Yorkshire Air Museum

The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is an air museum in England on the site of the former RAF Elvington airfield, a Second World War RAF Bomber Command station. The museum was founded, and first opened to the public, in the early 1980s.

Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial
Replica of a Wright Flyer at the museum
Established1986 (1986)
LocationHalifax Way, Elvington, York, YO41 4AU
Coordinates53.92480°N 0.96531°W / 53.92480; -0.96531
TypeAviation museum
Websitewww.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk
Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, York

The museum is the largest independent air museum in Britain.[1] It is also the only Allied Air Forces Memorial in Europe and has an international reputation and profile with established branches in Canada and France and the support of over 4,000 registered "friends" across the world.[2] The museum is a Corporate Member of Friends of the Few (Battle of Britain Memorial) and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

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. This 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 is expanding rapidly and received over 100,000 visitors in 2012.[3] It has received many awards, such as: Top Specialist Attraction in UK - 2011 & 2015; Top Attraction in Yorkshire, Press Top Tourism Business; York Top Marketing Award and Winalot Top Dog Friendly Museum in UK.

The site
Further information: RAF Elvington

The 20-acre (81,000 m2) parkland site includes buildings and hangars, some of which are listed. It incorporates a 7-acre (28,000 m2) managed environment area and a DEFRA and Environment Agency supported self sustainability project called "Nature of Flight". The museum is situated next to a 10,000 ft runway, which is privately owned.

Whilst the Royal Air Force carried on using the runway for aircraft landing and take off training until 1992, the buildings and hangars had long been abandoned. In 1983, a group started clearing the undergrowth and the site was ready to be unveiled as the Yorkshire Air Museum in 1986.[4]

Leadership and staffing

The President of the Museum/Memorial is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton[5] and Vice Presidents include; Air Cmdre Graham Pitchfork; Ian Reed AFHG; Paul Bogaert AAAG and TV Presenter, Jan Leeming.[6]

It is operated by 149 staff, of which 130 are unpaid volunteers.

Events

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.[7] The unique annual Allied Air Forces Memorial Day takes place in September.

Museum features

The Museum has 49 aircraft[8] spanning the development of aviation from 1853 up to the latest GR4 Tornado.[9] Several aircraft including Victor, Nimrod, Buccaneer, Sea Devon, SE5a, Eastchurch Kitten; DC3 Dakota; are kept live and operated on special "Thunder Days" during the year.[10] 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 DCMS/Arts Council England and is a registered charity.

A permanent exhibition on RAF Bomber Command was opened at the museum by life member, Sir David Jason. In 2010 a new exhibition called "Pioneers of Aviation", and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, was opened featuring the lives and achievements of Sir George Cayley, Sir Barnes Wallis, Robert Blackburn, Nevil Shute and Amy Johnson.[11]

Principal on-site businesses include: Restaurant, Retail Shop, Events, Aircraft Operation Engineering Workshops, Archives and Corporate Business Suite. The museum is also a location for TV and film companies.

  • Building 1. Airborne Forces Display & No. 609 (West Riding) Squadron Room.
  • Building 2. Uniform Display.
  • Building 3. Air Gunners' Exhibition.
  • Building 4. Archives & Reference Library.
  • Building 5. Museum Shop.
  • Building 7. Memorial Garden.
  • Building 8. Museum HQ, Main Entrance.
  • Building 9. Against the Odds - History of Bomber Command, RAF Regiment Exhibition, 77 Squadron Exhibition and Digital Astra Cinema
  • Building 10. Elvington Corporate Room.
  • Building 11. Museum NAAFI Restaurant.
  • Building 12. Control Tower.
  • Building 13. French Officers' Mess.
  • Building 14. Airmens Billet and Station MT Display.
  • Building 15. Royal Observer Corp.
  • Building 16. Signal Square.
  • Building 17. Hangar T2 Main Aircraft exhibition.
  • Building 18. Archive & Collections Building
  • Building 19. Handley Page Aircraft Workshop.
  • Building 20. Pioneer of Aviation Exhibition

Military vehicles
Second World War
  • 1937 Ford Model E
  • 1940 "Tilly" Standard 12 hp Mkl RAF Utility Vehicle
  • 1941 Chevrolet 4x4 CMP
  • 1942 Austin K2 NAAFI Wagon
Cold War
The museum's TACR2
  • 1947 Commer one and a half deck airport coach
  • 1949 Citroen 11BL
  • 1948 David Brown VIG.2 Aircraft Tractor
  • 1949 David Brown VIG.3 Aircraft Tractor
  • 1951 David Brown GP Airfield Tractor
  • 1953 Alvis Saracen 12ton APC
  • 1953 Austin Champ Cargo 4x4 General Purpose Vehicle
  • 1956 Green Goddess Self Propelled Pump
  • 1958 Commer Q4 Bikini Fire Pump Unit
  • 1958 Lansing Aircraft Carrier Type Tug
  • 1959 Daimler Ferret ASC MK.2/3/7
  • 1966 Chieftain Main Battle Tank
  • 1970 Douglas P3 nuclear aircraft 25 tonne tug
  • 1971 Pathfinder Fire Engine 35ton (ex. Manchester Airport)
  • 1972 TACR2 Range Rover - 6 wheeled fast response fire unit
  • 1974 GMC 6 wheeled fast response airfield fire truck
  • 1976 Dennis Mercury 17.5 tonne aircraft tug

Aircraft collection

The following is a list of aircraft on display at the Yorkshire Air Museum.[12]

Pioneers
First World War
  • 1913 Replica Avro 504 H1968 BAPC-42
  • 1914 Replica Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2 6232
  • 1917 Replica Port Victoria P.V.8 Grain Kitten
  • 1917 Replica Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 F943
Interwar
Second World War
"Friday the 13th" original reconstruction of Handley Page Halifax - part of Yorkshire Air Museum's Second World War aircraft collection
Cold War
Civilian Aircraft
  • (Taxiable) 1948 De Havilland Devon C.2 VP967
  • 1961 Beagle Terrier TJ704

References
  1. "Hats off to a century of air combat as RAF flypast marks anniversary". Yorkshire Post. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  2. Hemmings, Julie (18 March 2009). "Next generation renews air links across ocean". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  3. "Ian Reed, director of the Yorkshire Air Museum and Visit York's York Ambassador Of The Year 2012". York Press. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  4. "Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, York". BBC North Yorkshire. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  5. "Battle Of Britain Commemoration Service and Parade at Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington". York Press. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  6. Hickling, Michael (26 March 2012). "Breaking news on Jan's new flightpath". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  7. "Yorkshire Air Museum". York Press. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  8. "Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Forces Memorial". Moviemakers Guide.com. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  9. "Allied Forecs memorial & Yorkshire Air Museum". Yorkshire.com. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  10. "Thunder Day at Yorkshire Air Museum". York Press. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  11. Mead, Helen (7 February 2012). "The shy's the limit at Yorkshire Air Museum". Craven Herald & Pioneer. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  12. Hitchens, Frank (2016). Aircraft museums of the United Kingdom. Andrews UK. pp. 169–170. ISBN 9781785384516.
  13. "Aircraft celebrates birthday at Yorkshire Air Museum". York Press. 24 November 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  14. "Nuclear bomber begins trip to Yorkshire". BBC News. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

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