Romanian Air Force Museum

Romanian Air Force Mission
Romanian Air Force Structure
Leadership
Doctrine

National Museum of Romanian Aviation

• HISTORY • ORGANIZATION • PATRIMONY • ACTIVITIES •CENTENARY •WORKS

On 2nd March 2005 Romanian Government issued a Decisional Act through which establishment of the Air Force Museum as it is today was stated. It was meant to be a prestigious institution of national culture, patriotic education and technical and scientific propaganda, an Air Force frame of reference and attraction focus for numerous and various public in search for glorious already centennial traditions of the Romanian wings.

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• OVERVIEW
The first launching the idea to create a museum designated to Romanian Aviation was the great historian and policy maker Nicolae Iorga. After the WW I, National Aeronautical League took the first steps by displaying war documents captured by the Romanian Army during the military conflicts in a small exhibition. After 1970, due to General Aurel Niculescu and Gheorghe Zarnescu's joined efforts (they were in command with the Air Force), the future museum foundation was set up in Boboc and Medias. Unfortunately, as a result of a protocol its patrimony entered the inventory of the National Military Museum - Aviation Division.

After 1989, the process of realizing airmen expectations accelerated. Romanian Government approved the institution establishment on 2nd March 1990. Over a year the museum operated in tents within 90th Airlift Base and at the beginning of the next year it moved near Baneasa Airport. The current location is an area of about 60000 sq.m.

• ORGANIZATION
The Air Force Museum was established aiming both at showing our deep respect for the great forefathers of the Romanian aviation and for displaying the national aeronautical patrimony. This motivates the architecture including the three divisions of the museum structure:
- History of national and universal aeronautics
- Air Force equipment
- History of rocket and space research (in Medias)

• PATRIMONY
In 2004 museum patrimonial heritage included 24 collections and 5 documentary archives totaling over 15000 titles belonging to the Romanian and world pioneers, over 20000 related to aeronautics volumes and a pool of 62 museum pieces - airplanes, artillery pieces, antiaircraft missiles, radars.
Among the most valuable collections the following have to be mentioned:
- Aurel Vlaicu - personal things, documents, licenses, letters, original photos, mortuary mask.
- Henri Coanda - unique in the world collection including 80 packages still incompletely checked, diplomas, flip charts, photos, insignia, manuscripts, letters, personal things.

- Smaranda Braescu - 200 original photos
- Elie Carafoli
- Henri August - creator of flying objects (original photos 1909 - 1910)
- Petre Ivanovici - pilot of the famous squadron "Red Devils" (original photos and flight registration books 1926 - 1931)
- Radu Manicatide - personal documents and diaries
- Francisc Galeno - Commander 5th Bomber Group during the WW II, awarded with the highest distinction - Order “Virtutea Aeronautică” in rank of Commander.
- Alexandru Marcu - one of the first Romanian pilots flying MIG-21 supersonic aircraft.

Within the main buildings of the museum the following rooms are displayed:
- "Traian Vuia" Room - Romanian and universal aeronautics history
- "Henri Conda" Room - Romanian scientist life and work, engines, models, etc.
- "Eng. Radu Manicatide" Room - History of Romanian aeronautical industry 1948-2002, airplanes built by him
- Uniforms and official insignia of the Romanian Air Forces 1947–2005
- Radar, surface to air missiles and communications equipment area.

A division related to rocket and space research history operates in Medias in a building which belonged to the famous scientist Hermann Oberth and also includes documents, things, etc. related to Romanian astronauts Dorin Prunariu and Dumitru Dediu. This division is a museum itself considering its 26 rooms.

• DAILY ACTIVITIES
The main activity of the personnel in service with the Air Force Museum is to search, collect, classify, display and preserve new and representative museum artifacts. The Romanian Air Force Museum develops a fruitful cooperation with similar institutions abroad (USA, France, Poland, Germany) and local (Muzeul Olteniei, Muzeul National din Iasi, Muzeul de Istorie Judetean Vaslui, Galati, etc.). It also cooperates with Romanian Academy, Government Agency for Inventions and Trademarks (over 20 activities related to aviation-based aspects for the last years only), Air Force Academy, Romanian Association for Propaganda and History of Aeronautics, Civil Aviation, etc.

A very important objective is popularization by specific means of the Romanian aeronautics glorious traditions and heritage meaning:

• organize permanent and occasional static displays abroad (France, USA) and within the country;
• publish specific works, studies, books;
• provide professional assistance to institutions (International Airport Henri Coanda, ROMATSA, Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority)
• assistance to students in developing licence papers for MB and Doctor degree
• close and qualified assistance to the visitors
• close cooperation with military and civil press ("Military Observer", "Clear Sky", TV channels Antena 1, B1TV, PROTV, Realitatea TV, TVR Cultural, TVR 1, etc).

• ROMANIAN WINGS' CENTENARY
For the near future, the Air Force Museum personnel is concerned of preparing the centennial anniversary of the Traian Vuia's flight (18th March 1906, Montesson, near Paris) which will be celebrated on 18th March 2006 and will include: an exhibition "Traian Vuia and his epoch"; construction of a real-sized model of Vuia-1 plane based on its original design; re-publishing the biographical book "Traian Vuia and his Prophetical Planes"; a sculpture representing the pilot and the most important Romanian landmarks and personalities of aeronautics.

• BOOKS PUBLISHED BY THE MUSEUM EXPERTS
Scientific research in the field has been shown by developing specific papers, articles or books talking about the importance our generation gives to the past. The following are few titles only:
- "Istoria aeronauticii militare române 1910–1916", by Prof. Dr. Valeriu Avram
- "Contribuţii româneşti în aeronautică la începutul secolului XX", Prof. Dr. Valeriu Avram and Commander George Paul Sandachi
- "Istoria aviaţiei reactive", Commander George Paul Sandachi
- "Generalul aviator ing. Gheorghe Negrescu". Viaţa şi opera, Prof. Dr. Valeriu Avram
- "Misiunea aeronautică franceză în România 1916 - 1918", Prof. Dr. Valeriu Avram
- "Crucile negre. Aviaţia Puterilor Centrale deasupra României 1916 - 1917", Prof. Dr. Valeriu Avram
- "Germanii în aeronautica română", Prof. Dr. Valeriu Avram.

• Contact Museum

Address: Bucureşti, 2-4 Fabrica de Glucoză Street, sector 2.

Phone/Fax: 04021 - 232.04.04