Aircraft museums and collections of the world  
The first edition of Volume 3 was published five years ago and the intervening period has seen many changes in the preservation scene in this part of Europe. This book contains about fifty percent more museums and collections and aircraft than the original. There are two significant reasons for this increase. Firstty the 'lowering of the Iron Curtain' found most countries with a surplus of combat aircraft and many of these were made available to museums and collections. Secondly military personnel are showing greater interest in the history and traditions of their service and this has resulted in seveml excellent base museums and tradition rooms being set up often with aircraft on view nearby. Also the increased interest in preserving aircraft in ftying condition has led to the formation of groups to support these expensive operations. Despite these positive changes, museums have closed over this five year period and a number of others are experiencing financial problems which they are working hard to overcome.

    In Belgium the Bmssels collection continues to expand and the majority of the stored airframes are being gathered at Kapellen where, hopefully, they may be seen on occasions. Two museums devoted to Belgian designers are making progress. At Antwerp Airport the Stampe Museum opened in late 1997 and Raymond Cuypers is collecting archive material and aircraft designed by E.O. Tips.

    The scene in Denmark is ftuid. The Mobilium complex at Billund which houses the Damnarks Flyvemuseum, the Falck Museum and the Danmarks Automuseum closed temporarily in September 1997. The various groups are involved in discussions to ensure a safe future for these important collections. At Helsinger a former foundry building is being converted for the Flymuseet Ellehammer. Several aircraft from the Flyevåbnets Historiske Samling are already on site and those currently on show at the two sites of the Danmarks Tekniske Museum will move to the new museum in due course. The Finnish authorities have always shown an enlightened approach to presentation. Airframes, which have been stored for many years, are slowly being restored but all the main museums are lacking exhibition space. The new museum at Kymi displays an interesting mixture of classic gliders and modem military jets.

    In Germany many former East German aircraft have joined collections throughout the country. In late 1992 the Deutsches Museum opened its Oberschleissheim complex and the displays are still being developed. The Luftwaffen Museum transported its large collection of aircraft and associated material across the country from Uetersen to Gatow where one hangar is now open. This site shows great potental and hopefully it will not be too long before the exhibition is enlarged. Also in Berlin the Deutsches Technikmuseum has plans for a new building to show more of its rare aircraft. The German Navy has opened a museum at Nordholz where the airship operations in World Was I are highlighted.  

    At Friedrichshafen the new Zeppelin Museum shows both the military and civil use of the airship. Private museums are also expanding. The exhibition owned by the Juruor family at Hermeskeil now has four halls open and almost one hundred aircraft on display. At Laatzen, Gunter Leonhardt opened his superb museum in late 1992 The two halls contain a number of interesting aircraft and many informative displays. In the former East Germany there is also significant progress. At Cottbus and Finow the museums have developed steadily in the last five years. The Otto Lilienthal Museum at Anklam has constructed a new building to honour the work of the pioneer aviator and many replicas of his gliders are on show.

    Both the Aviodome and the Militaire Luchtvaart Museum in the Netherlands have effectively run out of space and possible moves are being considered. The Dutch Dakota Association suffered a great loss in 1996 but this tragedy has not dampened the enthusiasm of its members. Many other groups looking after ftyable aircraft are emerging. In Norway the Norsk Luftfartssenter at Boda opened in 1994 and the new exhibition building at Gardermoen should be ready in 1998. The warbird movement in the courdry is also healthy.

    The Flygväpenmuseum in Sweden continues to expaud and hopes to have a large new hall within a few years. At many current and former Swedish Air Force bases informative museums have been established. The collection at Kåremo closed recently and the majority of the airframes now reside at Visby Airport in a new museum which opened in the summer of 1997 The collection at Östersund has also expanded lately with the arrival of a number of modemjets.

    I am sure that progress will continue over the next few years but probably at not quite the pace the last five have experienced.