A postcard picture depicting a 1942 scene. But which airfield ?

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I found this card earlier whilst looking for something else, can anyone name the different type of aircraft shown, and which airfield.

As theres a balloon Id say Ringway. But personally I think its a montage and doesn't depict one single airfield.

The main aircraft type shown are those of A.V. Roe and Fairey Aviation. Although not very clear to see, the extreme left, close to the top shows three parachute dropping aircraft , streams jumping out. A lovely postcard to celebrate 50 years of flying from this airfield.

OK, with the gauntlet thrown down - identify the aircraft. Aim to go around anti-clockwise from lower right corner.

Airspeed Hotspur glider (code L, in lower right corner.)
Fairey Barracuda, Fleet Air Arm (above squads wearing parachutes)
A yellow helicopter. Not a Hoverfly. Not an Avro built Cievra type either as no engine mounted up front (behind the squads in parachutes) Open to suggestions.
Avro Manchester (two engines, not four - above tail of Barracuda)
Percival Proctor (in front of the Avro Manchester)
AW Whitley (by right hand hangar, below blimp)
Avro York (prototype yellow underside markings?)
Avro Lancaster (again presume the yellow undersides are for a prototype)
possibly a further bomber Manchester/Lancaster in hangar at nose of yellow belly Lancaster)
BP Defiant night fighter (between York and Whitley 'P' tail.)
2 x Whitley (in picture centre, coded T and P) (corrects original post, thanks Airfieldsman)
Bristol Beaufighter night fighter (ahead of nearer Whitley 'T')
Westland Lysander (ahead of rear Whitley 'P')
Miles Master (yellow underside to left of Lysander
Douglas Boston/Havoc (above Master, hidden infront of the hangars to left of watch/control tower)
Hawker Hurricane (left of Master)
HP Halifax (heavy bomber & glider tug, rectangular tails, left of Hurricane)
Fairey Swordfish/Albecore (left of Halifax)
Vickers Wellington (background, left of Swordfish)
Fairey Battle (or just maybe Fairey Fulmar - right on the left edge, ahead of the Wellington)
DH Dragon Rapide, in civilian AAJC markings (middle ground, left side)
Avro Anson 1 trainer (left foreground)
A AW Whitley glider tug with Hotspur glider airborne (top of picture in the sky)

As to 1942, well maybe. Initially thought 1942 way too early for an Avro York, but find that the first one flew in July 1942, a handful more in 1943 and production in any quantity got going in 1944. So prototype yellow underside colours probably fits correctly, the need to include a rather unusual yellow undersided Lancaster puzzles me, rather than a production black and camouflage. No doubt the artist had better research than I have to hand!

Agree that the scene is a modern representation of Manchester's buildings and likely aircraft types with Fairey and Avro types predominating (with factories at Manchester). Note too that the only aircraft to appear more than once (Whitley and Horsa) represent the parachute and glider training roles at Manchester/Ringway. Types missing are Hampden, Blenheim, Stirling, Spitfire, Mosquito and Tiger Moth - these were all insignificant in Manchester/Ringway operational history terms.

Make that around 19 types depicted, and 27 aircraft (including the 3 Whitleys dropping parachute trainees) - not bad in one rather well done illustration. Leave the blimp in the background and the staff car in picture centre for someone else to identify!!

Artists signature look like Edmund Miller.

Totally superb account there Viscount 701, you must have damn good eye-sight to find all of that ! I had a job to see the York, Helicopter and yellow underside Lancaster....and that was using a magnifying glass !! Must admit, I thought that Whitleys were in the mid-centre.

I've just looked again and found a Douglas Boston/Havoc - added it to the list on 'edit'. Can you spot it without directions?

I'm enjoying this, even if I did get my Harrows and Whitleys mixed up in the enthusiasm to get a list of types post in first! Thanks Airfields man.

The way the hangar far right is painted makes it look like the largest thatched Tithe barn I've ever seen.

The little yellow helicopter is the Hafner Rotachute from the AFEE.
Ringway must have been a busy airfield with Avro one side and Fairey the other and then the Airborne Forces growing at such a rate that one can have difficulty keeping up with the initials it generated, AFE, CLE, PTS, GTS, AFEE.
Incidentaly as with all these type of paintings from this artist the figures in the foreground are all identifiable amonst which are Generals Gale, Browning and Sorsoboski. Avro's General Manager, Roy Dobson is the gentleman in the dark suit in the middel of the group bottom left and some of the paras can be seen to be female as they represent the SOE agents trained by PTS.