A few photos of the Royal Thai Air Force Museum, Bangkok

[firth1974 2,659]

I know quite a few people on here have a interest in all things military or aviation related, so after visiting back in September, i thought i would post the photos here for all to see.

Located on the other side of Don Mueang airport(right next door to the military base),entrance is free, you can get up and personell with most planes, and with quite a few you can get in and out of and sit up in the cockpits.

Be careful if taking a taxi here, as just about any taxi driver in the BKK central area will not know where this place is.( even after i showed them the map, which was printed in Thai).

Enjoy.

#

Edited November 21, 2011 by firth1974

[bigmick 840]

Thanks for posting these pictures, its always good to see places of interest outside of Pattaya

Edited November 20, 2011 by bigmick

[bigdelta 46]

That is great-thanks for sharing.I will make that a stop when I get time in BKK.

[joekicker 53]

Very good pictures and thanks so much for this, but .... There's no flooding at all??? That doesn't seem possible "last week", although weirdly enough a friend of mine told me he will try to get his kayak into the place to check it out today (Monday).

 

.

[firth1974 2,659]

Very good pictures and thanks so much for this, but .... There's no flooding at all??? That doesn't seem possible "last week", although weirdly enough a friend of mine told me he will try to get his kayak into the place to check it out today (Monday).

 

.

Sorry, these were taken back in September. Im just copying some of my threads from other boards, so as to add content on Talk.

[joekicker 53]

Thanks. It was just so weird to see "last week".

 

My own update: It is almost certain that the museum and many of the airplanes are severely damaged if not destroyed. It is still flooded and largely inaccessible, and as your photos show, the museum is ground level and so are a lot of the displays. It does not look good.

 

There's more damage assessment to do, but folks are very pessimistic about this very fine little museum.

 

.

[tomcat76 327]

So many Thai aces from the Franco-Thai war? The French were out-gunned in most respects, but still... Interesting. Sad that flooding may have (or has probably?) damaged this.

[Beavers rule 0]

fantastic post.. never new that existed .. a must see for my next trip in may

[samfreeland 64]

interesting place cool pics very similar in condition to the New Zealand air force maybe a bit moderner though.

[glynbuk 29]

Thanks for posting those, very interesting

[9cisco999 107]

Thanks for posting these pictures, its always good to see places of interest outside of Pattaya

 

 

 

I agree wholeheartedly. I always enjoy seeing things besides mongering areas in every country I visit.

[nus01 305]

thanks for the pics, the painting depicting the first air battle in Thai History, who was that between does anyone know

[joekicker 53]

thanks for the pics, the painting depicting the first air battle in Thai History, who was that between does anyone know

 

Do you mean that big mural kind-of thing? It's the 1940 war against Vichy France slash Indochina. I think the mural is ... how can I put this?... for illustration purposes more than historical. There was a bit of nasty battling in the "war" but most of that was at sea. There were like 60 Thai casualties in the whole war.

 

That's when the Victory Monument went up in Bangkok. (Where's a "rolling eyes" icon when you need it?)

 

.

[eltib 54]

If they ever went to war with Vietnam back in the 70s, LOS would have been under communist control, with all those antiquated aircraft. Most of the jet fighters are early USA cold war warriors.

[joekicker 53]

If they ever went to war with Vietnam back in the 70s, LOS would have been under communist control, with all those antiquated aircraft. Most of the jet fighters are early USA cold war warriors.

 

Thailand went to war with Vietnam back in the 1970s.

 

Did you ever stop to think... and then not start again? These are pictures of a MUSEUM!!

 

.

[doolish 14]

Hi,

Agree with you Joe. Also if my memory serves me correctly, the U.S. had to revert to the slower type, older, prop. planes for certain jobs. As their so called "super planes" were to fast for what was required of them, They found these older planes were far better, for what was required. Horses for courses springs to mind. Fast jets, in my mind, are only intercepters, and you only have one shot, if you miss, the time and distance to do a 360 is huge.

Never knew of the place and will give it a call next year. Thanks for the info. very good...

[capdagde 1,954]

Super post and allows those who like history to search further http://en.wikipedia....Franco-Thai_War. Strange how Thailand attacked the weakened (but Axis aligned) Vichy French then signed the Axis treaty (with Japan, Germany et al) and took part in the invasion of Burma against the British - I had always thought it was a passive acceptance of Japanese occupation (River Kwai etc.) - learned a lot today!

 

Many thanks for sharing. Pics might be all that's salvageable if the floods have done their work.

 

Andy Cap

Edited December 28, 2011 by capdagde

[joekicker 53]

Many thanks for sharing. Pics might be all that's salvageable if the floods have done their work.

 

There is VERY good news from the museum, especially given the pessimism of early visitors by kayak (really). I'll try to post a report, but in general most of the stuff survived -- including everything at the small souvenir stand, which is well worth your support. This is a very interesting museum, and I hope this thread stimulates people to get up and go there.

 

.

[firth1974 2,659]

There is VERY good news from the museum, especially given the pessimism of early visitors by kayak (really). I'll try to post a report, but in general most of the stuff survived -- including everything at the small souvenir stand, which is well worth your support. This is a very interesting museum, and I hope this thread stimulates people to get up and go there.

 

.

I agree with you Joe, i hope boardie's on here and other boards can find the time to make the trip out there. I think its worth the travel and taxi ride.

[Inked Narwhal 4]

Thanks for the awesome post. Great pics. Very cool!

[sam007 2]

Great Pictures. Thanks for sharing.

[gunzel3808 113]

Thanks for the photos & they certainly had a very interesting collection, though by now a lot of these would have been badly damaged as most of this area was under at least a metre or more of water! Oh dear.

 

The prop jobs were in big use between the mid 60s till the end of the Vietnam War, operating out of bases in Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani.

 

Skyraiders, T-28s, U-17s, DC3s, Harvards, C-123s,OV-10s, O-1 Bird Dogs, plus the jets - T-105s, F-4s, A-7s, and all the rest of the fleet, some like the B-52s are still earning their keep!

 

Love em all. Anybody interested should read a couple of books by Chris Robbins: The Ravens & Air America.

[maxpower1971 0]

i'll be in Thailand in 2 weeks...would love to visit this place....is it still open????

[firth1974 2,659]

i'll be in Thailand in 2 weeks...would love to visit this place....is it still open????

Yep. Still open about still educating the youth of Thailand. Well it was still open back in September, and I wouldn't of thought anything had changed since then.

[samfreeland 64]

I wonder if its a mustang or a spitfire under the cover. great collection of planes. pic #64.

Edited November 2, 2012 by samfreeland