Aviation Museum in Oberschleissheim, Germany

This relatively new museum – a branch of the Deutsches Museum – opened 15 years ago in 1992 and houses dozens of aircraft in a series of large halls. The site itself has a fascinating history: it is located only a few hundred meters from a set of 3 palaces with formal gardens inspired by those at Versailles. But more interestingly, the site was in many ways the center of German aviation from its beginning through the 1970s.

The airstrip was a hub for early commercial aviation in central Europe (see the poster left, showing the expansion of routes between 1919 and 1931), and during both world wars, key activities took place here. Following WW II, the U.S. used the base for several decades, and it was the only American aviation school off U.S. soil until its closing in the mid-1970s. The noise became an ever-bigger problem for the increasingly urban population, and at this point, the airfield is used only occasionally.

Many interesting aircraft are on display, from models of earlier human-powered kite-like devices to gliders, military aircraft, helicopters, and small commercial planes. Visitors can see various engines from throughout aviation history, and there is even a complete, pre-transistor Link flight simulator made in Binghamton, New York (see photo right).

One interactive exhibit lets visitors experience the jet effect by sitting on a swiveling seat and pedal a large fan; the reaction of the wind from the fan spins the pedaler, as in the photo.

For me, the most interesting parts of this museum were the stories about the significance of the site and the objects on display. Several wall panels told about the entire history of the Oberschleissheim site, including early aviation experiments, the commercialization of flight in Germany, and how the airfield became a magnet for American bombing raids in WW II. One photo shows the entire site looking like a chunk of Swiss cheese (see photo left) because of the high density of bomb craters. The airstrip is at the bottom of the photo and the palaces, fountains, and gardens are at the top).

Jewish laborers from the concentration camp in nearby Dachau were forced to fill in the holes and make the airfield operational again after each Allied bombing. All of the signage in the museum was in both German and English.

My one wish would be for reader-friendlier labels, with larger typesize and perhaps an occasional splash of color. All in all, however, there are many fascinating stories experienced within this collection, plus some additional ones that are just waiting to be told.