This coming Sunday, in a grand end to the summer holiday, Elvington Airfield will reverberate to the sound of the Yorkshire Air Museum’s mighty jets as we stage another, eagerly anticipated “Rolling Thunder” Day, after a two year break. Fresh from a winter deep overhaul and repaint, the Yorkshire built Blackburn (Hawker Siddeley) Buccaneer XN974 will provide a striking spectacle in its fabulous and original Fleet Air Arm markings and will be the first time the aircraft has been seen on Elvington’s runway in this colour scheme since the aircraft’s development in 1964. XN974 was the prototype for the Naval carrier based variant of the superb Buccaneer low-level strike aircraft, and the aircraft set a record in 1965 by becoming the first Fleet Air Arm aircraft to make the transatlantic route from Goose Bay, Newfoundland, Canada to RNAS Lossiemouth, Scotland, non stop without refuelling. (See image: A56E5458).

The ‘Cold War’ jets:
Nimrod MR2 XV250, the ‘Mighty Hunter’, as this ‘high tech’ intelligence gathering, surveillance and submarine tracking aircraft was known as, will give full vent to her four Rolls Royce Spey engines to roar off down the runway, as her dedicated team pay tribute to all those who spent many hours of duty aboard these impressive hunter aircraft. XV250 is indeed maintained as a ‘living’ Memorial to the 14 crew of Nimrod XV230, who lost their lives in the tragic accident in Afghanistan in 2006.

Then it will be the turn of the awesome Handley Page Victor XL231 (See image: 7DAFB494). Famously known as “Lusty Lindy”, this aircraft started out as part of Britain’s airborne nuclear deterrent in the late 1950’s, later converting to the Tanker role for air to air refuelling, where it saw action in the Falklands War in the Ascension Island theatre and then in the first Gulf War, in “Desert Storm”, where it was given it’s distinctive name! It is the best example of only two surviving ground operational Victor’s in the world, so is always a huge draw for enthusiasts when the rare chance comes to hear her four mighty Rolls Royce Conway engines set the ground shaking as this still futuristic looking aircraft sets off at high speed down the 10 000ft runway.

Our vintage propeller aircraft will also see action with the two WWI bi-planes conducting static engine runs on the Museum site in the morning. Our WWII Douglas C-47 Dakota and 1947 De Havilland Devon twin props will also conduct taxi runs on the airfield for a full day of ‘kerosene infused’ action!!

Ian Reed, Museum Director, comments: “Famous for being the venue for motorsport driving days, numerous world record attempts and other high speed feats of daring, this vast runway, formerly part of the WWII RAF Bomber Command base of RAF Elvington, is the perfect place to ’exercise’ these high performance aircraft in front of an adoring audience and we are thrilled at this opportunity and extend our thanks to Elvington Parks for their cooperation in staging this event.”

Admission is £12 Adults, £10 Concession, £5 Child and £30 Family. Gates open at 10:00am. www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

Tags: 2017, August, News, Yorkshire Air Museum