Yorkshire Air Museum
Elvington
By Chris Smith
25th October 2023
I noted in my last report "Airfield Action Part 2" that I had intended to include this visit within, but then started to doubt it was going to happen any time soon so released that report. Wouldn't you know it just a week later it goes ahead!
I was joined by Chloe formerly of Swissport now Willis Aviation Services for her first visit here and my second, having made my debut here on 30th August 2012 although I don't appear to have made a report for that visit. Something of a redundant report given Dave Rose covered the attraction so well back in August.
As with all museums funds are presumably very tight, and aviation museums are probably fairly low down on the priority list when it comes to the publics choice of charities, this might explain why the taxiway linking the museum to the runway has declined to the point where it's no longer usable, putting an end to the fast taxi runs. Only the Nimrod and Victor are barriered off with "danger - live aviation fuel" signs, but it is thought more exhibits in this area are runnable. Given the unusually high number of civil registrations, one assumes that at some point more have been subjected to attempts at airworthiness.
The museum celebrates their bomber command and Armée de l'air history, having been used by 77 Squadron Halifaxes (the museum has a very rare complete example) before the exiled French moved in.
The airfield itself is wasted with such a long runway and massive apron (built by the USAF after the war who never even used it!) That said I hope it remains so, given it is close enough to us to provide unwanted competition! No photos due to the spur-of-the-moment nature of the visit meant my camera remained at work.
| Outdoors | |||
| 45/BR | Dassault Mirage IVA | Armée de l'air | |
| 538/3-QH | Dassault Mirage IIIE | Armée de l'air | |
| 133417 | Canadair CT-133 Silver Star 3 | Canadian Armed Forces | Wears 21417/417 |
| BAPC.254 | Supermarine Spitfire | Royal Air Force | Wears R6690/PR-A, gate guard |
| G-BMYP | Fairey Gannet AEW3 | Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) | Wears XL502 |
| G-HNTR | Hawker Hunter T7 | Royal Air Force | Wears XL571/V, really XL572 |
| QA10 | Hawker Hunter FGA78 | Qatar Emiri Air Force | Also wears N-268 |
| WH846 | English Electric Canberra T4 | Royal Air Force | |
| WL168 | Gloster Meteor F8 | Royal Air Force | Wears WK864/C |
| XH767/L | Gloster Javelin FAW9 | Royal Air Force | |
| XL231 | Handley Page HP.80 Victor K2 | Royal Air Force | "Lusty Linda" |
| XP640/M | BAC Jet Provost T4 | Royal Air Force | |
| XS903/BA | English Electric Lightning F6 | Royal Air Force | |
| XV168/AF | Blackburn Buccaneer S2B | Royal Air Force | |
| XV250/50 | Hawker Siddeley HS.801 Nimrod MR2 | Royal Air Force | |
| XX901/N | Blackburn Buccaneer S2B | Royal Air Force | |
| ZA354 | Panavia PA-200 Tornado GR1 | Royal Air Force | |
| Restoration Hangar | |||
| (AV005) | Cockpit | Royal Air Force | |
| BAPC.41 | Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c | Royal Flying Corps | Wears 6232 |
| BAPC.76 | Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea | Private | Wears G-AFFI |
| BAPC.265 | Hawker Hurricane | Royal Air Force | Normally a gate guard |
| G-ASCD | Auster AOP6 | Army Air Corps | Wears VW993 |
| G-AVPN | Handley-Page HPR.7 Herald 213 | Channel Express | Cockpit only |
| G-TFRB | Air Command 532 Elite Sport | Private | |
| VV901 | Avro 652A Anson T21 | Royal Air Force | |
| WD413 | Avro 652A Anson T21 | Royal Air Force | Wings only |
| WH903 | English Electric Canberra B2 | Royal Air Force | Cockpit only |
| XM373/2 | Hunting Percival P84 Jet Provost T3 | Royal Air Force | Cockpit only |
| XN589/46 | Hunting Percival P84 Jet Provost T3A | Royal Air Force | |
| Jet Provost | Royal Air Force | Cockpit only - simulator | |
| T2 Hangar | |||
| BAPC.28 | Wright 1903 Flyer | Private | |
| BAPC.89 | Cayley Man-Powered Glider | Private | |
| BAPC.157 | WACO CG-4A Hadrian | USAAF | Wears 319764 |
| BAPC.130 | Blackburn 1912 Monoplane | Private | |
| BAPC.240 | Messerschmitt BF.109G | Luftwaffe | |
| G-AJOZ | Fairchild UC-61A Argus II | Royal Air Force | Wears FK338 |
| G-AMYJ | Douglas C-47B Dakota IV | Royal Air Force | Wears KN353 |
| G-AWSV | Saunders-Roe Skeeter AOP12 | Army Air Corps | Wears XM553 |
| G-KOOL | De Havilland DH104 Sea Devon C2 | Royal Air Force | Wears VP967 |
| G-YURO | Europa | Europa Aircraft Company | |
| HR792 | Handley-Page HP.59 Halifax II | Royal Air Force | Wears LV907/NP-F and NP763/N-H7 |
| RA854 | Slingsby T7 Kirby Cadet TX1 | Royal Air Force | |
| WH991 | Westland WS.51 Dragonfly HR5 | Royal Air Force | |
| WS788/C | Gloster Meteor NF14 | Royal Air Force | |
| XH278/42 | De Havilland DH115 Vampire T11 | Royal Air Force | |
| XN582/95 | Hunting Percival P84 Jet Provost T3A | Royal Air Force | |
| XN974/74 | Blackburn Buccaneer S2A | Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) | |
| XV748/B | Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3 | Royal Air Force | |
| XZ383/AF | SEPECAT Jaguar GR1 | Royal Air Force | |
| XZ631 | Panavia PA-200 Tornado GR4 | Royal Air Force | |
| Unknown v-tail design | BAE Systems | ||
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Hunter G-HNTR wears the colours of the former RAF display team "The Blue Diamonds" - which was of course a Middleton St George-based display team via 92 Squadron, although they used the F6 variant so this airframe was not one of theirs.
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G-TFRB belonged to Francis Blennerhassett, who had involvement with both Middleton St George Aero Club and later Cleveland Flying School.
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The Channel Express Herald was complete during my last visit but corrosion forced the scrapping of all but the cockpit section.
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G-VROE (ex WD413) is the UKs only active Avro Anson, however at some point it has had a wing transplant, as its original set is being used in the restoration of VV901.
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Not seen during my last visit: 45, BAPC.28, BAPC.89, BAPC.130, BAPC.240, XM373, XN582, XV168, XZ383
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Noted during my 2012 visit but not on this occasion: BAPC.42*, G-AAAH*, G-BKDT, HJ711, TJ536
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Noted by DR in August but missing during this visit: BAPC.42*, G-BKDT*, G-BWUV, G-MJRA, N540, XZ233
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Showing on my database but not noted: BAPC.42*, BAPC.270*, G-BKDT*, G-BWUV, G-MJRA, N540, XZ233, XZ385
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* = There was a mystery bi-plane in the restoration hangar that could not be read off and was likely one of these.