The Saqr Al Jazeera Aviation Museum (or Royal Saudi Air Force Museum) ) is located on the East Ring Road of Riyadh between exits 10 and 11. A Lockheed L-1011 Tristar formerly operated by Saudia serves as a gate guard visible from the ring road.
Overview Established on 24 January 1999, the Saqr Al Jazeera Aviation Museum was named after King Abdulaziz's honorific title, which translated to Falcon of the Peninsula. The museum presents the history of the Royal Saudi Air Force from its establishment in the 1920s to the present day. It first exhibited flight training simulator equipment, touch-screen computer systems displaying historical events and former aircraft, and a space corner dedicated to Prince Sultan bin Salman. The museum comprises an outdoor static park and a large and modern indoor museum.
On 13 May 2008, Major General Thomas Beckett visited the museum, meeting Head of the Air Force Supply and Provision Authority, Major General Mohammed Al-Zouri, and director of the museum, Technical Brigadier Nasser Al-Saffar.
Static park Aircraft on display include:
BAC Lightning T-55 BAC Strikemaster Mk80 Boeing 707 in Saudia livery Boeing F-15D Eagle Cessna 310 Douglas A-26B Invader Douglas DC-4 Lockheed C-130 Hercules Lockheed L-1011 Tristar in Saudia livery Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star Panavia Tornado ADV F3 & IDS North American T-6 Texan
Display halls The display halls contain exhibits on the history of the RSAF, aircraft engines and weaponry, uniforms, insignia and decorations and a special display on Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the first Saudi in space, who served as a payload specialist on the Space Shuttle Discovery during mission STS-51-G.
Aircraft on display include:
BAC Lightning F53 Bell UH-1 Bell OH-58 de Havilland Chipmunk Mk 10 de Havilland Vampire FB Mk 52 Douglas DC-3 outfitted to represent the aircraft given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to King Ibn Saud in 1945 Hawker Hunter F Mk60 North American F-86F Sabre Northrop F-5E Tiger II North American T-6 Texan Temco T-35 Buckaroo
See also List of aerospace museums List of museums in Saudi Arabia Museums in Riyadh
References
External links
Official website (archived) Former official website (archived) A quick view over Saqr Al Jazeera Museum on YouTube