Text & Photos; Pere Vilalta Torné.
Located within the former Quito airport, and in the Mariscal Sucre Air Force Base, we can access and visit the aeronautical museum, which belongs to the Ecuadorian Air Force.
Upon arrival at the base, we are greeted by a Lockheed T-33A, and at the gate, we must present our identification. This museum was created to preserve the history of Ecuadorian aviation. It was established in April 1972 by Major Pilot Galo Coronel Drouet, with a small collection of historical objects related to aviation, and displayed at the Cosme Rennella Aviation School. In August 1985, Brigadier Pilot Carlos Jaramillo A. designed the Aeronautical Museum, attached to the General Command of the FAE, to guarantee the preservation of a history and a documentary and iconographic presentation of Ecuadorian aviation activity. It was inaugurated in its current location by Commander General Jorge Andrade C. on October 25, 1986.
Once properly identified, on the left, you can begin the tour by seeing three aircraft that belong to the recent history of Ecuadorian aviation: a Mirage F1, a Sepecat Jaguar, and a KFIR C2. This is also accompanied by an aerial radar. If we continue toward the museum, we will find two distinct areas: an indoor exhibition within the main museum building, and the other, the various aircraft that have belonged to the Air Force, which are on display outdoors.
Inside the main building, we have various elements from the history of Ecuadorian military aviation, from its beginnings and the various conflicts it has had, mainly with Peru, such as the conflict over Cenepa, and the glory of different Ecuadorian exploits and pilots, along with the beginnings of aviation in Ecuador. Likewise, inside, we have three authentic jewels of aviation history: a Stinson Vultee V77 Reliant donated by the San Diego Aviation Museum, a Fairchild PT-19 Cornell donated by the Brazilian Air Force, and a Hanriot Dupont HD-1 with the legend Telegrafo I, used for postal work in Ecuador.
As regards the exterior exhibition of aircraft we can find different areas scattered throughout the interior of the Air Base. In addition to those named at the entrance of the Base, on the tour we can find different aircraft that have participated in the history of the Ecuadorian Air Force;
– 2 North American T-6G Texan.
– 2 American T-28D Trojan.
– 2 Lockheed AT-33A.
– 3 Camberra B6
– 2 Cessna 172F Skyhawk.
– Mirage F1
– Jaguar MK-1
– Douglas C-47B Dakota
– Douglas DC-6B
– Douglas B-23 Dragon
– Beechcraft T-34 Mentor.
– Cessna 337D Super Skymaster
– Beech C-45G Expeditor
– Lockheed C-130B Hercules
– North American TB-25J Mitchell
– Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina
– Cessna A150L Aerobat
– Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw
