AVIODROME - Fly in: Liberation edition, 17MAY2025

This event took place under a bit of a 'false flag'... There were no WW2 jeep or -trucks, no re-enactors that could be
seen as a WW2 Liberation Event! There were two plane visitors that graced the ramp, see above, that saved the day.
But that Lockheed L.10 in the background announced its attendance only the day before!
Still, there were roaring engines and displays, so not all bad.

I was just in time, walking in when this Boomerang parked itself on the ramp. The Lockheed L.10 was already there.
Though I have 13 reports of visits to the Aviodrome on my website, others were tipped off on the visit of the Lockheed
Electra, nobody of the Aviodrome thought to put me in the picture. Not nice, rather disappointing not to be appreciated

I was told this was the first time a Boomerang has appeared in The Netherlands. Owned by a Dutchman by the callsign
'Boomer', it is based at Antwerp (EBAW). It is a compound aircraft consisting of various Boomerang and T-6 parts.
The original A46-139 had as its c/n 962. ¬www.airhistory.net/marks-all/NX32CS

This aircraft NX32CS has the core of a real Boomerang, but modified AT-6 wings and an AT-6 rear fuselage.
Allegedly the latter is cleary too long. Note the Donald Duck artwork, 'PHOOEY'.

The CAC Boomerang is a fighter aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation between 1942 and 1945. Approved for production shortly following the Empire of Japan's entry into the Second World War, the Boomerang was rapidly designed as to meet the urgent demands for fighter aircraft to equip the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It was the first combat aircraft designed and constructed in Australia. ¬ en.wikipedia.org:_CAC_Boomerang

The stubby single-seat fighter acts as testimony to the Australian contribution to victory in the Second World War. Dutch warbird collector and pilot Remko Sijben has displayed his Commonwealth CA-13 Boomerang since May 2015, when its first official public presentation occurred during an open day at Antwerp-Deurne airport. Since then, this charismatic machine has added much to a warbird scene traditionally dominated by types with connections to the European theatre. In reality, the aircraft is a replica, constructed by Sanders Aeronautics in Ione, California towards the end of the 1980s. It used some original Boomerang parts added to the wings and rear fuselage from a T-6 Texan, this in part reflecting how the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation came up with its ‘ emergency fighter’; it was based on the Wirraway trainer, itself derived from North American’ NA-16, a precursor to the T-6. Externally, apart from being slightly longer than the original, the aircraft looks very accurate. The major differences concern the internal structure, in particular the all-metal rear section. (From: www.key.aero/ - /warbirds-boom-and-zoom)

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@Genk-Zwartberg Airport (EBZW), that's where this beautifully aircraft is basd, the N14999 Lockheed 12A Electra Junior.
In 2017, the Belgian Luc Hellings became the owner of this beautiful vintage plane. In April 2018, he flew the Lockheed
over to Belgium. Since then, it has been ibased in Genk-Zwartberg.

This Lockheed Electra Junior rolled out of the Lockheed factory on 08Dec1938, and has c/n1252. It flew for the Continental Oil Company until 1950. Afterwards, the aircraft had several owners and was used as a business aircraft. There was even a period when parachutists were dropped with it!

In 1989, the N14999 was completely restored by the then owner Pat Donovan. This owner moved to New Zealand and took the aircraft 'down under' between 2003 and 2010. In 2017, the Belgian Luc Hellings became the owner of this beautiful plane. In April 2018, he flew the Lockheed over to Belgium. Since then, it has been in a nice hangar in Genk Zwartberg. The Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior, more commonly known as the Lockheed 12 or L-12, is an eight-seat, six-passenger all-metal twin-engine transport aircraft of the late 1930s designed for use by small airlines, companies, and wealthy private individuals. A smaller version of the Lockheed Model 10 Electra, the Lockheed 12 was not popular as an airliner but was widely used as a corporate and government transport. Several were also used for testing new aviation technologies. ¬en.wikipedia.org:_Lockheed_Model_12_Electra_Junior In 1937, during an attempt to become the first woman to complete a circumnavigational flight of the globe, flying a Lockheed Model 10-E Electra airplane, Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared near Howland Island in the central Pacific Ocean. The two were last seen in Lae, New Guinea, their last land stop before Howland Island, a very small location where they were intending to refuel. It is generally believed that they ran out of fuel before they found Howland Island and crashed into the ocean near their destination.

There were few others for this Fly-In, allegedly the robust crosswind at the single runway here at Lelystad was to blame.

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I came across this work of art, dedicated to the founder and long-time CEO of
Martinair Holland. Many years I walked past this work of art entering the buidling
of Martinair where I worked. Seemy page on MARTINAIR.

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Briefing before the displays in front of the T-2 Hangar

Commentary by Erling Brom, a man with the 'gift of the gab', his eloquence rarely stops on days like this!

First public display of this Wright R-3350 radial engine (similar to the Lockheed Neptune engines in the grounds).

The 18 cylinders music, a mechanical symphony, to many ears here gathered.

On to the demo of the Grumman Tracker, the first time I witnessed it.

No.1 starts with a puff of smoke

Demo of its ability to fold its wings, needed for accommodation on an aircraft carrier

Note the large searchlight on the right wing; they've recently made it able to move it left and right.

The searchlight was handy for night operations, over water tracking submarines or perhaps landing on a carrier deck..?

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Not part of the Aviodrome event, but I was able to capture two brief moments of P-51D Mustang 44-74923 'Trusty Rusty'.

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A brief glimpse inside the T-2 Hangar, for maintenance & restorations

It had been a while since I had been inside the museum, I noticed there were a number of changes, including more vintage cars.

"World's longest air line"..?

Famous KLM aviator & pioneer!

Ivan Vasilyevich Smirnov, or Iwan Smirnoff (b.30Jan1895 – d.28Oct1956), was a Russian World War I flying ace and naturalized Dutch aviator who pioneered the Europe to South East Asia routes. He was born to a poor peasant family, but through courage and good fortune managed to become an officer in the Imperial Russian Air Service. After surviving extremely dangerous infantry combat, he trained as a pilot, and was subsequently credited with 11 aerial victories during World War I. When the October Revolution ended his participation in the war, he deserted and became an itinerant pilot. He served short spells in the Royal Air Force, the Volunteer Army of Anton Denikin, Handley Page and SNETA. The Russian emigrant subsequently piloted for KLM for the next 25 years, pioneering air routes to the Dutch East Indies in the process. In December 1941, Smirnov returned to military flying during the frenzied air evacuation of Dutch nationals. After the Dutch East Indies were overrun by the Japanese, he joined the U.S. Air Transport Command. Despite official attempts to ground the aged and oft wounded pilot, he served through the war's end. He then returned to KLM. After the inevitable grounding (after 30,000+ flying hours), he continued with the company as its chief advisor. ¬ Wikipedia:_Ivan_Smirnov_(aviator)

Unsecured seating in the early aeroplanes

More cars have been included in the displays. I like that.

WW2

I think the museum could do with more captions in English

The Lockheed Constellation, it flew to The Netherlands but it could not be kept airworthy alas.

Started as 'Martin's Air Charter' it evolved to Martinair and 'Martinair Holland'

The kids may be quickly bored by aviation history but if they can also can
run & climb the families stay longer and spend more, meant for the entire family.