The National Aeronautics Museum "Brigadier Edmundo Civati Bernasconi" () is an Argentine museum located in the city of Morón, Buenos Aires. Established in 1960, the museum is dedicated to the history of aviation, in particular the Argentine Air Force.

Its collection includes some unique aircraft, like the Pulqui I and Pulqui II jet prototypes, the Urubú flying wing glider, the I.Ae. 22 DL trainer, and a Latécoère XXV flown by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

History The museum was created on January 13, 1960, by decree 264/60 of the President of the Republic, its first director and main supporter being Brigadier Edmundo Civatti Bernasconi.

It was initially located at the Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, where the aircraft were displayed in the grounds without protection from the weather. In the 1980s it was proposed to relocate the museum to provide protection to the aircraft, a new facility close to the Ezeiza airport was suggested.

In 2001 the museum was relocated to the Morón Airport and Air Base, site of Argentina's first international airport, where hangars were available to protect most of the collection.

In February 2013, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81 (ex-Austral, LV-WFN) was donated to the museum, for restoration and exhibition. This aircraft is notable for having the highest number of flight hours worldwide for its type (70,444 hours in 60,350 cycles) as of March 2012, when it was retired.

Facilities The museum is divided in different halls, dedicated to specific themes:MNA Website

Motores: displaying aviation engines. Malvinas: which includes a Grumman HU-16 Albatross amphibian used in the 1970s to establish a route line between Comodoro Rivadavia and Malvinas (Falkland Islands). Antartida: for material used in Antarctica. Pioneros: dedicated to Aviation pioneers. Torre de control: details the interior of a control tower. Pegaso: to host events. Icaro: coffee shop.

In addition there is a small gift shop.

Collections

Aircraft Aircraft on display include:

Fixed-wing Avro Lincoln B.2 B-004, on display as B-010"Individual History: Avro Lincoln B.2 RF398/8376M – Museum Accession Number 84/A/1182." Royal Air Force Museum, 2012.Cater & Caballero (IPMS Magazine May 2013) Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan Blériot XI Boeing 737 LV-WTK, donated by Aerolíneas Argentinas Bristol Freighter 1A Dassault Mirage III versions C, DA (I-002) and EA (I-011)"Los mirage vuelan a su destino en el museo de Moron" La Nacion, 11 December 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2019. de Havilland Beaver de Havilland Dove DINFIA IA 35b Huanquero A-305 Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, versions A-4P (C-207) and A-4C (C-322) Douglas C-47A-85-DL TA-05, modified as antarctic transport Douglas C-54 (cabin) English Electric Canberra B Mk.62 B-109, the last one to complete a mission in the Falklands War"El Canberra B 109 se ganó un lugar en el museo aeronáutico." La Nacion, 26 June 2000. Retrieved 20 July 2014. Fairchild 82D LV-FHZ (ex-T-152, msn 66) Fairchild Swearingen Metro II (currently under restoration) Farman HF.7 Fiat G.46, post-war military trainer Hercules C-130B FMA IA 22 DL (c/n 728), trainer built by the Fabrica Militar de Aviones FMA IA 27 Pulqui I prototype, the first jet designed and built in Latin AmericaOgden 2008, p. 510. FMA IA 33 Pulqui II prototype 5, first swept-wing jet fighter designed and built in Latin AmericaRivas 2008, p. 171. FMA IA 41 Urubú, flying wing glider designed by Reimar Horten FMA IA 50 Guaraní II F-31 and LQ-JXY FMA IA 53 Mamboretá FMA IA 58 Pucará FMA IA 63 Pampa EX-03 mock-up Focke Wulf FW-44J, biplane trainer Fokker F.27-600 T-42 Gloster Meteor F.4 I-041, ex-EE586Ogden 2008, p. 510 Grumman HU-16B Albatross Hiller UH-12E Hughes 369HE Israeli Aircraft Industries Dagger Junkers Ju 52/3m (WNr.4043)Cicalesi & Rivas, 2009. Page 36 Latécoère XXV flown by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry for Aeroposta Argentina Max-Holste 1521 Broussard Morane-Saulnier MS.502 Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris North American F-86F Sabre Percival Prentice T.1 Rockwell Aero Commander 500U Vickers Viking 1B T-9 Wright Flyer replica

Rotary wing Bell UH-1H Boeing Chinook Bolkow Bo 105 Cierva C.30 autogiro Sikorsky S-55 helicopter, H-04 Sikorsky S-61R H-02 used by the Presidential flight

Engines Napier Sabre IIA inline Packard DR-980 radial diesel

Other Other exhibits include: Anasagasti car, used by the Argentine Air Force Pampa tractor

Gallery

Aircraft displayed

Other objects displayed

See also List of aerospace museums

References Notes

Sources

Ogden, Bob. Aviation Museums and Collections of the Rest of the World. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2008. .

Rivas, Santiago. "Pioneers & Prototypes: Pulqui, Pulqui II and IA-37/48." International Air Power Review, Issue 25, 2008, pp. 162–173. Westport, CT: AIRtime. .

Further reading

(Article about Pulqui I restoration and history, and when the MNA reopened at Moron)

External links

Museum on Argentine Air Force (archived, 2 Jun 2008) Museum news official blog site pictorial