After a few busy days I finally found the time to finish the logging of our Austrian trip. Yesterday the main goal of the trip was reached (photographing some F-5's), so everything we would get today would be a bonus. We started the day with a visit to the technical school in Eisenstadt.
Hohere Technische Bundeslehranstalt, Eisenstadt
3A-BG L-19E GIA, fuselage
4D-BR AB.204B GIA, c/n 3190
22 Saab 35Oe GIA, 2 st badge
3F-SF Saab 91D std, fuselage, c/n 91.463 *** EDIT correct serial, typo, thanks Johan!***
To get here, take the S31 which runs south of Eisenstadt, and follow this till the end. There you get to a T-junction, where you turn left towards the city (along road 50). After a few hundred meters you'll see a sign for the "Hallenbad" on your left. Turn left here (you'll see the Finanzamt on your right) and drive on till you get to a small railroad. The last building on your left is the HTBLA. Turn left again, so you drive next to the railway, and the aeronautical department is at the far end. The Saab 91 is stored outside, the rest is inside but is visible through the windows behind the Saab. However the school has to be open to see them, since there is a gate at the beginning of the "courtyard" where the Saab is.
We didn't need the Draken, but when I was preparing this trip I did take a look at the schools website anyway, since I found a remark about a Birddog being used as an instructional airframe somewhere. On the site I found a picture with an L-19 and an AB.204, so we decided to give this location a try. We were allowed to photograph the aircraft, although they just had a guy from the air force over to explain things about the Draken (which they only received very recently).
After this great success we tried another technical school, that in Molding. According to some sources they should have Saab 91 3F-SM, but we didn't find this one. When we arrived at the school we quickly learned that they don't have an aeronautical department or something similar. After asking around we were told that they didn't have an aeroplane, but they do have a cockpit, so our hopes rose. But that cockpit turned out to be a modern Diamond one, not an old Safir. Then we were sent to the head of the maschinenbau department, who remembered that his predecessor had mentioned something about parts of an old Saab that were stored somewhere in the attic. Togerther we went searching for those "parts", and finally found a part of a combustion chamber or so probably from a J-29. And that was it! So no Safir here, and no clues about its present whereabouts.....
Then on to Vienna. We had originally planned to do the two small museums in town on Sunday, but since we had so many airfields to visit that day we had decided to skip that and do these this Friday. One thing we didn't pay attention to when we decided that however was the opening times.....
Heeresgeschichtliches Museum, Wien
20.01 Albatros B.1 pr
7A+(WN) Fi.156C-3 pr, ex SweAF 3818!
13 Saab 35Oe pr outside, 2 st badge
(29566)/O ye J-19F std
This museum is open every day except Friday.... But with some effort we managed to see all aircraft they have anyway. The Draken is preserved ouside in front of the building. If you stand in front of the main entrance (facing it) go a bit to the left, and look through the large windows (you'll have to climb on a small ridge in the wall to do this, since the windows are very high). The Fi.156 is hanging from the ceiling and can easily be seen from two windows. For the Albatross you walk around the right side of the building, and from the side you can see it through a few windows and a double door as well. Finally the stored Tunnan: when facing the museum entrance there is a large building on your right which is perpendicular to the museum. There are no less then 10 tennis courts in front of it, and also ten at the backside. Walk around this building, and when you are standing next to tennis court number 3 (they all are numbered) there are a few barred windows where you can look inside through some small cracks. From here you'll see the Tunnan (a torch will definately help). It is stored without the wings, these are also inside and can be seen a bit further back.
Finally all satisfied we went to the second musuem with aircraft in Vienna.
Technisches Museum, Wien
101.37 Aviatik D.1 pr
This oldtimer is on the second floor, together with a few civilian ones. This museum should also have OH-13H 3B-HO, and we finally got confirmation they indeed still have this one. Unfortunately it is in storage in an off site depot, and since we were leaving this afternoon it was not possible to see it. Maybe some next time.....
By now our programme was ready, and we still had a few hours left before we had to go to the airport for our flight home. We decided to give Tulln one more try, since our visit last Tuesday had been rather disappointing. Well, if that was disappointing, this one was a disaster. Not a single aircraft or helicopter was outside! We decided to visit Krems then, so at least some civil stuff could be noted for Frank. And that turned out to be a good decision after all, even for me!
Krems-Langenlois
OE-AKK Bu.131 ex Swiss AF A-83
This was the last but one Bucker in Austria we didn't see so far, not at Spitzerberg and not at Wels. It was away for maintenance, we knew that, but we didn't know where. Well, it was here
The whole place seemed deserted, but in the restaurant were a few pilots having a drink and one of them was willing to open up all hangars for us. The Bucker was the surprise of the afternoon obviously. AFAIK there is only one more Bucker based in Austria, OE-AKT (former Swiss U-96). Anybody who knows where this one is based please?When we were done here we drove back to Vienna, but we made one last stop underway.
McDonald's, Schwechat
(G-AGRW) Viking Ia pr, ex XF640
This is mounted on poles and in use for childrens parties at the local McD. To get here take road 9 from the airport instead of the A4, and drive towards Vienna. At the second roundabout go right, this is road 10. Immediately after crossing the motorway the McD is on your left. According to Peter Norris the military registration was only used very briefly, and he didn't count it as ex-mil. However if it ever did carry it, for me it is ex-mil, and therefor interesting.... Who can tell me more about the military period of it?
And after this stop we handed back our rental car, and checked in for our flight home. It was another great trip, and the friendlyness of the Austrian people was really great. No "Health and Safety regulations" troubles, which we sometimes have in other countries, definately very recommendable.
As always any comments, additions and corrections are very welcome.
That's all folks!
Frank Mink & Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation