Marcel Burger - Third time's the charm - National Military Museum of the Netherlands

A Multiple-Launch Rocket Artillery System at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Located on a former air base with a rich history, the National Military Museum of the Netherlands, offers a fairly interactive approach to the nation's history of its armed forces. With the Royal Netherlands Navy having its own museum (see my gallery of submarine Tonijn), the Soesterberg location pays more attention to the army and air force legacies.

United States Air Force base

Soesterberg was where military pilot training began during World War 1 (1914-1918). After World War 2 the base became the home of the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) - with Soesterberg becoming Camp New Amsterdam for the US units. From 1954 to July 1994, the USAFE had one of its front-line units here. With the McDonnell F-15 Eagle being the last US fighter jets at the base. One of the Eagles remains, hanging at the ceiling of the museum vast central building.
Other USAF aircraft types that operated from Soesterberg were the North American F-86F Sabre and the F-100 Super Sabre, the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and the F-15 Eagle.

US Air Force North American F-86F-35-NA Sabre at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Soesterberg in Dutch military service

Soesterberg was a home to many types of aircraft of the Netherlands Armed Forces during the years of service, until the base was closed in a budget cut round in 2008. From the Hawker Hunter fighter bomber, to the Fokker F27 transport aircraft and the Alouette III helicopter. The rotary wing became the standard at Soesterberg from the 1990s, with the Boeing CH-47 Chinook double-rotor helicopter making its debut in Dutch service, as well the Aerospatiale/Eurocopter AS 532 U2 Cougar.

Royal Netherlands Air Force Boeing CH-47D Chinook (D-663) of 298 Squadron. At the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands. Above it on the left a Royal Netherland Navy Fleet Air Arm (Marineluchtvaardienst) Hawker Sea Hawk FGA-50 (top left) and the Marineluchtvaardienst Hawker Sea Fury FB.51.

Becoming a military museum

What remains of the once mighty Soesterberg Air Base is the National Military Museum (check the museum website at www.nmm.nl), plus much of the old shelters and buildings. The museum building was designed by architecdt Dick van Wageningen, in cooperation with H+N+S Landschapsarchitecten, Kossmann.dejong and Heijmans. The roof of the "black box" has 3,240 solar panels, providing up to 25% of the energy needs of the museum.

For fans of military vehicles and aeroplanes, the National Military Museum has quite a collection, with an interesting display with e.g. aircraft hanging from the ceiling like they follow each other in full flight.

North American B-25J Mitchell (M-464) at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands. Down below a North American P-51D Mustang (H-307).

A Multiple-Launch Rocket Artillery System at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

A Leopard 1 main battle tank as front door guard at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

DAF YPR-765 Royal Netherlands Army as used in UNPROFOR service in Bosnia. National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Army KNDS/DDVS Fennek armoured reconnaissance vehicle at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Army M109A2/90 155mm howitser at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Army PRTL. The prototype Dutch version of the mobile German Gepard anti-aircraft gun. At the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

A Royal Netherlands Army Sisu-Patria XA-188 GVV served with ISAF in Afghanistan. National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

United States Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle air superiority fighter at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands. In front of it a Royal Netherlands Army Centurion Mk.5/2 tank.

A Republic F-84F Thunderstreak (P-226) of Royal Netherlands Air Force 314 Squadron at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Air Force Lockheed F-104G Starfighter at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Air Force Douglas DC-3 / C-47A Skytrain (T-446) at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

North American B-25J Mitchell (M-464) at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Army Aviation Hiller OH-23C Raven (UH-12C) (O-36) at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

A deHavilland DH.82A Tiger Moth (A-10) at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Air Force Gloster Meteor I-69 F.4 at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic (reg. nr. 250) maritime patrol aircraft of the Royal Netherlands Navy Fleet Air Arm (Marineluchtvaardienst). At the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherland.

Royal Netherlands Navy Fleet Air Arm (Marineluchtvaartdienst) Lockheed SP-2H Neptune at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands

The aircraft type that certainly never landed or came near Soesterberg Air Base during the Cold War: a Soviet Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM Fishbed at the National Military Museum, Soesterberg, the Netherlands