Museo Del Aire, Madrid, Spain

[Dennis Bergstrom]

I would like current information about Museo Del Aire in Madrid. I thought that I had heard fairly recently that the collection was moved to a different facility. Is it still at Cuatro Vientos? I have searched some on Google but the initial sites that come up seem to be fan photo sites. Their current website address would help. Will be in Madrid in two weeks and would like to visit there.

Thanks for any assistance! Dennis

[JDK]

Hi Dennis,
Nice to hear from you! I've no information that the museum's moved or closed, and here's the website: http://www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es/ea/pa ... 6C0023390D
(Like many other air force museums, it's part of the air force (of Spain, in this case) and it's web presence.

It notably has a page of activities in the museum in 2012 - so there's stuff going on!

Directions:
http://www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es/ea/pa ... 6C0026797F

Quatros Vientos is still well worth a visit anyway for the Fundación Infante de Orleans, a flying vintage and warbird aircraft collection at the other side of the airfield.

http://fio.es/inicio.html

Have a great time!

Regards,

[clipper]

Hi Dennis and JDK... ref the question of the madrid air museum, still at Quatrovientos, yes its still there as of 2011, and my son and I did gettherevia the train and bus, so its quite a ride to get there, but worth it. We make it a point to see if any place we visit has an air museum, so we have been lucky that almost every place has one ormore. I am newto this site andjust signed in whoile I was looking for info about the 1969 war between El Salvador andHonduras, where it was like WW2 flyingwith Mustangs and corsairs. Iworked there for panam for 5 years, and I worked forpanam for 30 years, as an Operations manager, and later in Headquarters at JFKairport. So,Iwill see if anyone will notice thisnote first and possible Iwill be able to trade info pon any subjects that interest me. I liveinLong island NY, and with Panam I worked at some 10 differetn airports,butI was permanent forst at McGuire ABF, then anchorage, then SanSalvador, then JFK, but in the meantine, I did lotsof temp assignments like Frankfurt, Aruba, curacao, NewOrleans, Merida, dover AFB, etc. As for Salvdor, I was therefrom 1965 to 1970, and I was follwoing that war from the time we had some idea of the problem, andI was sending coded messages to NY HQ warning them of possibleattack on Hinduras which we did. I casually knew Archie Baococchi who had the P51 there, and when what I hears is that the AF took his plane over. He hardly everflew it anyway haha. Anyway, I have a;lways beeninterested in aviation, spent 3 years in the 2nd Marineair wing at cherry Pt as a Radar operator in a squadron where we controlled the planes and did bombing with a 40 mile range radar system. We have a few good air museums here in NY on the island, but we have beento many in Europe andalso insouth American too, so lets see if anyone will write here and maybe make a connection with other airplane crazy guys like me andmy son who works for USair and 17 years in airlinestoo. Ragards Paul

[clipper]

Hi Dennis Since u are interestedin air museums, and I am not too familiar with this site yet, I am going to try to send a website I have that if it works here, it will show many air museums and u just click onto them and all the pictures they have will appear. I believe the sender is from Albania. http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www. ... mYs15v1NhQ Well, I hope it works ok. I wud like to add it to the page where all the museums are llisted, but someomne will have to do that for me if they want to transfer it to that list. Let meknow if u can open this ok too, Tks Paul 8/22/12

[Dave Smith]

Hi Dennis, it was certainly open last month and showed no signs of moving in a hurry! The restoration hangar is not open to the public but we got a peek through a side door and saw the Dornier 24 flying boat and a few smaller aircraft. It may be possible to email the museum in advance and ask for access to that hangar. The museum has a fantastic collection.
As for getting there, there are two methods - Metro blue line to Principe Pio and then a bus, but note that the bus station next to the Metro is underground. This is not obvious! The other way - which we chose this time - is Metro blue line to Cuatro Vientos then from the station using the subway under the motorway to a dusty path. This is safely separated from the traffic! In the distance you will see a water tower which is right next to the museum. It took us about 20 mins to walk it. If you take the bus route (I know Americans hate walking ) the bus stop is next to a bridge over the motorway. The bridge accesses the museum approach road and is a good landmark for knowing where to get off the bus.
Have a great time!

[jaldo]

The museum is called "Museo de Aeronautica y Astronautica". Here are some pictures taken this year:























Photos:Jack Beall

[clipper]

jaldo Some Great pictures. The first place we look for during a trip is whether there is an air museum, then we can get to the regular tourist sites....Tks paul

[clipper]

jaldo I just saw the pix of the Corsair in Teguc, Honduras, so just wondered when you were in that part of the world and did u get to Salvador too. maybe u saw my story of that War there as i worked there for 5 years. Paul

[Dennis Bergstrom]

Thanks JDK for the website link and other information!
Thank you Clipper for your recent info about the museum and the suggestions about finding air museums. Welcome to WIX!! I plan most of our vacations around warbirds and my wife willingly goes along.
Thanks to Dave Smith for clear directions to the museum and the tips about the Metro and bus. My wife and I prefer to walk when that's an option but it will depend on how hot it is in Madrid during our visit.

And thanks to jaldo for the pictures. I can't wait to visit there!

WIX is the place to be for timely warbird information!

Dennis

[clipper]

Attn Dennis......just a quick note. before u go to the madrid air museum, check the days they are open as lots of museums are closed on Mondays, also dont go on Sunday either, but check the times, We went on Sunday, and in early afternoon, maybe about 2PM they were kicking us out!!!!!,. so we had to rush to get to see all of it. As for the heat there, it may be 100, but low humidity, so its not bad going around Madrid at all, you willnot sweat!!!! Its a great city and have been there twice and took many side trips lile Toledo, Avila, Segovia , but did not get to Salamanca.
Spenttime in Seville and Corboba too. Good luck Paul(clipper)

[Dave Smith]

I was about to post a warning about the opening times when Paul beat me to it. The hours are 10am-2pm, closed Monday. Entry is free but you are supposed to take your passport. We did but nobody asked to see them! I agree about the low humidity. it's a semi-desert climate there in the summer.

[JDK]

Good point re- closing! First time I was there I got booted out at 1:30; I think the (armed) guard wanted his siesta early.

I returned another day...

[Mike]

Hi Dennis,

I think it is the FIO collection that is due to move (if it hasn't already), to Sabadell IIRC.

[JDK]

Good point Mike, that would explain the initial query as their move has been long telegraphed - but by reading the online notes, I don't think they have yet. I've given Dennis contact details (as well as the link above) as well, anyway.

Regards,

[clipper]

Since you all seem interested in museums, I was going to start a new topic about the Paris Air Show, but I will just add here. I have not been back to the Paris show since 2005 and 2007 when the A380 showed there, but as u all know, there is a great museum at LeBourget too. Since the museum is mobbed during the air show days, what we did the last 2 times there, is to go back to LeBourget the next day after the 3 days, go to the museum with no crowd, and we even had the hangar with the 2 Concords all to ourselves, plus the other buildings with the fighters. There are usually still some left over planes around, so u can get better shots with nobody in your way. We usually stay at a hotel about 2 train stops past the airport, there is a park of Expositions there, and two cheap hotels and a more expensive one across the street, the train is rite there, but prob is only few restaurants nearby. Its a nice park with lots of company corp offices, but u can get food at the hotels too.the train is just across the street from the hotels, . One other time we stayed at a hotel closer to the airport, but it was not a good neighborhood , not safe where they had riots a few years ago. I wiud like to get to the next show in 2013 if possible, Regards Clipper paul ps see my one site where u can just click and see museums from around the world and USA. There are great museums in Santiago, chile, and Montevideo, URg. , and Buenos Aires, ARG. if heading south. (Too bad I dont know how to put pictures into internet)!!!!!Our last one was in Bucharest, Aug 2011, not great but ok!!!! Gatow in Berlin is great but far outside city and rough getting there by train and bus!!!(unless u have a car)