Handley Page HP 80 Victor K2 UK air force XL231. M van Leeuwen
Introduction
The Yorkshire Air Museum preserves a major collection of historic aircraft, military vehicles, and operational Second World War buildings. Situated on a former Royal Air Force bomber station in North Yorkshire, the museum functions concurrently as the official Allied Air Forces Memorial, honoring international aircrews through comprehensive indoor and outdoor exhibitions.
General Information about the Museum
Full Name of the Museum: Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial
Address Information: Halifax Way, Elvington, York, YO41 4AU, United Kingdom
The Yorkshire Air Museum officially opened to the public in May 1986, established on the grounds of the former RAF Elvington airfield. Operational during the Second World War as part of No. 4 Group RAF, the base hosted heavy bomber squadrons, including Royal Air Force units followed by Free French Squadrons No. 346 (Guyenne) and No. 347 (Tunisie). Following military abandonment, a dedicated group of preservationists began clearing overgrowth in 1983 to restore the derelict control tower and technical buildings. Operating as a registered charity, the museum expanded rapidly over subsequent decades to encompass extensive aircraft exhibits, memorial gardens, and historical archives.
Indoor and Outdoor Collections
Current: The active site features large purpose-built display structures such as the T2 Main Aircraft Hangar and Canadian Hangar, alongside completely restored wartime buildings like the control tower, airmen’s billets, and French officers’ mess, complemented by open-air static display pans.
Former: Initial preservation efforts relied on minimal localized airframe placements and partial structural restoration before the formal acquisition and large-scale revitalization of the wider airfield operational footprint.
Specifications
Important Aircraft in the Collection:Handley Page Halifax Mk.III (restored composite build named “Friday the 13th”), Handley Page Victor K.2, Supermarine Spitfire (replica/display), De Havilland Mosquito (replica/exhibit), Douglas Dakota, Hawker Hunter, English Electric Lightning, Gloster Meteor, De Havilland Vampire, and early aviation replicas including the Wright Flyer and Cayley Glider.
Museum Dimensions and Layout: The museum occupies an extensive site covering approximately 14 hectares of the historic RAF Elvington perimeter, incorporating multi-acre outdoor display grounds, large exhibition hangars, and a 7-hectare managed environment conservation area.
Collection Quality: Rated as one of the largest independent aviation museums in Britain, housing rare multi-era airframes, operational ground support vehicles, and unique international memorials.
Staffing: Operated and managed by professional museum directors, heritage staff, and administrative personnel, heavily supported by dedicated teams of engineering and restoration volunteers.
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