In times long gone — a cough, a sputter, and then a an astonishing lift would see the bird-like creation of varnished canvas and wood and tensioned wires rise from its rubber wheels into the air. How brave those aviators must have been to venture aloft in vehicles such as these. They may not have been sleek and metallic, but they had a delicate beauty. Even the propellers from that era are works of art fashioned of beautifully polished wood.
Fragile early wings at Luftwaffe Museum in Berlin
Close-up of early airplane propeller at Luftwaffe Museum in Berlin, Germany
Alongside the later aircraft made of sturdy steel, a few such fragile creations are on display in Berlin in the large Hanger 3 of the Luftwaffe Museum/Luftwaffenmuseum.
Walking towards Hanger 3 at the Luftwaffe Museum in Berlin
Located in the southwestern Berlin suburb of Gatow — the museum covers the history of aviation in Germany from the earliest airplanes, gliders, and zeppelins to the World War II era and the Cold War and beyond.
The museum covers a variety of decades, includes period clothing from each era, has no entry charge and is certainly a thrilling day out for aeronautical and/or history fans. I happen to be both, so I happily spent quite a few hours here and still didn’t get out to look at all of the airplanes that are parked along the once-bustling runways.
Below is a selection of images from that splendid day out. Enjoy!
And make sure you come back for Part 2 tomorrow when we move into the World War II era.
Cluster of planes at the Luftwaffe Museum in Berlin, Germany
3 Wing Fokker -- the type that the Red Baron flew in WW I
World War I plane with machine gunner
COPYRIGHT
©Deborah Harmes and ©A Wanderful Life
Please respect the text and images on this page.
All rights reserved.