The Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr – Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow (''Bundeswehr Museum of Military History – Berlin-Gatow Airfield''; formally known as ''Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr''), is the Berlin branch of the

Bundeswehr Military History Museum The Bundeswehr Military History Museum (german: Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr (MHMBw)) is the military museum of the German Armed Forces, the ''Bundeswehr'', and one of the major military history museums in Germany. It is located in ...

. The museum acts as an independent military department. The museum is in Berlin at a former

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

and

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) a ...

(RAF) airfield,

RAF Gatow Royal Air Force Gatow, or more commonly RAF Gatow, was a British Royal Air Force station (military airbase) in the district of Gatow in south-western Berlin, west of the Havel river, in the borough of Spandau. It was the home for the only kno ...

. The focus is on military history, particularly the history of the post-war

German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as ...

. The museum has a collection of more than 200,000 items, including 155 aeroplanes, 5,000 uniforms and 30,000 books. There are also displays (including aeroplanes) on the history of the airfield when it was used by the RAF. Aircraft include World War I planes such as the Fokker E.III as reproductions, and World War II planes such as the Bf 109, as well as at least one aircraft of every type ever to serve in the air forces of East and West Germany. Most of those postwar aircraft are stored outside on the tarmac and runways, however, and many are in bad condition. There are long term restoration projects, including a Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Because of that the museum is under construction, some exhibits are shortly removed for restoration, repainting or lending to other museums.

History

The museum traces its beginnings to 1957, when a former government official named Helmut Jaeckel started acquiring the personal collections of Wehrmacht soldiers and displaying them at Uetersen Airfield. In 1963 a board of trustees was founded to run the new museum. However, due to financial difficulties, operation of the museum was handed over to the

Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...

in 1987. From 1995 to 1996 the museum was relocated to the former airbase at

Buildings

LUFTWAFFEN MUSEUM RAF GATOW BERLIN GERMANY JUNE 2013 (9040885653).jpg, Tower – exhibitions Flugplatz Gatow Kulturdenkmal 09085643 20160608 105900 Hangar 1.jpg, Hangar 1 – restoration BELL UH 1 HUEY D-HATE OUTSIDE THE LUFTWAFFEN MUSEUM AT RAF GATOW BERLIN JUNE 2013 (9024931228).jpg, Hangar 3 – exhibitions Flugplatz Gatow Kulturdenkmal 09085643 20160608 105251 Hangar 5.jpg, Hangar 5 – depot Flugplatz Gatow Kulturdenkmal 09085643 20160608 104744 Hangar 6.jpg, Hangar 6 – depot Flugplatz Gatow Kulturdenkmal 09085643 20160608 104909 Hangar 7.jpg, Hangar 7 – exhibitions Flugplatz Gatow Kulturdenkmal 09085643 20160608 105014 Hangar 8.jpg, Hangar 8 – depot

Collection

Aeroplanes up to 1945

NATO Aeroplanes

Warsaw Pact Aeroplanes

Helicopters

Unmanned systems

Anti-aircraft and radar systems

Vehicles

Engines

References

External links

''MHM Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow''

''Förderverein des Luftwaffenmuseums der Bundeswehr e.V.''

Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr Berlin-Gatow

Picture gallery

"Arbeitsgruppe historische Luftfahrttechnik Daedalus"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Militarhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow Military and war museums in Germany Aerospace museums in Germany German Air Force Museums in Berlin