December 18, 2009 at 11:28 am
I know that few people have limted interest in gliders. But how do you feel about gliders in museums. In Germany and the USA they do have glider museums. I dont think that a glider museum would last long in the UK. But a few museums have gliders. Shuttleworth have started to get a few to fly, the Scud 11 and EoN primary. Old gliders can be fun, the cost of restoring them can cost more than they are worth. I would rather see them flying, but if they are in museums the next generation can see them.
Dave
By: WB981 - 22nd December 2009 at 21:59
The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum at Flixton has five gliders on display. A link to some photos below:
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1062705
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1062706
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1062710
By: WB981 - 22nd December 2009 at 21:47
Taken at Alleberg, Sweden in May 09. The Museum’s 25th year.
By: WB981 - 22nd December 2009 at 21:30
Here are some photos from the excellent Flugmuseum Aviacticum at Weiner-Neustadt.
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th December 2009 at 13:08
Sinsheim
Here are some from the Auto und Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Germany, taken back in 1987.



By: Arabella-Cox - 20th December 2009 at 11:27
A while since I visited the collection at Stauning but recollect there were a number of gliders included in the Museum there. Excellent collection of light a/c too………
Planemike
By: GliderSpit - 20th December 2009 at 10:42
Here are some pictures.
Aviodrome Lelystad:


Flugwerft Schleissheim:


Brussels Air Museum:


By: Flanker_man - 19th December 2009 at 19:50
The Russian AF museum at Monino has some vintage gliders hanging from the rafters………

…including this ‘Discoplan’…….

Ken
By: dh83 - 19th December 2009 at 14:12
Glider collection
in Austria a nice collection with Sammlung Hofer at Wiener-Neustadt and the Scardinger Flieger Union at Scharding-Suben airfield
also the collection with Segelflug und Modelbau Club Kirchdorf
dh83
By: avion ancien - 19th December 2009 at 10:20
Here’s one for you taken last fall. The aircraft indeed suffered a severe accident (pilots ok) in June 1995 effectively writing off the one-off T.21C. Nose destroyed forward of the main bulkhead, one wing destroyed outwards of the strut (this wing also had the drag spar and wing attachments torn out of it) and various smaller damages to the other wing and aft fuselage. Reason was the canopy accidently opened on winch launch, the aircraft was unable to return to the field due to drag issues (big canopy!) and it hit a dune during flare off-field.
It has been lovingly been restored at Hilversum (Netherlands) by a group of dedicated owners from 1997-2009. It was registered again last November. Lovely aircraft, superb craftmanship!
Many thanks for that. I’m glad that she’s up and active again. That’s a much gayer colour scheme than in the days from which I remember her. Red all over if my memory serves me well.
By: RPSmith - 19th December 2009 at 09:54
I thought the subject was gliders, everything mentioned so far would class as a sailplane :rolleyes:
As for a museum full of gliders proper, there is one in the UK, the Museum of Army Flying, Middle Wallop (Hadrian, Horsa, Hotspur, Hamilcar and Kite).
And nobody has mentioned yet The Assault Glider Trust at RAF Shawbury with Airspeed Horsa and Waco Hadrian.
Roger Smith.
By: bazv - 19th December 2009 at 09:41
On a trip to the states in ’94 we visited The Wings of History Museum at San Martin (just south of san Jose on the 101)
Baby Bowlus (tiny a/c…lady gives scale)

Bowlus Super Albatross

Volmer VJ21 motor glider

Hope you will excuse 2 pics with fans on…they were exquisite a/c
Waco 10… OX5 engine

1928 American Eagle

By: airart - 19th December 2009 at 06:54
Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica, Milan
A very interesting glider is preserved in this museum, also know as the Leonardo da Vinci museum. The Caproni C.A.T. TM.2 was first flown in the spring of 1943 but was extensively damaged during trials. Was rebuilt but never went into production.
Quite novative in the design was the inclusion of four large lateral doors, two on each side, that virtually opened most of the fuselage sides for quick loading and unloading. Payload was estimated at 4,400lb.
Only WWII shots I have ever found below. Should have pics I took at the museum but need to dig these up as they were taken in 1978.
By: ericmunk - 19th December 2009 at 06:38
Here’s one for you taken last fall. The aircraft indeed suffered a severe accident (pilots ok) in June 1995 effectively writing off the one-off T.21C. Nose destroyed forward of the main bulkhead, one wing destroyed outwards of the strut (this wing also had the drag spar and wing attachments torn out of it) and various smaller damages to the other wing and aft fuselage. Reason was the canopy accidently opened on winch launch, the aircraft was unable to return to the field due to drag issues (big canopy!) and it hit a dune during flare off-field.
It has been lovingly been restored at Hilversum (Netherlands) by a group of dedicated owners from 1997-2009. It was registered again last November. Lovely aircraft, superb craftmanship!
By: avion ancien - 19th December 2009 at 00:15
So has anyone got any images of the T.21C in which I learnt to fly at Keevil in the 1970s? She was a bit of a barge but I preferred her to the Bocian or any of the other two seaters I flew subsequently. I understand that she went to Belgium or Holland; had a bit of a prang there; and is under restoration at present. I photographed the Auster 6a tugs that the Bath & Wilts GC had there then but not any of the club gliders (oops, sorry – sailplanes).
By: Niallpatty - 18th December 2009 at 23:56
Olympia glider at RAF Millom
Here is a pic of our Olympia glider. I had a go in a K21 at Walney (Barrow in Furness) a couple of months ago. It was the most fun I have ever had flying. Been flying powered for 6 years.
By: WB981 - 18th December 2009 at 21:23
Some photos of T.31 XA310
By: Arabella-Cox - 18th December 2009 at 21:20
I thought the subject was gliders, everything mentioned so far would class as a sailplane :rolleyes:
As for a museum full of gliders proper, there is one in the UK, the Museum of Army Flying, Middle Wallop (Hadrian, Horsa, Hotspur, Hamilcar and Kite).
By: WJ244 - 18th December 2009 at 19:14
I think the problem in the UK is that the public understand gliders even less than they understand powered aircraft. I have often heard the remark “Oh that’s only a glider” implying that because it has no engine it is entirely useless and completely incapable of being used to travel anywhere.
While Gliders are in general used simply for sport flying the public do seem completely unaware of how far it is possible for them to travel in the right conditions.
There are some very beautiful vintage gliders out there and some not so beautiful ones that have still made a big contribution to aviation and I really enjoy vintage and modern gliding displays on the rare occassions that they appear at airshows but I don’t believe that a museum dedicated solely to gliding would be successful in the UK simply because the public have no real understanding of the contribution they have made to aviation over the years and most just don’t understand how they manage to stay up in the air without an engine.
By: G-ASEA - 18th December 2009 at 19:12
I saw some very nice vintage gliders in the USA this year, including a very nice Bowlus Albatross SP-1 replica in the San Diego Aerospace museum. But i dont now how to down load the photos from my camera yet. Also the Horton Ho1Va in the Planes of Fame museum. We do have a hook that came of it when it was at Farnborough.
At the moment my family have a Slingsby Kite prototype, Grunau Baby 11b and the Hawkridge nacelled Dagling.
Dave
By: WB981 - 18th December 2009 at 18:43
I went to Alleberg in May this year and found the collection to be fantastic.
There are gliders on display in museums all over europe. I think gliders will become more popular in UK museums now that gliders are allocated UK civil marks unless they are EASA annex A machines.
I currently own 19 vintage gliders at Keevil in Wilts including the 3 ex ATC gliders in the photo that forms the Vintage Glider Club website home page.