Kbely Aviation Museum (Letecké Muzeum Kbely)
Kbely, Czech Republic
June 2025
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Founded in 1968 the very fine museum has become one of Europe’s largest aviation museums, with over 250 mostly former Czechoslovak and Czech military aircraft in its collection, with over 120 on display, many unique, at any one time. The main part of the museum is situated on part of the Czechoslovakia’s first air base which was constructed in 1918.
There are five hangars and sun shelters protecting many of the exhibits, other aircraft, found across the large site, are displayed outside. Admission is free.
On the negative side, tripods are not allowed and the aircraft, especially in the large main hangar, are so tightly packed, that good photography is impossible. There are also a number of aircraft that are in outside storage in two or more locations (maybe some in locked buildings) that cannot be approached or photographed.
Part of the museum is situated at nearby (five minute walk) Stará Aerovka at Letnany Airport in Kbely. Here a dozen or so aircraft are displayed nicely in two hangars.
Note: The Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo) ceased to exist on December 31, 1992 becoming the Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly) when Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. |
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| Left to right: Ilyushin Il-28U 'Mascot' (0501 'CD-10') ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). It was built as a trainer version of the Il-28 bomber, designated CB-228. |
| Left to right: Ilyushin Il-28RTR 'Beagle' (6926 'BA-11') ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). The RTR was the ELINT version of the reconnaissance version of the Il-28. This example served by 47.pzlp (Reconnaissance Air Regiment) at Milovice. |
| Left to right: Avia 14T (3108). A licence produced Soviet Il-14 built by Avia at the Letnany factory. Ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). Entered service in 1959, transferred to the museum in 1985. |
Left to right: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bisR (3671) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI (2744 'OK-10') ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI-P (2626) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F (0872) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Antonov An-26 (2507) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). Special scheme to mark ten years of service.
Antonov An-24V (7109) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Let L-410UVP (1504) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
Left to right: Tupolev Tu-104(OK-LDA).
Saab Viggen AJSF37 (37957 '56') ex Swedish Air Force.
Saab Draken J35F (35518 '11') ex Swedish Air Force. |
| Left to right: Mil Mi-4 (0538) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
Left to right: PZL SM-1Wb (4003) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Mil Mi-2 (3302) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
Left to right: Mil Mi-8P (0001) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Mil Mi-8PS-11 (0834) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
| Left to right: Mil Mi-24V (0709) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
Left to right: Mil Mi-24DU (6050) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Let L-410UVP-T (1132) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
| Lavochin La-7 (60 marked 'White 77'). A piston-engined single-seat Soviet fighter aircraft developed during World War II by the Lavochkin Design Bureau. In 1945 this example flew with Air Regiment 44 within the 1st Czechoslovak Combined Air Division, Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). There are currently only two surviving LA-7 fighters out of some 5,753 built (plus 582 La-7UTI trainers), the other 'White 27' is at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino, Moscow. |
Left to right: Ilyushin Il-2m3 'Sturmovik' (12438 'White 38') ex Soviet Air Force (Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily).
Avia CS-92 (V-35 'Black A' c/n 5) Painted in a false Luftwaffe scheme. It is a former Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). V-35 was the second trainer and fifth overall airframe built by Avia. It is a former ground instructional airframe at the Military Technical Academy in Brno, built in 1948. Only two examples of the Avia built aircraft survive to this day, one single seat S-92 and a two seat CS-92, which are both on display at the museum. |
Left to right: WSK-Mielec CSS-13 (Polikarpov Po-2 Kukuruznik) (SP-BHA c/n 20891). Polish built.
Lisunov Li-2F (23443002 'White 7') ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). Originally designated PS-84, it was a license-built version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by Factory #84 in Moscow-Khimki. |
Left to right: Morane Saulnier MS.230 (1077) ex Armée de l'Air.
de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth (PG627 '35' marked 'R-5148') ex Royal Air Force. |
| Avia 14FG (6102) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Avia 14FG (6102) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Avia 14 (OK-MCI c/n 076805119). |
Left to right: Yakovlev Yak-40 (1257) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Canadair Challenger 601 (5105) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
| Left to right: Douglas DC-3-229 Dakota(N143J marked 'D-21'). |
| Left to right: Ilyushin Il-18B (OK-NAA c/n 189001604) previously operated by CSA Czech Airlines. On May 10, 1978 it was on a flight from Prague to Brno when it was hijacked. It diverted to Frankfurt where the three hijackers surrendered. It was withdrawn from service later that year. |
| Let C-11 (Yak-11) (1727) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). Built in 1956 at Let Kunovice. Retired in 1964 after 577 flying hours. |
Left to right: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI (2512) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Aero L-29 Delfín (0108) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Zlin Z326 Trenér-Master (0610) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
0566 Zlin Z.143C (0566) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Aero Albatros L-39ZA (2433) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
| Avia S-92 (V-34) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Gloster Meteor F8 (EG-247 'SV-D') ex Belgian Air Force.
Yakovlev Yak-17 (30) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
de Havilland Vampire Mk.6 (J-1161) ex Swiss Air Force.
Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (53-5211) ex Armée de l'Air. |
Left to right: Avia CS-199 (UC-26) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Saro (Saunders-Roe) A.19 Cloud (OK-BAK) with Ceskoslovenske Aerolinie (CSA). Fifth and last produced civilian Cloud. |
Left to right: Mraz K-65 Cap (HO-20 registered OK-AIP) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Aero XL-160 (0414 c/n 150414) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Piper L-4J Cub (44-80110 '10' marked 12234') ex USAAF. |
| Left to right: Let L-200D (1125) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Avia S-199 (UF-25) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Avia B-33 (5502) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Zlin Z.26 (UC-36) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Zlin Z-381 (UA-264 registered OK-DJR) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Aero C-104A (A-27) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Yakovlev Yak-23 (HX-51) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17PF (1015) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15SB (1720) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F-13 (0613) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Sukhoi Su-7BM (5616) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly). |
Left to right: Aero Delfin L-29 (0010) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Aero Albatros L-39 (3905) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). |
Left to right: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29SL (8003) ex Slovak Air Force.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II (00878) ex Viet Nam Air Force.
McDonnell-Douglas Phantom FGR.2 (XT899 'B') ex 19 Squadron Royal Air Force in special markings. |
Left to right: Zlin Z-22 Junak (OO-FRE).
Zlin Z-226AS Akrobat (DM-WKB).
Zlin Z-226AS Akrobat (OK-KMA).
Zlin Z-24 Krajanek (OK-8233). |
Left to right: Benes-Mraz M.1C Sokol (OK-BHM c/n 127).
Praga E.114M Air Baby (OK-BGL). |
Left to right: Aero 45 (4911 registered OK-DMO) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Avia Ba.122 (OK-AVE) Constructed using some original parts.
Zlin Z.26 Trener (OK-FRI). |
Left to right: Mil Mi-4A (2143) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
PZL SM-1Wb (6014) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo).
Mil Mi-2 (B-2530) Czech Police (Policie).
PZL SM-2 (OK-BYK marked OK-RUV) ex Czech Police (Policie). |
| Letov S-218 (C-49) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). A trainer first flown here at Kbely in 1925. |
Left to right: Avia BH-11A (OK-LIQ c/n 1001) named 'Ludmilla'. This aircraft was developed from the BH-11 for the Challenge Internationale de Tourism race in 1929.
Avia BH-11C (L-BONK c/n 18). The BH-11 prototype first flew on June 17, 1924. Its restoration was completed in 1968. |
Left to right: Aero A-18C ('A.18C.5'). The A.18c was an A.18 fighter modified for racing. This is a partial replica, with reproduction fuselage, original wings, radiators and other parts.
Aero A-12 ('A.12.4'). A replica but assembled with an original 240 hk Maybach Mb IVa engine and propeller.
Avia B-534 (H-6 possibly registered OK-ZOB c/n 226) ex Czechoslovak Air Force (Ceskoslovenské Vojenské Letectvo). The B-534 equipped 21 Czechoslovak fighter squadrons in 1938. |
Left to right: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F-13 (0212) ex Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly).
Mil Mi-8 x3 and MiG-21 x2 in a storage area. |
