With thanks to a great friend I secured an invite to the 2021 Midlands Air Show. The show is the only event in the country where a grass runway is created for the weekend which can accept light aircraft that participate in the show or arrive as visitors for the event. Fast jets and larger vintage participants have a choice of locations around the area.

The two day Air Show started at Ragley Hall in 2018 and moved to Aubrey Hall in 2019 for one year. The event in 2020 was cancelled due to covid and back on again in 2021 with government restrictions. On the morning of departure to the show I had the pleasure of a self rapid antigen test which proved negative. Then with the result recorded and evidence with me I set off. 

First visit on the trip was a stop at East Midlands to see what cargo aircraft was present, not much, the day stopping FedEx 757, a Swiftair 737, two DHLs a 757 and an A300. The visit was saved by OK-HWK Hawker 900XP unfortunately it wasn’t possible to photograph it.

Next the Midland Air Museum at Coventry Airport, a place that I have always passed and said I would visit one day. Today was the day as the gates for the camping area at Ragley supposedly didn’t open until 5.30pm and I had plenty of time to spare. With face mask on I paid the £7.45 entry fee and ventured into the indoor part of the museum. To start the visit there is a good display on the local history of jet engines, but due to the desire to remove my itching face mask I moved on. 

The internal display hangar also houses a number of aircraft, a nice Meteor a T-33 and a Vampire. One of only two built Leopard jets is also preserved in the indoor display. With the increase of heat it was time for the outdoor exhibits. 

The Vulcan is unfortunately jammed in a corner where it is impossible to get a decent shot. The next large aircraft is Argosy G-APRL, a significant aircraft for me as it was one of the first aircraft that I have memories of flying over my parent’s house in Stockton-on-Tees. We lived right on the approach to Teesside about four miles out. The sight and sound of a flying Argosy was quite unique even more so as I think I only saw it the once. 

The rest of the museum consists of a nice collection of jet fighters of mainly UK and American origin a couple of helicopters and some British civil aircraft including HS 125 G-ARYB. F-BGNR Viscount also now lives here I last saw this parked inside the big hangar at Perth.

After the museum I had time for lunch and then a drive around to see what is left of the once busy airport. The area near the control tower provides parking for a number of aircraft which are unfortunately not accessible but can just about be seen from the rear of the hangar area. 

Air Atlantic had their main maintenance base here and you could see DC3s, DC6s and Lockheed Electra’s in various states of repair and various visiting aircraft. Now with Air Atlantic moved on the place almost looks closed down. The first hangar is now home to a lorry transport company. The second is operated by Heritage Air Services and on this occasion the hangar front door was open. In the front of the hangar there were three Boeing Stearman aircraft which were being assembled after import from the USA. They should have by now appeared in the filming of the Mission Impossible film. The hangar is also where the Teesside Jet Provost now goes for its maintenance work. The other hangars were closed so it was time to move on to Ragley Hall for the main event. 

Friday morning saw the first balloon flight of the weekend with almost perfect conditions and after a few hours peace it was time for the air show practice flights.

First to arrive were the Typhoon display aircraft and unlike the display days both the display aircraft and the reserve jet appeared and broke the countryside peace whilst beating the sight up. Next was, “Team Raven”, which consists of five Vans RV-8 aircraft a slow but precise display.

The afternoon continued with a few aircraft arriving for the show and landing on the temporary runway followed by the Red Arrows for their practice. 

The balloons flew again on Friday evening after which the field was set up for the night show, balloon glow and fireworks finale. The night show started with a Grob G109B which carries a lighting unit and fireworks on its wingtips, followed by Schweizer 269C “OTTO”, again with numerous fireworks and a good flying display. The standard balloon glow was next with the grand finale fireworks.

Saturday morning saw another nice balloon flight and then the arrival of more vintage aircraft for the show. “Tiger Nine” slowly gathered in the parking area, a collection of Tiger moths in various colour schemes from different directions in preparation for their nine aircraft display. They were joined by three Turbulent’s and three Stampe SV-4Cs and a few others. 

The show lasts quite a few hours with the above mixed in with Spitfires from the RAF and privately owned. A highlight being the first display by G-PTIX rebuilt Russian Spitfire. “Sally B” B-17 and “Miss Pick Up” Catalina performed another good display. The RAF Typhoon and the Red Arrows were the only fast jets this year.