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
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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HAFM2 by David Jones, on Flickr
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Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
- HeyfordDave111
- Posts: 1428
- Joined: Sat 21 Feb 2015, 5:30 pm
- Location: IAT 92
Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
Got to love Russianhardware
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
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...
That RF-5 though is a bit, erm, rad...
Posting comments on an aviation-related chatroom, are ya? Looks like it an' all...
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
Wow. What a fascinating looking museum. Thanks very much for posting.
Loafer for Mr. Da Vinci.
- HeyfordDave111
- Posts: 1428
- Joined: Sat 21 Feb 2015, 5:30 pm
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
Hi skyflash, yes it is isnt it? sunglasses time that's for sure.
The best thing is this museum is free entry too!
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.
The best thing is this museum is free entry too!
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.
Got to love Russianhardware
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
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
- HeyfordDave111
- Posts: 1428
- Joined: Sat 21 Feb 2015, 5:30 pm
- Location: IAT 92
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
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?
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?
Got to love Russianhardware
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
Lovely stuff Dave, I'm probably in a minority here but I like the RF-5 and those Starfighters are gorgeous
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
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.
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
Looks like a great museum.
Starfighter in the ground attack role must have been interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
Starfighter in the ground attack role must have been interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
Wow - didn't even know this existed - looks well worth a visit. Nice images btw
Leon
Leon
"Sharpness is in the eye of the holder"
More at http://www.planephotos.org.uk
More at http://www.planephotos.org.uk
Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
Was their Spitfire on view ?
- HeyfordDave111
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- Joined: Sat 21 Feb 2015, 5:30 pm
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Re: Hellenic Air Force Museum, Dekelia, Greece (Large post)
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
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
Got to love Russianhardware