About
Breighton Aerodrome is a working grass airfield in the East Riding of Yorkshire that combines an active light aircraft and vintage flying club with a genuine aviation heritage element, tracing its origins to a former Royal Air Force airfield used during the Second World War. Unlike a conventional static aviation museum, Breighton's character is defined by the fact that much of its historic and vintage aircraft collection remains airworthy or under active restoration towards flight, giving visitors the distinctive experience of encountering aviation heritage as a living, working activity rather than solely as static display.
The aerodrome's wartime origins connect it to the wider story of RAF Bomber Command airfields that once dotted the flat, open landscape of the East Riding of Yorkshire and neighbouring Lincolnshire, a landscape whose long, straight runways and expansive skies made it particularly suited to wartime flying training and operations. Following the airfield's post-war decline in military use, Breighton was taken on by aviation enthusiasts and has since developed into a notable centre for vintage and classic light aircraft, with a resident collection that includes historic types maintained and flown by dedicated volunteer engineers and pilots.
Visitors to Breighton can expect an informal, hangar-based encounter with vintage aviation, walking among aircraft undergoing restoration or maintenance, and, on flying days, watching historic types take to the air, an experience that offers a genuinely different perspective on aviation heritage compared with the more conventional static displays found at larger aviation museums. The site's heritage element is closely bound up with its continuing function as a working aerodrome and flying club, meaning visitor access and the specific aircraft on view can vary according to flying activity and restoration schedules.
For aviation enthusiasts, Breighton Aerodrome offers a rewarding and distinctive visit, combining tangible connections to the East Riding's Second World War airfield history with an active, hands-on culture of vintage aircraft restoration and flying that few conventional heritage sites can match, though visitors should expect a more informal, working-site character than a purpose-built museum.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
💡 Visitor Tips
- Check the aerodrome's website for advertised flying days and open weekends before travelling, as this is a working airfield with variable visitor access.
- Visit on a fly-in event day for the richest variety of vintage aircraft, weather permitting.
- Wear sturdy footwear suitable for grass airfield ground, which can be uneven and muddy in wet weather.
- Talk to the volunteer engineers in the hangars, whose knowledge and enthusiasm are a highlight of any visit.
- Bring a camera, though be mindful of any restrictions around active flying operations.
- This is a working aerodrome rather than a static museum; set expectations accordingly and check conditions on the day.
- Combine your visit with a trip to nearby Selby for further sightseeing and refreshments.
Highlights
The Vintage Aircraft Collection
Breighton's resident collection of vintage and classic light aircraft, maintained and in many cases kept airworthy by dedicated volunteer engineers, forms the heart of a visit, offering aviation enthusiasts a chance to see historic types up close in a genuinely working hangar environment rather than behind static museum glass.
Second World War RAF Airfield History
Breighton's origins as a Second World War RAF airfield connect the site to the wider story of Bomber Command stations that once covered the flat East Riding landscape, with surviving airfield features and historical interpretation helping visitors picture the site's wartime operational role.
Flying Days and Vintage Aircraft in the Air
On advertised flying days, visitors can watch historic aircraft types take to the air, a genuinely distinctive experience compared with static aviation museums, giving a real sense of how these aircraft performed in their operational era.
Aircraft Restoration in Progress
Much of the appeal of a hangar visit lies in seeing aircraft restoration work in progress, offering an unusually candid look at the practical skills and dedication required to keep vintage aircraft flying, often explained directly by the volunteer engineers undertaking the work.
Collections
Breighton Aerodrome's collection centres on a working assemblage of vintage and classic light aircraft, many maintained in airworthy condition by resident volunteer engineers, alongside the surviving fabric and history of the site's origins as a Second World War RAF airfield. Unlike a conventional static museum, the collection is defined by its active, working character, with aircraft frequently under restoration or in regular flying use, offering visitors a genuinely hands-on and evolving encounter with aviation heritage.
The Vintage Aircraft Hangars
Access to hangars housing the resident vintage and classic aircraft collection, subject to flying and restoration activity.
Breighton's RAF Airfield History
Interpretation of the aerodrome's origins as a Second World War RAF airfield and its subsequent development as a vintage aviation centre.
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.