YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM, York, 31st August 2023.
Oct 19, 2023 12:29:22 GMT 1
northbynorthwest, ian531, and 5 more like this
Post by viscount on Oct 19, 2023 12:29:22 GMT 1
YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM (YAM)
Wednesday, 31st August 2023
Wednesday, 31st August 2023
I gather that it is a temporary arrangement, but the current layout of the YAM site is somewhat illogical. The entrance has been moved, so instead of passing between 'gate guard' aircraft, the entrance to parking is now further on. The car park 'herringbone' doesn't make best use of the space. I had difficulty getting out due to a RV parked too close. From payment you pass directly into the workshop/store area. Unconventional, but interesting. Two usually vital generators of income are some distance from the entrance, the café and gift shop. Early lunch-time and the café was busy. Although had to 'hunt down' the museum shop - normally considered a vital income generator - hidden away in small hut, well away from most of the public viewing, with a volunteer very pleased to have someone to talk to.
At the time of my visit half the large hangar had been cleared for an event. While this did mean that a number of aircraft not normally out in the open were outdoors - for photography they were a little close together at difficult angles. The opportunity was being taken to clean aircraft suspended from the roof and to 'hang' a new arrival. While there is clearly a 'rolling programme' of repainting (currently the Dakota and a Hawker Hunter) some of the permanently outside exhibits are suffering from fade and streaking. One would like to hope that YAM are working towards funding a second hangar/indoor display area, with Museum entrance and shop an integral feature, so bringing more aircraft indoors and generating space to work on potential exhibits in the packed workshop/storage hangar.
This is a mostly volunteer run museum and as I walked around I could appreciate the hard work underway to bring the external condition of exhibits back upto display standard after the hiatus standstill of the Covid summers. There is no criticism intended in any slightly negative comments, just pointers towards the future by an outside visitor to improve an excellent aviation museum and major Yorkshire visitor attraction.
An enjoyable couple of hours wandering around, with plenty of interesting aircraft to be seen. Well worth a visit, or in my case a re-visit.
WORKSHOP/STORAGE AREA
"G-AFFI" Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea BAPC.76 On display
G-AVPN HPR-7 Dart Herald Nose and forward fuselage
G-TFRB Air Command 532 Autogyro, on display
VV901 Avro T.21 restoration underway (also an upright wing marked WD413(!)
(WH903) EE Canberra B.2 NOSE, cockpit section
'9970' BE.2c dismantled, partially uncovered fuselage, with an engine
Avro 504K dismantled replica, fuselage
('P3873'/YO:H) Hurricane 1 FSM formerly on the gate, not in a position to confirm serial/code
VW993 Auster AOP.6 displayed (formerly A.61 Terrier 2 G-ASCD)
XN589/46 H. Jet Provost T.3A ex 1 FTS, dismantled, whole fuselage at least
plus two further Jet Provost nose/cockpit sections.
IN THE MAIN LARGE HANGAR AT TIME OF VISIT
Wright Flyer Replica suspended
Blackburn 1911 replica suspended
Cayley glider replica at ground level for cleaning
G-YURO Shaw Europa suspended
F-943/S SE-5a replica
N540 Port Victoria Kitten replica
FK338 Fairchild Argus II
LV907 HP Halifax LV907/NH-7 (stbd) & NP763/NP:F (port)
RA854 Slingsby Cadet TX.1 All yellow, suspended
WH991 W. Dragonfly HR.5 Royal Navy
XH278/42 DH.115 Vampire T.11 RAF, yellow T-bands scheme
XM553 Saro Skeeter AH.12 Army
XN582/95:CF H. Jet Provost T.3A RAF, red/white/blue training scheme
319764 Waco Hadrian glider USAAC, fuselage only
green 1 Messerschmitt BF.109G FSM Luftwaffe scheme
BAe. HERTI drone New exhibit, ready to be suspended
OUTSIDE ON THE DAY OF MY VISIT
'R6690'/PR:A Spitfire I FSM On the site of the former gate into the museum
(KN353) Douglas C-47B Dakota RAF, undergoing a repaint (was once upon a time G-AMYJ)
VP967 DH.104 Devon C.2/2 RAF
WH846 EE. Canberra T.4 RAF, recent repaint, no unit markings
'WK864'/C G. Meteor F.8 RAF, 616 Sqdn, recent repaint. Actually WL168.
WS788/C G. Meteor NF(T).14 RAF, undergoing 'deep' restoration/conservation
XH767/L G. Javelin FAW.9 RAF, tatty - hopefully in line for a much needed repaint soon
XL231 HP. Victor K.2 RAF "Lusty Lindy"
XL502/ - F. Gannet AEW.3 Royal Navy, 849 Sqdn.
'XL571' H. Hunter T.7 RAF, 92 Sqdn, 'Blue Diamonds' team colours (is XL572)
XN974 Buccaneer S.2A Royal Navy
XP640/M H. Jet Provost T.4 RAF, red/white training cols
XS903/BA EE. Lightning F.6 RAF,11 Sqdn colours , over-wing fuel tanks fitted
XV168 Buccaneer S.2B RAF, recent repaint, 208 Sqdn
XV250/50 HS.801 Nimrod MR.2 RAF
XV748/B HS. Harrier GR.3 RAF, 233 OCU colours, recently repainted
XX901/N Buccaneer S.2B RAF, desert scheme
XZ383/AF SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 RAF, 41 Sqdn
XZ631 PANAVIA Tornado GR.4 RAF, grey overall, 2 Sqdn markings
ZA354 PANAVIA Tornado GR.1 RAF, camouflage
21417/417 Canadair CT-133 Shooting Star RCAF, Royal Canadian Air Force
45/BR Dassault Mirage IVA French Air Force
538/3:QH Dassault Mirage 111E French Air Force
QA-10 H. Hunter FGA.78 in process of a complete repaint in Qatar colours
Changes to W&R 28 2022:
Arrival of Jaguar XZ383. The BAe. HERTI drone on display, suspended
A number of repaints with different unit markings
ENTRANCE/WORKSHOP/STORAGE AREA
Oddly (being in the know) one of the failures of YAM is the first to be seen by visitors as they enter! Dart Herald G-AVPN (a type with very few survivors Museums) had to be reduced to just a nose section due to severe corrosion in the aircraft several years ago, the rest of the aircraft becoming scrap.
Nose section of Canberra B.2 WH902
Stored Be.2c fuselage '9970'
Hawker Hurricane FSM fuselage that was formerly at the museum entrance, Avro 504K replica '9828' and Jet Provost T.3 fuselage XN589/46 and a set of wings (Jet Provost?) all in storage.
'G-AFFI' a 1975 constructed Mignet HM.14 'Flying Flea' replica on display in the workshop/store building without the larger upper wing. Avro Anson T.21 VV901 a work-in-progress beyond. I think it has been a 'work in progress' at YAM for some 30 years!
VW9993 Auster AOP.9, although the aircraft was uprated to a Beagle A.61 Terrier as G-ASCD and now de-converted back to its original form. The upright wing, marked WD413 is from an Avro Anson C.19 - the aircraft it came from is currently airworthy and based at Sleap.
Air Command 532 autogyro G-TFRB, a Jet Provost nose/cockpit section and the Avro Anson T.21 VV901.
OUTSIDE EXHIBITS (at the time of my visit)
Spitfire 1 FSM R6690/PR:A is located beside a former entrance to the Yorkshire Air Museum, at one time opposite a Hurricane I FSM which is now dismantled and inside.
A number of the aircraft at YAM are kept in running condition. Engines can be run and systems operated, although flight is not permitted. The C-47B Dakota 4 is one of those aircraft. The exterior is in mid-repaint, the aircraft was for many years G-AMYJ with Air Atlantque and other airlines before that.
The DH.104 Devon C.2/2 VP967 is another that is capable of ground running. Therefore the very high-viz propellers.
H. Jet Provost T.4 XP640/M
Gloster Meteor F.8 'WK864' in 616 Sqdn RAuxAF markings
Unusual types in a British museum, Dassault Mirage IIIE no.538/3-QH and larger Mirage IVB no.45/BR.
'XL571' Hawker Hunter T.7 in the short-lived, but attractive blue scheme of 92 Sqdn's 'Blue Diamonds' team.
Hawker Hunter FGA.78 being repainted in its own Qatari Air Force scheme and will return to being QA-10 and from the look of things a really solid looking job should last for a good number of years.
Gloster Meteor NF.14(T) XS788/C is in the middle of a very deep conservation inspection and rebuild. Many enthusiasts follow a weekend-by-weekend account of the detailed work undertaken by Graham and his team, the current page (page 47) is to be found on: forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=84893&sid=d6632df342c4531018cc30a4390174d2&start=1150 A detailed account of the blood (literally), sweat, tears and each small accomplishment along the road of bringing back to life a 70 year old aircraft.
Only a couple of years younger XH767/L a Gloster Javelin FAW.9 is certainly showing wear and tear of years out in the elements. I do hope that YAM have plans to restore this aircraft back into display conditions. Sadly it currently stands rather too near the spot where for years a Dart Herald languished before being mostly scrapped.
The Fairey Gannet AEW.3 is a considerable aeroplane, but looks good in a line of her contemporaries.
A candidate for a repaint is Lightning F.6 XS903/BA currently in 11 Sqdn colours.
While a number of British aviation collections have a Tornado, YAM is unusual in having both ZA354/- a Tornado GR.1 and XZ631 a Tornado GR.4 in 2 Sqdn colours.
To add to two Tornados, there are 3 HS Buccaneers. In early Royal Navy scheme, XN974 Buccaneer S.2A can be engine run.
Buccaneer S.2B XX901/N another recent repaint, she retains her pink 'Desert Storm' scheme, but now as 'Sky Pirates'
Buccaneer S.2B XV168/AF wears 16 Sqdn marks
HS.Harrier GR.3 XV748/B in 233 OCU marks after a recent repaint.
An arrival in 2023 from RAF Cosford is XZ383/AF a SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 in her own 41 Sqdn markings with some panels yet to be fully replaced.
INSIDE MAIN HANGAR (at the time of my visit)
With a large part of the hangar temporarily without aircraft, the Halifax can be photographed without 'clutter' in the way.
A new exhibit, being prepared for suspension from the roof is a BAe. HERTI drone.
SE.5A replica F-943/S stands to one side of the temporary auditorium section of the hangar
Beside the SE-5A is the somewhat strange small Port Victoria PV-8 Kitten replica N540.
On the other side of the hangar is Messerschmitt Bf.109 FSM 'green 1'
British yellow Slingsby Cadet RA834, which dates back to 1943.
Some years between these designs. A replica of the 1911 Blackburn Monoplane and a 1955 built DH.115 Vampire T.11 XH278/42. In the background the pale fabric of the Cayley glider replica has been lowered to ground level for a clean, before being re-suspended from the roof.
G-YURO has hung suspended in the hangar for many years, a Shaw Europa, built in 1992.
Without doubt the Handley Page Halifax is the 'crown jewel' in the YAM collection. It is therefore surprising that, although for nearly all the time she is indoors, that flaking paint, a matter of a few hours work, spoils the appearance of this eye-level fin.
MY MUSEUM/COLLECTION REPORTS ON NWAN, QUICK LINKS
For my own information, I've 'parked' a list here of all my Aviation Museum visits in the past two summers as a 'quick find' cross-reference.
In summer '23 on NWAN there are lists and images covering visits to:
Montrose Air Station Heritage, Montrose 8/23 derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/43698/montrose-station-heritage-centre-august
North East Land, Sea & Air Museum (NELSAM) NELSAM, Sunderland and Teesside, 28th August 2023 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Yorkshire Air Museum (YAM), York YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM, York, 31st August 2023. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
South Yorkshire Air Museum (SYAM), Doncaster South Yorkshire Air Museum (SYAM), Doncaster, 30/08/23. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage, East Kirkby Leeming, Coningsby, Waddington, East Kirkby, Cranwell - 8/23 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Coningsby .. combined on the above thread ..
Cranwell Aviation Heritage, near Cranwell .. combined on the above thread ..
Newark Air Museum (NAM), Winthorpe NEWARK AIR MUSEUM visit, September 2023 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
East Midlands Aeropark, Castle Donington East Midlands Airport & Aeropark Aviation Collection | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Avro Aviation Heritage, Woodford THE AVRO HERITAGE CENTRE, WOODFORD Saturday 1.9.23 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Spitfire Visitors Centre, Hangar 42, Blackpool Hangar 42, Blackpool, Sunday 2nd September. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Speke Airport Heritage Group (by prior arrangement) SPEKE AIRPORT HERITAGE GROUP, CROWNE PLAZA APRON. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
In summer '22
Montrose Air Station Heritage, Montrose 5/22 Perth, Dundee & Montrose Air Museum, 28th-30th May 2022. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
City of Edinburgh Museum, Edinburgh Edinburgh City, Perth, Dundee, EDI Airport - July 2022 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
South Wales Air Museum (SWAM), St. Athan The South Wales Aircraft Museum, St.Athan, July 2022 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Jet Age Museum, Gloucester The JetAge Museum, Staverton, July 2022 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Bristol Aerospace, Filton Aerospace Filton Museum, July 2022 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Norfolk and Suffolk Air Museum, Flixton The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum, Flixton, July 2022 | North West Air News (proboards.com)
City of Norwich Air Museum, Norwich Airport City of Norwich Aviation Museum & Norwich Airport, July2022. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
The Aeroplane Collection, Hooton Park October 2022, list never entered on NWAN
Knutsford, Oliver Valves October 2022, list never entered on NWAN
2018 National Museums of Scotland, East Fortune East Fortune, Perth, Dundee, Edinburgh. October 2018. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Around Europe:
Ta'Qali, Malta Aviation Museum Sept '23 The Malta Aviation Museum at Ta'Qali, Malta | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Volandia Aviation Museum Sept '23 Volandia Aviation Museum & Milan/Malpensa, 21st Sept '23. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Museum of Aeronautics, Madrid July '22 Muséo de Aeronáutica y Astronáutica, Cuatro Vientos, Madrid. | North West Air News (proboards.com)
Museum at Montélimar, France June '22 Musée Européen de l'Aviation de Chasse, Aerodrome d'Ancone. | North West Air News (proboards.com)[
/pre]