The National Aeronautics Museum "Brigadier Edmundo Civati Bernasconi" () is an Argentine museum located in the city of Morón, Buenos Aires. Established in 1960, the museum is dedicated to the history of aviation, in particular the Argentine Air Force.
Its collection includes some unique aircraft, like the Pulqui I and Pulqui II jet prototypes, the Urubú flying wing glider, the I.Ae. 22 DL trainer, and a Latécoère XXV flown by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
History
The museum was created on January 13, 1960, by decree 264/60 of the President of the Republic, its first director and main supporter being Brigadier Edmundo Civatti Bernasconi.
It was initially located at the Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, where the aircraft were displayed in the grounds without protection from the weather. In the 1980s it was proposed to relocate the museum to provide protection to the aircraft, a new facility close to the Ezeiza airport was suggested.
In 2001 the museum was relocated to the Morón Airport and Air Base, site of Argentina's first international airport, where hangars were available to protect most of the collection.
In February 2013, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81 (ex-Austral, LV-WFN) was donated to the museum, for restoration and exhibition. This aircraft is notable for having the highest number of flight hours worldwide for its type (70,444 hours in 60,350 cycles) as of March 2012, when it was retired.
Facilities
The museum is divided in different halls, dedicated to specific themes:
In addition there is a small gift shop.
Collections
Aircraft
Aircraft on display include:
Fixed-wing
- Avro Lincoln B.2 B-004, on display as B-010
- Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan
- Blériot XI
- Boeing 737 LV-WTK, donated by AerolÃÂneas Argentinas
- Bristol Freighter 1A
- Dassault Mirage III versions C, DA (I-002) and EA (I-011)
- de Havilland Beaver
- de Havilland Dove
- DINFIA IA 35b Huanquero A-305
- Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, versions A-4P (C-207) and A-4C (C-322)
- Douglas C-47A-85-DL TA-05, modified as antarctic transport
- Douglas C-54 (cabin)
- English Electric Canberra B Mk.62 B-109, the last one to complete a mission in the Falklands War
- Fairchild 82D LV-FHZ (ex-T-152, msn 66)
- Fairchild Swearingen Metro II (currently under restoration)
- Farman HF.7
- Fiat G.46, post-war military trainer
- Hercules C-130B
- FMA IA 22 DL (c/n 728), trainer built by the Fabrica Militar de Aviones
- FMA IA 27 Pulqui I prototype, the first jet designed and built in Latin America
- FMA IA 33 Pulqui II prototype 5, first swept-wing jet fighter designed and built in Latin America
- FMA IA 41 Urubú, flying wing glider designed by Reimar Horten
- FMA IA 50 GuaranÃÂ II F-31 and LQ-JXY
- FMA IA 53 Mamboretá
- FMA IA 58 Pucará
- FMA IA 63 Pampa EX-03 mock-up
- Focke Wulf FW-44J, biplane trainer
- Fokker F.27-600 T-42
- Gloster Meteor F.4 I-041, ex-EE586
- Grumman HU-16B Albatross
- Hiller UH-12E
- Hughes 369HE
- Israeli Aircraft Industries Dagger
- Junkers Ju 52/3m (WNr.4043)
- Latécoère XXV flown by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry for Aeroposta Argentina
- Max-Holste 1521 Broussard
- Morane-SaulnierÃÂ MS.502
- Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris
- North American F-86F Sabre
- Percival Prentice T.1
- Rockwell Aero Commander 500U
- Vickers Viking 1B T-9
- Wright Flyer replica
Rotary wing
Engines
Other
Other exhibits include:
Gallery
Aircraft displayed
Other objects displayed
See also
References
Notes
Sources
- Ogden, Bob. Aviation Museums and Collections of the Rest of the World. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2008. .
- Rivas, Santiago. "Pioneers & Prototypes: Pulqui, Pulqui II and IA-37/48." International Air Power Review, Issue 25, 2008, pp. 162âÂÂ173. Westport, CT: AIRtime. .
Further reading
- (Article about Pulqui I restoration and history, and when the MNA reopened at Moron)
External links