# Yugoslav Aeronautical Museum, Belgrade, Serbia



## imalko (Mar 17, 2009)

Museum was founded in 1957 and permanent exibition in current building was opened to public on 21st of May 1989.

In exibition area of over 6000 square meters visitors can observe 41 type of original airplanes, helicopters and gliders, large number of engines, rockets, radars, flight simulators and about 50 models of balloons, gliders and airplanes.

Yugoslav aeronautical industry is presented with airplanes such as: SARIC-1 from 1910, Fizir FN, Ikarus S-49C, experimental airplane Type 451 with pilot in lying position, then first yugoslav jets type 451M and T-451MM Hornett II, and also airplanes such as SOKO-522, UTVA-66, Kraguj, Galeb and first prototype of twin engined fighter-bomber J-22 Orao (Eagle).

Interesting are also famous *airplanes from period of World War 2*: Messerschmitt Bf 109G, Hurricane Mk IV, Spitfire Mk Vc, Jak-3, IL-2 Sturmovik, P-47 Thunderbolt, Polikarpov Po-2, Fieseler Fi 156 Storch etc.

Museums collection also includes another 80 different aircrafts, gliders and helicopters, among them famous airplanes such as: Fiat G-50bis, Petlyakov Pe-2, Jak-9, Focke-Wulf Fw 190F etc. But these are stored and are not on public display at this time.

On first gallery visitors can see exibitions "Serbian aviatics 1912-1918" and "Air power in April War 1941".

On second gallery of the Museum visitors can see exibition "Yugoslav aeronautical industry" with great number of original items, parts, documents, drawings, photographs and models, which cover development of our aeronautical industry in period since its begginigs in 1923 up to 1993.

Outside of the museum building are displayed aircrafts Caravelle SE-210, Junkers Ju 52, Douglas DC-3, Short Silend Mk 1, DHC-2 Biver, Jastreb J-21 and helicopter Mi-4.

Museum also has library with over 10.000 volumes of aeronautical literature, center for historical, technical and photo documentation and workshops for conservation and restauration of airplanes and engines.

That was my translation of official museum brochure and now pictures:


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## Wildcat (Mar 17, 2009)

Excellent pics! Looks like a great collection, I particularly like the Spit MkVc.


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## imalko (Mar 17, 2009)

Then just for you Wildcat - some more photos of Spitfire Mk Vc with tropical filter:


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## Geedee (Mar 17, 2009)

Thats a great set of pics !....thanks for posting.

Looks like there are also some airframes outside...is that a 'Hokum' I see in the last batch of spit pics ?


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## imalko (Mar 17, 2009)

Actually it is not Kamov Ka-50/52 'Hokum' but another Kamov design - Ka-25 anti-submarine helicopter - which served in Yugoslav AF and was phased out of service at the end of the nineties. There are two of these outside of the museum.

By the way museum is located at the Belgrade international airport. It is easy to find. Anyone who eventually had been at this airport could have easily noticed interesting oval shaped building near by.

Here are some pictures from outside:


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## Gnomey (Mar 17, 2009)

Nice pics!


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## Micdrow (Mar 20, 2009)

Great pictures there, many thanks!!!


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## imalko (Mar 21, 2009)

Tanks guys, I appreciate it.

Actually there is a lot more to see in this museum. More jet aircrafts, I mean. Some of them are - Thunderjet, Lokheed Shooting Star, F-86 Sabre, MiG-21MF, some jets of Yugoslav design... and some more examples of the US origin (wrecks of F-16 and F-117 which were shoot down in 1999), which are quite unique for this museum.

But enthusiastic about WW2 airplanes as I am, I mostly took pictures of WW2 warbirds.

If some of you are interested, I can post few pictures of the jets I did took. In the meantime, here is one example. Can anyone guess which plane this is?


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## Sweb (Mar 21, 2009)

Folland Gnat.


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## Milos Sijacki (Mar 22, 2009)

Hey, nice pictures there. I also posted some photos when I was there. You can see them in the Aircraft Pictures part of the forum. Thanks for a short history of the museum.

Which is Your favourite plane there?

Cheers


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## imalko (Mar 23, 2009)

Which is my favorite plane in this museum? Well...

Since my favorite airplane of all times is Messserschmitt Bf 109, you can imagine how exiting is for me to be able to see one example in our museum up close... If only there was another one airworthy here in Serbia....

Other then that I like a lot IL-2 and P-47. They are such impressive aircrafts and you can only appreciate their immense size when you stand next to them up close. Then there is Spitfire... (I told you that I am overenthusiastic about WW2 warbirds).

When jets are concerned, MiG-21 is my bird and out of jets of our own design my favorite is Galeb, which is such beautifull and elegant aircraft, and I would say pride of our air force tradition. Not to mention G-4 Super Galeb...


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## imalko (Mar 23, 2009)

I almost forgot. Sweb gave the correct answer - it is Folland Gnat. I guess the question wasn't that hard after all.


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## Milos Sijacki (Mar 24, 2009)

You picked up nice ones, and really good ones there. My favs would have to be Bf-109 and Yak-3 -This one because my grandfather-not really a grandfather, but was a very important member of my family and I loved him like a grandfather, who flew in it in WW2 alongside Russians.

Cheers


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## imalko (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Milos!

Can you write something more about your grandfather and his experience from the war?

In the meantime, here's another picture of Yak-3, just for you:


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## Milos Sijacki (Mar 27, 2009)

Well, not much I'm afraid, he died before I could ask Him how he even got into the Soviet Union, for he was in jail when Germans invaded. He was there because he was pro-Socialist. I have two photos of him, one in his Partisan uniform on the Ukrainian front, and the second one a photo of him in his uniform.

So, I know nothing about his war years, except that he achieved a pretty good score and few decorations. All I know is that he was a part of US-Yugoslav pilot trade off in 1954. He was stationed during thath time at the Nellis ( don't know if it spelled like that, sorry) air-force base, where he achieved a remarkable score, and they put his name on their top pilot list there.

So much for now, I'll try to find out a bit more.

Cheers


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## mkloby (Mar 27, 2009)

Cool pictures - thanks


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## imalko (Apr 17, 2009)

This is my last batch of photos I took at this Museum. Unfortunately this is just a small part of jet aircrafts exibited here but I make sure to take more jet pictures next time I go to visit. Until then... That's all folks!


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## FlexiBull (Apr 17, 2009)

Well it was stuggle but I found out what IMG 089 is......

........ an Ikarus S49!!!

Looks like a P-51D/Mig3/Macchi Mc 202/Dewoitine D520/Hybrid.






FlexiBull


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## pbfoot (Apr 17, 2009)

FlexiBull said:


> Well it was stuggle but I found out what IMG 089 is......
> 
> ........ an !!!
> 
> ...


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## imalko (Apr 18, 2009)

You are right guy's, it's Ikarus S-49C. This was postwar Yugoslav fighter. Its design was strongly influenced by Soviet Yak fighters, but mostly it was based on wartime Royal Yugoslav fighter Rogožarski IK-3. Both of this aircrafts (S-49 and IK-3) were mentioned before on this forum although I can't remember in which threads precisely.

If someone is interested, here are links to further informations on S-49 and IK-3:

Ikarus S-49 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rogozarski IK-3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And here is a link to more photos of S-49 on Airliners.net. There are several great photos here including one which shows engine and gun installation. Enjoy!

Airliners.net | Airplanes - Aviation - Aircraft- Aircraft Photos News


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## imalko (Apr 18, 2009)

FlexiBull said:


> Well it was stuggle but I found out what IMG 089 is....... an Ikarus S49!



You should have simply to ask... I would have told you.


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## imalko (May 29, 2011)

Today I revisited the Museum after a while, so here are few more photos of some aircraft I haven't photographed previously...


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## pbfoot (May 29, 2011)

Nice selection thanx


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## vikingBerserker (May 30, 2011)

Very cool pics


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## Gnomey (May 30, 2011)

Nice shots Igor!


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## Airframes (May 30, 2011)

Great pics Igor, thanks for posting.


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## imalko (Nov 11, 2011)

New web presentation of our Aviation Museum with virtual tour included. Enjoy!

MVB


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## nuuumannn (Nov 12, 2011)

Beautifully presented museum! Well laid out for excellent photography at two levels, not to forget some choice types of aircraft on display. All contained in a stunning building, although photography might be difficult in some times of the day with all that glass. I noticed the Short Sealand lurking under the building in an exterior shot. A very rare bird, since this is the last of the last of the Short Brothers' flying boats. This museum also has the fuselage of the last surviving Saro Cloud as well. Do you have any close up pics of either of these? Pleeeeeese?


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## imalko (Nov 12, 2011)

Don't think our Museum owns parts of Saro Cloud, but as far as I know a fuselage of this aircraft can be seen in a Museum in Prague, Czech Republic. Also I checked my folders and found only one photo which I took from a far where Short Sealand can be seen together with MiG-21R and two Kamov helicopters. I cropped out the Sealand from this photo for better look.


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## imalko (Nov 12, 2011)

Also I found this nice close up photo of Short Sealand in front of the Museum building. (Source: airliners.net)


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## nuuumannn (Nov 12, 2011)

imalko said:


> Don't think our Museum owns parts of Saro Cloud, but as far as I know a fuselage of this aircraft can be seen in a Museum in Prague, Czech Republic.



Actually, come to think of it, you are right  It's at Kbely Museum outside of Prague!

Thanks for the Sealand photos; it's a rare aeroplane. Did you not think it was worthy of photographing individually? Sometimes the most interesting aircraft are not necessarily the most obvious. When I go to a place like this, I look for the stuff you wouldn't find anywhere else - rarities.


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## imalko (Nov 13, 2011)

Wouldn't say unworthy, but rather overshadowed by some other aircraft displayed around the Museum. During that particular visit most of my attention was devoted to Junkers Ju 52 and MiG-23 for example. At least when outdoor exhibition is concerned that is. Then, there's also the fact that Sealand is placed inconspicuously in the corner next to the main entrance staircase and because of that easily missed. I do agree with you though. When you're eager to see "stars of the exhibition" you can often miss some interesting and rare pieces. Too bad that Museum basement is closed to public. There you can find some real rarities.


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## nuuumannn (Nov 13, 2011)

imalko said:


> I do agree with you though. When you're eager to see "stars of the exhibition" you can often miss some interesting and rare pieces. Too bad that Museum basement is closed to public. There you can find some real rarities.



Indeed! Always the same in museums though; often what's not on display is what is most appealing to people. Any idea what those 'real rarities' might be? 

Keep posting pictures, Imalko. very interesting.


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## imalko (Nov 13, 2011)

Well, some of the rarities in our Museum are: the remains of only ever shot down F-117, parts of Ju 87B and P-38 Lightning, then Fiat G.50bis, Fw 190F-8, Jumo 004 engine, Ikarus S-49A, etc. Greatest rarity among all of these is unique Fiat G.50bis - only existing example in the world. This aircraft once served with Regia Aeronautica, later it was handed over to the Air Force of so called Independent State of Croatia only to be captured by Yugoslav Partisans towards the end of war. Currently this aircraft is stored in the Museum basement. Plans for the restoration exist, but the project is on hold for the lack of funds. As the aircraft is unavailable to the public there isn't many pictures of it. I found the fallowing on another forum.


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## vikingBerserker (Nov 13, 2011)

Very cool!


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## Shinpachi (Nov 14, 2011)

Seems a great place to visit
Thanks for sharing, imalko!


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## nuuumannn (Nov 14, 2011)

8) Aaaah; Imalko! I knew you would come up with the goods! Now I know what to enquire about in advance of my visit to the place - that is _if_ I ever get there! I love a good museum store!


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## imalko (Nov 15, 2011)

Cheers mates! Glad you find this interesting...
Another "occupant" of the Museum basement is this Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8, W.Nr. 930838, formerly of SchG 2, captured in 1945 at Kovin airfield and for a while used operationally by new Yugoslav Air Force. (Pictures are not mine, but found on the internet.)


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## Rogi (Nov 15, 2011)

imalko jeli imas jos slike od Kamov? Puno Fala za sves slike 

Igor iz Canade


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## Gnomey (Nov 15, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## imalko (Nov 15, 2011)

Rogi said:


> imalko jeli imas jos slike od Kamov? Puno Fala za sves slike
> 
> Igor iz Canade



Nema na čemu. Na žalost imam samo ovu jednu. (You're welcome. Unfortunately I have only one more.)

By the way, my name is Igor too.


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## vikingBerserker (Nov 15, 2011)

Beautiful


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## pbfoot (Nov 15, 2011)

good


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## Rogi (Nov 16, 2011)

"Nema na čemu. Na žalost imam samo ovu jednu. (You're welcome. Unfortunately I have only one more.)

By the way, my name is Igor too." 
Best name in the world ^  


That is awesome  Thanks so much for posting, I really should make my way down there once.


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## imalko (Dec 27, 2015)

Reviving this thread about our Aviation Museum with video which I found on the You tube. Thought it would be interesting to share...


_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84BuCAp-AwU_


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## Gnomey (Dec 27, 2015)

Good video! Thanks for sharing.


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## Airframes (Dec 27, 2015)

Good find Igor, and nice music too. Thanks for posting.


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## Wayne Little (Dec 28, 2015)




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