XL360 “City of Coventry”

Avro completed XL360 on 28 February 1962. It was handed to 617 Squadron within days, early in March 1962. Later in its career it served with 101 Squadron.

The Midland Air Museum bought XL360 from the RAF on 26 January 1983. The city of Coventry helped fund the purchase, and the bomber was named City of Coventry in recognition.

XL360 made its last flight on 4 February 1983, landing at Coventry Airport for delivery to the museum on the airport's north side. Its arrival came eight years after the museum's founders leased their first small plot there in 1975.

The Vulcan, and the Argosy that followed in 1987, led the museum onto its present site. There it set up the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre. By 1990 XL360 had been moved a short distance from its first position.

It has stayed outdoors ever since, painted in 617 Squadron markings. The museum places a Blue Steel stand-off missile, a 1,000 lb bomb and a WE.177 nuclear bomb beside it. Volunteer guides open the cockpit on most days.

Outdoors near the car park, with the Boulton Paul P.111A and a Blue Steel missile alongside. Short guided cockpit tours run most days, reached by ladder.