Luftwaffe Museum, Berlin

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[Dave Homewood]

Wow, this is a fascinating collection,I'd never heard of it before. Is this an official museum of the Luftwaffe? Or a private collection? It all looks a little tatty and neglected, but there sure are some interesting exhibits there.

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I think it is a collection owned my the German Military. The stuff outside is pretty rough. They were restoring 3 hangars, so I imagine some of the stuff outside will go indoors. The aircraft inside were in very good condition.

[11SQNLDR]

Excellent stuff!
Looks like a fascinating museum, some very cool exhibits there, even an Aussie Dak

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[Dave Homewood]

It's a huge collection eh?!

[nuuumannn]

Great photos.

Wow, this is a fascinating collection,I'd never heard of it before. Is this an official museum of the Luftwaffe? Or a private collection? It all looks a little tatty and neglected, but there sure are some interesting exhibits there.

Yes, it's the 'official' Luftwaffe(n) museum although I don't think it's state sponsored. It's located at the former RAF Gatow and the main runway used to have aircraft lined up all the way along it. It has an interesting mix of bits and pieces from the East and West and deserves better coverage, but like all museums like this, funding isn't much and so many of the aircraft don't get much attention. I see the Il-28 has been painted since I was last there 13 years ago (!), and apart from a moving of exhibits, it looks like not much has changed in that time. The Aussie Dak (gifted in honour of the Berlin Airlift) has been moved; it used to be on the grounds of the Kaserne (roughly, military camp) next to the air base (Johannes Steinhoff Kaserne, I think?)

The Harrier is quite rare as it is a pre-production development batch example, officially designated P-1127 (RAF), one of six built that trialled the technology before the Harrier GR.1 entered service - a bridge between the Kestrel and the production machines. There used to be a Handley Page Hastings on the gate at Gatow, but in the 1990s it was airlifted (!) by Mil-28 helicopter up the road to the Aillierten Museum (Allied) commemorating the Allied nations in Berlin. The aircraft is an airlift veteran.

[ZacYates]

I was just about to say that, Dave, what a stunning - and vast - array of machinery! I'll have to add it to my list of "must visit" museums.

Thanks so much for sharing the photos!

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[delticman]

That's an amazing place. I had a look at Google Earth and it looks like you need to get a golf cart to get all the aircraft.

[flyjoe180]

Great photos Ian, very interesting viewing and thanks for posting them.

[Calum]

Great photos Thanks. Looks like a great museum, another to add to the list. Hopefully they can get many of those aircraft outside , inside over time. The winter weather there must be bad for aircraft sitting outside.

Interesting to see the Swastika on the 109. I thought it was banned in Germany, although the museum may have a dispensation for it's display.

[baz62]

Dec 5, 2015 8:55:42 GMT 12 Calum said:

Interesting to see the Swastika on the 109. I thought it was banned in Germany, although the museum may have a dispensation for it's display.

I think if it's in a museum it's ok? Not 100 on that but you may be right Calum.

[ErrolC]

Dec 5, 2015 11:08:46 GMT 12 baz62 said:

Dec 5, 2015 8:55:42 GMT 12 Calum said:

Interesting to see the Swastika on the 109. I thought it was banned in Germany, although the museum may have a dispensation for it's display.

I think if it's in a museum it's ok? Not 100 on that but you may be right Calum.

I've seen comments about a general exemption for educational purposes, and how no-one has tried to make use of this for flying aircraft (even though there is a arguable case for it).

[Ian Warren]

JIMMY JILLICKERS , one hell of a museum, love the break down of the Mig21 , that is a great idea !