Royal Thai AFM

[DaveM2]

Guys

Just back ftrom a trip to visit the better half in Singapore, and managed a few days in BK where I got to visit the Thai Air Force Museum. Some unique aircraft and most are well looked after. Entry is free, but a donation box is available. Take some water..it is freakin HOT, especially wandering around the outside exhibits with the heat reflecting off the concrete
A few piccies. Light is quite uneven for most exhibits.....

[Jan]

Hello Dave,

The RTAF Museum seems to rearrange their exhibits on a regular basis.
When I lived in Bangkok in 2002 and 2003, both the F-84G Thunderjet and the F-86 Sabres were on display indoors.

Incidentally, a good URL on the RTAF Museum can be found here: http://www.thai-aviation.net/W&R%20-%20 ... Museum.htm

Regards,

Jan

[kalamazookid]

What type of aircraft is the one with red/white.ble striped rudder and the P-40-style canopy? Looks like a variant of the P-36.[/quote]

[Jan]

Hello Matt,

It's a Curtiss Hawk 75N, one of twelve delivered in 1938.

Regards,

Jan

[kalamazookid]

It's a Curtiss Hawk 75N, one of twelve delivered in 1938.

Thanks! Are there any more of these that survive? IIRC the TFC has a flyer but I'm not sure whether it's a different variant?

[airnutz]

Thanks! Are there any more of these that survive? IIRC the TFC has a flyer but I'm not sure whether it's a different variant?

They're basically a dumbed-down variant of the TFC bird. In your reading,
you'll occasionally run across comments of the Argentine AF having a survivor/s,
but no proof of this has been forthcoming. A little page on the M,N,O exports
http://www.brushfirewars.org/boredom/si ... awk_75.htm

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Nice photo's,

Especially the ones of the Firefly (?) and the Helldiver. They all seem well preserved and taken care of except for the dust that is on the canopies of some of the aircraft.

Thanks for posting them,

Paul

[Obergrafeter]

What is the yellow monplane?

[Nathan]

I am pretty sure the yellow monoplane is a Japanese Ki-36 trainer. Used in WWII. Many countries got derelic Japanese aircraft after WWII.

[airnutz]

I am pretty sure the yellow monoplane is a Japanese Ki-36 trainer. Used in WWII. Many countries got derelic Japanese aircraft after WWII.

Your correct Nathan, it is a trainer version of the Tachikawa Ki-36 "Ida",
but it then becomes a Ki-55 in that form. The Ki-36 had windows in the belly
and sides, as it was used by the JAAF as a forward observer aircraft used
similarly as our O&L-birds and Lysander. A multi-role machine...recon,
artillery spotter, photo, message drop&retrieve and could be fitted with
small bombs and no rear cockpit controls.

As I understand it the trainer didn't normally sport the wheel-pants, but
they do look good on the old bird.

Great photos Dave! Thanks!

[RickH]

I heard that the Thais took over the Ki-55 when the Japanese left the country. The aircraft they brought with them were left in country.

[Jan]

Hello RickH,

It would appear that very few, if any, former Japanese aircraft were taken over by the Royal Thai Air Force and Royal Thai Navy in 1945. However, between 1940 and 1943, at least 105 aircraft were supplied to the RTAF by Japan. These included;

Martin 139 & 166 (nine delivered in 1943, ex NEIAF aircraft),
Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ib (nine delivered in 1940),
Mitsubishi Ki-30 (24 delivered in 1940),
Nakajima Ki-27b (12+ delivered from 1942),
Nakajima Ki-43 (27 delivered from 1943),
Tachikawa Ki-36/Ki-55 (24 delivered from 1942).

A few of these aircraft remained in service until 1949/1950, when the last were withdrawn from use and scrapped. It is said that US advisors were "displeased" that Japanese-designed aircraft remained in RTAF service.

Between 1938 and 1944, the RTN received 30 aircraft from Japan;

Aichi E13A-1 (three delivered in 1942 and three in 1944),
Nakajima E8N1 (18 delivered from 1940),
Watanabe WS. 103S (Six delivered from 1938).

Incidentally, I've written a short article on the various Japanese aircraft in Thai service, which is available here: http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/jan_ ... l_thai.htm

Regards,

Jan

[Tulio]

Probably close to 15 years ago or so, there was a group out of Hobby Airport, Houston, TX if I remember correctly, named the "Tango Squadron".

They were restoring some aircraft that would be later transferred to the Royal Thai AF's museum in a flying capacity.

Is there anything related to their work, displayed at the Museum nowadays?

Saludos,


Tulio

[Jan]

Hello Tulio,

Which aircraft did the Tango Squadron have at Houston?

Incidentally, the Tango Squadron was established in the early 1990s under the patronage of the Thai King, and is also known as the "Foundation for the Preservation and Development of Thai Aircraft".

Over 100 aircraft are currently owned and operated by the Tango Squadron, of which more here: http://www.thai-aviation.net/W&R%20-%20Tango.htm

Regards,

Jan

[DaveM2]

Tulio

No 'Tango' Sq. aircraft at the museum as far as I could tell, although a T-28 and an F.5 were being worked on in a hangar.

Dave