RMAF Museum: Preserving a Part of Our Aviation History
I have always wanted to visit the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Museum. For a good 3 years (2007-2010), I drove passed the museum every morning on the way to work and I kept telling myself that one day I’ll stop by and check out what the museum has to offer. Finally after reading the news about the Sg Besi Air Base going to be closed to give way for housing development, I decided that I need to make the visit as soon as possible.
And today 10th March 2012, a lovely Saturday, I had successfully made a deal with my better half.
A few hours of me accompanying her through the horror of Charles & Keith warehouse sale and in return she need to accompany me to check out the RMAF Museum. Somehow I survived the warehouse sale and we got ourselves to the entrance of the RMAF Museum at noon (with lots of shoes in the car!).
The RMAF Museum has been around since 1985. 27 years! I felt for so bad for not visiting this awesome place way earlier!
The museum is actually a small area within the Sg Besi base and it showcases a variety of retired aircrafts which are displayed at either the open area or inside a hangar converted into a museum building.
The first bird that caught my attention, this M20-05 Aerospatiale chopper.
Cool cockpit.
The beautiful Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer FM1001 – named as ‘Lang Rajawali’ by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tungku Abdul Rahman.
Rajawali from a different angle.
FM-1051 De Havilland DH 104 Dove 8
Located at one end of the museum is the Grumman HU-16 Albatross, a unique large twin-radial engine amphibious flying boat. I always find planes that can land on water very sexy!
Is it just me or the photo above shows the plane with a frowning face! Perhaps she is missing the action being on air (or water!)
De Havilland Canada DHC-4A Caribou M21-04.
A beautiful bird.
Interior of the aircraft.
Cockpit.
It’s a bit sad to see the conditions of some of the aircraft. It is true that all these aircrafts have been phased out but it would be nice to at least restore some of the gauges to make it more like an aircraft on display rather than aircraft in a graveyard. Funding issues perhaps?
Another VIP transporter aircraft.
Sabre Aircraft.
Another cute chopper.
Despite the hot weather, visitors ranging from school children, tourists kept arriving to the museum making photography quite a challenge. There was even one group of photographers and 2 ‘model’ girls doing photo outing.
Malaysian Air Force F-5E Tiger II, s/n: M29-12
The aircrafts inside the hangar are in a better condition with a mixture of transport, training and fighter jets.
Douglas A-4PTM Skyhawk, M32-29.
The classic Scottish Aviation Pioneer 2 FM-1016.
Besides the aircrafts on display, info on TUDM is also shared through posters and displays inside the hangar.
Kids having fun being up-close with the aircraft despite the barrier. Good or bad?
We had a fun 90 minutes visiting the RMAF Museum and I highly encourage any aviation and military enthusiast to pay a visit to the museum at least once.
The recent renovation has made the displays more organised and I’m really hoping that despite the upcoming closure of the Sg Besi Airport the museum will be remain alive or at least to be relocated to a new place instead of just quietly disappears. Well done to RMAF for all the effort put in to ensure that this part of our aviation history remains preserved for future generations.
I am a lecturer for aircraft subjects in Kolej TAFE Seremban for last 7 years. I first took one batch of students in 2006.I could show to the students many systems of nearly 15 aircraft and cut-way sections of different engines in one premises.My students and I were dam pleased with the facilities.This museum is very informative.We almost take every batch in the first year itself,so that the students find it very easy to understand the modules.
Thanks to the organization.
Hi Sir!
It is great that you expose your students to these kind of places as part of their learning experience. Only with more publicity and exposure that the museum can sustain operationally and financially. Let’s hope one day that more hardware and display items can be exhibited at this museum 🙂
Cheers,
Azuan
Hi Azuan
Great article. Do you have the contact number of Muzium TUDM? Wonder if they would be open on Ogos 31 next Friday?
Regards
SC
Hi SC Wong, unfortunately i did not have their contacts. Can try calling 103.
I retired from the Air Force as a Maintenance Technician in 2001. I had never once visited the RMAF Museum (Shame on me….). Your site had re-kindled the need for me to go down memory lane. Looking at the A4 Skyhawk, it reminded me of how one of my colleague from RMAF Kuantan( a real hard working chap) put in so much of work and commitment into assembling the Skyhawk at the museum. Just a few of days later he was hit by ‘Stroke’ and was partially paralysed. I ‘salute’ that colleague. This also indicates that a lot of sweat and hard work has been put into making the museum what it is today.
Thank you Azuan
Dear Sir,
IT’s a great honour to have you visiting my site. I plan to one day have a teh tarik session with experienced aviators like you and catch up on many aviation stories (i’m sure you have many)
Please do keep in touch sir.
Regards,
Azuan
Hello Mr.Azuan,
Was doing some research on how to get to the RMAF and stumbled upon your blog. For someone without their own car, would you be kind enough to suggest the nearest LRT station? Would it be Sungai Besi? And would it be very hard to reach there by taxi?
Would greatly appreciate any input.
Thanks,
Fathima.
Hi Ms Fathima,
My apology for the late reply.
Taxi would be the best way to reach there. Just inform the driver that it’s at Sg Besi Airport. 🙂
The last time I visited the museum was in 2002 where it was much “neglected”. Now it is in much better state (judging from your pics). Uhmm do the museum have a souvenir shop?
I went there a few years before renovation. The displays inside are not barricaded so I managed to hop into the Skyhawk and other planes (they provided ladders!). When I told my father (former RMAF), he said thank god the SkyHawk ejection seat not activated.. haha.
lucky you Sir!
Nice write up. Imagine the time when the Mig29 and Su31s arrives. Migs could be sooner than we think sadly. Once they close Sg Besi any idea where they’re going to relocate the Museum?
Thank you sir, i have no clue on the relocation but i just hope they will be retained or relocate to somewhere bigger and nicer.
Hi, can i please know if you have any contact person from the aviation center at sungai besi? I am looking to hold an event at one of their hangars. Will be really helpful if you could help Mr Azuan.
Can you tell me how to get there on public transport from KL or KLIA.
Thanks