The Israeli Air Force Museum is located at Hatzerim Airbase in the Negev desert. The museum was established in 1977 and has been open to the public since 1991. The museum displays a variety of Israeli Air Force and foreign aircraft, as well as anti aircraft arms.
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Let's start with the positive. This museum is a real gem collection. If you are a fan of military aviation, it is more than worth a visit. Large assembly of historic and some contemporary IAF aircraft, some of which have incredible histories on their backs - one of two surviving Lavi prototypes, an F16 with the largest no. of kill marks of any comparable aircraft, the Iraqi MIG flown by a defector, just to name a few.
But this is where it gets really bad - for an air force with such a remarkable history and so many amazing aircraft, this museum should be a neatly showcased show of pride. Instead, it is the complete opposite.
The aircraft are rotting away in the desert sun. Information plaques from the 90s, if there are any at all. The aircraft you can enter - except for the Tzukit trainer, no remaining controls or anything - where's the fun in that? The cockpit of the B707 isn't accessible at all. An enterable transport chopper with a broom in the corner, as if sending a message.
An unclear museum layout - it turns out there are 2-3 more large areas where aircraft are standing besides the main one. No guiding signs there or anything - no one notices these areas are even there. A section with anti-aircraft guns is closed off. The small bird zoo - a nice concept, but it looks neglected and hidden away. Visibly bored IAF recruits serving as guides. And at the end, the museum shop - a flat joke. A bunch of kiddie stuff and nothing else. They could take a page or two out of the museum shop in Latrun, for instance. Seriously, an aircraft museum and no serious military literature or aircraft models in the shop?
As someone who worked in museums and has an interest in museum pedagogics and education, this place is a house of shame for the IAF. It looks and feels like an aircraft graveyard/storage area that happens to be publicly accessible, not like a museum. Significant investment and overhaul are a necessity and that's an understatement. I enjoyed my visit for one reason only - the airplanes. Those are what I came for. But they do not deserve to be...
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Very interesting look at Israeli air power up close. They have everything from WW2 era planes to F-15s. I was shocked as to how big some of the modern fighters were. Truly massive. Entrance was 70 NIS for an adult and 2 kids, so not too steep.
The staff was very friendly and was happy to answer any questions. On the downside, we actually got locked in at 2pm and couldn't leave when a guard took a break. We stood at the gate for 10 minutes trying to figure out what to do. There was a padlock on the door and no way to leave plus they had my ID which they hold upon entry. Finally someone came by and apologized but it was a bit bizarre nonetheless.
If the kids get bored there's a small playground and some peacocks and ostriches to check out. Bathroom facilities were adequate and there was a little kiosk for light snacks and drinks. There's also a gift shop, but it's really rundown and out of date. They actually had a sign inside advertising 35mm camera film. Welcome to 1985!
My one notable criticism is that while the aircraft are very cool, the planes are in very poor condition. A fresh coat of paint would really do them a world of good and make the museum so...
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Wery wery sad to se the aircraft of the IDFAF in such a poor condition, all airvraft are serius affected by the sun and the sand. Several aircraft are starting to rot away, the aluminium are oxidizing, creating "craters" in the upper wing surfaces. An air force with a proud a history as the Israeli air force, no air force in the world has such a history, the IDFAF leads in enemy air ro air kills (393 for the Mirage alone), it makes me so sad to see their aircraft in such a condition. The Israeli air force has 49 aces, 10 of them double aces, the higest scoring jet aces in moderne air combat is Giora Epstein with 17 kills, those 49 aces are not commerated in any way. Please get the aircraft inside, away from the sun and sandy wind ! Bo Hermansen - Denmark -...
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