Krakow Polish Aviation Museum

[JohnT]

I guess a number of us will have gone on boys weekends away for the usual beer and nonsense. A few weekends ago I was able to travel to Krakow despite the very best efforts of a nasty flu virus to keep me grounded. However the flights and hotels had been paid for and the mean Scot lurking within me was not parting with cash for no return.

Easyjet from Edinburgh to Krakow is a relatively short if full flight coping with stag and hen parties to a city thats renouned for its bars and cafe society. It was much quieter on the way home - funny that

A few more adventurous souls will go further afield and visit the salt mines or take a trip out to Auschwitz - Birkenau. I had been once before though and it was only after I got back to the UK that I learned that a rather large aviation museum nestles in the outskirts of the town so I was determined to go and pay a visit this time and not miss it again.

The taxi from the city centre out to the museum was a modest fare of about £4-5 tops each way. There is public transport but my Polish is non existant so the taxi out and an arrangement to be picked up and taken back later was the easy option.

On arrival you are met with a large and new concrete structure which houses the entrance, ticket office, shop (with many English books at reasonable prices), cafe area and some of the more precious exhibits including a very nice spacious display of the PZL P.11c which, being pride of place and all on its own, one can get right up to and all round.

Entry cost a fortune - 10 Zlotys - thats about 2 quid ! Seriously I suppose the very low admission cost is geared to local pricing but I'd expect to have to pay more to get in

There are other hangers and the displays inside have a number of very interesting types all well restored and with information boards in both Polish and English. The World War 1 types in particular are shown off in light airy hangers with room to see each exhibit. Many of the fuselages on display are the only one of a type thats left so you either see it here or not at all! From what I read it seems that many of the German WW1 types on display were kept as one off's for technical purposes and in WW2 were moved East by the Germans to keep them away from Allied Bombing. The Russians found them and handed them over to the Poles and they now have been mostly lovingly restored.

The Sopwith Camel is now fully restored (as opposed to the pic on their web site) and comes with the following legend :-

"The aircraft on display at the Krakow museum, the B 7280 Camel, was built at the Clayton & Shuttleworth Works in Lincoln. From 30th of March 1918, it served in the 1st squadron of the Royal Navy Aeronautical Service (the RNAS). Since the 1st April 1918, the unit changed the name to the 201 RAF squadron. Flying the above mentioned aircraft f/o J.H.Foreman shot down two German aircraft. After repair, the aircraft was handed to the 210 RAF squadron. Between the 16th June and the 5th September 1918, f/lt H.A.Patey, flying this fighter downed nine more enemy planes. On the 5th September 1918, the aircraft was forced to land on the German frontline. His Sopwith F.1 Camel was tested by the Germans and later displayed at the aeronautical exhibition in Berlin. Actually, it's the one of five Camels saved in the world. Quite possibly, it is the most distinguished First World War combat exhibit, with eleven claimed German aircraft, credited to him."

Sadly in contrast the outdoor exhibits of which there are many ex Soviet types are faring very badly. Some such as the F105 Thunderchief are (were?) important airframes and are in a very sorry state. In many cases daylight can be seen through holes rotting through the flying surfaces. All internals, engines, systems and such have been removed and what is left is just a hulk. In very stark contrast to the pristine Italian F104S in the cold war hangar.

The WW2 diorama display of the Tuploev TU 2S was particularly well done if somewhat crowded into the corner of a busy hangar

I will try and post some of my photographs. Unfortunately my main camera went on the lamb so it was the holiday snapper that was taken instead. The photographs won't be much of a help towards a build/walkround but I hope they might just provoke a weekend away for some of you.

Take the missus - the hotels and restaurants are very cheap by UK standards and she will like the shops - she can shop Saturday afternoon while you pop out to the museum. Perfect result for the whole family

The web site is here

http://www.muzeumlot....pl/indexen.php

with a virtual tour thats worth a good look as well but dont be fooled by the outdoor exhibits - if they don't get some serious tlc they are gone in 2-5 years max

John

Edited September 4, 2012 by JohnT

[Vlamgat9]

A mate of mine lives in krakow - his better half is a US diplomat in the US consulate there. I am planning a visit this autumn and very keen to make a detour for this. Even keener now I have read your report!