Indonesian Air Force Museum

Gallery Article by Iwan Winarta on Aug 17 2003

  Indonesia Independence Day 

 

A Visit to the Indonesian Air Force Museum Yogyakarta, Indonesia 

If you have the opportunity to visit Indonesia, besides the compulsory Bali and Borobudur Temple, one place worth visiting for airplane buffs is the Air Force Museum located within the Adi Sucipto Air Force Base in the town of Yogyakarta, about 1 hour drive from the famous Borobudur Temple, some 400 kilometres east of the capital city of Jakarta. 

 

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Photo 5

Photo 5:   A-26 Invader with sharkmouth which is the subject of the new Albatross decals

The museum is an ex-factory building, which houses over 30 preserved aircraft previously used by the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU).  The aircraft collection is unique because of the various origins from the ex-Japanese, Soviet-origin and Western aircraft.

Entering the main building, one can find the history of the Indonesian Air Force.  Enter the indoor aircraft display, and one will be greeted by an A6M5 Zero fighter, which were re-built from the relics found in Papua (Niugini) and retains its Japanese Hinomarus.  Other Japanese aircraft are the Ki-43 Hayabusha and Ki-51 Sonia (both in Indonesian markings).  The later is said to be the only Sonia intact today.

Others spot of interest are, among others, the A-26 Invader with sharkmouth which is the subject of the new Albatross decal, a T-33 with shark mouth, and of course, the Tu-16 Badger and the MiG Alley !

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Photo 7

 

Photo 7:   Arriving at the museum, one will be greeted by a Tu-16 Badger, an AS-2 missile and an SA-16 Albatross, which serves as the gate guards of the museum. 

Regards,

Iwan Winarta  Jakarta, Indonesia

      

Photos and text © by Iwan Winarta