Jet Age Museum in Gloucester to reopen

The Jet Age Museum collections includes two Gloster Meteor aircraft

An agreement has been signed paving the way for the reopening of The Jet Age Museum at Gloucestershire Airport.

The deal allows the aviation museum to lease land at the airport for the next 45 years.

Its collection, including a replica Hawker Hurricane and Gloucester Gamecock, was last based at the airport in 2000.

It was forced out of its previous home when the airport expanded and aircraft have been in storage ever since.

Work is expected to begin on phase one of the project, a 30m (100ft) by 36m (120ft) hangar and offices, in May.

Chairman and curator of the museum John Lewer said the building would take "two or three months to construct".

"I think we should be open to the public by August or September," he said.

The new building at Staverton in Gloucester will house delicate aircraft such as a 1925 Gloucester Gamecock which is made out of wood and fabric.

The museum's collection includes a Gloster Javelin, Meteors and a replica Gloster E28/39

It will also contain archive photos and documents.

Phase two of the project will extend the length of the hangar to about 48m (160ft) allowing metal aircraft such as a Gloster Meteor and a Gloster Javelin to be included.

Campaigners have raised £250,000 over the past decade to pay for the new building.

The previous museum was housed in a temporary home of a former World War II Bellman hangar.

Before it closed in 2000 the museum attracted about 5,500 visitors a year.