Vulcans, Venoms and Tornados to take to the sky in Help for Heroes event

Two 1950s Venom jet fighters will fly in to support Help for Heroes at the event on Sunday.

After the legendary Vulcan bomber and Tornado jet have landed the Venoms will take to the skies at around midday.

Steve Bridgewater, commercial manager of the Airbase visitor centre based at Coventry Airport in Baginton, said: “The Venom was designed in the late 1940s as one of Britain’s first jet fighters.

“They served in the Malayan Emergency during the mid-1950s and later saw action during the Suez Crisis. Nearly 1,500 were built, but today just two are capable of flying in Britain and both of them will be at Coventry Airport’s Fly-in to raise urgently needed funds for Help for Heroes.”

One of the pilots flying the aeroplanes is retired naval pilot John Beattie. The other is Jon Corley, a local pilot with no military training.

Jon, 36, began flying as a private pilot in 1995 and later trained as an airline pilot.

He is now one of the most experienced vintage jet pilots in the country and is chief pilot for the classic flights at the Airbase.

He said: “I’m excited to be able to fly the Venom at Coventry Airport as it gives us a chance to honour the many heroes who have served in our armed forced over the years.

“Flying the Venom is hard work and I have the utmost respect for those who flew it, and other types, in combat.”

The airport recently announced that it is back up and running with the reintroduction of revenue flights.

The airport closed last December but it has since been purchased by Patriot Aviation, headed by Sir Peter Rigby.

The fly-in event is raising funds for wounded servicemen and women. Tickets are from £5 and there is free on-site parking for families or those who pre-book tickets.

Click on the link on the right for more details.