martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 (edited) The museum opened in 1994 and my only previous visit was in 2005. Nothing much has changed since then, but the museum is well kept and really nice. The museum builing itselg is shaped like a bladed propellar with one civilain part, one military part and the old control tower in the middle. From the tower you look down the runway of the airport, where you also can see military aircrafts as the F-16, C-130 and army helicopters. During our 6 hour stay we saw a total of 14 F-16s, 2 Hercules and 2 helicopters. This area has always been an important area because of the closeness to Russia. At the entrence you're greeted by a Hurricane replica. When you enter the door to the 10.000 m2 exhibit you're greeted by friendly local staff. Just inside there's the reception/ gift shop, cafe and a wardrobe where you can leave your clothes and stuff. I'm glad I didn't need to bring my N3-B Parka around inside the museum. It came to good use outdoors with -14 Celsius and plenty of wind. Even though it's just 1.5 kms from the airport Taxi was a good idea this day. Just inside you meet the first aircraft among them the Northrop RF-5A Freedom Fighter Since two F-16s landed side by side just shortly after our arrival we were hungry to see more of these birds and entered the control tower. The main road goes beneath the control tower, so you can watch both the road and the runway from both control tower and cafe. The military part of the museum aim to show flight from the early beginning until the modern times. It tells the story from the building of own aircraft, through the war years and cold war period. The exhibit is many different planes, equipment, info boards and wonderful dioramas. Dioramas both in full scale and mini format. The lighting in the two halls makes it difficult to take good pictures; it's also rather full of planes. I've tried to adjust the light a bit in the photos posted. Full size Norwegian aircraft workshop. Full size German wreck as found in the mountains. Mini size German attack of Sola airport April 9th 1940. Mini size German 88 battery. Different weapons used. End of part I. Martin Lillemaehlum, Norway (martylee) Edited February 25, 2010 by martylee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 (edited) Here's some ww2 planes. Mosquito (with Harvard/ Texan above) Gladiator Spitfire Catalina Catalina diorama Woodhaven, Scotland Nissen hut at Woodhaven End of part II. Marty Edited February 25, 2010 by martylee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 Part of the exhibit is Little Norway originally located outside of Toronto, Canada. From 1940 Norwegian pilots received their training there. Recreated is the lumber mess hall. End of part III Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 The Germans left behind a lot of their equipment. Some were used by the norwegian forces after the war, other things were left to rot outside. End of part IV. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 There's also several pieces of ground equipment displayed. End of part V. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 After the war norwegian forces used both german and allied equipment. Norway joined NATO in 1949 and at the beginning of the 50s received weapons aid from the USA. The airforce used the Spitfire for several years before they moved on to the jets. Vampire Thunderjet Sabre Starfighter Freedom fighter The trainers and observation planes. End of part VI. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 Also displayed is a wide range of both hand guns and machine guns from planes. the evolution handguns End of part VI. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 nice piccys, keep 'em coming Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 During the cold war Bodo airport played an important role for the U2 flights over the soviet union. The jewel in the collection must be the U2 plane kept beneath the roof in the civilian part of the museum. Almost impossible to get a decent photo because of the lighting and lack of space. U2 the atomic bomb, which Norway has none of. End of part VII. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 Also in the civillian part of the museum you can find the type SC S51 ILS used at Bodo airport in 1952-53. End of part VIII Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 At the civillian part of the museum, they aim to describe how the planes works. Also what goes on at the airport towers during take-off and landing. Many things that kids of all ages can mess around with. Even a real Cessna where you can pull all handles and switches. There's also a flight simulator that you can try at certain times. Lots of nice civillian planes. Equally good as the military part. End of part IX. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 All in all this is a very good museum. Large collection in very good condition. It also tells the story of flight in Norway. It describes how things works. It is in a very nice builing. It has several of the standard planes, but also some more unusual planes like the Mosquito and U2. I can recommend it very much. Probably the best museum I've been to. We had a great time! The end! Martin Lillemaehlum, Norway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Thanks Martylee for taking the time to photograph and post all this information on the National Aviation Museum if I had the magic lottery numbers I d enjoy walking through it myself . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Some nice planes in that museum. Love the U2, Mosquito end Catalina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 Glad you like the photos! I might add another piece of information about the airport at Bodo. Not only did U2s land there, but it also served as an emergency recovery base for the SR-71 Blackbird. It was in use 5 times between 1981-85. All 5 times the planes were recovered! Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 Yeah Nice one Marty Especially like the Air Force GMC :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 You would :-D It would great next to your chessboard wouldn't it??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 What's the aircraft on the floats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 Is it a Ford Tri-Motor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 That's what I was wondering. Lovley aeroplane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan turner (RIP) Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 Junkers ju52 3/m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted March 2, 2010 Author Share Posted March 2, 2010 That's the Junkers ju-52 right! Same as this one, this one with wheels. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martylee Posted March 2, 2010 Author Share Posted March 2, 2010 (edited) Yeah Nice one MartyEspecially like the Air Force GMC :-D I've seen this color pattern somewhere before... :-) Marty Edited March 3, 2010 by martylee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 Very impressive museum Marty , thanks for the guided tour ! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan turner (RIP) Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 the old Airfix Ju52 used to come with wheels or floats. used wheels and set floats onto their Dakota. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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