Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Photos of warbirds, classic jets and museum visits
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HeyfordDave111
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Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by HeyfordDave111 »

On my way back from the 348th disbandment at Larissa, i made a conscious decision to pop into Deklia just north of Athens, and the Air Force Museum there.

The sat nav took me to the main gate, where i was advised to park and await the frequent courtesy bus to the museum itself, across the airfield.
Interestingly i couldn't take a photo of the gate guard but could take photographs of the airfield including the gate guard from a distance.

Anyway, the bus duly came and took me to the museum, when upon alighting i found familys, barbeques, live music, children laughing and a general sense of fun and togetherness from the local civilian population having a wonderful social meeting there.

The museum itself is laid out with a hangar containing lots of cramped (unfortunately) exhibits with lots of space between the cramped areas, with a row of aircraft outside on the pan on one side of the hangar, with a more concentrated collection outside on the other side of the hangar.

This 'concentration' made photography, other than standard fare shots problematic and i tried my best, especially with the trainers lined up on the far side as they made for interesting angles etc.
Like Larissa the heat and light was a devil to work with, and again i hope i've done the exhibits justice.

Throughly recommended if you get the chance :up:

Nice to see 1 or 2 old friends too in the shape of the 2 'sluffs' we knew from earlier RIAT visits (Tiger Scheme) and the last visit before retirement the 'Olympos' Black and Silver scheme.

Anyway please enjoy, and as usual C+C happily received.
Cheers
Dave

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Skyflash
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by Skyflash »

Lovely thread with a cracking variety of types. So good to see the Tiger A-7 again, star of the RIAT '06 static park.

That RF-5 though is a bit, erm, rad... :hypno:
Posting comments on an aviation-related chatroom, are ya? Looks like it an' all...

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The Baron
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by The Baron »

Wow. What a fascinating looking museum. Thanks very much for posting.
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HeyfordDave111
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by HeyfordDave111 »

Hi skyflash, yes it is isnt it? sunglasses time that's for sure.

The best thing is this museum is free entry too! :yahoo:

I hear a rumour a few months back that the Helenic Airforce were looking to re instate a couple of A-7's as a 'historic' flight, and one airframe would be the Olympos one, but its in quite a tatty condition, dry in summer, wet sometimes in winter, who knows what its like internally?

Anyway, it was good to see it again, if only static.
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Pringles
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by Pringles »

HeyfordDave111 wrote:I hear a rumour a few months back that the Helenic Airforce were looking to re instate a couple of A-7's as a 'historic' flight, and one airframe would be the Olympos one, but its in quite a tatty condition, dry in summer, wet sometimes in winter, who knows what its like internally?

Looking through this thread, I was also reminded of these rumours. Did you or anyone else that attended the Greek RF4-E retirement event hear anything more of this?

Interesting shots of what looks like a varied (if "tatty") collection!
If life gives you melons then you're probably dyslexic

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HeyfordDave111
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by HeyfordDave111 »

I did ask at Larissa but no one seemed to know anything.

Mind you someone told me that the museum was getting one of the phantoms tomorrow flying in for retirement there, but the museum say no, as they already have one in the paint shop and offered to show it me.

So who knows? :dunno:
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by Wes_Howes »

Lovely stuff Dave, I'm probably in a minority here but I like the RF-5 :grin: and those Starfighters are gorgeous :love:

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starbuck
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by starbuck »

Apart from the JU52 (?) rudder are there many WW2 items on display or does it concentrate on mainly Hellenic aircraft? I've never been to Greece but I always thought that with all the fighting that took place on the islands and mainland there must have been a hell of a lot of wrecks and relics from both sides that were hopefully preserved in that climate.

Niallxg
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by Niallxg »

Looks like a great museum.

Starfighter in the ground attack role must have been interesting.

Thanks for sharing.

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D90Man
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by D90Man »

Wow - didn't even know this existed - looks well worth a visit. Nice images btw :-)

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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by DOUGHNUT »

Was their Spitfire on view ?

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HeyfordDave111
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)

Post by HeyfordDave111 »

Hi,

The hangar had a nice collection of parts salvaged from the seas around Greece, including a Blenheim engine, various wing parts etc.

In fact the twin engine wreck in the post is a Blenheim pulled up quite 'intact' if ever a wreck can be called that.

The Phantom they have was in the paint shop, and they were kind enough to offer me access (it's further over 'on base') but i was on a time limit, and the spitfire was elsewhere on base but not readily available for viewing, and i'm sure if i'd have asked?

If they did something about those yellow trainers that seem to have been there forever, and expanded the collection on that part of the pan, it would make photography better, but it is free so i cannot complain really.

One thing i regret not stopping the car for were the collection of airframes in Athens city centre. It's a could have and should have situation now, as i don't expect to be going back any time soon unless they retire the other F-4's.

cheers
Dave
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