Publication date:
April 2007
Polish Aviation Museum -
Krakow
The Polish Aviation Museum is located on the former airfield
Rakowice- Czyżny. The museum was founded in 1964. Its main
goal is to protect and preserve the witnesses of aviation
history, not only Polish by exhibiting aircraft, engines and
other aviation related items.
The airfield was once part of the Polish Air Force with the
1st Combat Squadron being formed here. During
1920, the Polish-Russian war, airmen were trained and the
aviation repair shop started limited manufacturing of
aircraft. The 2nd Air Regiment was formed in 1921
and by the end of the 1920s the airfield was the second
largest airfield in Poland.
In 1939 Germany invaded Poland and as a consequence the
airfield was bombed by the Luftwaffe (German air force).
After Poland was conquered by the Germans they extended the
base runway and used it to supply the forces on the Eastern
front fighting the Russians. In January 1945 the Red Army
took over control and several months later reinstated Polish
authority. Because the city of Krakow became larger the
airfield which was once located outside the town became
surrounded by houses, and also by the big steel work placed
est of town. It was decided to move the airport and the
military base to Krakow-Balice and the Polish Air Force left
to its new base located 10 miles west outside the city.
Currently it is home to 13 eltr equipped with the An-26,
C-295M, M-28, Mi-2 and Mi-8. Rakowice- Czyżny airfield was
closed after the Polish airline LOT left the place in 1963.
Collection
The museum collection includes aircraft, helicopters,
engines, gliders, anti-aircraft missiles and contains a huge
library and photograph archive.
A couple of the ‘old’ hangars are used for the exhibits. One
houses the collection of World War I aircraft which consist
of German aircraft: Halberstadt C1.II, Albatros C.I.,
Aviatik C.III, Roland D.VI and Albatros B.IIa, a British
Sopwith F.1 Camel fighter and last but not least a Russian
M.15 flying boat build by Grigorovich. These are the most
valuable planes in the collection because they are the only
survivors. The planes have been restored but all lack the
wings. The second hangar houses the World War II aircraft
with a Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.XVI E and a Soviet Tu-2S
medium bomber, gliders, civil aircraft as well as the first
fighter jets operated by the Polish air force. Also
displayed is a Curtiss Hawk II from the Luftwaffe. Two of
these American airplanes were purchased by the Germans and
than used to test dive-bombing for the Stuka’s. The aircraft
on display wears markings for the Olympic games held in
Berlin in 1936.
The third hall contains the large collection of about 150
engines. This is often visited by aeronautical engineers and
technicians. Between the hangars the museum missile
collection and radar units are displayed. The missile types
on display were the same ones used by Vietnameese during the
Vietnam War. Finally a large number of aircraft are
displayed outside on a grass field. The collection consist
of the “Mig Alley” and contains all Mig variants operated by
the Polish Air Force and includes also the license build Lim
versions. The alley starts with Mig-15 Fagot / Midget,
Mig-17 Fresco and Mig-19 Farmer and than continues with the
Mig-21 Fishbed / Mongol of which all variants are present
and finally a Mig-23 Flogger. Off course Sukhoi’s are also
part of the collection and they are represented by the Su-7
and the single and the double seat version of the Su-22
Fitter. Besides Polish Air Force aircraft the museum also
has some western aircraft on display, two aircraft were
donated by the Swedish Air Force and they are the Saab build
J-35 J Draken and J-37 AJSF Viggen which are both withdrawn
from Swedish service during the last years. The museum also
has a F-5 Freedom Fighter and the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly on
display both in South Vietnamese air force color schemes.
Future
The museum keeps working on expanding its collection.
However it relies on trading aircraft because as the
regulations doesn’t allow to buy aircraft. The Polish
Ministry of Defense donates aircraft taken out of service.
An example is the recently acquired Yak-40 executive jet of
which only a handful remain operational. Soon the workhorse
of the Polish air force the An-26 will be withdrawn from
service. The Casa build C-295M is already in service and due
to enter service before the end of the year is the first
C-130 Hercules. The museum is already busy to acquire, in
the near future, the Antonov 26 for its collection. The
museum also wishes to put (former) NATO aircraft on display
and is looking for a F-4 Phantom II, Jaguar, Tornado or
F-104 Starfighter. The problem here is the cost involved in
transporting these aircraft to the location in Krakow. Most
of the time wings, tails etc have to be removed and together
with the transporting making it a costly operation.
Museum information
The museum is located
at Al. Jana Pawła II 39 and can easily be reached by tram of
which several lines stop near the museum. When getting out
at the stop at
Stella-Sawickiego
just walk to the next stop
AWF.
Half way turn left and than follow the signs to the museum.
The museum attract about 50.000 people a year. The museum
also organizes an air show annually in June. Both civil and
military operated aircraft will perform above the museum
grounds, which still contains about 700 meters of runway and
two taxiways. The shows attracts around 60.000 people during
the weekend. The men and women of which 45 are employed in
the administration, conservation, research and registry
departments, guards and guides continue to work on expanding
the museums collection with restoring aircraft and engines
to preserve the Polish and world aviation history.
More information about the museum including opening hours
can be found at:
Krakow
aviation museum. Other links:
Krakow tram and bus
lines ; Krakow.
The author wishes to thank Mr. Piotr Łopalewski, Chief of
Registry & Research Dept of the Polish Aviation Museum for
his hospitality and support in writing this article. |