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The Yorkshire Air Museum is on the site of what was - until 1992
- RAF Elvington.
It boasts an extensive collection of aircraft, military vehicles,
uniforms and medals, an Air Gunners collection, the Barnes Wallis
collection and hosts regular events.
RAF Elvington
During the Second World War Elvington, originally a grass airfield,
was rebuilt as a sub-station for RAF Pocklington.
| In 1945 the runway at Elvington
airfield was lengthened to 1.92 miles, making it the longest
runway in the north of England. |
The first operational aircraft at the site were the Whitley twin-engined
bombers of 77 Squadron, which took part in many operations aimed
at the destruction of German industry.
The 77 Squadron moved to Full Sutton airfield in 1944, and two
French squadrons arrived at Elvington. After the war, the air base
was used for RAF practise and test flights until its closure in
1992.
Much of the airfield and its buildings had been left derelict and
overgrown throughout the 1980s, and it wasn't until 1983 that its
potential as a memorial museum was realised.
Volunteers cleared the undergrowth and began to restore the buildings.
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| Yorkshire Air
Museum control tower |
The French authorities had made a film of Elvington in 1944 when
the two French squadrons arrived, and this made it possible to create
an accurate replica of the original airfield.
The Yorkshire Air Museum
The Yorkshire Air Museum opened to the public in 1986, and now
has a branch in Canada.
It holds regular displays and events including a forthcoming 1940's-themed
VE-Day dance, a display of the rare Concorde Olympus engine, classic
vehicle rallies and flypasts.
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Aircraft
The collection of aircraft consists
of originals, replicas and full-scale models of internationally
recognised aircraft from 1850 to the present day.
Pre-Second World War aircraft includes replicas
of the 1911 Blackburn Mercury Monoplane, and of Sir
George Cayley's glider - flown in 1849 at Brompton
near Scarborough in the first manned flight, more than
54 years before the Wright brothers' first powered flight
in the USA.
Original Second World War planes include
the 1935 Douglas Dakota IV, a 1939 De Havilland Mosquito,
an original Handley Page Halifax II from 1939, and full-scale
models of the Messerschmitt Bf109 and the 1938 Supermarine
Spitfire.
Amongst the post-Second World War aircraft
are a 1967 Hawker Harrier GR3 and a Hawker Siddley Buccaneer,
which retired after the Gulf War.
Military Vehicles
Among the large collection of historic military vehicles at
the Yorkshire Sir Museum are an Austin 'Champ' car, a Daimler
Ferret armoured scout car, a Comer Bikini fire-pump unit and
a Lansing aircraft carrier tug.
Uniform
The museum displays examples of practically every RAF,
WAAF and WRAF uniform item ever issued along with medals,
rank and trade badges, and aircrew brevets.
The Air Gunners' collection commemorates
the 20,000 Air Gunners who were killed in the second World
War. The display includes gun turrets, weapons and air gunning
techniques.
The Barnes Wallis collection
Sir Barnes Wallis was a scientist and engineer who designed
the dirigible R-100 airship, pioneered the geodetic construction
used in the Vickers Wellington bomber and designed many large
and high impact bombs. An example of one of his 'bouncing'
bombs is on display at the Yorkshire Air Museum.
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Opening times
The Yorkshire Air Museum is open from 10-5 pm every day during
the summer, and from 10-3.30 pm during the winter, excluding Christmas
Day and Boxing Day.
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