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The military aviation museum at Cuatros Vientos airfield in Madrid houses an impressive collection of aircraft in quantity and quality. The location
is appropriate as it was Spain’s first military airfield and opened as long ago as 1911. Over 100 aircraft are currently on display, however there are also models, photos, squadron badges, engines, airfield equipment, weapons, paintings and
other general memorabilia on display.
Some of the most famous aircraft on show include a Vilanova-Bleriot XI built in 1911, a Breguet XIX (Jesus del Gran Poder) used on the flights to Asia and America in 1928-29, and the famous Dragon Rapide, G-ACYR, which flew General Franco
from the Canary Islands to Tetuan during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
The museum consist of a outdoor display aria combined with one main hanger and several small hangers. Each hanger dealing with a specific item. this can be helicopters or the civil war.In the
main hanger the main item is the history of aviation in Spain. This is shown by airplanes from the early period of flying. As is in more parts of the museum the Spanish Civil War has a prominent place in the display. There are type from
booth sides of the conflict on display on of the more unique is a Heinkel He 111 E-1 "Pedro which was built in 1936 and is the oldest Heinkel HE 111 on display anywhere in the world. A
other topic is the colonial past and the aircraft used to connect to the remote parts of the world
One of the hangers deals with helicopters and a aircraft type not seen very often: the Autogiro. The autogyro was invented by Juan de la Cierva y Codorniu in 1919, and it made its first
successful flight on January 9, 1923 at Cuatro Vientos.De la Cierva's pioneering rotor technology paved the way for the invention of the helicopter. On display are some of his designs.
The Aerotecnica helicopters
on display are unique as they are a Spanish product of which only a few are made in a deal with the Spanish air force . When in 1962 the Spanish Government withdrew further financial support Aerotecnica went into liquidation. |