Aviation Museum Hannover-Laatzen | Warbird Gem

Warbirds Online recently visited the Luftfahrt Museum Laatzen, the Museum of Aeronautical History in Laatzen-Hannover, Germany. The Museum is located in an industrial estate near Hannover in Germany and was a surprising and interesting collection of aircraft and aviation related exhibits – there are 4,500 exhibits located in 3,500 m² of exhibition space. The Museum is a privately funded and run organization and has a large number of items on display.

The theme of the Museum is based upon a chronological representation of Aviation through the ages with an emphasis on the Military aspects whilst acknowledging the civil contribution, commencing with early balloon flights, through World War I then through World War II and up to the present day. There are two large exhibition halls, the first being devoted to early aviation up to the mid-1930s and the second WWII to the present day.

The highlight of the collection is a group of 3 WWII Fighters – Supermarine Spitfire MK XIV MV370, Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 and a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8. The aircraft have been beautifully presented and restored. The two German aircraft are quite rare and despite containing a number of new build reproduction parts are very accurate and representative of the type. The Spitfire was previously restored and flew before being placed in the Museum collection.

: Spitfire MK XIV MV370

: Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8

: Focke-Wulf Fw 190

: Fw 190 A-8

: Messerschmitt Bf 109

: Bf 109 G-2

Spitfire MK XIV MV370 was sent to India in 1947 as an FR Mk. XIVc MV370 and after limited service became instructional airframe T-44. The aircraft hulk moved on to noted UK Warbird personalities Ormond & Wensley Haydon-Baillie at Duxford UK from 1977 until 1980 when it moved on to Spencer Flack, Elstree UK and then in the same year to Alan & Keith Wickenden, Hemel Hempstead UK and the registration G-FXIV was reserved but never taken up. In 1983 the aircraft was acquired by Paul Raymond of Whitehall Theatre of War in London and restored to static condition as “MV370/A-VL” and placed on display in the museum. In 1985 the Spitfire was purchased by Robs Lamplough, North Weald: and stored at North Weald from 1985 until 1991 when it was sold again to Ray Hanna of the Old Flying Machine Co, Duxford who restored it again to static standard and sold it to Gunter Leonhardt of Luftfahrt Museum, Hannover-Laatzen, Germany where it remains on display.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 started out as the prototype, proof of concept new-build Flug Werk GmbH aircraft, at Gammelsdorf, Germany in 1996 as the predecessor of the 16 airworthy Flug Werk Fw190’s that were to follow. After its use for that purpose the aircraft, (which also contained many original Fw190 parts) was obtained by Gunter Leonhardt of the Luftfahrt Museum in 1998 and was then used as the basis of a static restoration/replica utilizing additional components from 7 Fw190 wrecks and was completed in 2006 as 6.JG1 “170393 Yellow 11” and placed on display in the Museum.

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 II of Luftwaffe /JG27 was recovered from the Mediterranean Sea in 1988 and acquired by the museum almost immediately. In 1991 the aircraft commenced a restoration utilizing other crashed components and some new build items. The beautifully restored aircraft was finally completed and placed on display in the museum in 1992 finished as Luftwaffe “14753 White 3”).

An ex-Luftwaffe Lockheed F-104 G “Starfighter” on display represents the modern age along with MiG 15 and MiG 21 as well as modern jet engines and helicopters.

: WWI & early Aircraft

: WWII Aircraft

The Edwardian and WW1 aircraft on display in Hall 1 are well constructed replicas and are quite accurate with examples of the Fokker EIII Eindecker (literally meaning “one deck”), Fokker Dr1, Sopwith Camel F1 and Nieuport 17 amongst others, there is even a very accurate Ryan M2 NYP “Spirit of St. Louis” replica.

The second Hall is filled with an excellent collection of aero engines and aircraft which are beautifully restored and displayed. The standard of presentation of the power plants and other exhibits is amongst the best we have ever seen in any Aviation Museum. All engines are very clean and refurbished to a high degree.

Of particular note is the collection of rare WWII German engines used in a number of German Luftwaffe aircraft including BMW 801 as fitted to the Fw190 fighter and various Daimler-Benz V12 engines as fitted to a range of WWII German fighters and bombers. There is also a rare Junkers Jumo 205 Diesel engine which powered a number of WWII aircraft and was reliable and successful. In addition, there is a beautifully restored Junkers Jumo 004 B-1 turbojet as fitted to the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. This engine is displayed in an “exploded” view so that all the components are visible.