Air museum 'more important' as airport site closes

Air museum bosses have spoken of the historical importance of their work weeks before neighbouring Coventry Airport closes.

Barry James, of Midland Air Museum, is anxious the city's aviation heritage is not forgotten when the airport closes and is redeveloped as a manufacturing site.

The nationally-accredited museum, regarded as one of the country's leading independent aviation museums, has 60 aircraft, along with a further 250 engines and numerous artefacts and memorabilia.

"When the airport goes, our role becomes even more important, maintaining that heritage to make people aware of what skills were in the area," said the chairman and curator.

James has been at the forefront of the centre for 30 years and is already planning events to mark the museum's 60th anniversary next year.

The airport site is set to make way for Greenpower Park, which will incorporate the West Midlands gigafactory.

"As an air museum, our role is to make people aware of the heritage and history of the area which is considerable with companies we had, along with Sir Frank Whittle who was born in Coventry," said James.

"There is also the role this place played in the war."

Historical records show Baginton Airfield, as it was then known, was a bombing target during the war for the Luftwaffe, Germany's air force.

Researchers found records that noted RAF Baginton was bombed during the conflict but that "the exact locations of the bomb strikes was not recorded".

Staffed by a team of five employees and around 40 working volunteers, aged between 18 and 96, the museum open seven days a week, only closing for two days at Christmas.

It is also home to the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre.

"People give a lot of their time and energy to make the place function which is something we are proud of," James said. "We're not going anywhere."

The airport has been owned by the Rigby Group since 2009 and it is set to close on 11 June, when the site will become Greenpower Park, a joint venture between Coventry City Council and Coventry Airport.

In January, it was announced that a £23m funding package for it had been secured from the West Midlands Combined Authority.

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