A MAJOR new exhibition has now opened in York marking the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.

Falklands Air War, at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington, looks at what it took for Britain to mount an aerial campaign 8,000 miles from home, as it fought to reclaim the islands from invasion by Argentine forces.

The exhibition is a collaboration with the war studies department at York St John University, where the Falklands conflict is taught as part of the curriculum.

The exhibition opened on Saturday, April 2, the fortieth anniversary of the start of the war.

Communications manager, Jerry Ibbotson, said: “When Argentine forces landed on the Falkland Islands in April 1982, they triggered a conflict that would claim hundreds of lives on both sides and have political ramifications around the world.

“The UK retook the islands, which Argentina had claimed as its own territory for 140 years, after a conflict on land, sea and in the air.

“But how do you fight an air war 8000 miles from home?

“You can discover the answers at the Yorkshire Air Museum this Spring and Summer, as we launch our Falklands Air War Exhibition."

There are displays examining the tactics used in the air war, the lessons learned and after-effects of the British victory.

There are examples of aircraft and weapons used, including an iconic Harrier jump-jet, a Mirage fighter and Falklands-veteran Lynx helicopter.

Outside, there are Falklands Air War information boards in front of some of our other aircraft: the Victor and the Nimrod both had key support roles in the Black Buck raids, while the Canberra has the distinction of being used by both sides in the conflict.

And in the museum’s Astra cinema there are archive videos of the Harrier, along with material recounting the Black Buck bombing raid on Port Stanley – an epic 8000-mile mission commanded by RAF Vulcan pilot Martin Withers - one of of the trustees at the museum.

Falklands Air War is on now and runs until the summer.

To find out more go to yorkshireairmuseum.org or call 01904 608 595 the museum is open everyday from 10am – 4pm with last admission one hour before closing.