Yorkshire Air Museum’s popular Cold War Wheels event will return on Sunday, June 21st, bringing cars and motorbikes from the Cold War era to the museum for a special Father’s Day gathering in Elvington, York, UK. Set against the backdrop of the museum’s collection of Cold War jets, the event offers visitors a chance to revisit the period from the 1960s through the 1980s, when tensions between East and West shaped world events and everyday culture alike. Vehicles expected to appear include period favorites such as the Ford Capri and Triumph Stag, along with a vintage double-decker bus.
(Image credit: Yorkshire Air Museum)
“Cold War Wheels is now in its fourth year and is a really popular event,” said Jerry Ibbotson, marketing manager at Yorkshire Air Museum. “We hold a 1940s weekend in May each year, when we take people back to that period of history. This is like that—but with the 1960s to the 1980s. People can reminisce about the cars and bikes they remember seeing when they were younger. We even throw in some period music, instead of the wartime songs we normally play here at the museum.”
This year’s event will also feature a display of a classic 1960s toy, the Tri-ang Minic Motorway, a system that combined elements of slot-car racing and model railways. The museum will also revive its Cold War Stories video series, originally produced in 2023 for its Cold War exhibition. The short films feature first-hand accounts of the era, ranging from a nuclear bomber pilot to someone who grew up in the Soviet Union, and will be shown throughout the day in the museum cinema. Cold War Wheels takes place on Sunday, June 21st. The event is included with regular museum admission, and no special tickets are required. For more information, visit the Yorkshire Air Museum website.
