A Visit to the Icelandic Aviation Museum

Ray Dowding recently visited the Icelandic Aviation Museum at Akureyri, Iceland. He sent in this report and pictures.

Founded on the 1st May 1999 the Museum was created to collect, maintain and display aircraft and artefacts that have a connection with the history of Icelandic Aviation.

The Museum is situated adjacent to and on the south side of Akureyri Airport terminal and is open from 11.00 to 17.00 during the summer months (1st June to end of August). In winter the hours are 13.00 to 17.00 Saturdays only.

You will be greeted by the nose section of a Douglas DC-6A Liftmaster (TF-IUB) protruding from the wall of the hangar

The Icelandic Aviation Museum is a living museum with a number of the aircraft being airworthy. This means some aircraft are not always at Akureyri. For instance the Dakota TF-NPK can quite often be found at Reykjavik City Airport. The best time to go is in June to coincide with their Annual Air Show. This attracts many other visiting vintage aircraft and you can also be sure that most of the museum based aircraft will be there. At other times there are at least 30 very interesting aircraft exhibits to look at.

There is a British contingent represented by an Auster V, a de Haviland DH89A Dragon Rapide, a de Haviland DH82C Tiger Moth and the remnants and history of a RAF Fairly Battle Bomber (P2330) that crashed into a mountainside in May 1941.

Also on display are a selection of aviation vehicles, aero engines and undercarriage units from Boeing 747 and Lockheed L-1011, plus gyrocopters, Pitts Specials, Ero 415C Ercoupe, gliders including Iceland’s first glider 1938 Grunau IX which last flew in June 2004, and numerous Hang Gliders.

About 6 aircraft are being worked on in the restoration area.

Outside you will find numerous aircraft in various states of repair including a Dornier 228 (TF-ADD) and a Twin Bonanza (TF-ESD).

The Icelandic Aviation Museum is unique and well worth a visit. Direct scheduled flights using Flugfelag Islands (Dash 8 Q200 or Dash 8 Q400) are available from Reykjavik City Airport.

All photographs and text © Ray Dowding