Story ID: 471HelicopterMuseumHAI15
UK Helicopter Museum Looks To Expand
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: The world’s largest dedicated helicopter collection is running out of hangar space.
Word Count: 217
As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, The Helicopter Museum (THM) at the UK’s Weston-super-Mare, the world’s largest dedicated rotorcraft museum, is about to embark on an expansion program after a government Coastal Communities grant allowed it to buy an additional four acres of land adjoining its current location. The grant will also help fund the restoration of the airfield’s original 1935 vintage wooden control tower and adjacent 1940s pilots block. 
  
THM’s collection includes more than 100 helicopters from around the world, the latest on display being a Gyrodyne QH-50D U.S. Navy drone from the 1960s, the ancestor of today’s Northrup Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout. The museum has thus faced a space crunch, according to THM Trustees chairman Elfan ap Rees. “We are rapidly running out of under-cover space for the collection and the Coastal Communities grant will kick-start our expansion,” he said. “However, we desperately need additional hangar space and to replace our front-of-house facilities housed in a temporary prefabricated building that was at least 30 years old when we moved on site 25 years ago.”
  
The museum hopes to raise an additional £2 million to match another government grant to fund further construction. Those interested in finding out more information can speak with Ap Rees at Booth 5207.