Not a great deal to see but military enthusiast would no doubt find much of interest but appears to be a lot more exhibits yet to be shown and not... read more ready yet

  a very warm welcome from volunteers at the museum. enormous amount of material and authentic exhibits. the personal stories with medals and photos of actual people from the war... read more service was so touching and informative.

  I had seen the museum on a list of things to do in Sussex so we went along with our 12 year old boy. I love all the human stories... read more in war time and was so interested in the countless biographies and heart breaking letters. My son was fascinated by the artefacts especially the planes and having watched Band of brothers it was great to go onto the actual plane used for filming. We were there for about 1.5 hours and kept saying to each other ‘look have you seen this?’. In my boys education so far they haven’t taken one school trip to any war related museum, we had to go here to learn about the bombing of Petworth School and the loss of children’s lives, each of the coffins carried on Canadian troop’s jeeps. Thanks to the enthusiasts to preserve local war history we can bolster our children’s education on the important things they need to know. We went onto to see the Balcombe Viaduct after

  The Wings Aviation Museum is situated in a Hangar at Bucklands Farm near Balcombe, approximately 15 minutes drive from Gatwick.

It is a registered charity, run by volunteers and... read more is associated with the Royal Air Forces Association.

On display are various aviation items such as engines, airframes, uniforms, flying equipment and medals. Surrounding these are hundreds of personal accounts from the war, providing first-hand examples of courage, sacrifice and heroism.

The museum is working on several restoration projects such as a cockpit of a North American B-25, Avro Lincoln Instrument Panel and the iconic Hawker Hurricane cockpit.

The team at Wings are heavily involved in aviation archaeology, and have been involved in digs across Britain and France.

If you're a fan of the HBO series Band Of Brothers, they have the Douglas DC-3 Dakota fuselage that was used during the filming there too.

All in all a great day out, very informative if you are interested in military aviation and worth a visit.

For more information and recommendations please see our Facebook page @sussexconcierge

  I had seen the museum on a list of things to do in Sussex so we went along with our 12 year old boy. I love all the human stories... read more in war time and was so interested in the countless biographies and heart breaking letters. My son was fascinated by the artefacts especially the planes and having watched Band of brothers it was great to go onto the actual plane used for filming. We were there for about 1.5 hours and kept saying to each other ‘look have you seen this?’. In my boys education so far they haven’t taken one school trip to any war related museum, we had to go here to learn about the bombing of Petworth School and the loss of children’s lives, each of the coffins carried on Canadian troop’s jeeps. Thanks to the enthusiasts to preserve local war history we can bolster our children’s education on the important things they need to know. We went onto to see the Balcombe Viad

  Had a great time here, so much to see from WW2. Lots of local things that happened during the war. The Dakota from tv series Band of Brothers was incredible,... read more which you can go inside and can sit inside cockpit of Chipmunk. Highly recommend.

  Made a visit to this very good museum on the 25th June, and was made very welcome by the volunteers and owners.

Lots of artifacts to see with... read more some great stories, of very brave men.

I can highly recommend a visit. It has easy access and is well laid out.

  We had passed the sign to the Wings museum on several occasions & always wondered what was there so we decided to take the time to find out.
Were warmly... read more greeted on arrival. Everything was undercover in a hangar-type building, so ideal in the Autumn months when you cannot rely on decent weather.

Lots of interesting artefacts relating to the many bombers of WWII inc. German planes - Heinkel, Fortress, Junkers, Lancaster, Wellington etc. etc. Fascinating stories relating to the pilots who flew the aircraft too, some as young as 19 or 20! It's only a relatively small attraction so no cafe on site but a drinks machine en route if you need one or visit Balcombe village after for lunch or tea & cake.

The gentlemen who was running it yesterday was very knowledgeable & approachable if we'd any questions. We took our time & spent 2 1/2 hours there but it could be done much quicker if you don't have that much time to spare.

Great for singles, groups or families with older children. They are grateful for donations should you have any interesting memorabilia relating to WWII. They are also looking for volunteers.

Plenty of parking. Hand sanitiser on arrival, we gave our contact details for track & trace & had to wear our masks all the time but we felt very safe visiting. They accept cash or credit card & a discount for over 60's. Worth a visit so take the time to support & explore this interesting attraction.

  a rainy winter Sunday seemed the perfect excuse to visit somewhere we had often passed signs to but never visited and I am very glad we did. very helpful and... read more knowledgeable staff, fascinating exhibits, crashed aircraft might seem a bit morbid but the human story told with each display gives a very real and moving experience of what ww2 was really like to live through. wheelchair access was ok, there is access available via the farm next door to avoid the steep entrance path.

  The signs to this museum are almost impossible to see,but seeing this slightly eccentric museum is worth the effort.
There seem to be bits and pieces of virtually every aircraft... read more that flew in WW2.Crews equipment and effects,bomb casings,undercarriages, fuselages they are all there to be seen.
Not as good as Tangmere,but still worth the effort.

  There is so much to see and explore at this well run museum that you really cannot do it in one visit. We have been twice now and plan... read more to go many more times.

  Well worth a visit ,facinating information regarding ww11 aircraft and personnel ,and a great tribute to the men and women who fought to keep our freedom alive in... read more those dark days,all school kids should attend.

  The fascinating way it was laid out. Giving an insight to aircraft from the WW2. Also had a great chat with the person in the radio shack

  Absolutely amazing
great staff (and geoff!!) woulod recommend to anyone of anyage hand on experience
Just go
JB TC and big J

  Visited with a group of friends all of whom are WW2 reenactors. Great visit, so much to see. Friendly staff who made us feel very welcome. Definitely worth a visit.

  Such a wonderful museum, so much to see and learn. Every volunteer was so helpful, eager and informative, really lovely to have been shown some special treasurers and then found... read more out about them from their knowledge. My lad even got to try some of the items including holding a gun, wearing a hat & parachute. He loved his visit. Thank you so much

  A secret collection of genuine artefacts from aviation history in the sussex countryside. A non profitable display supported my volenteers and donations. Its small scale with basic facilities but... read more for people who are enthusiastic in aviation it’s a gem of real life treasure! Staff are knowledgable and passionate and my 5 and 7 yr old had a lovely hour looking around and sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft. We will definitely be back!

They also had good social distancing awareness and it’s in a light and airy hanger/warehouse.

  We visited the Museum yesterday. The star attraction was the start up of a renovated Merlin engine from a crashed Halifax bomber. This was a considerable engineering feat and is... read more a superb example of dedication and hard work - typical of the Museum. What is so delightful is the variability of the collection of items. Of particular interest amongst many items was the fuselage of the Bell P-63 recovered from Russia, the restored Austin 7 and the C-47. As one might expect, the staff were very knowledgeable, full of good humour and unstuffy.

This is a unique collection and well worth

  What a fantastic find! A small yet immersive experience, packed with hundreds of rare, original helmets, uniforms, and field gear from World War II. The experience is complete with... read more first-hand personal narratives and accounts in a variety of formats, including diaries, memoirs, journals, and non-fictional accounts. You really get a feel for the events of the war. The staff were warm, friendly, and great with the kids. Well done.

  Very much enjoyed our second visit to the Wings Museum. There is so much to see and take in that it merits a second trip.

Each object has a... read more story, many profoundly moving.

We plan to go back again when the radio shack is open.

  What a little gem this place is ! we called in on our route doing the London to Brighton classic car rally , don't be put off by the... read more outer appearances ( it's on a farm ) this place is amazing and the volunteer staff are lovely. The exhibits are honest examples of war time . I highly recommend a stroll around this packed museum.

  We visited with our 2 grandchildren aged 11 and 10, and they had such a lovely time. All the staff were very informative, and a big thank you to... read more Jeff for giving the children a taste of carrying a heavy parachute, and the experience of jumping out of the back of the plane. Money well spent, and we would definitely recommend a visit. Thanks again

  Such a lovely place to visit. My kids loved the stories and interaction with staff. It is not massive but we spent two hours having lots of fun.

  I had a great time visiting here. There is lots to see from WW2, from restored cockpit displays to bomb disposal equipment and artifact from exhumed wrecks and relics from... read more shot down aircraft throughout the war from all sides.

There are also interesting stories regarding the displays.

The Dakota is from tv series Band of Brothers which you can go inside. You can also sit inside cockpit of Chipmunk (it's a bit tight!) 🙂

This is a good place for any child or adult with an interest in WW2 or aircraft.

The owners were warm and friendly and a tea and coffee machine on site!

  amazing experience, lots to look at and a wide variety of cool items salvaged from ww2, came here with my dad for father's day/ his birthday and was not disappointed

  a rainy winter Sunday seemed the perfect excuse to visit somewhere we had often passed signs to but never visited and I am very glad we did. very helpful and... read more knowledgeable staff, fascinating exhibits, crashed aircraft might seem a bit morbid but the human story told with each display gives a very real and moving experience of what ww2 was really like to live through. wheelchair access was ok, there is access available via the farm next door to avoid the steep entrance path.

  Visited on 1 November with our 6 and 9 year. The place is full of great exhibits and really worth a visit. Our kids loved it and would have spent... read more ages there if they could! Well worth a visit.

  Visiting on a rainy Sunday morning with my husband and 4yr old. My husband is a military history enthusiast and was blown away with just how much was crammed into... read more the builder! Parts of planes, bombs, guns, uniform...the list goes on. Theres even an old officer mess door!
The guys who were volunteering were full of knowledge and couldn't have been more helpful. They let our son sit in a cockpit and were happy to help out. During the week, the radio shack is open, where you can come down and use the old 2 way radios.
This really is a hidden gem and ideal for anyone who is interested in history or for kids learning about WW2 at school