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Air and Space

Curator of Engineering Sarah Baines looks back at the history and prior uses of the Lower Campfield Market—otherwise known as our Air and Space Hall—and celebrates the 38 years it has spent delighting visitors as a transport and aviation gallery.

100 years ago, John ‘Jack’ Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown did something no one had done before – they flew non-stop across the Atlantic. But they weren’t the only ones who were trying.

Today marks the 40th anniversary since aviator David Cook used his modified Volmer VJ 23E hang-glider, powered by a go-kart engine, to cross the English Channel in 1978. The hang-glider is now part of our collection here at the museum, and to mark the occasion, Assistant Curator Lewis Pollard spoke to David about his historic journey.