The North East Land, Sea and Air Museums (NELSAM), formerly the North East Aircraft Museum, is a volunteer-run

aviation museum An aviation museum, air museum, or air and space museum is a museum exhibiting the history and cultural artifacts, artifacts of aviation. In addition to actual, replica or accurate reproduction aircraft, exhibits can include photographs, maps, Ph ...

situated on the site of the former RAF Usworth/Sunderland Airport, between

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

and

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...

, in

Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England. It borders Northumberland to the north and County Durham to the south, and the largest settlement is the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The county is ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The museum has the largest aviation collection between

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...

and

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

and houses over 30 aircraft and a wide collection of

aero engine An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the power component of an aircraft propulsion system. Aircraft using power components are referred to as powered flight. Most aircraft engines are either piston engines or gas turbin ...

s. The museum also has a small collection of other items such as

weaponry A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law e ...

vehicles A vehicle () is a machine designed for self-propulsion, usually to transport people, cargo, or both. The term "vehicle" typically refers to land vehicles such as human-powered vehicles (e.g. bicycles, tricycles, velomobiles), animal-powered tr ...

and other historical exhibits. The museum also has special displays showing a replica of a

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

British street and one honouring No. 607 Squadron RAF, which was based at RAF Usworth. NELSAM is an English

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

History

The North East Land, Sea and Air Museums traces its origins back to the formation of the North East Vintage and Veteran Aircraft Association (NEAVVAA), which started meeting in March 1974 at the Sunderland Airport, which had been

RAF Usworth Royal Air Force Sunderland'' or ''RAF Sunderland is a former Royal Air Force station in Sunderland. In 1958 the station was closed and the airfield became Sunderland Airport. Following the closure of the airport in 1984, the site has since b ...

. In March 1975 the group purchased a

Westland WS-51 Dragonfly The Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter was built by Westland Aircraft and was an Anglicised licence-built version of the American Sikorsky H-5, Sikorsky S-51. Design and development On 19 January 1947 an agreement was signed between Westlan ...

helicopter from a scrapyard and this became its first aircraft. The group continued to accumulate aircraft and in May 1977 changed its name to the Northumbian Aeronautical Collection. In 1979 the name was changed again, to North East Aircraft Museum. More aircraft were added, including an

Avro Vulcan The Avro Vulcan (later Hawker Siddeley Vulcan from July 1963) was a jet-powered, tailless, delta-wing, high-altitude, strategic bomber, which was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe ...

in January 1983. In April 1984 the local government, Sunderland Council announced that the airport would be closed to make way for an automobile manufacturing plant. After protracted negotiations the museum was given a lease on a four-acre site just outside the airfield. In 1987 the museum was opened to the public on a full-time basis. In 1989 the museum started to fund raise to construct buildings to house at last some of the collection indoors and in 1991 planning authority was granted for a new hangar to be built, actual construction of which was started in 1993. The museum used the old Sunderland Airport control tower for storage and administrative use and it was burnt in an arsonist attack in September 1996. On 23 January 1997, arsonists destroyed the museum's Vickers Valetta C2 (VX577), which was one of only three Valettas in existence. The Valletta's restoration work had taken two years and was completed the previous summer.Paul Wilkinson
"Museum Vandals Destroy 50 Years of Flying History"
''The Times'', 25 January 1997 A military vehicle collection previously displayed in

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

began relocation to the museum's new large

Romney hut The Romney hut is a prefabricated steel structure used by the British military, developed during World War II to supersede the Iris hut. History At the outbreak of World War II, the British military developed a series of Prefabrication, prefabr ...

in early 2012. This addition resulted in the name change of the facility to its present name, North East Land, Sea and Air Museums. The North Eastern Electrical Traction Trust (NEETT) moved trams and buses to a new tram shed on the site in April 2013. It was completed and track installed in December 2013.

Collection

The museum's collection includes:

Aircraft

Aero Engines

Buses, transport and trains

Military vehicles and equipment

References

External links

* {{authority control Museums in the City of Sunderland Aerospace museums in England Charities based in England