Things To Do In Yorkshire’s Air-tastic Escapade: Uncover the Sky-high Wonders!
Unlock the Yorkshire Skies: Adventurous Aerial Delights!
Unlock the Yorkshire Skies: Adventurous Aerial Delights!
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure at the Yorkshire Air Museum’s Marvelous 10!
Step into a whimsical world of adventure as we embark on a journey through time at RAF Elvington!
Hey there, fellow travel enthusiasts! Today, I’m going to let you in on a little secret – a hidden gem nestled in the enchanting city of York. Have you ever heard of the Yorkshire Air Museum? Trust me, this place is a treasure trove of aviation history and breathtaking experiences. Get ready to embark on…
Armoured Vehicles 1953 Alvis Saracen The Alvis Saracen is the six-wheel drive armoured personnel carrier member of the family which includes the Saladin Armoured Car and Stalwart High Mobility Load Carrier, and has a 16mm steel armour plated hull. It was produced from 1952 until 1972 at the Alvis works in Coventry. Some are still…
Cold War Aircraft Dassault Mirage IVA Our Mirage IVA 45/BR (Bravo Romeo) flew for the first time on May 6th, 1966, with crew Elie Buge (pilot 1923-1967, first non-commissioned officer to cross the sound barrier) and Jean Cuny. Delivered to the French Air Force on June 3rd, 1966, Bravo Romeo completed 6,309 hours of flying…
Cold War Aircraft Fairey Gannet AEW3 Designed initially as an anti-submarine strike aircraft with Double Mamba turbines driving co-axial propellers, the first prototype Fairey Gannet made its maiden flight on 19 September 1949 from Aldermaston and its first carrier landing on 19 June 1950 on the deck of HMS Illustrious. The first production Gannet AS.1…
Cold War Aircraft Panavia Tornado GR4 Designed and built as a collaborative project between the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, and originally named the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, the prototype Tornado Interdictor Strike aircraft (IDS) first flew in August 1974. The aircraft has variable geometry wings and is powered by two Turbo-Union RB199-34R turbofans, with a…
Cold War Aircraft Panavia Tornado GR1 Designed and built as a collaborative project between the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, and originally named the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, the prototype Tornado Interdictor Strike aircraft (IDS) first flew in August 1974. The aircraft has variable geometry wings and is powered by two Turbo-Union RB199-34R turbofans, with a…
Cold War Aircraft Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.4 The prototype Jet Provost T.1 was developed from the Piston Provost as an initial jet trainer and first flew on 26 June 1954. After trials, it went to No. 2 Flying Training School at Hullavington for the first all-through (Jet Provost to Vampire) jet flying training course….
Yorkshire Air Museum
Halifax Way, Elvington
York YO41 4AU
Tel. 01904 608 595
10:00 – 17:00
Open seven days a week
Last Admission 1 hour prior to closing
Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00
The Blackburn Mercury Monoplane is regarded as the first truly successful aircraft made by Blackburn at their factory in Leeds. The Mercury I, powered by a 50 hp Isaacson radial engine, was displayed at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1911 and made its debut flying from the beach at Filey with the newly formed Blackburn Flying School. In May 1911, it flew from Filey to Scarborough and back in 19 minutes at an average speed of 50 mph, reaching an altitude of 1200 feet.
This aircraft crashed the next day when the engine seized and the propeller flew off! The Mercury I was followed by two Mercury II aircraft powered by 50 hp Gnome engines, and six Mercury III aircraft, with a number of different engines. Sadly, a Renault powered Mercury crashed at Filey in December 1911, killing an instructor and passenger.
The Museum’s replica was built for Yorkshire Television in 1979 for the Edwardian drama series ‘Flambards’, and was taxied with a car engine. It came to YAM on 10th January 1995 and after a long period in storage it was painstakingly restored to a superb display standard, and was unveiled in June 2000 by Professor Robert Blackburn, grandson of Robert Blackburn, the aviation pioneer.
The Avro 504 first flew in 1913. In the opening phases of the First World War, it served with front-line squadrons in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service for bombing and reconnaissance, but from 1915 onwards the aircraft entered the training role for which it is most celebrated.
Over 8,000 Avro 504s were built. In 1918, the Royal Air Force had about 3,000, of which 2,276 were trainers.
The Avro 504 was stationed at many Yorkshire airfields, including Tadcaster near the A1/A64 junction, where a period hangar can still be seen.
The Yorkshire Air Museum’s replica was built by apprentices at RAF Halton and appeared at the Royal Tournament in 1968 to commemorate what was then fifty years since the end of the First World War. The aircraft was refurbished in early 2015 to be transported to Thiepval, Northern France, for the Somme Centenary commemoration event, on request of the British Government. In May 2018, it was also displayed at the impressive Hotel Les Invalides in central Paris for a joint RAF / French Air Force event to mark the Centenary of the Royal Air Force and over 100 years of British and French Air Force collaboration.