Meant to start this over the weekend but things got in the way! My last "major" aviation trip abroad was in 2018, and a spectacular few days in Poland centered around Tiger Meet.
Day 1 - 14/05/2018
After a flight from Manchester to Warsaw via a few hours at Zurich (and the lovely viewing terrace!) it was in to the hotel ready for a busy day first day in country.
HB-JNE | Boeing 777-3DEER | Swiss International Air Lines by Chris Globe, on Flickr
HB-JMB | Airbus A340-313X | Swiss International Air Lines by Chris Globe, on Flickr
VP-BGG | Boeing 737-8LJWL | Aeroflot Russian Airlines by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Day 2 - 15/05/2018
After a visit to the fenceline of a local technical school ("oh there's only one helicopter there" - there was actuall a Mi-2, an L-29 and a few civil bits!) it was on to the plan for the day. As ever in Europe, there's Wrecks & Relics everywhere, including this SBLim-2 in Warka
026 | WSK-Mielec SBLim-2 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
With that out of the way it was off to the Muzeum Sil Powietrznych at Deblin, where not only was it very warm, one of the halls was closed for an air force private event. Sadly that meant although a quick look inside was possible, the only aircraft photographed was this Cessna 172.
SP-EZH | Reims/Cessna F150M | Muzeum Sil Powietrznych by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Anyway, back outside and to the whole host of aircraft nicely positioned for photographs!
9410 | Sukhoi SU-22M-4 | Muzeum Sil Powietrznych by Chris Globe, on Flickr
65 | Ilyushin IL-28 | Muzeum Sil Powietrznych by Chris Globe, on Flickr
12 | Sukhoi SU-7BKL | Muzeum Sil Powietrznych by Chris Globe, on Flickr
045 | Yakovlev Yak-40 | Muzeum Sil Powietrznych by Chris Globe, on Flickr
670 | Mil Mi-6A | Muzeum Sil Powietrznych by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Deblin fighter lines by Chris Globe, on Flickr
And the home team were active too, for which I regret not bringing my longer telephoto inside with me. All taken at the max 105mm of my lens...
7708 | Alenia-Aermacchi M-346 Master | Polish Air Force by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1917 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis DF | Polish Air Force by Chris Globe, on Flickr
2012 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis DF | Polish Air Force by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1715 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis DF | Polish Air Force by Chris Globe, on Flickr
2706 | Mil Mi-2 | Polish Air Force by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Just down the road at Primary School Number 4, an L-29 is preserved in false marks.
803 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11-100 Iskra-bis B by Chris Globe, on Flickr
With Deblin out of the way, it was back to Warsaw for a crack at the Muzeum Polskiej Techniki Wojskowej, located within the walls of Fort IX Czerniaków in Sadyba. After dad spent a few minutes trying to communicate with some official looking people in a gatehouse and getting nowhere, we decided to just walk in through a gate we hoped wouldn't be locked by the time we came out. Still don't know if that was the official way in, if we should have paid, or indeed if we parked illegally on the roadside. Anyway, we were in!
6006 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UM | Muzeum Polskiej Techniki Wojskowej by Chris Globe, on Flickr
5928 | WSK-PZL Antonov AN-2P | Muzeum Polskiej Techniki Wojskowej by Chris Globe, on Flickr
3101 | Mil Mi-2URN | Muzeum Polskiej Techniki Wojskowej by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Polish Army AT-T and 1S12 'Agata' radar by Chris Globe, on Flickr
148 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MF | Muzeum Polskiej Techniki Wojskowej by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Polish Army 2K11 'Krug' transporter-launcher by Chris Globe, on Flickr
I think we missed a couple of Sukhoi 20/22 fuselages stored but looking at satellite images without climbing fences they wouldn't have been accessible anyway. So, out of there in record time, gate still unlocked, official looking people notably absent, it was off to museum number THREE of the day!
At the Wojska Polskiego Museum in the center of Warsaw, again we just walked in, I'm still not sure how they got the An-26 in here.
044 | Yakovlev Yak-40 | Muzeum Wojska Polskiego w Warszawie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1602 | Antonov AN-26 | Muzeum Wojska Polskiego w Warszawie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
? | Petyalalkov Pe-2 FT | Muzeum Wojska Polskiego w Warszawie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Forerunner to the A-10...
21 | Ilyushin Il-2M3 Sturmovik | Muzeum Wojska Polskiego w Warszawie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
SP-PWG | PZL-Mielec I-22 Iryda M-96 | Muzeum Wojska Polskiego w Warszawie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Former British Centurion V, were some of these gifted to Poland I wonder?
British Army Centurion Mk V by Chris Globe, on Flickr
And, almost done for the day, a quick look at the tech school at Warsaw-Babice/Bemowo. First, a look over the police area (sorry, I know these are technically civil - please forgive me!)
SN-40XP | Mil Mi-8P by Chris Globe, on Flickr
SN-16XP | Bell 206B Jet Ranger III | Polish Police by Chris Globe, on Flickr
042 | Yakovlev Yak-40 | Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna by Chris Globe, on Flickr
6810 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MF | Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1620 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis DF | Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna by Chris Globe, on Flickr
And then back to Chopin for a quick bit of spotting before retiring for the night. This is the closest we got to a VIP Sokol
0915 | PZL-Swidnik W-3P Sokol | Polish Air Force by Chris Globe, on Flickr
ES-ACK | Bombardier/Canadair CRJ-900NG | Nordica by Chris Globe, on Flickr
EW-328TG | Antonov AN-26B | Genex Cargo Airline by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Day three to follow shortly in a new post.
Poland 2018
Re: Poland 2018
Day 3 - 16/05/2018
Day three and we're still on the wrecks and relics hunt. Leaving Warsaw we were heading for Krakow, which has a few nice bits along the way.
Barely visible through the fog, this SU-7 is on the northbound side of the S7. Of course, we were southbound and it was a bit of a trek to loop round just to get a better photo so some dodgy editing took place.
6256 | Sukhoi SU-20 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
From there it was off to the little known Muzeum Im. Orla Bialego in Skarżysko-kamienna for some more lovely silver aircraft.
809 | Sukhoi SU-7BKL | Muzeum Orla Bialego by Chris Globe, on Flickr
3054 | VEB IL-14P | Muzeum Orla Bialego by Chris Globe, on Flickr
SP-CLC | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-8 Bies | Muzeum Orla Bialego by Chris Globe, on Flickr
And then, of course, to the Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie. Located on the former airfield at Rakowice-Czyżyny it was one of the oldest airfields in the world - but probably not for much longer as it appears to be more of a building site and retail park now. Anyway, the museum. Everything public was open (fantastic) although we'd seen some reports that you could walk down to the storage and restoration areas they were all very much closed off on our visit. In hindsight, we could have driven round to the bottom end and tried that gate but at the time we didn't think of it!
163306 | Messerschmitt BF.109G-6 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
620 | Mil Mi-8S | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
XG613 | De Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom FAW.21 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
One of two Mi-24s on the ground having flown in for some special artwork. We'll see these aircraft again in a future edition...
739 | Mil Mi-24V | Polish Army Aviation by Chris Globe, on Flickr
4115 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29GT (UB) | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1217 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21U-400 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
6316 | Amiot AAC.1 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
027 | Lisunov Li-2T | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
R-855 | Canadair CF-104 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
00852 | Northrop F-5E Tiger II | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Then two more relics before we're done for the day and to the hotel. Or is it...?
First, another Yak-40 in what I presume was someone's garden.
032 | Yakovlev Yak-40 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
And a Yak-23 outside a post office. Real identity unknown.
1616 | Yakovlev Yak-23 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Then on our way back Waze goes "rerouting, traffic ahead" and instructs a left turn at the next junction. Rightio! Slowly crawling through traffic on the outskirts of Krakow I'm minding my own business in the passenger seat as I spot what I think is a helicopter in a field. With traffic moving so slowly I jump out, grab my camera and head off to investigate.
A Mi-8 and An-2 have appeared at the 16 Batalion Powietrznodesantowy! Sorry, these images are a different size for some reason...
Krakow barracks An-2 and Mi-8 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
SP-WWM | WSK-PZL Antonov AN-2R by Chris Globe, on Flickr
So, thank you sat nav, that's another two in the logbook and a nice bonus to end the day on. Off to the hotel and walk in to Krakow for tea at the Hard Rock Cafe. Dad is slowly making his way around the world and visiting them all, so it needed ticking off the list...
Day four will be tomorrow
Day three and we're still on the wrecks and relics hunt. Leaving Warsaw we were heading for Krakow, which has a few nice bits along the way.
Barely visible through the fog, this SU-7 is on the northbound side of the S7. Of course, we were southbound and it was a bit of a trek to loop round just to get a better photo so some dodgy editing took place.
6256 | Sukhoi SU-20 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
From there it was off to the little known Muzeum Im. Orla Bialego in Skarżysko-kamienna for some more lovely silver aircraft.
809 | Sukhoi SU-7BKL | Muzeum Orla Bialego by Chris Globe, on Flickr
3054 | VEB IL-14P | Muzeum Orla Bialego by Chris Globe, on Flickr
SP-CLC | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-8 Bies | Muzeum Orla Bialego by Chris Globe, on Flickr
And then, of course, to the Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie. Located on the former airfield at Rakowice-Czyżyny it was one of the oldest airfields in the world - but probably not for much longer as it appears to be more of a building site and retail park now. Anyway, the museum. Everything public was open (fantastic) although we'd seen some reports that you could walk down to the storage and restoration areas they were all very much closed off on our visit. In hindsight, we could have driven round to the bottom end and tried that gate but at the time we didn't think of it!
163306 | Messerschmitt BF.109G-6 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
620 | Mil Mi-8S | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
XG613 | De Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom FAW.21 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
One of two Mi-24s on the ground having flown in for some special artwork. We'll see these aircraft again in a future edition...
739 | Mil Mi-24V | Polish Army Aviation by Chris Globe, on Flickr
4115 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29GT (UB) | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1217 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21U-400 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
6316 | Amiot AAC.1 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
027 | Lisunov Li-2T | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
R-855 | Canadair CF-104 | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
00852 | Northrop F-5E Tiger II | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Then two more relics before we're done for the day and to the hotel. Or is it...?
First, another Yak-40 in what I presume was someone's garden.
032 | Yakovlev Yak-40 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
And a Yak-23 outside a post office. Real identity unknown.
1616 | Yakovlev Yak-23 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Then on our way back Waze goes "rerouting, traffic ahead" and instructs a left turn at the next junction. Rightio! Slowly crawling through traffic on the outskirts of Krakow I'm minding my own business in the passenger seat as I spot what I think is a helicopter in a field. With traffic moving so slowly I jump out, grab my camera and head off to investigate.
A Mi-8 and An-2 have appeared at the 16 Batalion Powietrznodesantowy! Sorry, these images are a different size for some reason...
Krakow barracks An-2 and Mi-8 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
SP-WWM | WSK-PZL Antonov AN-2R by Chris Globe, on Flickr
So, thank you sat nav, that's another two in the logbook and a nice bonus to end the day on. Off to the hotel and walk in to Krakow for tea at the Hard Rock Cafe. Dad is slowly making his way around the world and visiting them all, so it needed ticking off the list...
Day four will be tomorrow
Re: Poland 2018
Onwards with...
Day 4 - 17/05/2018
Having travelled down to Krakow we the day before, we headed back to up Poznan, via Katowice and Wroclaw of course! Calling in at lots of airports in the way, day 4 wasn't really a photography day - more about the numbers entering the logbook. The An-28s based at Balice were easily ready from the highway services/toll booth/thing north of the airfield, should anyone be passing that way.
At Katowice there's a MiG-21 preserved in false marks, but otherwise very well looked after!
1813 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PF by Chris Globe, on Flickr
At the airport there was a number of stored Embraer 145s and a few other bits that weren't photographed, and from there it was back to the highway (via a road that became a dirt track very suddenly!) and up to Muzeum 303, which my database tells me is at the Osrodek Recreation Park.
Six aircraft here when we went (plus a plastic Hurricane), the latest satellite imagery shows eight, so a growing collection!
2029 | Mil Mi-2RM | Muzeum 303 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
W1760 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis DF | Muzeum 303 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1907 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21M | Muzeum 303 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
As far as we could tell the owner of the museum wasn't happy to see us, as you can see:
DSC_7616 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
A couple of other wrecks and relics seen on the roadside including this rather impressive weather vane!
306 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis B by Chris Globe, on Flickr
At the Lotniceze Zaklady Naukowe we managed all five aircraft but I only took photos on my phone as we were really worried about walking around a school with proper cameras! Satellite images only shows four aircraft present, which is what it showed before we went.
706 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis B | Lotnicze Zaklady Naukowe by Chris Globe, on Flickr
5609 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM | Lotnicze Zaklady Naukowe by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Down the road at the (closed for the day) Zakadu Inynierii Lotniczej Politechniki Wrocawskiej we managed to see the AN-2, MiG-29 and SU-22 but again, photos on my camera. The Mi-2 and Iskra that were here left at some point after 2012 to Olesnica, although the Iskra returned to the area and was seen at Szymanow.
Finally at Szymanow a based AN-2 entered the camera alongside a preserved Iskra.
SP-AND | WSK-PZL Antonov AN-2 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Not the most eventful day I'm afraid, tomorrow makes up for it though!
Day 4 - 17/05/2018
Having travelled down to Krakow we the day before, we headed back to up Poznan, via Katowice and Wroclaw of course! Calling in at lots of airports in the way, day 4 wasn't really a photography day - more about the numbers entering the logbook. The An-28s based at Balice were easily ready from the highway services/toll booth/thing north of the airfield, should anyone be passing that way.
At Katowice there's a MiG-21 preserved in false marks, but otherwise very well looked after!
1813 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PF by Chris Globe, on Flickr
At the airport there was a number of stored Embraer 145s and a few other bits that weren't photographed, and from there it was back to the highway (via a road that became a dirt track very suddenly!) and up to Muzeum 303, which my database tells me is at the Osrodek Recreation Park.
Six aircraft here when we went (plus a plastic Hurricane), the latest satellite imagery shows eight, so a growing collection!
2029 | Mil Mi-2RM | Muzeum 303 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
W1760 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis DF | Muzeum 303 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
1907 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21M | Muzeum 303 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
As far as we could tell the owner of the museum wasn't happy to see us, as you can see:
DSC_7616 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
A couple of other wrecks and relics seen on the roadside including this rather impressive weather vane!
306 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis B by Chris Globe, on Flickr
At the Lotniceze Zaklady Naukowe we managed all five aircraft but I only took photos on my phone as we were really worried about walking around a school with proper cameras! Satellite images only shows four aircraft present, which is what it showed before we went.
706 | PZL/WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra-bis B | Lotnicze Zaklady Naukowe by Chris Globe, on Flickr
5609 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM | Lotnicze Zaklady Naukowe by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Down the road at the (closed for the day) Zakadu Inynierii Lotniczej Politechniki Wrocawskiej we managed to see the AN-2, MiG-29 and SU-22 but again, photos on my camera. The Mi-2 and Iskra that were here left at some point after 2012 to Olesnica, although the Iskra returned to the area and was seen at Szymanow.
Finally at Szymanow a based AN-2 entered the camera alongside a preserved Iskra.
SP-AND | WSK-PZL Antonov AN-2 by Chris Globe, on Flickr
Not the most eventful day I'm afraid, tomorrow makes up for it though!
Re: Poland 2018
A really awesome thread, mate! Look forward to seeing more.
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomdjones/
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Hell is other people.
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tomd.jones/
Hell is other people.
Re: Poland 2018
Looks like you had a great time in Poland! I've seen most of the stuff you photographed but I still find here some pieces I need to catch
What about polish food? Did you find something special you like?
Cheers from Krakow!
What about polish food? Did you find something special you like?
Cheers from Krakow!