The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial, (RAF Elvington airfield during the World War II), is an air museum in England. The museum was first opened to the public on 31 May 1986.
The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is the largest independent air museum in Britain and is located on the former World War II, Station near York. It is the most original WWll RAF Bomber Command station open to the public and the only base used by French Heavy Bomber Squadrons during the war (346 'Guyenne' & 347 'Tunisie') plus No. 77 Squadron RAF. It is also the only allied air forces memorial in Europe. The Museum has a good international reputation and profile with established branches in Canada and France and is supported by over 4000 registered “friends” across the world.
The Vice President of the Museum is Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton KCB, BSc, FRAes, DCMI, RAF.
The Museum's principal activity is in education and the history of flight, through which it is involved with aerospace manufacturers and organisations via its long term "Reach for the Sky" project which in 2008 delivered the first KS2 History of Aviation educational resource book to all 26,000 primary schools in UK, supported by RAeS and the Ministry of Transport.
The Museum has around 50 aircraft scanning the development of aviation from 1853 up to the current GR4 Tornado. Several aircraft are kept live. Over 20 historic vehicles and a Registered Archive containing over 500,000 historic artefacts and documents are also preserved at the Museum, which is also the Official Archive for the National Aircrew Association and National Air Gunners Association. It is nationally registered and accredited through MLA / DCMS and is a registered charity. The 20-acre (81,000 m²) parkland site (which currently holds the Yorkshire in Bloom, Silver Gilt Award 2009) includes buildings and hangars, some of which are “listed”, and the site incorporates a 7-acre (28,000 m²) managed environment area and a DEFRA and EA supported self sustainability project called "Nature of Flight".
One of the UK’s most important permanent exhibitions on RAF Bomber Command was opened at the Museum in 2008, by Life Member, Sir David Jason OBE. In 2010 another new exhibition called “Pioneers of Aviation”, and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, is to be opened featuring the lives and achievements of Sir George Cayley, Sir Barnes Wallis, Robert Blackburn, Nevil Shute and Amy Johnson.
Principal on-site businesses include: Restaurant, Publishing, Retail Shop, Operational Fire Service, Events, Aircraft Operation Engineering Workshops, Archives and Corporate Business Suite.
The Museum undertakes several annual events each year within the general attraction / entertainment area as well as educational / academic events for specific audiences, plus several corporate events in association with companies such as Bentley, Porsche, Banking, Government Agencies etc.
It is operated by 149 employees, of which 138 are unpaid volunteers. A small operations team works closely together in a variety of specialist subjects from PR/marketing to Corporate Affairs and Museum Management.
The Museum is expanding rapidly and currently receives over 90,000 visitors per annum. It has received numerous awards, such as “Top Attraction in Yorkshire”, Top Tourism Business; Top Marketing Award & Top Website.[citation (source) needed]
The Museum is open every day except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Museum Features[]
Building 1. Airborne Forces Display & 609 (West Riding) Squadron Room.
Building 2. Uniform Display.
Building 3. Air Gunners' Display.
Building 4. Archives & Reference Library.
Building 5. Museum Shop.
Building 7. Memorial Garden.
Building 8. Museum HQ, Main Entrance.
Building 9. Main Display Hall.
Building 10. Elvington Room.
Building 11. Museum Restaurant.
Building 12. Control Tower.
Building 13. French Officers' Mess.
Building 14. Airmens Billet- Living Quarters.
Building 15. Home Guard Airfield Defence HQ.
Building 16. Signal Square.
Building 17. Hangar T2 Canadian Memorial.
Building 18. Historic Military Vehicles & Fire Station.
Building 19. Handley Page Aircraft Workshop.
Building 20. Barnes Wallis Collection.
Aircraft Collection[]
1853 Replica George Cayley Glider
1903 Replica Wright Flyer
1911 Replica Blackburn Mercury Monoplane BAPC-130
1913 Replica Avro 504 H1968 BAPC-42
1914 Replica Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2 6232
1917 Replica Port Victoria P.V.7 Grain Kitten
1917 Replica Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 F943
1925 Replica De Havilland Gypsy Moth G-AAAH
1933 Mignet Pou-du-Ciel BAPC-76
1935 Avro Anson VV901
1937 Replica Hawker Hurricane
1937 Replica Messerschmitt Bf-109
1938 Replica Supermarine Spitfire
1940 Handley Page Halifax LV907
1941 De Havilland Mosquito HJ711
1942 Waco Hadrian 237123 BAPC-157
1944 Gloster Meteor WK864, WS788
1950 Westland Dragonfly WH991
1951 English Electric Canberra WH846
1952 Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
1952 De Havilland Venom WX788
1953 Fairey Gannet XL502
1954 English Electric Lightning XS903
1954 Westland Whirlwind XP345
1955 Handley Page Herald
1955 Hunting-Percival Jet Provost XP640
1956 Gloster Javelin XH767
1956 Hawker Hunter N268, XL572
1956 Saro Skeeter G-AWSV
1958 Handley Page Victor XL231
1961 Beagle Terrier TJ704
1961 Dassault Mirage III 538
1962 Blackburn Buccaneer XN974, XX901
1969 Hawker Siddeley Harrier XV748
1969 Hawker Siddeley Nimrod XV250
1980 Panavia Tornado ZA354
2003 Panavia Tornado XZ631
"Friday the 13th" original reconstruction of Handley Page Halifax - part of Yorkshire Air Museum's WW II aircraft collection
Military Vehicle collection[]
| Make | Model | Year | Reg no./serial no. | Description | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvis | Saracen | ? | ? | Armoured personnel carrier | 
|
- |
| Austin | Champ | 1953 | 35 BL 93/FV 1801 | Quarter Ton truck |
|
4-WD light truck |
| Bedford | Green Goddess | ? | SYH 292 | Fire pump |
|
Fire Engine / mobile pump unit |
| Chevrolet | Chevrolet C15A | 1941 | SFO 842 | General Purpose Truck |
|
4-WD Military GP truck Built in Canada |
| Commer | Commando | 1947 | XAT 368 | Bus |
|
Air crew bus |
| Commer | Commer Q4 | 1958 | ? | Fire pump |
|
"Bikini" unit |
| Daimler Motor Company | Ferret | ? | ? | Aircraft tractor |
|
Modern tow truck |
| David Brown | David Brown VIG 2 | 1948 | RAF 847161 | Aircraft tractor |
|
Diesel engined example - ex Eggborough power station |
| David Brown | David Brown VIG 3 | 1949 | ? | Aircraft tractor |
|
- |
| Douglas | Douglas P3 | 1968 | nr | Aircraft tractor |
|
Modern tow truck |
| Dennis-Mercury | model no. ? | 1971 | nr | Aircraft tractor |
|
Modern tow truck |
| Lansing Bagnal | model no. ? | ? | ? | Tug |
|
Used for towing bomb trailers and equipment |
| Standard Motor Company | Tilly | circa 1938 | FAA 750 | STD MOD pattern utility light truck |
|
Rare Mk1 based on Standard Twelve car |
| Thornycroft | Amazon | 1942 | ?/Coles Crane no. 3995 | 6 Ton Aircraft crane |
|
Fitted with Coles Aircraft Crane |
| Vickers | Chieftain tank | ? | ? | tank |
|
Modern main battle tank prototype from the 1970s |
Location[]
Yorkshire Air Museum,
Halifax Way, Elvington, York, YO41 4AU
Miscellaneous information[]
The site also hosts The British National 50cc Endurance Racing events.
Several speed related challenges have also taken place using the Elvington runway;
- Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond's high speed crash in a dragster happened here.
- A Blind driver set a new speed record for a non-sighted driver in a car in the 1990s.
See also[]
References / sources[]
This version initially based on wikipedia article with additional sections added
- The Museum guide book.
External links[]
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