Central Air Force Museum (Monino, Russia)

[warhawk]

While on a trip to Moscow, I took the opportunity to visit one of the biggest and most interesting aviation museums.

 

 

 

Two things are worth mentioning:

• This museum is actually not close to Moscow (you need to go to end of a Metro line, then travel some additional 40 min by bus)
• It will take an entire day to properly enjoy and see everything there (maybe even more if You're a Soviet plane buff).

 

 

Quite a surprise is a well-preserved Sopwith triplane:

 

 

As well as inclusion of lend-lease machines (often intentionally 'forgotten' by modern Russian historiography) 

 

 

Also, seeing these big-boys in person was super interesting.

 

 

 

 

More pics HERE

Positive sides of tour:

1. Very diverse offer of machines, some (like prototypes) can only be seen here.
2. WWII section (my area of interest) is finally moved to indoor exhibition after years of neglect outside

 

Other notes:

1. A pretty relaxed attitude towards color accuracy. The restoration staff definitely has a thing for lurid and toxic shades...
2. 'Z' propaganda is visible at places. Sometimes very blatant and bizarre. I mean, what even is this? 🤣

 

 

Thanks for looking!

Edited October 28, 2024 by warhawk

[John R]

That is most interesting and welcome because I had read that it was going to be closed.

John

[bentwaters81tfw]

I hope it is still open after the current unpleasantness is over. It's a bucket list destination for me.

[Latinbear]

Great set of images from somewhere that I hadn't heard of. Thanks for sharing them.