Also known as No. 42 Base (with Melbourne and Pocklington)
The story of RAF Elvington
In May 1944 No. 77 Squadron moved to Full Sutton. The French Nos. 346 'Guyenne' and 347 'Tunisie' Squadrons replaced it, also flying Halifaxes. Elvington was the only British airfield used by these Free French heavy bomber crews. Nearly half their members were killed while based here. In October 1945 they flew to Bordeaux and became the basis of the new French air force. A memorial in the village was unveiled in 1957.
In the 1950s the US Air Force built a 10,151 ft runway, then the longest in northern England. It spent £4 million but abandoned the base in 1958. Blackburn test-flew Buccaneers here in the early 1960s. Elvington stayed an RAF relief landing ground until March 1992. Its runway is now used for land speed records. The Yorkshire Air Museum occupies the restored buildings and control tower.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| No. 77 Squadron | 1942–1944 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Handley Page Halifax |
| No. 346 'Guyenne' Squadron (Free French) | 1944–1945 | Handley Page Halifax |
| No. 347 'Tunisie' Squadron (Free French) | 1944–1945 | Handley Page Halifax |
What survives
- The restored wartime control tower and buildings, now the Yorkshire Air Museum
- The 1950s USAF runway, used for motorsport and speed records
- 1957 memorial to the French squadrons in Elvington village
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire Air MuseumYork, North Yorkshire | £17 | 54 | Halifax 'Friday the 13th' — the world's only complete Halifax reconstruction, honouring the type that flew from this very field —… |