MIDLAND AIR MUSEUM 2025

Copyright Ruud Leeuw Photos © R.Leeuw

It's been decades since I visited this air museum and decided a revisit would be in order, seeing I was in the area. The Midland Aircraft Preservation Society was formed in 1967 and the establishment of a museum at Baginton (located in Rowley Road, on the north boundery of Coventry airport) a result of patience, persistence and hard work.
Having passed the shop & Argosy Tea Room, I entered the museum entrance, anxious to see the indoor exhibits inside the hangar.
Later I admired the well-stocked shop selling model kits, diecast models, toys, books (a LOT!), magazines, paintings, prints, posters, souvenirs and other aviation-related items. And enjoyed a cold drink, recuperating from a warm visit to this fine museum.
I hope you enjoy my report.

 

The indoor exhibits, see from the mezzanine
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
De Havilland D.H. 100 Vampire F.1, VF301 (RAL-G); RAF 605 Squadron.
Built by English Electric in November 1946. Served 595 and 631 Squadrons. Then used for training with 103 FRS and 208 AFS. To 7060M in August 1953, but still wears its original serial. In 1967 it was gate guardian at RAF Debden (later
Carver Barracks). Superbly restored!

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Lockheed T-33A, 51-4419 (USAF)

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025

Saab J-29 also known as the 'Tunnan' (Flying Barrel). It was Sweden's first swept wing jet fighter. The swept wing concept resulted from access to German designs at the end of World War II. The availability of the new De Havilland Ghost engine enabled Larz Brisling and his design team at Saab to develop a higher performance aircraft than its contemporaries.
The J-29 first flew on 1st September 1948 and was surprisingly trouble free throughout its development for such a revolutionary design.
While serving with the Royal Swedish Airforce many J-29s were involved with United Nations peace keeping duties in the Belgian Congo (1961-63). The Museum's J29 was flown to the UK and formed part of the Southend Aircraft Collection. It was later donated to Midlands Air Mmuseum (MAM) by the Royal Swedish Airforce. ¬Instagram

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Gloster Meteor F.4, EE531 (RAF). Served A&AEE and wfu at Lasham in 1953. Ex/ Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE).
The Midland Aircraft Preservation Society acquired it for £175 and it was dismantled on site (@Lasham) in July 1973.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
G-BNRM (c/n 002) is a Chichester‑Miles Leopard, a prototype business‑jet.

This Airhistory post (19Oct2008) has remarkable details: "This aircraft was a British designed four seat business jet made entirely from composite materials. The type first flew in December 1988 and this is the second example.
This example has recently been acquired by the Midland Air Museum at Coventry and it has not yet been fully re-assembled, though goodness only knows where they will put it once they have done so."

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
English Electric Canberra T.17A, WH646 (RAF).Delivered to the RAF as Canberra B.2 WH646 in 1952. Converted to
a T.17 in 1967 then to a T.17A by 1987. Scrapped at Wyton. Nose section to the Midland Air Museum in 1995.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
The Pioneers

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Display of the Great War (WW1) aeroplanes
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Dogfighting over the battlefield

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
I do remember British Caledonian (BCal) well!

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Druine D.31 Turbulent, c/n BAPC.126
The Druine D.31 Turbulent is a French single-seat ultralight Homebuilt aircraft designed by Roger Druine. The D.31
Turbulent was designed to be amateur-built and is a single-seat ultra-light aircraft with cantilever low-wing and fixed
tailwheel landing gear. Designed to be powered by a 30hp (1200cc) Volkswagen or similar engine.[1] The fuselage and
wings use wood construction with fabric covering. ¬ Wikipedia

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Nose section on the right unidentified

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Saab J-29, also known as the 'Tunnan' (Flying Barrel). It was Sweden's first swept wing jet fighter.
Small print: 'radiolucka'
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
On the tail 'J'.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
'The end of the Harrier in UK service'

 

Getting to the outdoors exhibits
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Lockheed Electra N5535 has only its 'frontoffice' preserved. Unidentified Tornado and De Havilland D.H. 110 Sea Vixen FAW2, XN685 of 890 Squadron.'Built as FAW.1 by DH at Christchurch in 1961 and upgraded to FAW.2 at Chester in
1962. Operated by 890 Squadron at Yeovilton in late 1970 and wears their markings in preservation.' ¬Airhistory.net
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
N5535 / EI-CHO / G-CHNX

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
A handout here I photographed.
Built 1959 for Eastern. American Jet Industries 1977, converted to freighter for Evergreen. Leased to Galaxy Airlines
1985, returned 1987. Channel Express 1990, Iona EI-CHO 1993 remaining in Channel Express colours. Channel Express
G-CHNX 1994, withdrawn Hurn 2001 and scrapped 2003. ¬ www.airhistory.net/marks-all/N5535

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
The cockpit of G-CHNX is fine condition

 

The plane I remembered best from my previous visit: the A-W Argosy
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Armstrong Whitworth AW-650 Argosy 101, G‑APRL (c/n 6652).
'Owned by Air Bridge Carriers and seen WFU without titles in former Air Anglia colours. Delivered new to Riddle Airlines as N6507R on 24 Aug 1961. Later to Zantop on N602Z and Universal Airlines as N890U. Back to the UK as G-APRL on 11 Nov 1973 and operated by Air Bridge Carriers, Air Anglia, Air Bridge again, OTRAG Range Air Services and Elan Air.
WFU & preserved at the Midland Air Museum at Coventry Baginton Feb 1987.' ¬ www.airhistory.net/marks-all/GAPRL

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Nose loading capabilities

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
'Argosy G-APRL was leased by Air Anglia for a few months only (1976), nevertheless titles and yellow Air Anglia c/s
were applied. After termination of the lease, Air Bridge Carriers kept this colour-scheme for many years.'

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Fuselage is often open, such as today, showing the cavernous hold for the Argosy to transport its cargo in.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Boulton Paul P-111A, VT935. Part of the Cranfield College of Aeronautics 'Library of Flight'. Acquired April 1959,
ex-RAE Bedford. Passed on loan to the Midland Air Museum at Coventry/Baginton in July 1975. ¬ www.airhistory.net

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
The pride of many British aviation historians: the RAF Avro Vulcan B.2 (XL360, 'City of Coventry')
Retired to the Midland Air Museum at Coventry in February 1983.

 

Getting a general of the parade of fine exhibits, many Cold War jets
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Some aircraft were disposed of to raise funds for others as well as the development of the site. I had a list from
Bob Ogden's 1979 'Aviation Museums' (an Airline Publications Production) and that content was quite different! ☺

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Bottom, left: McDonnell F-4C Phantom, 63-7699/CG. For the CF-101 see further down.
 


Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
I always was fond of the ungainly appearance of the Fairey Gannet!
Delivered to the Royal Navy as XA508 in 1955. To RNEC Manadon and used as instructional airframe A2472 in 1957,
then to the FAAM Yeovilton in 1975 and the Midland Air Museum in 1982. This Gannet T.2 is now coded 627/GN.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
English Electric Canberra PR3 WF922, Dassault Mystère 70 (c/n 70, ex/ 314-ZR, 7-AI, 314-TI, 8-NV) and two
BAC Lightnings (RAF, being repainted, + Saudi AF) .
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
BAC Lighting T.55, 55-713/C of the Royal Saudi Air Force. More info: scroll www.airhistory.net/marks-all/55713
In the background RAF's BAC Lightning XR771/AN, work to repaint this Lightning F.6 is well underway.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
North American F-100D Super Sabre, 54-2174/SM (ex/ French Air Force 11-ES, 11-EE)
and Canadian Armed Forces (RCAF) F-101F (serial '447'); 56-312 was use as a Battle Damage Repair training airframe,
much as F-4C 63-766/CG, repainted CF-101B in RCAF colours; '447' had been preserved (2015) here in USAF c/s,
ex/ Kentucky ANG 'Happy Hooligans'.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
A nice Cold War line up: North American F-86A Sabre (48-242), MiG-21 (959) and an impressive Mil-24 helo
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SPS-K 959 was East Germany Air Force and seen at Duxford's IWM in 1998.
Mi‑24 'Hind‑D' Helicopter gunship goes by the Id: Red 06.
From a caption on Flickr: "Quite possibly the most interesting aircraft at the museum. This is a Soviet "Hind" helecopter which was bought by BAe after the Iron Curtain collapsed and has been completely refitted by them to the point where it could be operated as part of a NATO operation. This work included replacing the avionics up to, and including, the IFF." Flickr/SiliconOwl

The F-4 Phantom II wears the markings of the 366 Tactical Fighter Wing which operated it before retirement.
The MiG kill seems not to have been restored here..? (EMAIL)
In the back PZL-Mielec TS-11 Iskra 100 bis A, 1706 of Polish Air Force; a jettrainer.
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
'F-4C 63-7699 (msn 839) USAF 557th TFS (12th TFW). USAF 479th TFW. 1967: USAF 480th TFS (366th TFW).
Shot down MiG-17 over North Vietnam May 14, 1967. 1968: USAF 356th TFS (475th TFW). Active in 1977 with 170th Tactical Fighter Squadron/183rd Tactical Fighter Group Illinois ANG and named 'Red Baron'. 1976-78: Illinois ANG 170th TFS. 1981-86: Oregon ANG 123rd FIS. Assigned as battle damage repair trainer at RAF Fairford, England, later to
RAF Upper Heyford, England. ¬ www.crouze.com/baugher/usaf_serials/1963
 

A few more props...
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
deHavilland Canada U-6A (DHC-2) Beaver, 58-2062 (c/n 1394).
Delivered to the US Army as 58-2062 in 1959 and operated in West Germany. Arrived at the museum in 1981.

Delivered to Air France as F-BGNR in 1954. To Air Inter in 1962. To Air Service Training at Perth, Scotland for use as a ground trainer in 1973. Moved to Skysport Engineering, Hatch, Beds in 1998 then to the Midland Air Museum, Coventry for preservation in 2007. ¬ www.airhistory.net/marks-all/FBGNR
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Ex-Air France Vickers 708 Viscount, F-BGNR (c/n 35) in colourscheme of the French airline Air Inter.

Formerly a fire trainer at Scone in Scotland, they did well restoring it here, very well indeed!
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Remarkable props on this Viscount

Another work in progress (hard work in the tropical day here in July..)
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
deHavilland Dove, G-ALCU (c/n 04022) being cleaned of its paintscheme for improved restoration.
Said to have been a cabin trainer. Registered as G-ALCU in 1948. To the Midland Air Museum here at Coventry in 1980
and marked as G-ALVD. C of A expired March 1973.
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
That last letter G-ALVx seems pretty messed up, looks more like a 'N' than a 'D' (EMAIL)

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Percival P.40 Prentice T1, VS623 (c/n PAC-238)
'Intended as a Tiger Moth replacement, the Prentice trainer only lasted for a few years in the RAF before being supplanted
by the Chipmunk and Provost. It had three seats, allowing one student to watch from the back seat.'

 

Another USAF McDonnell Phantom I in the back. Will it see a fine restoration such as the USAF Phantom above..?
The serial on the tailfin had me puzzled, it looks like 'USAF 3714' but there's a faded '4' at the end.
Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Phantom II, USAF 63-7414. Previously this F-4 was stored in a yard just off the Midland Air Museum site. Progress?
And in front we see 'XK724' (marked on the engine intake). I found one Folland Fo.141 Gnat F.1 listed, as 'XK741 Finnish colours'? How one can get confused by their serials... Note that XK724 was at RAF Museum Cosford in 2004.
The UH-1 helo 'Coventry University' is as yet unidentified

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
Lockheed T-33A, TR-529/117529 of Italian Air Force. Ex/ French AF 117473.

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
A close up of this Mil Mi-24, a very agressive looking attack helicopter with much firepower

Midland Air Museum visit 01JUL2025
A final look over my shoulder after a fine visit, time to claim that cold drink in the café! ☺

 
 

LINKS
BATTLE of BRITAIN Air Show AERO LEGENDS, HEADCORN AERODROME 28-6-2025
MIDLAND AIR MUSEUM @COVENTRY 01-7-2025
RAF MUSEUM COSFORD 02-7-2025
YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM (YAM - YORK) 04-7-2025
AIR MUSEUMS & Off-Airport

External LINK
MIDLANDAIRMUSEUM.UK
en.wikipedia.org:_Midland_Air_Museum
 

ENGLAND + SCOTLAND 2019
D-DAY 75, DAKS OVER DUXFORD - PAGE 2
NORFOLK & SUFFOLK AVIATION MUSEUM
+
ENGLAND 2017:
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, DUXFORD (& COLLECTIONS)
DUXFORD'S FLYING LEGENDS AIR SHOW, JULY 8th

GATEWAY TO MY (SPECIFIC) DC-3 PAGES

External Links
YouTube/D-Day 75: Dakota aircraft fly historic route

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Validation: 29-Jul-2025

Reactions / comments welcomed (pls state url/link you refer too)