Archive for February, 2007

RAF Wings in with Flypasts for Air Museum Events

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

The Yorkshire Air Museum is delighted to have secured a great deal of support from the Royal Air Force for our forthcoming events season, with historic aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight being allocated to all our shows.This will start off in spectacular style on Saturday 12th May with a flypast by the ‘legendary three’ – Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire – for the opening day of the two-day Battlegroup North show, with the Dakota following this up on the Sunday. The show will feature the largest gathering of historic military vehicles to be seen in Yorkshire this year, along with some of the best miniature wargames in the country. The detail in some of these precision model battle scenarios has to be seen to be believed, and, with a number of ‘hands on’ participation games available, there will be something for enthusiasts and novices to enjoy. Great fun for kids and the ‘young at heart’!

The Lancaster, fresh from a major overhaul which made national news recently, will make another appearance at the Classic Wings & Wheels Show on Sunday 24th June, providing the wings to accompany the wheels of hundreds of classic cars and motorcycles that are expected to turn out for this increasingly popular event. The awesome sound of those renowned Rolls Royce Merlin engines is the epitome of real aviation for many.

We are especially pleased to announce that the Dakota has been scheduled to support Engineering Inspirations, our prestigious annual education challenge and showcase, to be held on 4th July and organised in conjunction with North Yorkshire Business & Education Partnership. Hundreds of pupils from schools across the region will be submitting projects to win one of the many awards and prize money on offer. The flypast is sure to be a highlight of the day amongst a number of challenging activities that students, and even teachers, can participate in during the event.

The Dakota will make a further two appearances in September during our Allied Services Commemoration Day and Battle of Britain Sunday. Wherever possible, additional flypasts by private operators will supplement the displays by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

So, there is lots of fun in store and we are looking forward to another record breaking season. An interesting fact to come out of an ongoing market research survey is that a staggering 85% of our 70 000 visitors during the 2006 season are ‘first time’ visitors, with nearly 20% of those visiting on recommendation, clearly showing how popular the museum has become over recent years.

Further information at: www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk

Images show the Lancaster and Dakota in action at Yorkshire Air Museum