Royal Thai Air Force Museum

Grumman F8F Bearcat at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum

Overview

The Royal Thai Air Force Museum is located in Don Mueang District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is located on the Phahonyothin road just to the south of Wing 6 of the domestic terminal of the Don Mueang Airport. The museum is open daily from 09:00 to 16:00 every day, except special holidays.

The museum was established in 1952 to collect, preserve and restore different airplanes and other aviation equipment used by the Royal Thai Air Force. In addition to one F11C and other rare aircraft,[1] the museum's collection also includes one of only 2 surviving Japanese Tachikawa Ki-36 trainers, the last surviving Vought O2U Corsair, one of 3 surviving Curtiss BF2C Goshawks, a Spitfire and several Nieuports and Breguets.[2]

The museum provides details of Thailand's role in World War II. Imperial Japanese forces landed in southern Thailand on 8 December 1941 and after a skirmish of several hours Thai forces were ordered to cease fighting the Japanese. Thailand declared war on Britain and it is said also on the United States in January 1942 and remained a Japanese ally until the Japanese surrender in August 1945. The museum contains several paintings of Thai fighter aircraft intercepting US B-29s, P-38s and P-51s.

Pro-Japanese, anti British poster at the museum

Aircraft on display

the last remaining example in the world
as this type was never operated by the RTAF it is presumably a Vietnam Air Force plane flown to Thailand in 1975 during the collapse of South Vietnam
one of 2 remaining in the world
the last remaining example in the world

See also

References

  1. ↑ Boyne, Walter J. (2001). The Best of Wings Magazine. Brassey's. p. 41. ISBN 1574883682.
  2. ↑ Cummings, Joe; China Williams. Bangkok. Lonely Planet. p. 98. ISBN 1740594606.

External links

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Coordinates: 13°55′11″N 100°37′20″E / 13.919832°N 100.622256°E / 13.919832; 100.622256

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