Outdoors & Attractions

Situated on the former site of RAF Usworth just between Sunderland and Washington you can find the North East's only aircraft museum. The museum is run mainly by volunteers and holds a range of different aircraft from the mighty impressive Vulcan Bomber to the amazingly small Flying Flea.

Most of the exhibits are under cover in three hangars but we soon found out there is more to the exhibition than looking at aircraft. It seems there have been some spooky things going on.

Paranormal activity

Most of the paranormal activity seems to surround the Westland Whirlwind helicopter XN258 located in hangar three. Since its arrival 15 years ago things have been happening that cannot be explained by normal scientific investigations.

"We have had a number of dzus's coming loose which are a type of connection holding the body parts in place, small nuts, bolts and washers flying from all directions at us and we have also seen the helicopter rocking from side to side with no one in or near it.

Paul in the cockpit of XN258

"It was so weird, it was not just a slight rocking it was really going for it, at first we thought that somebody must have been inside and was trying to scare us but after investigating we found no one there.

"This is the most haunted aircraft we have here, it just seems to attract paranormal activity, and every time I work on it I get this suppressive feeling. I have had my shoulder tapped on and I am sure I have seen things out the corner of my eyes." says Paul.

XN258 working life

The Westland Whirlwind was originally designed to operate from aircraft carriers and was fitted with radar and dunking sonar for submarine detection. This particular one first flew on the 29 August 1959. In September the same year it left for tropical trials in Nigeria. It later saw action with the Naval Aircraft Radio Installation Unit before joining H.M.S Hermes for search and rescue operations.

Area of the main activity

Paul said "Back in the 60s this helicopter was involved in a large number of search and rescue duties. One in particular was a boat race that was taking place in some very bad storms. What I understand is that a lot of people were successfully recovered from the water alive but a number of them did die whilst on board.

"I think that this is one of the reasons for the amount of paranormal activity that this aircraft receives. We have been told by a number of psychic groups who come here the main area of activity is from the front sliding door, this is where the people being rescued would of entered the aircraft when they were winched up from the sea.

The spirits are not happy

"Spiritualist groups have told us that the spirits here are not at all happy with this aircraft being restored, they seem to be very disturbed. They say that this is the reason the helicopter rocks from side to side.

Volunteer Linda with the haunted phone.

"We don't know if it is just this helicopter or if it's the site that we are on, it's not only this aircraft we have had weird experiences with. We also have an old wind up RAF telephone on display here and that sometimes makes a type of ringing noise, it's just so strange what happens here.

"On one occasion a couple asked us who their son was talking to in hangar one. He was talking to a man who was dressed in brown wearing a big belt, there was no one else in the hangar.

"Quite a few people have seen this man who we think is wearing a Sam Brown Uniform, this is the type of uniform RAF personnel would wear when they were stationed here," says Paul.

Paul told us that he is not a super believer but his feelings are beginning to change.

Paul said: "There are just to many things happening and far too many questions not being answered".