First flying in 1995, the N250 was Indonesia's first indigenous effort to gain a foothold in the market for regional turboprops, but the project fell victim to the financial crisis affecting Asia in the late 1990s and only two were built. There had even been talk about production lines being established in the UK and USA. In the 2010s a cheaper and simplified development to be known as the R-80 was mooted, an MoU being signed with Leonardo, but it remains to be seen whether this proceeds. PK-XNG is the N250 prototype, placed on display here in 2020

A real star of the collection for me, one of 21 Czech-built Il-14s that were part of a large number of aircraft supplied by Czechoslovakia to support a re-equipment programme begun in 1958. They were stationed at Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta with transport units SkU.2 and SkU.17 and the last is thought to have operated till 1975

Built in some quantity in Indonesia by Lipnur, a predecessor of IPTN, the Wilga (known locally as Gelatik) was used by the Air Force's agricultural unit, the Satuan Udara Pertanian after formation in 1961. Their first base was Kemayoran Airport, Jakarta. The PZL-104s were supplemented by the PC-6 in 1977 and later by Cessnas. The military-backed Federasi Aerosport Indonesia also flew the type. This one has been on show since 1984

Superseding the T-34A Mentors with the main training school here at Adisutjipto AB from 1981, a fleet of 40 Swiss-built AS202 Bravos were operated till 2015

In late 1949 and early 1950, approximately 250 ex ML-KNIL and MLD aircraft revived the AURI and a major reorganisation took place, with the formation of the first squadrons. They were assigned to all squadrons and the pilot school based at Kalidjati. This is one of 63 L-4Js, retaining its Netherland East Indies AF serial and according to the plate with the aircraft flew with the 4th reconnaissance squadron, Semplak AB, Bogor from 1950

Following on from their extensive use of the T-34A, the TNI-AU received 25 Turbo Mentors as basic trainers in 1978, serving until 2018. That role is now performed by the KAI KT-1B, some of which have been built in Indonesia.

The AURI received 16 surplus USAF T-Birds in 1973 as replacements for unserviceable CS-102s, LIM-5s and MiG-17s, operated as transition trainers to the Sabre. T-33A-1-LO s/n 53-5068 became TS-3334. The change to J-3334 appears to have been made by the museum fairly recently, but presumably represents an identity worn at some point.

One of the Czech-built MiG-15 two-seaters operated by SkU.5 from Abdul Rachman Saleh AB alongside LIM-5s and MiG-17s

The AURI, as the Indonesian AF was known before 1974, appears to have received its first couple of Albatross amphibians as long ago as 1954, followed by about 10 new UF-1s (pre-1962 designation for what became the HU-16) in 1957/58. A few ex-German Navy HU-16s were added in 1977. All but the first aircraft were originally serialled in the PB-5.. series like the PBY-5s that preceded them. This one displayed at the Museum since about 1993 was previously PB-517. IR-0220 is also preserved, at Bandung. The operating unit responsible for SAR duties was SkU.5 at Abdul Rachman Saleh AB, Malang

The TNI-AU received about 20 Bell 47s including some from Australia in 1978. Most were G models but four were Js. They mainly served SkU. 7 at Semplak, Bogor.

This basic trainer was one of the results of efforts made in the mid-1960s by Indonesia to establish an aircraft industry. LIPNUR stood for Lembaga Industri Penerbangan Nurtanio and was a forerunner of IPTN. They built the LT-200 Angkatang, a Pazmany PL-2 copy, under licence.

A dozen former Pelita H-500Cs were delivered to SkU.7 in December 1982, operating next to the Bell 47Gs

As noted in my comments with UH-34D H-5802 c/n 58.1173, that identity has often been attributed to this S.58T, but in fact this one remains unknown. The first UH-34Ds arrived in Indonesia in 1971 and in 1978 a programme of upgrading several of them to S.58T 'Twinpac' status began at Sakdron Teknik 016 Bandung, following the Sikorsky modification from piston engine to twin PT6T turbines. The fleet served actively in many local conflicts, several being lost. The last of the type was withdrawn in 2008 and this one was placed on display near the gate of the Adisutjipto airbase in September 2017

There has been some confusion over the identity of the two S.58 variants in the Indonesian AF Museum, both H-5802 and H-3404 being quoted as c/n 58.1173 in various places. However, a photo exists of the instrument panel of H-5802 clearly showing BuNo 148060, confirming that this helicopter is indeed 1173. It was acquired after service with the SVNAF and has been preserved since 1985, much of the time inside.

Eight serials are known for these Polish-built Mi-1s in Indonesian service.

Another relatively recent addition is this Indonesian Aerospace-built Super Puma. Others are still active.

Reserialled H-2060 by the time it ended service. A relatively new addition to the collection, first noted here in 2017

Sources vary as to whether this is a UH-12A (US Army production) or a UH-12B (US Navy production). If c/n 174 is correct, it is a UH-12A ex N8174H

The Mitsubishi Ki-51 (Army designation 'Type 99 Assault Plane'; Allied reporting name 'Sonia') was a light bomber/dive bomber in service with the Imperial Japanese during WWII. Several left behind at the of the war were pressed into service by the Indonesians against the Dutch and known as the 'Guntei'. This one was abandoned at Babo airfield in Indonesia's West Papua province where it remained until the 1980s. Recovered and restored to static condition, it was painted to represent a surrendered Japanese aircraft used during the Indonesian National Revolution between 1945 and 1949

Among the many types that was abandoned by the Japanese in some numbers at the end of WWII is the Ki-43. This is one of them, recovered from Babo airfield in West Papua in the 1980s and restored statically to represent one of about 12 that were pressed into service by the Indonesians during their independence struggle against the Dutch in the late 1940s