The Aviation Hall, opened to the public in 1972, is managed by the Royal Museum of Armed Forces – Musée Royal de L’Armée. The MRA is part of the WHI – War Heritage Institute – and is responsible for the layout and maintenance of the aircraft. The Aviation Hall can only exhibit part of the collection since there is a lack of space to exhibit all of it. The 145 pieces identified in 2016, of which many pieces remain outside of the museum are included in the general catalogue of The Aviation Department of the Royal Army Museum in Brussels. This catalogue may be purchased in the Museum Shop of the Royal Museum of Armed Forces.
THE AVIATION HALL
A brief presentation of the collection
On the first floor of the Hall de l’Aviation you will find an assembly of balloon nacelles, early pioneer aircraft, aircraft of the 1914-18 war, inter-world war aircraft and light aircraft of the post 1940-45 era.
On the ground floor can be found vintage rescue helicopters and most of the fighter aircraft used by the Belgian Airforce since 1946.
You will also find exhibited different aircraft used by Eastern Bloc countries during the « Cold War « as well as aircraft used by NATO during and after this period.
One part of the ground floor is devoted to the 1940-45 war, and transport aviation.
SABENA is represented by a Caravelle placed on high. The old Belgian airline has its own stand where a jet engine and cockpit of a Boeing 707 are exhibited along with respective uniforms and memorabilia of this era.
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