The biggest part of the collection is housed in the “Leros” hangar, which was built by the Italians in the island of Leros during the mid-war period and was used as a floatplane base until the 2nd World War.
During the mid-war period two of the hangars built in Leros were moved to continental Greece and were finally positioned to Dekeleia and Elefsina.
Those hangars are considered noteworthy monuments in the field of aviation construction technology themselves.
The museum’s T-6G (Harvard, 49-3424) holds a special place among the other exhibits, being the first aircraft in Greece to have been restored by a team of specialists, in order to be presented to the public. Restoration work on this aircraft (serial number 424) commenced on March 1993 and was completed seven months later on October 1993.
Similar works are being carried out on all the museum’s exhibits. After the T-6G (Harvard), works started on the F-86E (Canadair CL-13Mk2), the F-86D and the Η-19Β Sikorsky helicopter, all of which were ready to be included in the static display in 1994. Although the latter two are painted in silver, the F-86E received the impressive blue-white-orange colours of the “Hellenic Flame” aerobatics team, used by the Royal Hellenic Air Force between 1957 and 1964.
In spring 1995, two pieces of great historic value arrived at the HAF museum, namely a Spitfire Μk.ΙΧc and a Helldiver SB2C-5, formerly belonging to the Athens War Museum. Despite the fact that in Greece both of these types operated only after the war, in general they were heavily utilized during the 2nd World War’s operations. The Spitfire has remained in history for its contribution in the Battle of England, while the Helldiver was used as a bomber by the US Navy in the Pacific, during the war’s final months.
The museum’s collection is constantly being enriched, so that most of the types used by the HAF during the 2nd World War are included. Even types that never belonged to the HAF have been obtained, in order to present a more general perspective on the evolution of aviation on an international level. To achieve this goal, the museum is in contact with similar museums abroad, so as to obtain aircraft that never flew to the Greek skies, but hold a special place in the history of aviation. The museum’s polish-built MiG-15 (Lim-2Rbis) and a F-86E(M) of the same period are examples of fruitful negotiations with the Netherlands. In the museum’s hangar, visitors can also admire a F-84G wearing the colours of the first Hellenic aerobatics team, the F-84F that became its successor, a Tiger Moth training biplane and the specially painted F-104Gs named “Tiger” and “Olympos”.
The museum’s collection also includes two HU-16 B Albatross used as S&R and anti-submarine aircraft, as well as a C-47 (Dakota), an F-5A and a RF-5A.
The most recent additions to the collection are the two two-seat TF-102As, one of which has the very rare Case XX wings, and a Cavka glider, which now awaits its turn for restoration. Additional numbers of T-33As found a shelter at the museum, after the type’s withdrawal in 1999.
The museum’s collection includes more than forty aircraft and there is much anticipation that the number will grow significantly.
Moreover, an early Radar 1D of the 50’s, two antiaircraft searchlights of the 2nd World War, auxiliary ground equipment, antiaircraft armament, aircraft engines and armament, communications devices, aviation memorabilia, pilots’ suits, personnel uniforms etc are all parts of the museum’s collection. Almost all light armament used after the 2nd World War by the HAF’s ground forces, together with a rare collection of officers’ riffles and guns, have also been included.
Part of this material, along with emblems, uniforms and historic photographs can be seen in a small exhibition area in the museums’ main hangar.
