Brussels Air Museum, 06.05.23

[jonf45]

Hi,
had a little trip to Belgium earlier this month, and managed a quick look around the Brussels Armed Forces Museum. There's some really good exhibits there, a little squashed in, but certainly well worth the visit if youre there!!

Mirage F.1C 100 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

RF-4C 68-0590 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23-3 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

Mirage 5BA BA-15 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23-1 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

Sea King Mk48 RS-01 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

Mil Mi 24D 96+33 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

Mig-23BN 4421 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

F-104G FX-12 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

F-16A FA-01 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

Sea Bat H-34 OT-ZKF Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

Hunter F4 ID-46 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

F-84G 3R-E Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

F-16A FA-01 Brussels Air Museum 06.05.23-1 by Jonathan Francis, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, loads more in my Flickr site
Cheers
Jon

[warthog56]

Great selection of airframes. Must really make a return visit to this great museum - should be fairly easy vis Eurostar.

[F3]

You could nt even fit a ' waffer thin mint' between them. You can hardly see that poor little Hooter among all the other larger jets. Some interesting stuff tho'. Don't think they'll ever get a Herk in there!

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these, it was the first major European Aviation Museum I ever visited and my last visit was thirty years ago, so must go back. There's lots of interest going back to the First World War, so plenty of variety, both military and civil (note the Sabena Caravelle on stilts). When I paid my first visit, I arrived at the entrance to be told that the museum was closed, but was invited in anyway. One of the volunteers said I could wander round and when I'd done that, he showed me what was in the storage areas, off limits. We finished off sitting in the cockpit of the C-119G and he told me about future plans. As said, it's only a Eurostar ride away, plus a Metro ride, a highly recommended visit.

[paddyboy]

Hi Jon

‘Squashed in’ is a bit of an understatement

Looks like a superb museum to visit

What a wonderful, varied, selection of ‘frames

Paddyboy

[Mustang531]

Following on from my earlier response, I seem to recall that years ago, that the museum used to close for one hour for lunch, all very quaint. I'm just wondering if this was still the case?
Anyway, having looked at these pics, I think a return visit is long overdue.

[roughcutter]

You could nt even fit a ' waffer thin mint' between them. You can hardly see that poor little Hooter among all the other larger jets. Some interesting stuff tho'. Don't think they'll ever get a Herk in there!

Nonsense, there's bags of space in there I remember my first visit to this museum in 2009, feeling sceptical about this collection being "shoehorned" into a former railway station. How wrong could I be? I was astounded at how well everything there was laid out, especially pleasing was the inclusion of the surrounding balcony walkway and even more surprising was the copious amount of natural light that was flooding in illuminating the exhibits. Great photography, highly recommended definitely worth a visit.

[Mustang531]

Hi Roughcutter, the building was never a railway station. It was built in 1881 for the purpose of being an Exhibition Hall. It has housed the Army Museum in part of the building for many years. The main hall had a number of early aircraft displayed from the ceiling from just after the First World War. The floor of the main hall was once sand covered and they held equestrian events in there. After WW2, there were aircraft from that era and post war types added. During the sixties, the floor of the hall was tarmacked and the beginnings of the collection as you see today started. One of the concerns for many years has been the condition of the building itself and the effect that damp etc, was having on the older types. This was explained to me on my first visit over forty years ago. Hope this clarifies things.

[roughcutter]

Ah right, I stand corrected then (where did I read/hear it was a former station?), admittedly it was many years ago when I learned about this collection. I guess it also explains the inclusion of the balcony too.

[condor]

Jon , thanks for these . There are a lot more a/c than when I visited 25 yrs ago . Was impressed with almost the history of the BAF in a/c.
Most impressive of the lot was a Luftwaffe Fiat G91 . Instead of just a shell with engine systems etc. all missing as in a lot of exhibits . There she was straight off the line , typically German , not highly polished but well maintained ... All that was needed was to check oil , tyres , and battery , shove some Jet A1 in her , and fire her up to go flying . Marvellous .
Wanted to see the Waterloo hall , but had to get back to work .

rgds condor .