Riga Aviation Museum

[Macc]

Was travelling to Tallinn for the weekend and I had a six-hour layover in Riga. Being a small airport with little to do I took my laptop out and started to kill time when I realised I had forgotten my plug adaptor and then I had four hours left with no entertainment. Then a friend told me there was an aviation museum literally a two minute walk from the terminal so I rushed out to see what was there with no expectations - so I was pretty happy when I arrived to find a variety of MiGs and even a Tu-22, although the latter was inaccessible.

The museum is open Monday till Friday from 9-6 and costs 7EUR for entry.

Some aircraft were pretty shabby looking but to me this was the attraction. It was almost like a junkyard of ex-Soviet military aircraft and it was great. I'll start with my highlight - the MiG-25 Foxbat.

p.s. Excuse the dustspots, I really need to give my sensor a good clean.

1.
MiG-25 Foxbat by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

2.
Foxbat and Flogger by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

3. One of five MiG-21s.
MiG-21 by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

4.
Showing their age by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

5.
Soviet Hardware by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

6.
Red Star by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

7.
MiG-21 Fishbed by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

8.
Yellow 10 by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

9.
MiGs by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

10.
Fishbed by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

11. One of a pair of MiG-23s.
Floggers by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

12. Both carry rocket pods.
Rocket pods by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

13.
Flogger and Fishbeds by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

14. A few pairs of airstairs provide different views.
Foxbat by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

15.
MiG-21/23/25 by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

16. MiG-27 Flogger-D/J
MiG-27 Flogger by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

17. Inside the Mil Mi-26 Halo.
View from Halo cockpit by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

18.
Halo controls by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

19.
Mi-26 Halo cockpit by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

20.
Mil-26 Halo by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

21. Yak-28R
Worn out! by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

22.
Twin-stick MiG by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

23.
AN-24 and MiGs by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

24.
Fishbed row by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

25. Sukhois
Sukhois by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

26.
Ex-Soviet Bomber by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

27.
MiGs! by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

28.
MiG-25 'Foxbat' by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

29.
Riga Aviation Museum by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

30. A couple of days later I returned to Riga for the night and snapped the Tu-22 a little better from the bus.
Tu-22 by Chris Milne Photography, on Flickr

Regards,
Chris

[Yammer]

Impressive collection and impressive photos too - thanks for posting

[wezgulf3]

impressive set of pics of an Impressive collection!

one thing though your Mil26 is actually a Mil6

WQes...

[garyscott]

And a Recce-Bat too!
Fantastic post, some really great images that demand much more than just a quick glance.

[Macc]

impressive set of pics of an Impressive collection!

one thing though your Mil26 is actually a Mil6

WQes...

Ah fantastic, I didn't realise such a helicopter existed even though I was inside of it! Nor did I realise the MiG-25 was a recon version either, thanks guys.

[Gary77]

GREAT photos, color is amazing. Thanks for posting.

Gary

[Bushpilot]

Superb! What a find, and I love the atmosphere you've created.

[Nighthawke]

Fabulous posting Chris. What a "find". Yes it is a shame about their condition but it does lend something of a Soviet era feel. Many thanks.

[alnewhaven]

Nice selection. Was there about 6 years ago and looks like they have tidied it up a bit!

[Sparts99]

Fantastic, you've done a really good job creating an atmosphere with the pics.