Honestly, if you're a fan of British cozy mysteries, you know the drill. A quaint village, a high body count, and a detective who seems remarkably unfazed by the fact that his neighbors are dropping like flies. But "The Flying Club" Midsomer Murders episode—officially titled "The Flying Club" (Season 16, Episode 6)—is something else entirely. It’s one of those episodes that sticks in your brain, not just because of the creative ways people die, but because of the weirdly specific world of vintage aviation it inhabits.
DCI John Barnaby had a lot on his plate in this one. A body drops from the sky. Literally. Imagine just going about your day in Midsomer and a man tumbles out of a plane into a reservoir. That’s how we start. It’s a classic Midsomer setup: high drama, a touch of the absurd, and a deep-seated grudge that’s been simmering for decades.
What Actually Happens in The Flying Club Midsomer Murders?
The plot centers around the Finchmere Airfield. It’s a place where people go to escape the modern world and play with expensive toys—specifically, vintage De Havilland Tiger Moths and other classic aircraft. The victim is Bernard King, the owner of the club. He wasn't exactly well-liked. In Midsomer, if you're a grumpy owner of a local institution, your life expectancy is basically zero.
Barnaby and DS Nelson (played by Gwilym Lee) have to navigate a web of pilot egos and family secrets. The episode stars some heavy hitters of British TV. You’ve got Bernard Hepton, Laila Rouass, and Robert Bathurst. Bathurst, in particular, brings that specific brand of "stiff upper lip with a dark secret" that makes these episodes work.
The core of the conflict? It’s classic Midsomer. It’s about the past refusing to stay buried. There’s a long-standing rivalry between the flying club and the people who think it’s a noisy nuisance. But underneath that, there’s a much darker story involving a tragic accident from years ago. If you’ve watched enough of this show, you know that the motive is almost always a combination of inheritance, revenge, or a cover-up of a youthful indiscretion. This one hits all three.
The Logistics of a Mid-Air Murder
How do you kill someone in a plane and then drop them into a lake without anyone noticing? That’s the puzzle Barnaby has to solve. It’s not just about the who, it’s about the how. The technical details of the planes actually matter here. The Tiger Moth is a biplane. It’s open-cockpit. That means you can’t just shove someone out a door; you have to physically struggle with them in a very confined space while also flying the plane.
It's a bit ridiculous. But that's why we love it.
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The cinematography in this episode is actually quite stunning. They filmed at real airfields, and the shots of the vintage planes over the rolling English countryside are genuinely beautiful. It provides a sharp, sunny contrast to the grim reality of a man being tossed out of a cockpit at a thousand feet.
Why This Episode Divides the Fanbase
Some people think "The Flying Club" is a bit too "out there." They prefer the episodes where people are killed with giant wheels of cheese or drowned in vats of soup (yes, those actually happened). Falling from a plane feels a bit... Hollywood?
But I’d argue it’s one of the better "modern" Barnaby episodes. It captures that feeling of a dying world. These old airfields are struggling to survive in real life, and the episode taps into that anxiety. The characters aren't just caricatures; they're people clinging to a hobby that the rest of the world has moved on from.
Also, the chemistry between Neil Dudgeon and Gwilym Lee was really hitting its stride here. Nelson was a great foil for Barnaby’s more cerebral approach. He was younger, more athletic, and often found himself doing the literal legwork while Barnaby pondered the psychological motives.
Breaking Down the Suspects
You’ve got a whole cast of characters who had a reason to want Bernard King dead.
- The Family: Inheritance is the oldest motive in the book. The airfield is valuable land.
- The Rivals: Other pilots who felt Bernard was running the club into the ground or playing favorites.
- The Past: Someone who suffered because of a decision Bernard made decades ago.
Without spoiling the exact ending for the three people who haven't seen it, the reveal hinges on a piece of evidence that is so quintessentially Midsomer it hurts. It’s a small, seemingly insignificant detail that links back to a tragedy the village tried to forget.
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The Real-Life Locations of Finchmere Airfield
If you're a "set jetter" looking to visit the places where Midsomer Murders is filmed, you're in luck. While "Finchmere" is fictional, the filming took place at White Waltham Airfield near Maidenhead.
It’s a real, historic airfield with a massive grass runway. It was actually the base for the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II. When you see the hangars and the clubrooms in the episode, you're looking at a place with genuine history. It’s not a soundstage. You can actually go there, have a coffee in the clubhouse, and watch the planes—hopefully without any bodies falling out of them.
Other filming locations for this episode included:
- Mapledurham Estate: Used for various village scenes.
- Henley-on-Thames: Frequently appears as the backdrop for "Causton."
Technical Accuracy (Or Lack Thereof)
Look, this is a TV show. Pilots often watch "The Flying Club" and roll their eyes. Could you actually fly a Tiger Moth while murdering someone? Maybe, if you’re a stunt pilot. Is the radio procedure accurate? Not really. But accuracy isn't the point. The point is the vibe.
The episode uses the planes as a metaphor for freedom and the danger of looking back. It’s about the desire to stay aloft when everything else is pulling you down.
Honestly, the most unrealistic part isn't the plane murder. It's the fact that after twenty-odd years of constant homicides, anyone still chooses to live in Midsomer County. The property values must be absolute garbage. You'd think the local council would have a dedicated "Serial Killer Task Force" by now, but no, it's just Barnaby, a sergeant, and a pathologist who’s seen too much.
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The Sykes Factor
We have to talk about Sykes the dog. In this era of the show, Sykes was often the MVP. His reactions to Barnaby’s domestic life provided the necessary levity to balance out the gruesome murders. In "The Flying Club," we see the Barnaby family dealing with the usual mundane stressors, which makes the contrast with the airfield drama even sharper. It grounds the show. It reminds us that while people are falling out of planes, someone still has to worry about the grocery shopping.
What You Can Learn from This Episode
If you’re a writer or a creator, "The Flying Club" is a masterclass in using a specific subculture to drive a mystery.
- Find a Niche: Whether it’s vintage flying, competitive gardening, or bell ringing, a niche provides a set of "rules" and "rituals" you can subvert.
- Use the Environment: The airfield wasn't just a backdrop; the mechanics of flight were central to the crime.
- The Past is a Weapon: Midsomer is built on the idea that the past never dies. It just waits for the right moment to kill you.
The episode also serves as a reminder of how much the show changed when John Barnaby took over for Tom. It became a bit slicker, a bit more cinematic. Some fans miss the gritty, stranger feeling of the early seasons, but "The Flying Club" proves that the show could still deliver a high-concept, entertaining mystery in its later years.
How to Watch and What to Look For
If you’re going to rewatch it, pay attention to the sound design. The roar of the engines is constant. It creates a sense of tension that never really lets up. And keep an eye on Robert Bathurst’s performance—he does more with a subtle wince than most actors do with a five-minute monologue.
You can find the episode on various streaming platforms like Acorn TV, BritBox, or sometimes even Pluto TV for free. It’s a perfect "Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea" watch.
Your Midsomer Checklist for "The Flying Club"
To get the most out of your next viewing, keep track of these specific elements that make the episode a classic:
- Identify the "Red Herring": There is a specific character who seems way too guilty early on. Usually, that means they’re innocent of the murder but guilty of something else equally weird.
- Spot the Real Airfield: If you know your planes, see if you can identify the specific models parked in the background at White Waltham.
- Count the "Barnaby-isms": John Barnaby has a specific way of tilting his head when he knows someone is lying. Count how many times he does it before the 45-minute mark.
- Visit the Real Locations: If you’re in the UK, a trip to Henley-on-Thames and White Waltham makes for a great day trip. Just stay away from the reservoirs.
The enduring appeal of "The Flying Club" Midsomer Murders episode lies in its blend of the spectacular and the mundane. It takes a hobby that seems romantic and elevated and shows the petty, human ugliness that can exist even among the clouds. It’s not the most realistic depiction of aviation, but it’s a damn good mystery.