Aviation Museums
and airworthy collections
Classic Air Force Airbase, Coventry
[ now permanently closed ]
Date of visit: 31st May 2015
The Classic Air Force was once Europe’s largest collection of post-war classic aircraft, 30 of which were still airworthy. A few days after my visit the doors of the museum were closed and it was announced that the fleet was to be sold. The move followed the retirement announcement of CAF’s founder, Mike Collett, who was also co-founder of the Air Atlantique group in 1977, a freight and pollution control company that at one time owned the world’s largest fleet of WW2 Dakota freighters.
Auster 5J1 AUTOCRAT
G-JAYI - change of ownership October 2015
Avro 652A ANSON T21
G-VROE / WD413 - change of ownership March 2017
CHRISLEA CH3 SUPER ACE SERIES 2
G-AKVF - Registration cancelled May 2018
de Havilland DHC-1 CHIPMUNK 22A
G-APLO - subsequently sold in October 2015 to an owner in the Netherlands
de Havilland DH.89A DRAGON RAPIDE 6
TX310 / G-AIDL - change of ownership November 2015
de Havilland DH.89A DRAGON RAPIDE 6
G-AGTM - change of ownership September 2016
de Havilland DH.104 DOVE 8
VP981 / G-DHDV - change of ownership April 2016
de Havilland DH.104 DOVE 8
G-ARHW - withdrawn from use January 2019
de Havilland DH.112 VENOM FB1
WR470 / G-DHVM - Registration cancelled February 2018
de Havilland DH.112 VENOM FB1
WK436 / G-VENM - transferred to the USA August 2018 (seen previously at the Cotswold Air Show Kemble, 2011)
de Havilland DH.115 VAMPIRE MK55
U-1229 / G-HATD - transferred to the USA January 2019
de Havilland DH.115 VAMPIRE MK55
XJ771 / G-HELV - transferred to Jordon April 2016
Douglas DC-3C-R-1830-90C
G-AMPY - subsequently sold in October 2015 to RVL AVIATION LTD
Douglas DC-3C-R-1830-90C
G-ANAF - change of ownership November 2015
Douglas DC-6B
G-SIXC - preserved as a restaurant
English Electric Canberra B2/6
built by Avro Aircraft Ltd
WK163 / G-BVWC - Re-registered G-CTTS in June 2016 to 'Vulcan to the Sky Trust'
Gloster Meteor NF11
Built in 1952 by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft under Licence from Gloster Aircraft Ltd.
WM167 / G-LOSM - change of ownership October 2018
Gloster Meteor T.7
WA591 / G-BWMF - transferred to the USA March 2018
Hunting Percival P66 PEMBROKE C MK1
XL954 / G-BXES - change of ownership August 2017
Hunting Percival P84 Jet Provost T.3A
G-BVSP - change of ownership April 2016
Hunting Percival P84 Jet Provost T.3A
XM424 / G-BWDS - change of ownership December 2017
Hunting Percival P84 Jet Provost T.5A
XW433 / G-JPRO - change of ownership September 2017
Maule MX-7-180A STAR ROCKET
G-LOFM - change of ownership December 2016
Miles M65 GEMINI 1A
G-AKDK - change of ownership October 2015
Percival P40 PRENTICE 1
VR259 / G-APJB - change of ownership March 2016
Percival PROCTOR 5
G-AKIU - change of ownership July 2018
Scottish Aviation TWIN PIONEER 3
G -APRS - change of ownership August 2017 (subsequently withdrawn from use)
Other displays / visitors seen on grounds
AVRO 696 SHACKLETON MR MK2
WR963 / G-SKTN [Shackleton Preservation Trust]
AVRO 716 SHACKLETON T.4
VP293
Beagle A.61 TERRIER 2
G-ASAJ
Corby CJ-1 STARLET
G-NATI
de Havilland DH87B HORNET MOTH
G-AESE
de Havilland DH.89A DRAGON RAPIDE 4
G-AKRP 'Northamptonshire Rose' / RL958
de Havilland DH.114 SEA HERON C MK1
XR441 / G-AORG (private, 'date of no fly' 10/09/2014)
Douglas DC-3C-R-1830-90C
G-AMSV (private, maintenance visit)
Fleet MODEL 80 CANUCK
G-FLCA
Grumman American AA-5B TIGER
G-ZERO
Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.2P
XV232 [Nimrod Preservation Group XV232]
Miles M65 GEMINI 1A
G-AKKH
Piper PA-18-135 SUPER CUB
G-BKJB
PIPER PA-28-140 CHEROKEE
G-BXPL (used as simulator)
TAYLOR TITCH
G-OJON
