Specials

Hermeskeil

By Gostar den Daas | September 2014
Flugausstellung Leo Junior.

Hermeskeil Aviation Museum officially named Flugausstellung Leo and Peter Junior, has the biggest privately owned collections of military and civil aircraft in Germany. The collection with over 100 aircraft on display has some unique aircraft from the Cold War age. Lots of former East German military aircraft are on display but also Germany’s military allies during that period.

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The museum is located in Hermeskeil, near the Reinfeld exit of Autobahn 1. Its open from April to October. First opened in 1973 the museum covered an area of 3600 square meters, nowadays that has grown to 76000 square meters. Three building house the inside displays, the majority of aircraft is displayed outside.

The East German Air Force (GDR) aircraft on display moved to the museum as they got obsolete after the German reunification in 1990. Some of them are showing makeshift West German serials as they were included in the reunified air force. This didn’t last long, as most of them weren’t compatible with NATO standards.

Concorde F-WTSA

First aircraft you notice arriving at the museum is a Concord with registration F-WTSA. This aircraft is a wooden replica of the actual F-WTSA pre-production aircraft. looking closely it shows by the larger hull, these because the aircraft acts as the museum’s cafe. Rumour has it that the mockup was build by Leo and Peter themselves.


133393, T-33

618, Mi-14

XF418, Hunter

XZ221/Z, Lynx

1217, MiG-21

24+08, MiG-21

Antonov An-26

The Antonov 26 on display is quite a mystery. We know that it a former East German Air Force aircraft, after the unification registered 52+08. it used to have a civil registration DDR-SBB and served with the GDR 24 Transport Squadron. The mystery is the colour scheme now visible in the museum. According to Aerotransport Database this isn’t a make up colour scheme, in fact its former Cuban AeroCaribbean which is a reference to the past of this aircraft. During its career as Interflug DDR-SBB the aircraft served in Angola and possibly Mozambique. In Angola it served together with AeroCaribbean An-26s send by Fidel Castro.


413, Lim-5

D-IFMP, Do-28

D-ACUT, N-2501

XN782/H, Lightning

XN782/H, Lightning

XN782/H, Lightning

G-BDIW, DH-106

63-7583, F-4

20+43, F-104

DDR-SCK, Tu-134

G-BDIW, DH-106

D-ANAM, V.814

Vickers 814

The Viscount of display D-ANAM is now shown again in it’s former Lufthansa glory. For long it was painted in Belgian Air Force colours, but now is fully restored to its former schema as it entered Lufthansa in 1959. The aircraft was withdrawn from service in 1970 when it was stored at Hamburg airport and used for training. It was moved to the museum in 1976.


37974/64, AJSF37

XZ998, Harrier

G1-FL, C211

RA-21133, Mi-6

54+24, Pembroke

XJ348/37, Sea Devon

402, Mi-9

MT-31, CM170

XE327/LH-644, Sea Hawk

09, Su-7

96+50, Mi-24

111, C-47

Jordanian Air Force C-47

This aircraft was delivered in 1944 as 42-100997 to the US Army Air Force. It participated during D-Day and was stored at Davis-Monthan after the war. In 1964 it was taken out of storage and moved to Florida wager it was refurbished before delivery to Jordan under the US Military Assistance Program. It unclear when it was pulled out of service, but the aircraft was civil registered at N62443 in 1975. In 1976 the registration was cancelled and the aircraft is on display from 1981 as former real Jordanian registration 111.


56-1125, F-102

3076, Il-14

678, Su-22

343, MiG-23

XL450/R-042, Gannett

09, Su-7

DDR-SCK, Tu-134

G-BDIW, DH-106

BF+105, F-84

5-257, G.91

JC+101, CL-13

XM264, Canberra

20+01, MiG-23

EA+241, RF-84

XX948/P, Tornado

Tornado P.06

Another unique aircraft is the sixth Tornado prototype, known as aircraft P.06. It was registered with the RAF as XX948 and had numerous modifications including a slimmer rear fuselage. The aircraft was delivered in RAF camouflage on 20 December 1975. It was the first airframe fitted with the Mauser 27mm cannon. This aircraft was used for weapon testing and was demonstrated at the Farnborough air show.


54+21, Pembroke

XX476/CU-561, Jetstream

83+21, H-21

853, MiG-21

35931/60, S35

63-7421/SA, F-4

13-PL, Mirage 5

173/12-YP, Super Mystere

173/12-YP, Super Mystere

Lockheed L.1049G D-ALIN

One of the stars in the collection is the former Lufthansa Constellation D-ALIN, which was retired on 10 July 1967. It joined Lufthansa in 1955 and was saved from demolition by Lufthansa employees. The aircraft was on display at Flughafen Hamburg before it moved to Hermeskeil in 1980.


DDR-STH, Il-18

68-0587/SW, RF-4

909, Mi-8

XX955/GK, Jaguar

62-4417, F-105

2139, Mi-4

XR527/K, Wessex

DDR-STH, Il-18

304/33-TN, Mirage III

United Arab Emirates VC-10

G-ARVF started its career with BOAC in 1963. It was used on several routes to Africa before it was faced out in 1974, with the introduction of the Boeing 747. By that time BOAC was also incorporated in British Airways. It was sold to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for 690.000 pounds. In spring 1981 the aircraft was retired and flown from Abu Dhabi to Saarbrucken-Ensheim and moved by road to Hermeskeil. The registration stayed current until 11 April 1983, some two years later!


G-ARVF, VC-10

G-ARVF, VC-10

G-ARVF, VC-10

Inside exhibition


56-3944, TF-100

J-4098, Hunter

D-HBZV, UH-1

HA-ANA, An-2

XD186, Whirlwind

28+30, L-39

D-HFUM, Br.171

031, SM-1

D-HZPO, Mi-2

C-541, C-3605

99+16, OV-10

301 red, MiG-15

D-HZPS, Ka-26

D-CIAD, CASA-352

Farner Werke C-3605

Inside one of the display buildings is another rare aircraft, suspended from the ceiling. The Farner Werke C-3605, nicknamed Schlepp (“Tug”) is a one of a kind aircraft designed a a target towing aircraft for the Swiss Air Force. The C-3605 is a converted EKW C-3604 with a new turboprop fitted. The aircraft was retired from service in 1987.

Inventory

Serial Type Air Force / Airline Notes
“F-WTSA”ConcordeFake, wooden mockup, other side code “G-SST”
304 / 33-TNMirage IIIRFrench Air Force
“133393”T-33ARoyal Canadian Air ForceFake, was German Air Force 95+17
618Mi-14PSEast German Navy
XF418Hunter F.6ARoyal Air Force
XR527 / KWessex HC2Royal Air Force
2139Mi-4Polish Air ForceSerial not visible
XX948 / PTornadoRoyal Air ForcePrototype cn. 6
XZ221 / ZLynx AH7Royal Air Force
XX955 / GKJaguar GR1ARoyal Air Force
62-4417F-105FUSAF
(52+08)AN-26Aero Caribbeanex. DDR-SBB
1217MiG-21FCzech Air Force
24+08MiG-21USGerman Air Forceex. 238 East German Air Force
G-ARVFVickers VC-10United Arab Emirates
678Su-22M4East German Air Force(25+16)
413Lim-5Polish Air ForcePolish build MiG-17
DDR-SCKTu-134Interflug
96+50Mi-24PGerman Air Force
D-IFMPDo-28D2DLR Flugbetriebe
D-ANAMVickers V.814 ViscountLufthansaPreviously in BAF c/s
RA-21133Mi-6AAeroflot
D-ACUTNord N-2501DElbeflug - EFLex. 52+56
“G1-FL”Casa C211LuftwaffeReally former Spanish Air Force BR.21-14
“G-BDIW”DH-106 Comet 4CDan-Air LondonFormer RAF XR398
111C-47ARoyal Jordanian Air Forceex. 42-100977
XN782 / HLightning F2ARoyal Air Force
20+43F-104GGerman Air Force
63-7583F-4CUSAFMichigan ANG
XZ998Harrier GR3Royal Air Force
37974 / 64AJSF37Swedish Air ForceF21 markings. Previously in storage with Danish Air Force
(54+24)Pembrokein RAF c/s
XJ348 / 37Sea DevonRoyal Navy
91+90P.149DGerman Air Forceno prop
402Mi-9East German Air Force(93+95)
3076Il-14PPolish Air Force
D-ESSJLet Z37
“MT-31”CM170RBelgium Air ForceHalf BAF MT-43 and FAF 410
XE327 / LH-644Sea Hawk FGA6Royal Navy
09Su-7BMPolish Air Force
56-1125F-102AUSAF
343MiG-23MLEast German Air Force(20+19)
“5-257”G.91RItalian Air ForceFake, really ex. 31+70
XL450 / R-042Gannett AEW3Royal Navy
BF+105F-84F-45German Air Force52-6778
JC+101CL-13B Mk6German Air Force
XM264Canberra B(I)8Royal Air Force
54+21Pembroke C54German Air Force
XX476 / CU-561Jetstream T2Royal Navy
(83+21)H-21CGerman ArmyWhite c/s, no markings
35931 / 60S35ESwedish Air ForceF21 markings. Previously in storage with Danish Air Force
853MiG-21bisEast German Air Force(24+24)
63-7421 / SAF-4C-16USAF182nd TFS ANG tail fin
909Mi-8TEast German Air Force(94+20)
“13-PL”Mirage 5BAFrench Air Force frenchC/s and fake registration. Is in fact BAF BA-35
173 / 12-YPSuper Mystere B2French Air Force
FX-60F-104GBelgium Air Force
20+01MiG-23MFGerman Air Forceex. DDR 568
“EA+241”RF-84F-25German Air ForceFake registration. Really EB+341
D-ALINL1049GLufthansa
DDR-STHIl-18Interflug
68-0587 / SWRF-4CUSAF16th TRS markings
XR670 / 64Jet Provost T4Royal Air ForceIn parts

Inside

Serial Type Air Force / Airline Notes
“56-3944”TF-100FUSAFex FAF 56-4014/11-YR with F-100D 54-2136 tail.
D-HBZVUH-1DBundesgrenzschutz(72+31)
698MiG-23BNEast German Air Force(20+46)
XS569Wasp HAS1Royal Navy
J-4098Hunter F.58Swiss Air Force
40+6Alpha Jet AGerman Air Force
XT670Wessex HC2Royal Navy
SE.3130
(87+08)Bo105PGerman Army
HA-ANAAn-2
(D-HMUY)Bo105CKatastrophenschutzonly forward section
99+16OV-10BGerman Air Force
XD186Whirlwind HAR10Royal Air Force
C-541F+W C-3605Swiss Air ForceRebuild C-3603
94+39T-33AGerman Air ForceForward section only
28+30L-39ZOGerman Air Forceex. DDR 180
V-248SA.316BSwiss Air Force
031SM-1Hungarian Air ForcePolish build Mi-1
D-HZPOMi-2Polizei
301 redMiG-15UTI“Russian Air Force”Polish Air Force
D-HZPSKa-26Polizei
(D-CIAD)CASA-352L
“KG+EM”BF108Luftwaffe
D-EFSVDo-27A
D-HFUMBr.171 Sycamore Mk.3
D-FDEMAT-6
J-1797Venom FB54Swiss Air Force
(24+91)F-104GGerman Air ForceBare metal

Other parts like cockpit sections not noted.

In storage yard:

(DD+380) F-84F-25 German Air Force
XR597 Scout AH1 Royal Army
22+36 MiG-21SPS German Air Force. Ex. DDR 889
(26+61) F-104G German Air Force

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