After a Friday afternoon of hail and heavy rain, the forecast for today, Coronation Day, was not a good one either, with rain moving up from the south. Nevertheless, I had purchased a ticket earlier this year for today’s ‘We’ll Meet Again,’ event at the Yorkshire air Museum, Elvington nr York, its annual festival of 1940’s life, not realising at the time that it was on the same weekend as the Coronation of King Charles 111.

It was just after 10am as I arrived at the museum, there was a steady stream of visitor’s vehicles following me in, such is the popularity of this wartime weekend event. 

After showing my pre booked entrance ticket to the staff I had a steady browse through the Restoration hanger before heading outside towards the main control tower, which was undergoing a major restoration programme and for safety reasons was closed to the public.

 Members of the ‘Tail end Charlies’ re-enactment group and others were dressed in period costume for the 1940’s and Second World War era which made for some excellent photo opportunities. Several circular ‘Bell Tents’ and shelters in white, green and brown were pitched on the grass in front of the war time buildings, interspersed with military vehicles from the same era. Groups of re-enactors - men and Ladies dressed in military uniform were standing about chatting whilst others were busily displaying their guns, rifles, and other military paraphernalia from the war time. As well as the military presence there were lots of civilians dressed in outfits from the same era, all looking extremely smart. 

The museum is on the site of what was RAF Elvington, which during the Second World War was a heavy bomber base, home to 77 Squadron, 346 and 347 Squadrons. The Halifax bombers of the RAF flew several hundreds of missions from Elvington between October 1942 – May 1944. One of these aircraft, a mark 111, still takes pride of place in T2 hanger and on special occasions like this weekend is wheeled outside and displayed on the tarmac. On the other side of the apron stood a beautiful Dakota aircraft used during the war as a paratroop transport aircraft, visitors were allowed to walk into and have a look around the inside of the aircraft.

The re-enactors were dressed as RAF bomber aircrew and ground crew, Royal Observer Corps, Red Cross, and Navy officers,  NAAFI were interspersed around the site which transformed the airfield into what I presume it would have looked like during the Second World War years.  

Talks and demonstrations on subjects ranging from bomb disposal to the role of the civilian Air Transport Auxiliary, (who were responsible for ferrying and delivery of aircraft between factories, assembly plants and maintenance depots to the active service squadrons and airfields around the country) were taking place around the site. 

 Refreshments were available from an original, period NAAFI wagon, serving mugs of tea and slices of ‘bread pudding’ made to an original 1940s recipe on the apron outside of T2 hanger and lunch, refreshments and sandwiches could be purchased at café 77 in the original Naafi building on the site.

Contrary to the weather forecast the weather stayed dry, warm, and sunny for my visit.