The Midland Air Museum is located at Coventry Airport in West Midlands, England. The Midland Air Museum was founded in 1967 and is situated at the historic Coventry Airport, which has its own rich aviation history. The museum is run by passionate volunteers and aviation enthusiasts, and it houses a variety of aircraft, engines, and memorabilia that span both military and civilian aviation.
Midland Air Museum
Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre
Coventry Airport
Rowley Rd,Baginton
Warwickshire CV3 4FR
midlandairmuseum@btconnect.com
+44 24 7630 1033
April – October
- Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 17:00
- Sundays & Bank Holidays 10:00 – 18:00
November – March
- Daily 10:00 – 16:30
Closed December 25-26
Admission fee
Gift shop
At Coventry Airport, signed from the A45 / A423 junction to the south west of Coventry city center.
Aircraft collection
Photo Gallery
| G-APRL
WS838 WV797 – XL360 – ZE694 XX899 T5298 VT935 G-BRNM BAPC.32 70/8-NV G-ALVD XJ579 XN685 VF301/RAL-G XD626 XE855 58-1062 BAPC.126 WF922 WH646/EG XR771/BF 55-713/C XA508/627-GN G-APJJ 28368 GN-101 XA699 EE531 VZ477 XF382/15 JR505 G-ARYB BAPC.9 – 24535 51-4419 17473 R-756 56-0312 57-0270 63-7414 63-7699 G-AEGV 959 06 48-0242 54-1174/SM ZA452/021 G-EBJG VS623 408 29640 G-ASWJ BGA.804 A7317 F-BGNR XR635 G-APWN XK907 G-ABOI | Armstrong Whitworth Argosy 101
Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.14 Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FGA.6 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (fuselage) Avro Vulcan B.2 BAe Harrier GR.5 (nose) BAe Sea Harrier FA.2 Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B (nose) Bristol Beaufighter (nose) Boulton Paul P.111A Chichester-Miles Leopard Crossley Tom Thumb Dassault Mystere IVA de Havilland Dove 2 de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (nose) de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 de Havilland Vampire F.1 de Havilland Vampire T.11 de Havilland Vampire T.11 (fuselage) de Havilland Canada U-6A Beaver Druine D.31 Turbulent English Electric Canberra PR.3 English Electric Canberra T.17A (nose) English Electric Lightning F.6 English Electric Lightning T.55 Fairey Gannet T.2 Fairey Ultra Light Flettner Fl 282V-10 Kolibri Folland Gnat F.1 (fuselage) Gloster Javelin FAW.5 Gloster Meteor F.4 Gloster Meteor F.8 (nose) Hawker Hunter F.6A Hawker Typhoon IB (fuselage) Hawker Siddeley 125 series 1 (fuselage) Humber Monoplane Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3 (cockpit) Kaman HH-43B Huskie Lockheed T-33A Lockheed T-33A Lockheed F-104G Starfighter McDonnell F-101B Voodoo McDonnell F-101B Voodoo McDonnell F-4C Phantom McDonnell F-4C Phantom Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21SPS Mil Mi-24 “Hind-D” North American F-86A Sabre North American F-100D Super Sabre Panavia Tornado GR.4 Parnall Pixie IIIa Percival Prentice T.1 PZL TS-11 Iskra SAAB J29F Tunnan Scottish Aviation Beagle 206-1 Slingsby Cadet TX.1 Sopwith Pup (replica) Vickers Viscount Westland Scout AH.1 Westland Whirlwind Series 3 Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 (nose) Wheeler Slymph |
Key Aircraft on Display
The Midland Air Museum has an extensive collection of over 50 aircraft, some of the most notable being:
- Avro Vulcan : One of the most famous aircraft in the museum’s collection, the Avro Vulcan is a British-designed strategic bomber used during the Cold War. It was one of the three aircraft that made up the V-Force, Britain’s nuclear deterrent during the 1950s and 1960s. The museum has a retired Vulcan bomber on display, allowing visitors to experience the sheer scale and power of this iconic aircraft.
- Hawker Hunter: A well-known British jet aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1950s and 1960s. The Hunter was a versatile fighter and attack aircraft and played a significant role in both military and civilian aviation during the Cold War period.
- Folland Gnat: A British light jet fighter used by the RAF, also famous for its role in training and aerobatic display teams. The museum has a Gnat on display, representing this important aircraft in British aviation history.
- Various Military Aircraft: The museum features numerous military aircraft, including British and foreign planes, covering a wide range of eras from World War II through to the Cold War. This includes jet fighters, bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft, providing visitors with a deep dive into military aviation history.
Overview of Sir Frank Whittle and His Contributions
Sir Frank Whittle (1907–1996) was an aviation pioneer who revolutionized air travel and military aviation. In the 1930s, Whittle’s design for a turbojet engine led to the development of the first operational jet aircraft, marking a transformative period in aviation history. His work on jet propulsion made it possible for aircraft to fly faster, higher, and more efficiently, ultimately changing the course of aviation and warfare.
Whittle’s achievements were initially met with skepticism, but he went on to become one of the most important figures in the history of aviation. His development of the turbojet engine was essential for the creation of modern jet aircraft, and his work played a major role in the Allied victory during World War II, where jet-powered aircraft were used for the first time in combat.