French Ambassador to the UK, Her Excellency, Mdme Sylvie Bermann, said:

 “I am delighted to add my congratulations to the Allied Air Forces Memorial at Elvington upon the announcement that our Minister of Defence has agreed to the gift of one of France’s most iconic aircraft, the Mirage lV, in recognition of the close ties between our two nations.’

Museum Director, Ian Reed, who began negotiations for the transfer of the jet with the French Government in 2007, said today:

“I would like to thank the French Government, diplomatic staff from the French Embassy and the French Air Force based both in Britain and Paris and aviation associates as far away as Dubai for their efforts in helping us over the last 9 years, to make this unique and historic project happen“.

Note: Last year the Museum was formally acknowledged by the European Union as  “The Allied Air Forces Memorial”, which undertakes significant memorial events across UK and Europe. On behalf of DCMS (the UK Dept of Culture Media & Sport), the Museum represented the British & French air services last month at the international centenary commemorations for the Battle of the Somme at Thiepval, France by exhibiting a full sized WWl British fighter biplane.

Images attached show examples of Mirage !V aircraft. Two of these show the actual aircraft in the Citée des Sciences Museum that will shortly be transferred to Elvington.

www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

Tags: 2016, August, News, Yorkshire Air Museum