Datangshan air museum - visit by Fons Schaefers

Datangshan air museum,

a visit by Fons Schaefers (July 18th, 2009)

Preparing to mark '60 Years of Communist Rule' this year (Octobre 1st), the air museum is heavily investing in building and touching up its prize collection.

Fons wrote: "The museum will reopen 01Oct09, this is the day Mao Zedong proclaimed 60 years ago the People's Democratic Republic of China.
The name Datangshan does not mean a thing for anyone here, the name Xiaotangshan does! The museum is located near this town."

Instead of rather randomly parking aircraft without much information, the way I saw it in 2002, it is now made more clear what it is all about. It helps if you read Chinese..

I hope it is more than a dab of paint they apply, these aircraft need some additional 'tlc' (tender loving care..)

Some serious work is going on here. Actually, the museum was closed to visitors while renovations took place. But by showing up in spite of the information, Fons managed to mollify the management: having come all the way from the Netherlands for a visit to the museum, he was allowed access after paying an entrance fee.

An overlook the the new Datangshan museum
The large structures in the top of the photo see what ambitious plan is underway .

While I refer to this museum in the old fashioned way, it actually should be referred to as:
China Aviation Museum, Datangshan, Changping

This incredible line up hasn't changed. But the Chinese have always believed in 'strength by numbers'

For identification of these aircraft please visit my other Datangshan webpages

The area in the 'hollow mountain' has an encredible array of aircraft .
They are now parked in a neat historic order.

There used to be 3 Curtiss C-46 Commando's preserved here at this museum, but Fons noticed only 2 on display now.
'CMR' provided the following info on the Classis-Propliners Yahoo forum: "Your missing C46 is now at China Civil Aviation Museum (or Beijing International Aviation Club), near Crab Island (south-west of Beijing airport), along with a 3018 Li-2 from Datangshan."
Unfortunately none of these C-46s have or had markings on them which could lead to identification. One could be 43-6344. It is a great pity that there is no English speaking curator present. Perhaps that will change too, but not sure if that could ever lead to these Curtiss Commando's ever going to be identified..

Two C-46s on display at Changping air museum

Aircraft at Datangshan under restoration

My Index page for Datangshan air museum

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04-Sep-2009