HAL Museum and Heritage Center

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Overview

An Overview HAL Museum and Heritage Center

Click to Enlarge - An Immaculate MiG-21 U [U-2794] forms part of the collection at the HAL museum.

In a country of one billion with an aviation history stretching way back into the second decade of the last century, the absence of aviation museums in good numbers is a huge surprise. Till recently the only two public museums on aviation were the Indian Air Force Museum at Palam and the Naval Aviation Museum at Dabolim, Goa. No other museum devoted exclusively to aviation or aerospace existed. There were a few museums around the country operated by the odd air force establishment but these were of restricted entry. The common public nor the international tourist could ever hope to visit these "private" museums without some kind of pull in the political or military circles. Even then, taking photographs was a "no-no".

HAL HT-2 [IX480]

1949 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

HAL's first ever indigenously designed and built aircraft was the HT-2 piston engined trainer that flew in the late forties. The HT-2 was designed by a team led by Dr. V M Ghatge, and after its sucessful evaluation was the Indian Air Force's ab-initio trainer from the late fifties to the mid eighties. The aircraft was initially equipped with a Cirrus-Major engine and resembled the DHC-1 Chipmunk. In the mid eighties, some numbers were re-engined with the Lycoming Piston engine and saw service flying with the Flying Instructor's School (FIS) in Tambaram AFS.

HAL HT-2 IX-480 at the Museum. About 160 of them were built and over 120 saw service with the Indian Air Force.

De Havilland Devon [HW201]

1949 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

The De Havilland Devon was the first utility transport aircraft to serve with the IAF's HQ and Communication Flight. Some twenty of them were procured from UK to equip the flight and were extensively used in VIP Tranportation duties. Its record was continously marred by the several incidents of these aircraft crash landing while carrying VIPs. The Devons served for nearly three decades before being phased out in the early eighties.

The De Havilland Devon [HW-201] is the only IAF Devon on display in India. Even the Indian Air Force Museum at Palam does not have an example of this aircraft. Another example can be seen at the Naval Aviation Museum in Goa.

HAL HUL-26 Pushpak

1954 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

The IAF roundels and the finflash on the Pushpak can clearly be seen in this photograph. Note the ejection seat and dummy pilot in the foreground.

The other civilian aircraft on display in Hall 2 is the HAL HUL-26 Pushpak. The Pushpak on display sports the IAF Markings similar to the one on Basant, even though the IAF never operted it. No clue on the identity of the aircraft is known as no markings in terms of a registration or serial number are visible.

Canberra B(I) 58 [BF597]

1958 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

Canberra B(I) 58 [BF-597] on display at the HAL Museum. The Aircraft is in good condition externally.

The Canberra is on the display in the rear corner of the Aircraft display area. in the typical grey-green Camo scheme, the aircraft looks immaculate from the outside. BF-597 is one of the only six Canberra B(I) 58s with teh 'BF' series of tail numbers. All the other 60+ aircraft carrying the 'IF' Series of numbers. The aircraft is finished in Grey-Green camouflage and carries the serial number on the tail and under the wings. The aircraft looks quite good from the outside.

HAL HJT-16 Kiran [U784]

1963 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

HAL HJT-16 Kiran [U-784] is the prototype of the Mark II version. The Kiran can be termed as a highly sucessful Primary Jet trainer aircraft.

The HAL HJT-16 Kiran was the first jet trainer designed and manufactured by HAL. It forms the backbone of the training fleet of the Indian air force and is an aircraft in the same class as the BAC Jet Provost. The Kiran was manufactured in three versions, the basic Mk 1, the Mk 1 A with two hardpoints and the Mk II with two internal machine guns and four hardpoints. More than 200 of these aircraft have been built to date with about 170 of them being Mk 1s and 1As.

Mikoyan MiG-21 U [U2974]

1966 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

HAL had been manufacturing MiG-21 variants for over two decades. Starting with the Type-77, the FL right upto the Type-75, the final bis version, over 600 examples of this Mach-2 aircraft were produced. HAL also established overhaul facilities for the MiG-series aircraft which were all undertaken at thier Ozhar plant near Nasik. To represent its role in the the MiG aircraft's productions, A MiG-21U [NATO Code: Mongol] two seater conversion trainer is on display at the Museum.

MiG-21U [U-2974] is in an impeccable condition at the HAL Museum. The Nose inlet is covered with a special cover fastened to the aircraft.

HAL HF-24 Marut Mk 1T [D1695]

1970 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

The first aircraft to be seen in the HAL museum is the HF-24 Marut 1T, [S.No. D-1695]. It is one of the rarer two seater trainer versions manufactured by HAL, only 19 of them being thus built. What is unusual about the aircraft is its yellow-brown desert camouflage scheme. No Marut ever wore this scheme during its service with the IAF. The aircraft was earlier seen in its original metallic finish in a photo feature in Koku Fan by Peter Stienmann which appeared in the late 80s. So apparently sometime in the 90s the aircraft was painted in this garish scheme. In addition , the label 'MARUT' painted in white on its side.

HAL HF-24 Marut 1T [D-1695] is the first aircraft to greet the visitor at the HAL Aerospace Museum.

Westland Seaking Mk 42 [IN504]

1971 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

Westland Sea King [IN-504] from No.331 INAS 'The Harpoons' is preserved at the rear of the museum. The crew entrance door has since been locked shut.

Every museum has a surprise exhibit, The Indian Air Force Museum had the Yokosuka Okha, The Naval Museum had the frontline Sea Harrier, The Air Force Academy had the Tigermoth. The Sea King never had any connection with HAL, never having been upgraded or manufactured or overhauled with HAL. Hence the presence of IN-504 from the very first lot of Sea Kings acquired by the Indian Navy in 1970 is a surprise.

HAL Aerospatiale Cheetah [Z1897]

1972 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

The Helicopter wing of the HAL has produced nearly 500 helicopters till date. Almost all of them Alloutte IIs and Alloutte IIIs built under license from France. Production is still continuing of the modified version of the Alloutte II, the Cheetah. The modified version is an armed COIN helicopter named the Lancer. A Single Cheetah Z-1897 represents HAL's helicopter industry in the museum

The HAL Cheetah helicopter on display at the Museum. Note the absence of the Engine just aft of the main rotor hub.

HAL HA-31 Basant

1975 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

The Hall 2 of the Museum is a well designed enclosure holding two aircraft, both civilian types manufactured by HAL in the 1960s. A HAL HA-31 Basant agricultural aircraft is on display in this well lit room. The aircraft surprisingly sports IAF roundels and fin-flashes, though no example ever served with the IAF or any other defence force.

The faint outline of the mannequin inside the cockpit can just be made out in this photograph.

NAL Hansa

1999 HAL Museum and Heritage Center

The third civilian aircraft on display with the museum was a recent addition. The prototype of the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) Hansa II , an all composite low wing light plane aimed at flying clubs was recently unvielled in the first quarter of 2002. The NAL is India's premier civil Research and Development establishment for aeronautics. NAL had developed the Hansa which is currently being produced by HAL as the version III. A total of eight examples have been built till date and more are being built.

The NAL Hansa II is an all composite aircraft meant for civilian clubs. The Hansa on display at the HAL museum is VT-XIW. Photo Courtesy : B Harry

The aircraft on display VT-XIW was the first prototype of the Hansa II. It first flew in November 93 and flew a total of 128 hours of test flying before it was 'retired'. NAL then donated the aircraft to HAL for display here. The Hansa is the 'newest' aircraft here.

Mockup Aircraft [LCA, ALH, IJT]

Various HAL Museum and Heritage Center

HAL Light Combat Aircraft Mockup

The Light Combat aircraft program has been the pride of India's Aviation industry ever since the LCA had its first flight in January 2001. The Light Combat Aircraft is the product of the Aeronautical Development Authority , also known as the ADA. The aircraft had been in development ever since the mid eighties, and in the early nineties, the wooden and metal mockup of the LCA was rolled out for an airshow. Subsequently two Technology-Demonstrators were built with one of them doing its flight last year and finishing about twelve test flights in all.


The Wooden and metal mockup of the Light Combat aircraft is an accurate representation of the final prototype. The LCA mockup carries two dummy missiles under the hardpoints and carries the IAF insignia.

The original mockup of the LCA did find its way to the HAL Museum. Its in the similar paint scheme as the final aircraft was, but does not sport any serial number markings. The aircraft has metal Jigs designed and constructed to support the nose portion of the mockup. There are two dummy missiles under the wingtip hardpoints to give the appearance of an attack aircraft.

HAL Advanced Light Helicopter Mockup [IN-701]

Another flagship program of HAL was the Advanced Light Helicopter , the ALH as it is known. The ALH was constructed as a replacement for the workhorse Cheetah and Chetak helicopters of the Indian Armed Forces and utilised German expertise in its design and construction. The Army and Airforce versions had skids for landing, while the Naval ALH version had a tricycle undercarraige.


The mockup of the Advanced Light Helicopter, the ALH. The model sports the serial number IN-701 which gives impression that this is a naval variant. However it should be noted that the naval variants did not have skid landing gear.

The mockup of the LCA is also on display at the HAL Museum. Sporting the Navy serial number 'IN-701', the aircraft carries the familiar IAF insignia. A Look at the main rotor and engine inlets are the only clue that this helicopter is actually a mockup and not the real thing. Four prototypes of the LCA are still flying with HAL and the Indian Armed forces for user trials.

Warbirds of India

Overview

HAL HT-2 [IX480]

De Havilland Devon [HW201]

HAL HUL-26 Pushpak

Canberra B(I) 58 [BF597]

HAL HJT-16 Kiran [U784]

Mikoyan MiG-21 U [U2974]

HAL HF-24 Marut Mk 1T [D1695]

Westland Seaking Mk 42 [IN504]

HAL Aerospatiale Cheetah [Z1897]

HAL HA-31 Basant

NAL Hansa

Mockup Aircraft [LCA, ALH, IJT]

Indian Warbirds

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