Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum

Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST) is a volunteer-run museum and archive dedicated to preserving over a century of aviation science and innovation at the former Royal Aircraft Establishment site. Housed in Trenchard House—a Grade II listed building overlooking Farnborough Airfield—the museum’s galleries showcase aircraft, satellites, wind-tunnel models, simulators and unique RAE-related artefacts that trace the town’s pivotal role in British aerospace history.

Special exhibits spotlight the Cody Pavilion’s replica of Samuel Cody’s British Army Aeroplane No. 1A, original cockpit sections from Trident and Canberra jets, and an exceptional line-up of British military aircraft: Hawker Hunter T.7 & T.8, Folland Gnat T.1, English Electric Lightning T.5, SEPECAT Jaguar T.2 and Harrier T.4.

Rotary-wing enthusiasts will appreciate the Westland Scout, Gazelle, Lynx, Puma and Wasp helicopters, alongside the unmanned GAF Jindivik target drone. Complementing these are RAE-tested artefacts such as wind-tunnel models and missile guidance hardware, all narrating Farnborough’s legacy in flight testing and research.

Facilities include free on-site parking, wheelchair-accessible galleries and toilets, induction-loop hearing assistance and loan wheelchairs. Visitors can relax in the coffee lounge serving hot and cold drinks, cakes and biscuits, browse the museum shop for aviation books and models, and try flight simulators or step inside cockpit sections when volunteer staff are on duty.

Pre-booked guided tours for adult and school groups run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, complete with refreshments and illustrated talks, while active restoration workshops open to the public on Wednesdays offer a behind-the-scenes look at conservation in action.