Collections
George Colcough headed to Elvington and discovers a much-lauded institution that is well and truly bouncing back
Now that the worst of COVID is seemingly behind us and Britain’s heritage sector is getting back to business as normal, it felt right to return to a museum with much fanfare and reputation. Fortuitously, the Yorkshire Air Museum has not only survived but found a way to thrive, and remains every bit a gem.
The museum occupies the former RAF Elvington, a base with a rich and diverse multinational history. Originally just a grass strip assigned to 4 Group RAF, Elvington was completely rebuilt with three concrete runways as France collapsed in 1940. It was the base for 77 Squadron from 1942 until 1944, at which point they were relocated, and Elvington became home to the French 346 ‘Guyenne’ and 347 ‘Tunisie’ Squadrons.
After the cessation of hostilities in Europe, the base was home to 40 Group, RAF Maintenance Command, before being handed over to the US Air Force as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) dispersal airfield in 1952. Yet, despite building a 3,380-yard runway (then the longest in northern England), a 49-acre hardstanding apron and a new control tower, SAC abandoned the…
