The NMM is housed in a stark, rectangular building, with walls of glass sharing the outside environment of the former air base, and a roof which acts as a sunroof, thus protecting the inside from overheating on sunny days, but the roof is also of a construction suitable for dangling heavy aircraft from!
The museum combines two previous seperate museums: Militair Luchtvaart Museum (Kamp van Zeist, and previous to that at Soesterberg AB) and the Royal Dutch Army Museum (in Delft).

Landscaping is still in progress. A taxiway and other ramps have been destroyed and the entire park ('Park Vliegbasis
Soesterberg') will be open through 8 entries for cycling and hiking on designated paths. http://parkvbs.nl/

Considering access to the area comprising Vliegbasis Soesterberg was severely resticted for almost 100 years, it must be a thrilling experience to explore Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg far and wide.
At one time, in the 1970s, I worked at the air base, but most of it was restricted even for military staff. For my part in the RTV Utrecht documentary (links on my Vlb Soesterberg Remembered) I walked on the runway and while no longer in use there is a sense of 'do not belong here' in the back of the mind.

Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg was handed over by the Ministry of Defence to the Province of Utrecht. It concerned an area of some 450 hectares (aprox 1.100 acres) but of which 45 hectares (110 acres) surrounding the museum will remain under ownership of MoD (but will be allowed to be converted to park).
Since 2005 the MoD transferred 53 areas in the Netherlands for non-military use, mainly to serve as some form of 'nature reserve'. The motto was 'Sold due to peace'.

The Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg has initiated nine art productions for the collection 'The Base'.
Two of them were accommodated in the air traffic tower and an existing underground accommodation. In aircraft shelter no.610 the dark and ominous 'Secret Operation 610' was produced by RAAAF and Studio Havermans.
Hope to see it soon.

Well, there we are, inside. Which for me started with an argument and spoiled things somewhat for me!
I carry a modest camera bag, its dimensions suitable for air travel carry-on, but was refused here for entry and I had to put it into a locker. So I was required to stuff my pockets with wallet & phone and take my photos with a single lens. During the walk I needed to return for some medications and when I went outside had to return again to the lockers to change lenses... Not pleased at all.
Do you see how much space there is in between the display items? My entire visit suffered a blemish that did not go away. Also note that mobile phones are useless in large areas of the museum, so make arrangements where to rejoin.

My interest is aviation history and vintage transports such as this DC-3 in particular. This DC-3 was previously
on display at the MLM as 'X-5', a fake registration. See also my 2006 visit to the MLM.
Some history of the DC-3: Douglas C-47A, c/n 20118; its previous identites include: 43-15652 (USAF),
315652/T-AN (Royal Norwegian AF), 315652/BW-N, 315652/BW-T, 68-688 (Royal Danish AF) and K-688 (RDanAF). So this T-443 must be fake again, but its significance..?

This new registration T-443 is cause for confusion. That serial belongs to a different DC-3: c/n 13344. T-443 is also an AURI serial (Angkatan Udara Republik Indonesia, the predecessor of the Indonesian Airforce). This was shortly after Indonesia became independent and while it is ex NEIAF & KLM East Indies, it is doubtful whether c/n 13344 actually ever flew with that tailnumber and the Dutch roundel, like it has been depicted here. And why T-443, for what remarkable historic event? Perhaps 'DT-943' would have been a better option, because that was 13344's NEIAF serial at some point, when it was still owned by the Dutch goverment, and perhaps it even flew with those roundels? Thanks to Aad van der Voet (OldWings.nl) for providing me with these details. DUTCH MILITARY SERIALS EXPLAINED And here is an interesting website for research of Dutch (Netherlands East Indies - NEI) WW2 aircraft such as L-12, B-25, Do-24 and Brewster Buffalo (plus other types of aircraft), by Jos Heyman: www.adf-serials.com.au/research/nei.htm

 

A 2011 revisit to the MLM saw this Lockheed 12-26 Electra Junior (c/n 1306) L2-38 in restoration (MLM 2006) and here it is seen 'flying out' again. (History: L2-38, PJ-AKD, BX238, T-2, SE-BXR, OH-ETA, LB-BFS, OY-AOV).
It might have been nicer to have it at a more convenient angle to the dining public or people below, though.

North American B-25J M-464 (C/N 108-37333).
Former identities: 44-31258, N5-264 (Netherlands), N5-264 (Australia), M-464 (Netherlands), M-464 (Indonesia).

Farman HF-20 - the one on loan from NAM has been returned and this is a newly built one (Thks info, Roger Soupart)

Fokker D.VII '266' (c/n 2523). Ex/ 436/18, N6268, N4729V - on loan from FHT (From: Ogden's Aviation Museums)
Roger Soupart informed me that this Fokker D.VII was bought from the FHT and thus is now owned by the NMM.

deHavilland DH.82A Tiger Moth A-10 (c/n 86587). Ex/ PG690, A-10, PH-UFC (From: Ogden's Aviation Museums)

Koolhoven FK.51 (replica) 429

The Tiger Moth in pursuit of the Koolhoven FK.51

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc (replica), MJ881 / 3W-B
Eddie Tao recommended this (Dutch) website for Spitfires in the Nether;ands (Holland):
www.strijdbewijs.nl/birds/spitfire/dutch1.htm

North American P-51K Mustang 'H-307' (c/n 111-30258).
Ex/ 44-12125, composite with parts from a P-51D (from: Ogden's)

Looming in the back: Dornier-24 (Do-24T-3, c/n 5342).
Former identities: EC-DAF, 65-6 (Spain), N99225, HR.5-1 - on loan from RAF Museum. (Source: Ogden's)

Brewster B.339C Buffalo 'B-3107' (fake markings)

A few aircraft I found distinctly missing from the ones on display: DHC-2 Beaver, DH-89 Dominie,
Fokker G.1A, Noorduyn UT-8 Harvard, Grumman Tracker plus a number of jet fighters.
I missed the Fokker D.XXI, which I was told (thanks Roger!) lurks in a somewhat dimly lit area on the 1st floor.

 

Curtiss P-6 Hawk C.319, carries titles 'Wolff' and 'Menangkat'. Also 'Aviolanda' (Aviolanda-built?)
Information WIKIPEDIA and www.avianet.eu/ (Dutch).

Supermarine Spitfire H-1 (CBAF-IX-907), ex/ MJ143, flying alongside a V-1, perhaps illustrating
that manoeuvre where with nudging it with the wingtip could steer it off course to a
less harmful point of impact. (en.wikipedia.org - V-1_flying_bomb and variants)

 

Gloster Meteor F.4 I-69, (ex/ VZ409)

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak P-226 in pursuit of Hawker Hunter P.1067 N-144.
When my interest in military aviation started the Hawker Hunter had already been phased out, but Thunderstreaks
and Thunderflashes still operated (from Eindhoven AB, I recall).

The Lockheed Starfighter in a daring manoeuvre, chasing the Canadair NF-5A Freedom Fighter.

NF-5A K-3020

When I started my photography at Soesterberg AB, the Convair F-102A Dagger had been replaced by the
McDonnell F-4 Phantom II (photos on my Soesterberg AB Remembered page). Which was replaced by the F-15.

Dangling from the ceiling Sud-Est Allouette III H-20 (of which still a few are operational), the Bölkow BO-105
helicopter (B-37) and the Hiller H-23C Raven O-36. The Sikorsky S-58 is seen on groundlevel, below left.
But where is the Agusta-Bell 204B?

Interpretive area.

In its opening weekend, 13+14Dec2014, it reported 10.000 visitors. It had a free entrance that weekend.
Note that the F.27 Troopship has been put in camouflage, compare it to 2006, when C-10 was displayed in
the colours in which it demonstrated at many air shows.

The Breguet 1150 Atlantic ELINT 'V-250' (c/n 60, ex/ 61+20) and the Lockheed SP-2H Neptune 201 (726-7241).
Wonder where the PBY-5A Catalina 16-212 is or went to?

Convair F-102A Delta Dagger '61032' (ex/ 56-1052, 61052 Greece AF). Plenty of space to park some more!

Republic F-86F Sabre '52-5385'; ex/ 52-5180, 5307 (Portugal) - on loan from NASM (USA)
This area in front of the museum will hopefully see more aircraft on display in the future,
as the museum owns a lot more airframes.

For a split second we enjoyed a little bit of sunshine

A walk towards the 'hangars', perhaps more aircaft in store there and open for a visit in the future?
This website www.planespotting.nl has an excellent round up on what was on display at MLM.
Meanwhile, we have a look at these airframes, still their 'transport configuration'.

In the distance a few 'hardened shelters'; some of them have been given quite a different use, now part of the
'Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg'. They offer art displays but one is also in use for housing... sheep!

North American F-86 Sabre, Q-283 (ex/ 54-1283)

Lockheed F-104G D-8245 'Dusty II'

Soesterberg AB was where I spent my enlisted time, 1975-1977, working as an assistent photographer.
Those days are too far gone for me to remember the use for that building, but perhaps meaningful to others.

EMAIL

---