New Exhibit for Elvington

Came across the following via another forum, thought it may be of interest:

THE French government is offering a supersonic Mirage jet bomber to the
Yorkshire Air Museum, near York, in recognition of the former RAF base’s
role in hosting the country’s bomber squadrons during the war.
Staff at the museum in Elvington hope to take delivery next year of the
Mirage IV strategic bomber – considered by some to be France’s most
successful military aircraft.
The huge delta-winged plane is 77ft long and 39ft wide, weighs 31 tonnes and
can fly at speeds up to Mach 2.2 – about 1,100 mph.
If the museum gets it, the plane will be the only Mirage IV on display in
Britain.
Museum director Ian Reed, said today the Queen and Gordon Brown had both
thrown their support behind the plans, along with about 30 MPs including
York’s Hugh Bayley.
He said the offer was intended to recognise the Allied Air Forces Memorial
at Elvington and the significant role played by the former RAF base played
during the Second World War, when French heavy bomber squadrons were based
there.
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He said: “Two thousand Frenchmen were based at Elvington or “La Petit
France” as it was known. The young French aviators – some as young as 14 –
were well known in and around York and at such places as Betty’s Café, in St
Helen’s Square. Here they congregated with airmen from all over the free
world, but, inevitably, very many did not return to their homeland.”
In a letter sent to the museum last week, French Air Force general Pierre
Boé, who was a pilot stationed at the airbase during the war, said: “I was
always surprised during the war to hear the local York people and Government
authorities say thank-you’.
“Rather, I believe it was up to us, the French, to tell our British hosts
that they had done an absolutely inestimable service in helping us to
restore our mother country’s honour.”
Mr Reed said the Minister of State for Defence, Lord Drayson, had asked the
chief of the air staff, Air Marshall Sir Glenn Torpy, to help assist the
transfer from the French Air Force, and the British Embassy in Paris had
been active in discussions.
He said Lewis Clarke, of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, had said he
would welcome the transfer of the Mirage lV as a gesture of friendship and
therefore “beneficial to bilateral relations between the UK and France”.
Lord Drayson said: “We believe that such a historically significant aircraft
will make a fine addition to the Allied Air Forces Memorial at Elvington and
the national collection.”
Mr Reed said: “At this time of annual remembrance, it is heart-warming to
know our French allies still hold dear the significant part played by
Elvington and York in the restoration of France after the Second World War,
with the Halifax bombers of the Elvington squadrons becoming the basis of
the current French air force.”