Marcel Burger - Third time's the charm - Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego

The Polish Aviation Museum is situated a short drive northeast of the city centre of Kraków, on the now decommissioned Kraków-Rakowice-Czyżyny Airport.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire established the airfield in 1912, to serve its adjacent garrison. It became Kraków civilian airport later, until 1963 when it had to gave way to house development run by the Soviets. Airlines relocated to the airport of Kraków-Balice, on the western side of the city. Balice still serves the city as international airport today.

The Polish Aviation Museum was established at Rakowice in 1964. Although it is a static aircraft museum, on a very rare occassion a few small fixed-wing aircraft use a remaining runway. Wear and tear is clearly visible on almost all the many aircraft parked outside, but inside the new hall some aircraft have been nicely restored in shiny and glittery condition.

Below the first five of my photographs taken in the museum, from a visit in September 2021.

The WSK TS-8 Bies, of the series of first all metal aircraft produced in Poland. 229 Bies training aircraft were produced between 1957 and 1960.

The LWD Zuch 2. The plane was one of 5 Zuch 2s produced in Łódź, Poland, and served with flying clubs from 1952 to 1963.

The WSK SM-1, a Russian-designed Mil Mi-1, built in 1957 under license by the Świdnik aviation factory near Lublin, Poland. SP-SAD sports the livery of the Polish Aviation Institute (Instytut Lotnictwa).

The Albatros B.II designed in 1913 by Ernst Heinkel in Germany. The two-seat training and observation bi-plane is almost entirely made of wood. This example in the Polish Aviation Museum ((Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie) has factory number 10019. It was produced in 1919 and flew until 1940. It was restored in 1986, and given the livery of a similar plane that flew in 1920 with the Officers' School of Air Observers in Toruń, Poland.

The Yakovlev (Jakowlew) Yak-17UTI (Yak-17W). Between 1947 and 1949 the USSR factories produced 430 of these jet trainer aircraft.

On the museum grounds outside

Former Belgian Air Force Republic F-84F Thunderstreak from 1952.

The Ilyushin IL-28U training bomber. One of 16 of the type that served with the Polish Air Force. This aircraft with no. 692-16 served with the Polish Naval Aviation operating out of Siemirowice. It came to the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie) in 1979.

The IL-14S VIP transport aircraft, which 36th Special Transport Aviation Regiment. It is one of 80 Soviet-designed Ilyushin IL-14 aircraft built under license in the DDR in 1959. The plane was arrived in the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie) in 1987.

A WSK MD-12F from 1962. This photo reconnaissance aircraft was withdrawn already in 1967, as the type never got beyond the crash of its prototype in 1963.

A WSK Lim-1, an in Poland under licensed built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter jet. At the WSK plant in Mielec a total of 227 of this 1947 Soviet design were built, between 1952 and 1954.

A WSK Lim-1 (foreground) and a WSK MD-12F (background).

One of a dozen Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21US fighter trainers that served with the 11th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Wrocław-Strachowice) and the 62nd Fighter Aviation Regiment (Poznań-Krzesiny) in the 1970s and 1980s. Poland purchased 12 aircraft of the type.

A Sukhoi Su-7BKŁ, of which 30 served with Poland between 1966 and 1972. It was known to be difficult to fly and especially land.

One of 26 Sukhoi Su-20 aircraft that served with the Polish Air Force 7th Bomber and Reconnaisance Aviation Regiment in Powidz, between 1974 and 1997. Poland was the only Warsaw Pact country flying this export version of teh Sukhoi Su-17. Directly behind it with side number 120 is one of 36 MiG-23MF fighter bombers that flew with the Polish Military Aviation between 1979 and 1999.

A WSK Mi-2Ch, a Mil Mi-2 built under license in Poland in 1979. It served as a chemical reconnaissance and smoke screen creator. No. 6048 served with the 56th Combat Helicopter Regiment and in the 3rd Liaison and Transport Aviation Squadron. The Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie) got it 2005.

A Tupolev Tu-134A airliner that served with LOT Polish Airlines from 1973 until 1991.

One of 175 PZL M-15 agricultural aircraft produced in Poland and the USSR between 1973 and 1979. It was very expensive, to build and to operate.

Line up of Mil-designed helicopter that served in the Polish armed forces.

Aero Ae-145 from 1959. Nearly 150 of these aircraft were built in Czechoslovakia between 1951 and 1961. Most were exported, including 11 to Poland. This one with registration SP-LXH made 2,800 flight hours with the Sanitary Aviation Complex in Zielona Góra. It was given to the museum in 1980.

A PZL I-22 Iryda M-93K, an indigenous Polish design. Eight served with the 58th Aviation Training Regiment in Dęblin, between 1992 and 1996, but when it entered service it was already an outdated design. Many problems were reported and after a crash in 1996 that killed both crew the aircraft was withdrawn from service.

PZL-Świdnik Kania with registration number G020 of the Polish Police (Policja).

A Mil Mi-8S VIP transport helicopter from 1973. It served with the 36th Special Transport Aviation Regiment in Warsaw. The Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie) promotes it was on of the helicopters that supported the visit of Polish Pope John Paul II in Poland. It came to the museum in 2009.