cambsman64
February 8, 2008 at 10:34 am

Old plane hanging in Birmingham Terminal in 80s

Hi,

A friend has mentioned that when he used to go to Birmingham Airport back in the 80s, there was an old aeroplane suspended inside the terminal building.

Does anyone have any further information, like what it was, what happened to it etc.

I’ve never actually visited Birmingham Airport, so relying on you guys.

Cheers,
Steve

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By: cambsman64 - 8th February 2008 at 13:03

thanks

Thanks Roger,

I’d love to see the photo’s of the unveiling. I have some photo’s I took at MAM, although I am at work so not available to me at the moment, so I know the airframe now…. I assume it is the one hanging up facing the upper level.

Many thanks,
Steve

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By: RPSmith - 8th February 2008 at 11:14

It was Humber Monoplane replica (BAPC9) on loan from the Midland A.M.

Now on display at the Museum it was originally built as a Bleriot IX by “military apprentices for use in a Royal Tournament” (I assume 1959 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bleriot’s crossing of the English Channel) and then acquired by the Shuttleworth Collection. Passed on loan to the Midland A.P.S. (c.1970) who, by the addition of an original Humber 3-cyl engine and a scratch-built propellor, turned it into a replica of a Humber Monoplane. The Humber Co. of Coventry built a quantity of Bleriot’s (under licence?) in 1909/10.

Birmingham Airport and the Midland A.M. were in talks to display an aircraft in the new terminal and, initially, it was hoped that DH Fox Moth G-ACCB would be restored to static for display there but that wasn’t to be.

Have photos of the ‘unveiling’ by Sheila Scott can post if anyone interested.

The Humber was removed some years later when the space occupied by it was to be taken up by the construction of a full first floor.

Roger Smith.