Airbase

Airbase at Coventry airport

A visit on Thursday 9 June 2011

Canberra T.4 WT478 painted up as the prototype VN799.

Canberra in prototype colours.

Hawker Hunter T.8C.

C-47 Dakota - used by Racal/THALES on radar trials

RAF Transport Command Dakota.

Recently repainted Avro Shackleton MR.2 WR963 in Coastal Command colours. She is open for inspection.

Another view of the Shackleton from under the tail of her successor - the Nimrod.

Nimrod MR.2 - we had an excellent guided tour inside the Mighty Hunter.

The Percival Prentice was giving pleasure flights.

de Havilland Rapide G-AGTM.

The Lockheed Electra was doing engine runs.

Inside the Airbase hangar - Percival Proctor 5 G-AKIU.....

.... and Beagle Terrier painted as an Auster T.7.

Hunting Percival Provost T.3A - G-BWDS.

Avro Anson T.21 undergoing maintenance.

DH Venom.

Chrislea CH3 Super Ace 2, G-AKVF

Another Jet Provost - this time a T.5A.

Canberra B.2 WK-163 Record Breaker - On August 28, 1957 Mike Randrup, with Walter Shirley acting as flight observer,

flew WK163 to 70,310ft – in doing so acquiring the world altitude record for Great Britain.

Another view of WK-163.

De Havilland DH112 Venom FB.50 WK436 - hiding away with its covers on.......

.... along with Gloster Meteor NF.14 WM167.

DHC-1 Chipmunk G-APLU.

DH Rapide in the paintshop.

Rare Howard 500 conversion of the Lockheed Ventura - powered by Douglas DC-6 Pratt & Whitney R2800

engines driving huge 11 ft (3.3 M) 4 bladed cut down DC-7 propellers.

Midland Air Museum

Museum at Coventry airport

A visit on Thursday 9 June 2011

de Havilland Vampire F.1 in the markings of 605 Squadron RAF.

Chichester-Miles Leopard G-BRNM.

SAAB J-29 Tunnan.

NA F-86A Sabre.

English Electric Lightning T.55 in Royal Saudi Air Force colours.

Lightning F.6 in 11 Sqn RAF markings.

French Dassault Mystere IVA in Patrouille de France colours.

McDonnel F-101B Voodoo in the process of being repainted.

Polish PZL TS-11 Iskra.

DHC U-6A Beaver of the US Army.

Lockheed T-33 'Shooting Star' in Royal Canadian AF display team colours.

Percival Prentice T.1

NA F-100D Super Sabre - ex French AF but painted in USAF Vietnam colours.

Rear end of the F-100D showing exhaust and heat staining.

McDonnell F-4C Phantom - this aircraft is a Vietnam combat veteran.

BAe Sea Harrier FA.2.

Fairey Gannet T.2 on loan from the Fleet Air Arm museum.

Gloster Meteor NF.14 in 64 Sqn colours - on loan from the RAF museum.

Recently repainted DH Sea Vixen FAW.2

Another recent repaint - Hawker Hunter F.6 in 234 Sqn colours.

Hawker Seahawk FGA.6 - built nearby at Armstrong Whitworths factory.

Another view of the Seahawk behind the nose of the Javelin.

Boulton Paul BP.111A delta wing research aircraft.

Avro Vulcan - the cockpit is open for viewing.

Locally built Armstrong-Whitworth Argosy 650 Freighter - known affectionately as the 'Whistling Wheelbarrow'

Gloster Javelin FAW.5.

Another view of the Hunter F.6.

Views from the cockpit of the Argosy........

.... panoramic view of the museum exhibits.

This immaculate DH Sea Vixen FAW.2 served as the Fleet Air Arm's all-weather fighter.....

... as did the Gloster Javelin FAW.5 for the RAF - both machines were designed to the same Operational Requirement.

Hunter from Argosy.

East German AF MiG-21PFM lurking in a hangar......

... next to this Flettner FL-282V-10 'Kolibri' helicopter.

USAF Phantom awaiting restoration.

Moody shot of the Saudi Lighting T.55

Ex-Royal Danish Air Force Lockheed F-104G Starfighter.

English Electric Canberra T.17A nose section.

SAAB J-29 Tunnan tightly packed inside.

Bagington (Coventry) built Gloster Meteor F.4

The exhibits inside are sometimes difficult to photograph successfully.

Yours truly next to a rare find - the mainwheels from a Bristol Brabazon.

Shackleton Walkround

© Ken Duffey

June 2011