Fly our Simulators

Experience what it was like to fly a Spitfire or Lancaster in one of our amazing simulators, equipped with authentic controls. Sitting alongside our genuine Second World War aircraft, the simulators will help to answer in part, the age-old question of what it might have been like to fly in the Second World War..

Our simulators, with life-size cockpit setups, are the closest you will ever come to flying these legendary aircraft without stepping inside the real thing.

Using authentic WWII controls, visitors will be able to take off, fly and land a Lancaster or Spitfire whilst sitting in a realistic cockpit!

When flying The Manston Spitfire Experience, you have our real combat veteran Spitfire as a backdrop as you fly.

The Manston Lancaster Experience is situated alongside our Hawker Hurricane which served with a Bomber Defence Training flight during the war.

Full instruction is given by one of our qualified instructors, who will be on hand throughout your flight to help and support you.

Booking your flight

A 30 minute Lancaster flight costs £75.00 / A 30 minute Spitfire flight costs £35.00.

Please note the following terms and conditions apply to the simulator:

• Booking is essential (bookings within the Museum opening times)
• Bookings must be made online. We are not currently able to accept any bookings made on the phone or in person.
• Maximum weight of 18 stone (110kg) and minimum height of 5' (152cm). Maximum width at shoulders 24” (60cm).
• Please note there is no disabled access thus a reasonable degree of fitness and mobility is required to climb IN and OUT of the cockpit.
• You will receive full instruction from a qualified instructor on the date of your experience, which will include a briefing.
• Please be aware that the instructor reserves the right to terminate your experience in the event of misuse, emergency or a health & safety concern.
• The RAF Manston Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum is not liable for any injuries as a result of mis-use of the simulator.
• Simulator gift vouchers are available to purchase from the Museum shop

Bringing the simulator to Manston

With thanks to the generous support of local stakeholders, charities, businesses and visitors, we raised the required £15,000.00 to install an incredibly detailed Spitfire Simulator.

Please keep supporting the fund as the any money raised above the £15,000.00 will be used towards securing virtual reality technology and improving the graphics for the simulator, thus creating an even more immersive experience for our visitors in the future!

In addition to making our visitor experience more immersive, the simulator promotes our educational work at the museum and help us to raise funds which will be re-invested in the Museum.

Our aim with the simulator is:

• Give visitors a flavour of what flying a real Spitfire is like.
• Continue our mission to Engage, Educate and Inspire our local community.
• Be more secure and relevant in the future.
• Raise additional funds which we can invest in improving our visitor services
• Above all, the simulator is great good fun!

Sponsors and Suppliers

We are indebted to our sponsors, who gave invaluable time and expertise to the project and also to the businesses who supplied all the equipment to make the simulator possible.