Hangar 42 Spitfire Visitor Centre at Blackpool Airport

The Lytham St Annes Spitfire Display Team was founded in 2009 by Chairman John Coombes to raise funds for the RAF Memorial at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham St Annes. Back in 1940, the people of Lytham St Annes raised £6,500 to buy a Spitfire Mark Vb W3644, which was sadly shot down in 1942, resulting in the loss of its pilot, Sgt. Alan Lever-Ridings. Now, a full-size replica of W3644 stands proudly at the Spitfire Memorial at Fairhaven Lake (FY8 1BD). The Spitfire Display Team continues to support the Spitfire Visitor Centre at Blackpool Airport through fundraising and is available for events and shows. Hangar 42 features five Spitfire replicas of different models, as well as a Hawker Hurricane MKI and a Messerschmitt bf109e. Each aircraft is carefully restored with original wartime parts. Visitors can sit in a Spitfire cockpit and take unique photos for a small fee, with some height, weight, and age restrictions. A spitfire display can also be seen at the Gynn Square roundabout.

Raven Cockpits runs the Spitfire Flight Simulator. To book flight training or combat missions, visitors should reach out directly through their website, with packages starting at £140 per hour. The collection also includes rare restored wartime RAF vehicles and ground equipment. On Saturday open days, there are tours and talks about Lancashire’s wartime role. The Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team displays an interesting collection of WW2 aircraft wrecks, including the P51 Mustang and the Junkers JU88 Bomber. Tickets for the Saturday open days need to be purchased in advance.

Two of the images below were taken at the Lytham 1940s Weekend on 17 August 2024.

Reception

Outside the hangar   © Spitfire Visitor Centre

Museum display featuring WWII uniforms

Aircraft maintenance

Inside the hangar

Airplane communications display in actual size

Airplane communications display in actual size

Museum display

Museum display

Weapons display

Rolls Royce aircraft engine showing damage from enemy gunfire

Hangar 42 display at Lytham 40s weekend – 17 August 2024

Hangar 42 display at Lytham 40s weekend – 17 August 2024

For more on Amy Johnson and her tragic flight from Blackpool Airport, click the link HERE. For more on her time visiting Blackpool, click HERE.