Aviation history

1. AVIODROME
Nationaal Luchtvaart-Themapark
Edited by Miki

2. AVIODROME
Nationaal Luchtvaart-Themapark
Located in Lalystad, Netherlands, the Nationaal Authentic aircraft from all over the world are
Luchtvaart-Themapark Aviodrome, or simply presented in manicured displays that, together with
Aviodrome, is quite a long leap from being your many visual and sound effects, provide the right
average European air show. period atmosphere, along with one of the world’s
largest collection of airworthy vintage planes of all
For one thing, it doesn´t open every other year. denominations.
Or once every year.
Apart from the impressive museum exhibition
A unique combination of permanent air Aviodrome has much more on offer. A 250-seat
festival, aerospace museum and family theme movie theatre offers spectacular viewing of wide
park, the Aviodrome boasts the largest replica in screen aviation films, lots of
Europe: games, displays, action presentations and
the Schiphol 1928 building, an exact replica of the everything you would expect from a state-of-the-art
1920s Amsterdam Airport terminal building. And theme park.
that is only the beginning, since this plane-freak
paradise is packed with wonders from one end to Plus one tiny detail you’d never find in a theme
the other. park: real planes.
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3. Welcome to the theme park you always dreamed with. This is the
Aviodrome, complete with the Schiphol 1928 building replica surrounded by a
delicious Connie and the last flying DC-2 in the world. To note, only the airport
building is a replica.

4. One of Benelux’s most treasured flying machines, this Air Fouga CM-170R-1
Magister is preserved in mint conditions by the Dutch Historic Jets Association.
Either as a static display or as a performing act, she usually makes one of the
biggest thrills of the day.

5. The Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros is a high-performance jet trainer
developed in Czechoslovakia during the late 60s to replace the L-29 Delfin.
It still produced in an evolved state as the L-159. More than 2,800 L-39s
are in service with over 30 air forces worldwide, filling the roles of basic and
advanced pilot training, making it the most widely-used jet trainer in the world.

6. A McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk from the squadron which New Zealand
used to maintain on a permanent basis at the Australian Naval base at Nowra
for fleet support and other co-operative operations, now added
to the Aviodrome permanent flight line.

7. This North American F-86A Sabre was delivered to the USAF in 1949
and served until 1958. Then she was restored to flying condition
during the early 1970s by Ben Hall. He also painted the Korean War 4th FIW
markings that she still carries today. She remains in perfect flying condition,
and is reputed to be one of the world's three oldest flying jets.

8. Once Netherland’s most ambitious project, the only remaining
Fokker S-14 Machtrainer is just about to join the Aviodrome’s staic display line.

9. Though somehow out of place in an antiques show like Lalystad,
the Piaggio P-180 Avanti is currently seen anywhere plane connossieurs
gather, as Italian executives seem extremely keen on selling it.

10. Doubtlessly one of the Aviodrome’s favourites, our Lockheed L-049A
Constellation, once the pride of KLM’s overseas service.

11. Once a usual channel shuttle, this De Havilland DH-83 Fox Moth
is still in flight conditions.

12. A very cool Antonov An-2P, starting the engine and coughing up lots of smoke at
the Aviodrome. Has very small "Stichting Antonov" titles under the cockpit.

13. A visitor from the Provence Noratlas Association, this Nord N-2501 Noratlas
is a very frequent sight over Lalystad, though still a most anticipated sight.

14. Fresh from the other side of the English Channel, this proud
Armstrong-Whitworth AW-650 Argosy prepares to land at Lalystad
for a two-week residence at the Aviodrome exhibition.

15. This Fokker F-27-100 Friendship was the first production-built F-27.
She arrived back home in The Netherlands after 46 years of (almost)
continuous flying abroad. The uncomplicated ferry from Australia
took 50 hours over several days. What's more: this classic bird
is currently flying joyriddes with passengers at the Aviodrome.

16. A Vietnam Veteran Sikorsky Erickson S64E Skycrane Air Fouga CM-170R-1
One of Benelux’s most treasured flying machines, this converted into
fire fighting chopper in Canada, where she the Dutch Historic
Magister is preserved in mint conditions by served until 1997, Jets Association.
when she found her definitive home at Lalystad.
Although her performance was cancelled just some twenty minutes
before the scheduled time, still she made one of the a ttractions of the day,
even as static display aircraft.

17. A classic Sikorsky S-55B chopper with extra windows for sight-seeing rides
around Lalystad.

18. A very familiar sight in airshows all over Europe, and all over the world
for that matter, this Pitts S-2B l is owned and operated by our hosts,
the Lalystad Air Club.

19. Another Lockheed SP-2H Neptune, on loan from the Helders Marinemuseum for
the Royal Netherlands Navy.

20. In the early morning fog, before the show begins on September 4th,
a Dutch Navy Grumman US-2N Tracker waits over the frozen tarmac.

21. Another one of the aircraft most dear to every Netherlands plane
connossieur, this North American AT-16ND Harvard II B trained generations of
Dutch pilots.

22. Complete with weary-to-the-bones pilot, this wartime display
of a Republic P-47M Thunderbolt reflects the realistic way in which the
Aviodrome concept is executed at Lalystad.

23. No introduction necessary: a USAF North American P-51D Mustang.

24. A Hawker Hurricane Mk II in incredible mint condition,
owned by the Alpine Fighter Collectors Society, from Geneve, Switzerland.

25. Also operated by the Alpine Fighter Collectors Society,
a Supermarine Spitfire LF-16F.

26. The only remaining Dutch version Spitfire, known as model LF-9B/361,
appears at the Aviodrome thanks to the Royal Netherlands
Air Force Historic Flight.

27. The Old Flying Machine Company from Wellington, New Zeland,
broght this Vought FG-1D Corsair.

28. This Bell P-63 Kingcobra is one of the rarest warbirds flying still flying.
Although superficially resembling the Aircobra, she was a completely new
design to correct the Aircobra's deficiencies at high altitude.
Performance was inferior to the Mustang, hence the Kingcobra never saw
combat with the USAF.

29. Coming in from the cold: a Plikarpov 153 in winter war scheme.

30. And her younger sister, the Polikarpov 16.

31. The only surviving airworthy unit of her type, this Fiat G46-4A Serie V
Monoposto prepares to take off from Lalystad, decades after
Retirement from the Italian Air Force.

32. Not all B-17s are Flying Fortresses: this Saab B-17 is a basic trainer developed
for the Scandinavian and Icelander air forces.

33. A real wartime hero, this lovingly restored De Havilland DH-89A Dragon Rapide
flew rescue and evacuation missions all through Second World War.

34. First flown in 1937, the Beech type 18 was used by the United States Army
and Navy as pilot, gunner, bombardier, and navigator trainers,
as well as photographic reconnaissance plane and personnel transports.
The last of more than 7,000 civilian and military versions was delivered in 1969.

35. Flying over the Dutch sea near Lalystad, a former rench Aeronavale
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina.

36. Quite an unforgettable sight over the Aviodrome: a Dutch Navy
Consolidated PBY-5A Catallina flying information with a Royal Air Force
Douglas C-47 Dakota, when she visited the Aviodrome in December 2004.

37. Contrary to popular belief, this North American B-25N Mitchell Bomber
never belonged to the Royal Dutch Air Force. In fact, she was operated
by the Duke of Bravant Air Force, as stated by the Bravant flags
painted on the wings and fuselage.

38. During the Summer of 2004 several heavy bombers from the
Commemorative Air Force crossed again the Atlantic, like they did sixty years
eariler, to appear at a special program at the Lalystad Aviodrome.
First to land was this perfectly conserved Consolidated B-24 Liberator.

39. Curiosly enough, this is the first time this Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
ever flew over Europe. Completed in early 1945, she remained in reserve
until the end of the war, and then waited scrapyard till the
Commemorative Air Force purchased what was left of her and rebuilt her
to the perfect state she is in now.

40. This mint-condition Boeing B-29A Superfortress is, needless to say,
the Commemorative Air Force’s largest pride and joy. And large it is, indeed.

41. This elegant old lady had first thought to be a CASA 352L, but during restoration
it was determined that she was actually a German-built Junkers Ju-
52/3M, assembled by CASA. It served with the Spanish Air Force until 1976.
Her current owners acquired it in 1990. The EADS logo (European Aeronautic
Defence and Space Company) seems rather out of place on her.

42. The Commemorative Air Force's CASA 2.111/ Heinkel HE-111 in flight
somewhere near Lalystad. Sadly, this aircraft and its two pilots were lost
in a forced landing outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming on February 10th, 2005.