RAF Bristol Britannia

30/05/2026

It's a beautiful day and we're open! Very quiet, so an idea time for a thorough look round the aircraft - come on over!

28/05/2026

Most people are aware that maintenance on XM496 is a bit like painting the Forth Bridge -it's never finished.

Volunteer Stephen took these photos today of our 'nose dock', scaffolding erected so we can access the front and top of the fuselage and remedy the defects; we may also need to reseal the escape hatch.

We're not sure how long it will be up - but we're all looking forward to seeing the improvements afterwards.

Open this Saturday 30th as usual, 11-4. See you there!

28/05/2026

Shamelessly recycling previous photos with no apology!😀

This month has five Saturdays so we're open again this weekend, 30th May. Come along and see our updated displays; sit in the pilot's seat and play with the controls.

Free entry, 11-4 🙂 Head for AV8 but turn right at the crossroads. Just before British Phantom Aviation Group.

17/05/2026

The wonderful Ashley Sparrowhawk visited us twice this weekend. Today he brought up the 1:72 model he has built (from Mach 2) and took some photos of them both together. Impressive, or what? His is just missing our steps :-)

Thank you for sending these, Ashley!

16/05/2026

Open for visitors, today (Saturday 16th) 11-4, tomorrow, Sunday, 12-2. Next door to British Phantom Aviation Group open weekend.

See you soon!

15/05/2026

It's Friday night, it's gone 5 o'clock - but tomorrow, 16 May, we're open 11-4 and you can buy a genuine fridge magnet with this very photo on! A snip at £3.

If you can't make it tomorrow - we're open Sunday as well, 12-2. We're right next to British Phantom Aviation Group who have got an open weekend, so you can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak... this opportunity doesn't happen very often, so hope to see you there!

14/05/2026

We'll be open both days! You will need to buy a ticket to get onto the airport for this weekend though.

Our latest addition to our upcoming open weekend in July in our good friends JJ's reptiles exotic encounters,

If you want to get up close and personal with some of the coolest creatures around they will be with us all weekend.

Alongside the visiting aircraft and animals we are also offering:
Airside tours - booked on the day
Live music
Food vendors
Vintage & classic
Emergency vehicles
Red Arrows simulator
Negus 747 tours

and much more to be announced

Tickets can be purchased here:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cotswoldairport/2042678

Tickets can be purchased here -

14/05/2026

We were sent these photos by Mark Cooper of his grandfather's logbook; he flew as AQM on Britannias during the early '60s, and frequently on XM496.

Mark had this to say: "My grandfather's name is William Tougher (known by his middle name Eric), he was the flight loadmaster.

He’s 93 and lives fairly local in Swindon, I would love to bring him down."

We'd very much like to meet you too, Eric, I'm sure there will be some of our team who have flown with you, and definitely some of our followers online.

We're open this weekend, 16/17 May, on Saturday 11-4 and, in conjunction with British Phantom Aviation Group, on Sunday too from approximately 12-2.

12/05/2026

No, we haven't painted the Britannia, but you can see this beauty on the way!

It's British Phantom Aviation Group 's open weekend, so we'll join the party and we'll be open both days - Saturday 11-4, and on Sunday, 12-2, or maybe a bit later if it's busy.

Head for AV8 and turn right at the crossroads. See you there, free entry as always.

01/05/2026

Coming to Cotswold Airport on Saturday 2 May? We're open 11-4, come and visit, entry is free!

The classic lines of the Bristol Britannia are apparent in this close-up shot of ALTAIR taxiing at Luqa, Malta, 1970's (Godfrey Mangion / Aviation MT)