Ian Robinson

Built around a derelict fuselage which had been used as a hen coop on the Isle of Lewis, it incorporated parts collected from across Europe, and after 13 years of work, it was at last rolled out at the museum on Friday September 13 1996.

In his book Home is the Halifax published this year, he wrote: "In the early 1980s whenever the thought of retirement entered my head, my main concern was how I would fill my spare time. Having always been fully employed since the age of 16, the prospect of too much time on my hands was a bit frightening. But I needn't have worried."

Ian read a story in the Yorkshire Post about two enthusiasts – Rachel Semlyen and Squadron Leader Ian Wormald – and their hope of creating an air museum at Elvington, a Second World War bomber base from which Halifax bombers had flown, and these were an aircraft for which he had a very special affection.

Excited by the project, he at once became involved in raising funds to bring it to fruition, and would later serve as chairman of the trustees and be made an MBE for his contribution to the museum.

As the project advanced, he considered that such a museum without a Halifax in its collection would be "like a frame without a picture" – and so strong was his conviction that it did indeed get its Halifax, albeit 13 years later.

Ian was born in Crosshills, near Keighley, where his father Edward, a former mechanic in the Royal Flying Corps (precursor of the RAF) had a car repair business.

Ian won a scholarship to Keighley Technical College to study engineering, In 1942 he was 16 and expecting to do a BSc but the war disrupted that plan.

At its outbreak, his father was called up by the RAF and posted to York to set up a maintenance unit tasked to dismantle and remove the remnants of some 3,000 incidents resulting in damaged and crashed aircraft.

Ian was eager to join the RAF, but that was not to be, and the close connection between the maintenance unit and the York Aircraft Repair Deport (YARD) at Clifton, York, operated by aircraft manufacturer Handley Page resulted in Ian getting a job there.

Damaged Halifax bombers based from the 24 airfields in Yorkshire were repaired and test flown from there.

The young engineer was selected for flying training at Radlett in Hertfordshire where Handley Page had its main airfield, and returning to Clifton, he became a flight engineer to the company's test pilots. Each repaired aircraft had to be flown to a very strict procedure.

At Clifton he met and married his wife of 50 years, Jess Silk. Following her death, he married Mary Bramble who had also worked at YARD during the War.

He would later write: "How remarkable that an aeroplane (the Halifax) could play such an important and happy part in my life."

Ian worked at YARD until its closure and then entered the automotive industry. He worked for several firms and by his retirement in 1988 was director of an engineering company in Leeds.

Tall – he was 6ft 3in –charismatic and always immaculately turned out, Ian was a strong personality who helped led a team of fellow enthusiasts whose skills and dedication created a unique memorial to the sacrifice and valour of the aircrew who flew from Yorkshire's wartime airfields.

Ian had an interest in local politics, becoming chairman of Scotton Parish Council parish.

He played tennis and golf, a game he thoroughly enjoyed but readily admitted he never mastered.

Ian Robinson is survived by his wife Mary.