Midland Air Museum facts for kids
The Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre at the Midland Air Museum
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| Location | Baginton, Warwickshire |
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| Type | Aviation museum |
The Midland Air Museum (often called MAM) is a fantastic place for anyone interested in airplanes and aviation history. It's located right next to Coventry Airport in Baginton, Warwickshire, England. The museum has a special area called the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre. This centre is named after Frank Whittle, a local hero who invented the jet engine. Inside, you'll find many amazing aircraft and exhibits. The museum also has outdoor areas where even more planes are on display.
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Awesome Aircraft on Display
The Midland Air Museum is home to many different types of aircraft. You can see huge planes, speedy jets, and even helicopters! It's a great chance to get up close to these incredible machines.
Two of the biggest aircraft at the museum are an Avro Vulcan B.2 and an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy AW.650. The Avro Vulcan is a huge plane with a special "delta-wing" shape. It was part of Britain's "V bomber" force during the Cold War. This means it was ready to carry special weapons to help keep peace. You can see it near the car park, along with an Avro Blue Steel missile, which was an early type of missile. Also nearby is a Boulton Paul BP.111A, an experimental plane from the 1950s with a similar delta-wing design.
The museum also has an English Electric Canberra PR.3, which was used for taking photos from the sky. You can also see two English Electric Lightnings. These were the fastest fighter jets ever used by the Royal Air Force! There are also two Gloster Meteors, an Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FGA.6, and a Mil Mi-24 helicopter.
Cool Planes You Can See
The museum has a wide variety of aircraft, from old propeller planes to modern jets. Here are some of the highlights:
- Armstrong Whitworth Argosy AW.650: This large transport plane is often open for visitors to look inside.
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.14: An early jet fighter, on loan from the Royal Air Force Museum.
- Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FGA.6: A jet fighter used by the Royal Navy.
- Armstrong Whitworth Whitley: You can see parts of this old bomber, which are very rare.
- Avro Vulcan B.2: A famous Cold War bomber.
- Boulton Paul P.111A: A unique experimental aircraft.
- British Aerospace Sea Harrier FA.2: A jump jet that can take off and land vertically.
- Dassault Mystere IVA: A French fighter jet.
- de Havilland Vampire F.1: The only Mark 1 Vampire jet in the UK.
- English Electric Canberra PR.3: A versatile bomber and reconnaissance plane.
- BAC Lightning F.6: One of the fastest jets in history.
- Fairey Gannet T.2: A unique naval aircraft, the only one of its kind left.
- Gloster Javelin FAW.5: A large, all-weather interceptor.
- Gloster Meteor F.4: One of the oldest Meteor jets still around.
- Hawker Hunter F.6A: A classic British fighter jet.
- Kaman HH-43B Huskie: A rescue helicopter, one of only two in the UK.
- Lockheed F-104G Starfighter: A very fast "missile with a man in it" jet.
- McDonnell F-101B Voodoo: A powerful American fighter.
- McDonnell F-4C Phantom II: A famous and widely used fighter-bomber.
- Mil Mi-24: A large attack helicopter from Russia.
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SPS: A well-known Soviet fighter jet.
- North American F-86A Sabre: A classic American fighter jet.
- North American F-100D Super Sabre: An early supersonic fighter.
- Panavia Tornado GR.4: A modern multi-role combat aircraft.
- PZL TS-11 Iskra: A Polish jet trainer aircraft.
- SAAB J29F Tunnan: A unique Swedish jet, the only one in the UK.
- Vickers Viscount 708: An old passenger airliner.
- Westland Whirlwind Series 3: An early British helicopter.
Amazing Engines on Display
The Midland Air Museum also has a special section dedicated to aero engines. You can learn about how these powerful machines work. There's a special focus on the work of Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine.
Types of Engines You Can See
The museum displays different kinds of aircraft engines:
- Piston Engines: These are like the engines in cars, but much more powerful. They use pistons to create movement. Examples include the Alvis Leonides and Rolls-Royce Griffon.
- Gas Turbine Engines: These are also known as jet engines. They work by sucking in air, compressing it, mixing it with fuel, and then burning it to create a powerful thrust. You can see engines like the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba, Rolls-Royce Avon, and Rolls-Royce Derwent.
- Rocket Engines: These engines use special fuel to create thrust, often used for missiles or spacecraft. The museum has examples like the Bristol Siddeley 605 and Armstrong Siddeley Stentor.
See also
In Spanish: Museo del Aire Midland para niños
- List of aerospace museums
