Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial
Yorkshire Air Museum is located in North Yorkshire
Yorkshire Air Museum
Location within North Yorkshire
Established1986 (1986)
LocationHalifax Way, Elvington, York, YO41 4AU
Coordinates53°55′29″N 0°57′55″W / 53.92480°N 0.96531°W / 53.92480; -0.96531
TypeAviation museum
AccreditationArts Council
FounderRachel Semlyen
DirectorJonathan Brewer
Nearest parkingOn site
Websiteyorkshireairmuseum.org

The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is an aviation museum in Elvington, York 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 mid 1980s.

The museum is one of the largest independent air museums in Britain.[1] It is also the only Allied Air Forces Memorial in Europe. The museum is an accredited museum under Arts Council accreditation scheme. It is a Member of Friends of the Few (Battle of Britain Memorial), the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Museums Association and the Association of Independent Museums.

The Museum is a registered charity (No. 516766) dedicated to the history of aviation and was also set up as a Memorial to all allied air forces personnel, particularly those who served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Site

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.

History

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 1980 Rachel Semlyen approached the owners of "what was then an abandoned and derelict wartime site, with the idea of restoring the buildings and creating a museum".[2] In 1983, a group started clearing the undergrowth and the site was ready to be unveiled as the Yorkshire Air Museum in 1986.[3]

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

Exhibits

The Museum has over 50 aircraft[5] spanning the development of aviation from 1853 up to the latest GR4 Tornado.[6] 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.[7] 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.

Buildings at the museum, the control tower is on the left

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.[8]

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 Squadron RAF 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
  • 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

Collection

Aircraft on display

Handley Page Halifax painted as "Friday the 13th"
Handley Page Victor
Panavia Tornado
Pre-World War II
World War II
Post World War II
Cold War

Ground vehicles

TACR2
Second World War
Cold War

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. ↑ "York museum founder and North Yorkshire police chief receive Queen's Jubilee Honours". YorkMix. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  3. ↑ "Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, York". BBC North Yorkshire. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "Yorkshire Air Museum". York Press. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Forces Memorial". Moviemakers Guide.com. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Allied Forecs memorial & Yorkshire Air Museum". Yorkshire.com. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Thunder Day at Yorkshire Air Museum". York Press. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  8. ↑ Mead, Helen (7 February 2012). "The sky's the limit at Yorkshire Air Museum". Craven Herald & Pioneer. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Avro 504K". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "Blackburn Mercury Monoplane". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "Cayley Glider BAPC.89". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Mignet HM.14 Pou-du-Ciel (Flying Flea)". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  13. ↑ "Port Victoria P.V.8 Eastchurch Kitten". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  14. ↑ "Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  15. ↑ "Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5A". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  16. ↑ "Wright Flyer". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  17. ↑ "Avro Anson T.21". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  18. ↑ "Douglas Dakota IV C-47B". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  19. ↑ "Fairchild Argus II". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  20. ↑ "Airframe Dossier - Fairchild Argus I, s/n FK338 RAF, c/n 0347, c/r G-AJOZ". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  21. ↑ "Gloster Meteor F8". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  22. ↑ "Gloster Meteor NF14". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  23. ↑ "Handley Page Halifax Mk III". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  24. ↑ "Hawker Hurricane I". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  25. ↑ "Messerschmitt Bf109 G-6". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  26. ↑ "Slingsby T.7 (Kirby Cadet TX.1)". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  27. ↑ "Airframe Dossier - Slingsby Grasshopper TX.1, s/n RA854 AAC". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  28. ↑ "Supermarine Spitfire I". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  29. ↑ "Waco Hadrian CG-4A". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  30. ↑ "Air Command Sports Elite Gyroplane". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  31. ↑ "Beagle (Auster) Terrier 2". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  32. ↑ "Lockheed Canadair CL-30". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  33. ↑ "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed-Canadair CT-133 Silver Star, s/n 133417 CAF, c/n T33-417". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  34. ↑ "De Havilland Devon VP967". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  35. ↑ "De Havilland Vampire D.H.100 T11". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  36. ↑ "Europa Prototype 001". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  37. ↑ "Mainair Demon Microlight". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  38. ↑ "Saro Skeeter AOp12". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  39. ↑ "Westland – Sikorsky Dragonfly HR.5". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  40. ↑ "Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.4". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  41. ↑ "Blackburn Buccaneer S.2". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  42. ↑ "Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  43. ↑ "Hawker Harrier G.R.3". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  44. ↑ "BAe Nimrod MR2 XV250". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  45. ↑ "Dassault Mirage IIIE". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  46. ↑ "Dassault Mirage IVA". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  47. ↑ "Nuclear bomber begins trip to Yorkshire". BBC News. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  48. ↑ "English Electric Canberra T.4". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  49. ↑ "English Electric Lightning F.6". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  50. ↑ March 1989, p. 88.
  51. ↑ "Fairey Gannet AEW3". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  52. ↑ "Gloster Javelin F(AW).9". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  53. ↑ "Handley Page Victor K.2". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  54. ↑ "Aircraft celebrates birthday at Yorkshire Air Museum". York Press. 24 November 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  55. ↑ "Hawker Hunter FGA.78". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  56. ↑ "Airframe Dossier - Hawker Hunter FGA.78, s/n QA10 QEAF, c/n 8947". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  57. ↑ "Hawker Hunter T.7". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  58. ↑ "Panavia Tornado GR1". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  59. ↑ "Panavia Tornado GR4". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  60. ↑ "Thompson Brothers Aircraft Refueller". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  61. ↑ "Ford E Saloon 1938". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  62. ↑ "Standard 12hp Light Utility Vehicle Mk1". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  63. ↑ "Chevrolet CMP". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  64. ↑ "1942 Thornycroft 'Amazon' Coles Crane". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  65. ↑ "Commer Commando Crew Bus". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  66. 1 2 3 "David Brown Aircraft Tractor". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  67. ↑ "Alvis Saracen". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  68. ↑ "Austin Champ". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  69. ↑ "Bedford Self Propelled Pump". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  70. ↑ "Commer 'Bikini'". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  71. ↑ "Lansing Aircraft Tug". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  72. ↑ "Daimler Ferret". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  73. ↑ "Vickers Chieftain Battle Tank". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  74. ↑ "Douglas P3 Aircraft Tug". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  75. 1 2 "Reynolds Broughton Chubb Pathfinders". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  76. ↑ "Range Rover TACR2". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  77. ↑ "Dennis Mercury Aircraft Tractor". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  • March, P. (1989). Royal Air Force Yearbook 1989. Fairford, UK: Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.

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