus not per person and include your private tour guide, collection and return to your central London hotel and tax but not entrance fees where applicable, parking or meals unless stated. Please add £20 for collections from London Train Stations.

This tour is available in most languages. Select your language on checkout.

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About The Tour

The ancient University city of Cambridge is smaller and much more centralised than Oxford with its picturesque mediaeval colleges clustering around the River Cam. Half-timbered Queen's College is one of the most picturesque and King's College Chapel has some of the finest Gothic fan vaulting in England.

Also visit the Imperial War Museum Duxford. At the start of the second World War, Duxford was a Royal Air Force fighter base, its squadrons equipped with Spitfires and Hurricanes. The control tower and two of the hangars are original. Today the fascinating collection concentrates on British and American military aircraft from both world wars. Alongside the fighters and bombers are a few civil aircraft.

Even at weekends the hangars are hives of activity as aircraft are stripped down, reconstructed and restored in many cases to flying condition.

If your visit coincides with a flying day, you can watch simulated dogfights by Spitfires over the airfield.

Spitire Flights Contact us too about combining your tour of this historic airbase with a once-in-a-lifetime aviation experience - a flight in the iconic Spitfire. Follow in the footsteps of Churchill's "The Few" - the heroes who took to the skies to defend Britain from the Luftwaffe. Experience the sights, sounds and sheer thrill of this awesome aircraft up close.

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Cambridge tour, oxford tour, we had the lovely jonathan and omg he was amazing he took into account everything we wanted to do and see and made it happen.

Doncaster, UK

Why choose us?

Because you insist on the longest-established and most experienced service available in Britain. Founded in 1958, British Tours is still under the same management. About Us

Who is your Guide?

Our guides are personable educated men and women, chosen for their knowledge, special interests, backgrounds and personality. They will collect you by car from any central London location and guide you inside places of historic importance

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