A few weeks ago it was announced that the Aviodrome museum in Lelystad had to file for bankruptcy. During the bankruptcy proceedings the museum was to remain open as several parties were lined up with interest to take over the museum. Yesterday it was announced that the last suitor had failed to arrange financing. Following that it was decided to close the museum as of saturday the 24th. So today was the last day to visit the museum in it´s current state.
What the future will bring is not yet known. But preparations are being made to put the museum up for auction. An inventory is being made by the people that have not already been made redundant. If no party comes up to take over the museum as a whole, then roughly three months from now the museum collection and buildings will be sold.
Already KLM has expressed an interest to take over the DC-2 “Uiver” (NC39165 / PH-AJU). Some items in the museum are owned by third parties and won’t be sold. For instance two DC-3s normally found at the Aviodrome grounds are owned by the Dutch Dakota Association (PH-PBA, PH-DDZ). The F.27 prototype (PH-NVF) belongs to the Fokker Friendship Association, not the Aviodrome as many seem to think. The Fokker Heritage Trust owns the F.50 protoype that acts as a gateguard as well as a original Fokker Spin and I believe also the Fokker C.V.
The list with planes owned by the Aviodrome, and as such at risk of sale, is impressive. It includes the Constellation (N749NL, pictured below), an original Fokker F.VII (H-NADP, pictured below), the crashed remains of a Fokker F.VIII (tube frame), a full-scale replica of a Fokker F.II (H-NABC, pictured below) and a Fokker F100 (PH-OFA). As well as the DC-2 mentioned earlier there is another DC-2 hulk that would need mayor work to get into display condition. Other planes include a Wright Flyer replica and a Fokker Spin replica. The B747 (PH-BUK) was sold to the Aviodrome, if it is sold it will likely be for scrap since moving the plane would cost an arm and a leg. Moving it to Lelystad already cost between 400.000 and 600.000 and that was with a lot of volunteers.
The Koolhoven plane pictured below was sold earlier this year to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The plane will be moved there once the renovation and expansion works to the Rijksmuseum are done. I’ve read an unconfirmed report that the Fokker D.VII replica project was sold to the “Vriendenkring Aviodrome”.
I´ve included some military planes, I ask for your indulgence.
Sold to the Rijksmuseum.
Former Transavia SE.210 Caravelle cockpit. Only the cockpit section has been preserved.
Former KLM B747-206BM(SUD) cockpit.
By: tenthije - 31st December 2011 at 19:31
That sounds a little more optimistic! Not so positive is the presence of the PPV in your coalition government, but then as I’m not a Dutch citizen, it could be rightly argued that its none of my business.
You’re right it ain’t any of your business. :p You’re even more right that the presence of the PVV in the coalition is… regretable. But they did get a large share of votes, so as much as it pains me to say so, they got in deservedly.
Please keep us posted on the rescue plan. Thanks.
Will do. Also keep an eye on the Aviodrome thread at the historic forum.
By: MSR777 - 31st December 2011 at 19:17
That sounds a little more optimistic! Not so positive is the presence of the PPV in your coalition government, but then as I’m not a Dutch citizen, it could be rightly argued that its none of my business. Please keep us posted on the rescue plan. Thanks.
By: tenthije - 31st December 2011 at 17:37
I’m so sad to hear this news. Is there any chance that it can be saved as a going concern? Collections such as these need to be kept together. It would be nice to think that KLM and perhaps the Dutch Government could be involved in a rescue, but I guess that’s wishful thinking on my part.
Apparantly KLM has expressed an interest in the DC-2, but nothing else. You have to bear in mind that both KLM and Schiphol Group have been sponsoring the Aviodrome quite heavily over the years. Indeed a large part of the Aviodrome’s senior management consists of former KLM managers. But with the general downturn they can’t go on sponsoring forever.
Don’t expect anything from the national government. At the moment there is a coalition government that kind a sort a (ain’t gonna explain) contains the PVV. They are a right-wing populist party. They have made cutting money from “development aid”, “culture” and anything deemed “left-wing hobbies” (their literal words) a big taboo. As long as they are in the coalition you don’t need to expect much from the national government. The local and regional government already have a lot of money in the Aviodrome. It looks like this will continue, even if only to preserve their current investments.
it ain’t all bad though!
The regional broadcaster Omroep Flevoland reported yesterday on the radio broadcast (link) that a collective has been set up with the primary aim to save the collection of planes, objects and documents.
This group consists of amongst others the VSB Fund, Mondriaan Foundation, Vriendenkring Aviodrome (the Aviodrome’s volunteer organisation), the Royal Netherlands Society for Aviation, the borough of Lelystad and various wealthy individuals.
The secondary aim of this group is to enable a restart of the Aviodrome taken over by the Libéma group (the group whose deal fell through two weeks ago due to financing). They would then manage the museum, but the currently Aviodrome owned collection would fall under ownership of the collective mentioned earlier.
The third aim of the group is to start a public rally to raise money nationwide through various donations. Similar to how the Aviodrome managed to get the money for the DC-2, L749, B747 etc.
The collective and Libéma has around six weeks time to get it all sorted. The auction could be organised as of mid February.
By: MSR777 - 31st December 2011 at 16:31
I’m so sad to hear this news. Is there any chance that it can be saved as a going concern? Collections such as these need to be kept together. It would be nice to think that KLM and perhaps the Dutch Government could be involved in a rescue, but I guess that’s wishful thinking on my part. I was involved with the Duxford museum for around 10 years, on the restoration and upkeep of the Monarch Bristol Britannia that is on display there. I know how we volunteers would have felt had we found ourselves in the same circumstances as the poor folk at Lelystad. I sincerely hope that a solution can be found in this matter.
By: EGTC - 23rd December 2011 at 23:36
What ashame. So sorry to hear of their unfortunate circumstances and outcome. 🙁
Lovely pics though.
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December 23, 2011 at 9:16 pm