Spitfire Memorial Museum Kent

Around 4 miles northwest of Ramsgate’s town centre at Manston Airport, this purpose-built museum stores two WWII planes: one a Spitfire, the other a Hurricane. Both look factory-fresh but are surprisingly delicate and so, sadly, there’s no clambering on board, though you can now have a go in a rather amateurishly built simulator. Gathered around the planes are myriad flight-associated exhibits, many relating to Manston’s role as an airfield during the Battle of Britain where many Spitfires were based. The museum has a decent cafe with views of the airstrip. Take bus 38 or 11 from King St and ask the driver to drop you off as near as possible.