Aerospace Bristol launches "biggest-ever" conservation project
Museum gives visitors rare access to landmark live conservation project
Last updated 21st May 2026
Aerospace Bristol has announced a landmark conservation project focusing on the Bristol Freighter T170—the last Bristol Freighter aircraft in Europe.
Designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Bristol Freighter was a pioneering cargo aircraft with a 108ft wingspan.
The aircraft is noted for its significant contribution to aviation, being the first post-war airplane to receive an unrestricted Certificate of Airworthiness.
Kate Rambridge, interpretation lead at Aerospace Bristol, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to conserve and share the story of an extraordinary aircraft.
"The Bristol Freighter connects Bristol’s world-leading aviation heritage with global histories of innovation, conflict and travel.
"This project enables us not just to conserve this aircraft but to bring those stories to life for new generations.”
Aerospace Bristol’s Freighter once served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and operated throughout Southeast Asia during the Cold War era.
Following an international recovery effort, the aircraft was returned to Bristol in 2018 and is now being conserved next to the site where it was originally created.
The Freighter will be reassembled outdoors, as its large wingspan cannot be accommodated inside the museum hangar.
Sally Cordwell chief executive at Aerospace Bristol, said: “This project represents everything Aerospace Bristol stands for.
"It’s about preserving our history, celebrating the contribution and stories of the people behind Bristol’s aviation legacy and inspiring future generations”.
The conservation will include corrosion removal, weatherproofing, and a long-term conservation plan, managed by volunteers, many of whom are former aerospace engineers.
Once conservation is complete, the Freighter will be the centrepiece of a new outdoor exhibition featuring viewing platforms and interactive displays.
The project aims to serve as a flagship example of live conservation, integrating heritage preservation with public engagement, attracting over 100,000 visitors annually.
Special spotlight talks on the history of the Freighter's conservation will be held every hour, and children can engage by designing their own Bristol Freighter livery.
Visitors can witness the steady progress of the conservation project, with plans to move the aircraft outdoors by the end of summer.