Yesterday I took my family and my gaming neighbors for a one day trip to Cracow, where our Aviation Museum is situated.
I have not been there for a while, like 7 years...
There were two reasons I insisted on my group to go there.
The first one, was a great investment that took place there recently. Over 10.000.000 Euro spent to build new hangars and exhibition sites.
The second one was the Bristol Fighter. The beauty was sent by the New Zealand company: The Vintage Aviator Ltd. The plane is a real one. They say 60% of it is original, the rest is a rebuilt part. Moreover, it was sent in Polish colours, like those Brisfits that (105 in numbers) were in use by Polish Air Force, even during the Polish-Soviet War of 1920.
So off we went on a cloudy Saturday morning.
Right after the impressive reception hall we found the famous PZL P 11c, "number 2", the original plane flown in September 1939 by Wacław Król, later an ace of 302nd Polish Sq. during the Battle of Britain. In a perfect shape
...and a closer look...
Right there stands the real beauty! The Bristol Fighter is here!
It is like a new one, right from a factory production line...
Humbly posing against her...
The cockpit...
and the gunner position right behind it...
According to the guide accompanying us, dr. Jan Hofman, only the white ropes are the replacements.
Most impressive!
Take a look at the tail...
Then we inspected the real and original Albatros B.IIa bearing Polish markings (1920).
But before we left the first building just to enter the next new one: "The Wings of the Great War" - just to get even more excited I was tested as a fighter pilot...
Well... meet our girls in the living room arranged in the style of the era Kamilla (Darek's wife) and my Edyta ("The Black Baroness") on the right.
You must have seen them before during our "Friday Gaming Nights" with wives
The real Grigoirovich M-5 on the display is there
And the famous Camel is already there...
The original Halberstadt CL.II (the fuselage and undergcarriage) is there as well...
Look, the Snoopy is there as well Could you find him?
Right near the medals, memoirs and the uniform of Lt. von Adam, from Jasta 6th are preserved and displayed.
Roland LFG D.VI in hangar...(the original parts).
Between the exhibits there is a time to share a drink with the girls in the Canteen...
Aviatik C.III - or what was left of it...
Albatros C.I is there as well...
Zeppelin-Staaken nacelle...
A nice photo wallpaper? Why not a plane over the mountains?
The time had come to leave the buildings and see the planes outside. Tante Ju.
And Donald Kutyna's, a Vietnam Veteran pilot, F-105. "The Polish Glider" with original markings.
Just check this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_J._Kutyna
He also presented his blue Buick to the Museum! Amazing
Next we visited the main hangar to examine the Spitfire Mk. XVI.
...And the famous Curtis Hawk from the 30-ies...(Me and Darek).
We were happy to see younglings visiting the Museum on a guided tour. Perfect!
Leaving the Cold War section I noticed a familiar squadron marking on the Italian F-104...
It was a wonderful time for all of us. Thanks for watching!
I hope you could see the place one day, my friends!
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