Militaire Luchtvaart Museum - Soesterberg - The Netherlands


Address: Kamp van Zeist 2-4, Soesterberg (See map)
Telephone: +31 (0)346-353815
Website: http://www.militaireluchtvaartmuseum.nl

Shop: shop present
Restaurant/refreshments: restaurant
Size of the museum/site: large
Year of visit: 2002
Overall rating:

Description: Planes, helicopters and rockets, that is what you will see when visiting this museum. The 'Airforce Museum' is situated at airforce base "Soesterberg", near the place where the LVA (Aviation Section of the Dutch Army) started in 1913. At that time the airforce existed of nothing less than one entire aeroplane! As the museum will show you, a few things have changed since then.

The first hall covers the period from 1910 to the Second World War. The history of the Dutch Airforce is told with the help of many photos and of course some (rare) planes from this period, like a replica of the Fokker G-1A and the Mitchell B-25 which served in the Dutch East Indies.

The period from 1950 onwards is the subject of the second hall. Here, attention is given to the rebuilding of the Dutch Airforce after the Second World War. There's also a pretty nice section dealing with the evolution of modern jet-propelled planes, featuring a Gloster Meteor (MK4), a Republic F84G Thunderjet and a still flying General Dynamics F16A. Outside the halls several planes as well as surface-to-air missiles are on display.

A visit to this museum offers a great opportunity to take a really close look at a variety of aeroplanes and helicopters.



Mikoyan MIG 21 PFM armed with a 23 mm canon and AA-2 rockets used by Russian Forces.

Several types of anti-aircraft guns used by the Dutch army during the Second World War.

German 88mm anti aircraft gun. A silent witness of the Second World War in the museum park.

Nike ground-to-air missile, capable of reaching Mach 2/3 speed.

Fokker F-27 Troopship. This airplane was used by the Dutch 334 Squadron. Its crew, consisting of three men, have seen a lot of the world flying this airplane.

Bölkow Bo-105CB. Still in use by the Dutch Airforce. This helicopter was badly damaged in the Balcans, where it flew against a highwire.

A Dornier DO-24 K water-plane. The crew of six served in the Dutch Indies, New Guinea and Australia.

Lockheed F-104G Starfighter.

Douglas Skytrain C-47 (Dakota).

North American B-25 J Mitchell. This plane was used to attack ground targets by swift ferocious dive actions, screaming just above ground level with all of its 18 machineguns blazing and bombs dropping. The B-25 warmachine was used succesfully in the Dutch Indies during the "politionele akties" (the effort of the Dutch government to regain control of its colonies).