Welcome to the Fleet Air Arm Museum Centre for Naval Aviation Records & Research.
Archive
The collection covers a wide range of documents from official and private sources, related to the Royal Naval Air Service and the Fleet Air Arm. They cover areas such as aircraft, ships, equipment, air stations, operations and personnel. Amongst the most regularly consulted are the Squadron Line Books and Record Books, Air Publications and aircraft accident records.
The Centre also holds documents relating to service in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines before and during the First World War. Personal papers from important figures in aviation are held.
The very large photographic collection covers all areas within the Museum's remit and is widely used by researchers and authors. It comprises material from both official and private sources.
Items mentioned on these pages are only a sample of what is held, and the collection is growing continuously.
Research
2009 is a momentous year for the Museum and the Fleet Air Arm. There are national celebrations to commemorate the centenary of the Navy’s first involvement with aviation and the Museum is creating a large and radical exhibition (Fly Navy 100) to mark the event. Simultaneously, the Museum is involved in a major educational project, supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. All these activities require significant input from the Museum’s Records and Research Department.
Owing to the urgency of the above commitments and the small number of staff available to fulfil the demand, it is with regret that the Museum has decided to suspend, for a few months, its normal services to researchers. This means that, with the exception of the State of the Art papers, it will not be possible for researchers to consult the archive or to obtain copies from the photograph collection.
Normal service will be resumed later in the year and the Museum’s website will announce when we resume the service.
Please be aware that we have not taken lightly the decision to suspend services and it has been done in the face of overwhelming demand on very limited resources.
We intend to reinstate a normal service well before the end of the year. Please bear with us through this period, enjoy the celebrations and visit us to see our new Fly Navy 100 exhibition, which opens at the beginning of July.
Further information on the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Service Documents held in the Fleet Air Arm Museum's Archive.