In April 1980, the first of twelve F-5Es and four F-5Fs arrived for the TNI-AU as replacement for the CAC-27 Sabres with SkU.14. Two were written off but all the others have been preserved.

Delivered new as part of an order for eight from Fokker in November 1976 as T-2707 and reserialled A-2707 in service with SkU.2 at Halim in 1992, grounded June 2012

Repainted in its original colour scheme and serial, the AURI's first Hercules, delivered in 1960 ex 58-0748. Operated by SkU.32 as T-1301 until transferred to Pelita as PK-VHD in 1978, returned in 1982 as A-1301. W/o in a hard landing at Bandung, stored and put on display at the Museum in 2018

Carrying the badge of DUAM, as per the roof titles which translate as 'Military Air Transport Service', this C-47 was delivered to the USAAF as 42-92870 in 1944 and post-war served the RAAF (NEI) and then the ML-KNIL (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army AF) as NI-474. It was transferred to KNILM (Royal Dutch Indies Airways) in 1947 as PK-DPE and Garuda in 1949, reregistered PK-GDT in 1957 but at various stages served the military as T-474 in several of the regional conflicts in which Indonesia was involved. In 1982 it carried out a flight marking the anniversary of the armed forces.

A genuine Royal Netherlands AF Hunter, one of 12 ferried aboard the Dutch aircraft carrier Karel Doorman to New Guinea in 1960. They were operated by the Dutch against Indonesian attempts to take control of New Guinea through into 1962. N-112 was damaged beyond repair following a crash into the sea off Biak in August 1962

A special exhibit. One of 26 Badgers supplied during the period of co-operation with the USSR from 1961, serving SkU.41 and 42 at Iswahjudi AB, Madiun until the end of the 1960s when relations with Russia broke down and parts became embargoed. They were active during the Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, flying sorties into Malaysian airspace near Singapore. Of the 26, 12 were the Tu-16KS-1B variant which was equipped to carry two Kennel air-to-surface missiles on underwing pylons as displayed here. Unfortunately it is impossible to photograph it satisfactorily under the protective roof.

Another aircraft displayed near the main base gate through which the Museum Pusat TNI-AU Dirgantara Mandala is accessed. There is some doubt as to this Cessna's true identity - if the c/n shown here is correct, it is ex R-382 but it seems at some stage it was marked as LM-4188 (which is recorded as preserved at Abdul Rahman Saleh AB). The way the serial is painted doesn't look quite right so the jury is out on this one.

Displayed near the main Air Force gate on the road that leads to the Museum. Swiss-built AS202 Bravos replaced the last T-34A Mentors with the main training school here at Adisutjipto AB from 1981, operating till 2015. The LM serial prefix derives from "Latih Mukla", translating as elementary trainer.

One of 18 L-29 basic jet trainers that operated with No 1 Training Wing here at Adisutjipto AB from 1965 to 1983, becoming the last Soviet Bloc type to be withdrawn.

First flying in 1995, the N250 was Indonesia's first indigenous effort to gain a foothold in the market for regional turboprops, but the project fell victim to the financial crisis affecting Asia in the late 1990s and only two were built. There had even been talk about production lines being established in the UK and USA. In the 2010s a cheaper and simplified development to be known as the R-80 was mooted, an MoU being signed with Leonardo, but it remains to be seen whether this proceeds. PK-XNG is the N250 prototype, placed on display here in 2020

A real star of the collection for me, one of 21 Czech-built Il-14s that were part of a large number of aircraft supplied by Czechoslovakia to support a re-equipment programme begun in 1958. They were stationed at Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta with transport units SkU.2 and SkU.17 and the last is thought to have operated till 1975

Built in some quantity in Indonesia by Lipnur, a predecessor of IPTN, the Wilga (known locally as Gelatik) was used by the Air Force's agricultural unit, the Satuan Udara Pertanian after formation in 1961. Their first base was Kemayoran Airport, Jakarta. The PZL-104s were supplemented by the PC-6 in 1977 and later by Cessnas. The military-backed Federasi Aerosport Indonesia also flew the type. This one has been on show since 1984

Superseding the T-34A Mentors with the main training school here at Adisutjipto AB from 1981, a fleet of 40 Swiss-built AS202 Bravos were operated till 2015

In late 1949 and early 1950, approximately 250 ex ML-KNIL and MLD aircraft revived the AURI and a major reorganisation took place, with the formation of the first squadrons. They were assigned to all squadrons and the pilot school based at Kalidjati. This is one of 63 L-4Js, retaining its Netherland East Indies AF serial and according to the plate with the aircraft flew with the 4th reconnaissance squadron, Semplak AB, Bogor from 1950

Following on from their extensive use of the T-34A, the TNI-AU received 25 Turbo Mentors as basic trainers in 1978, serving until 2018. That role is now performed by the KAI KT-1B, some of which have been built in Indonesia.

The AURI received 16 surplus USAF T-Birds in 1973 as replacements for unserviceable CS-102s, LIM-5s and MiG-17s, operated as transition trainers to the Sabre. T-33A-1-LO s/n 53-5068 became TS-3334. The change to J-3334 appears to have been made by the museum fairly recently, but presumably represents an identity worn at some point.

One of the Czech-built MiG-15 two-seaters operated by SkU.5 from Abdul Rachman Saleh AB alongside LIM-5s and MiG-17s

The AURI, as the Indonesian AF was known before 1974, appears to have received its first couple of Albatross amphibians as long ago as 1954, followed by about 10 new UF-1s (pre-1962 designation for what became the HU-16) in 1957/58. A few ex-German Navy HU-16s were added in 1977. All but the first aircraft were originally serialled in the PB-5.. series like the PBY-5s that preceded them. This one displayed at the Museum since about 1993 was previously PB-517. IR-0220 is also preserved, at Bandung. The operating unit responsible for SAR duties was SkU.5 at Abdul Rachman Saleh AB, Malang

The TNI-AU received about 20 Bell 47s including some from Australia in 1978. Most were G models but four were Js. They mainly served SkU. 7 at Semplak, Bogor.

This basic trainer was one of the results of efforts made in the mid-1960s by Indonesia to establish an aircraft industry. LIPNUR stood for Lembaga Industri Penerbangan Nurtanio and was a forerunner of IPTN. They built the LT-200 Angkatang, a Pazmany PL-2 copy, under licence.