Museum Review: Flyhistorisk Museum, Sola

Located at an older part of Norway’s oldest airport at Stavanger, The Flyhistorisk Museum Sola sits in an old German WWII built sea plane hanger alongside Hafrsfjord, an inlet from the sea. The airport was opened in 1937 and during 1940 was captured by German forces and the seaplane base was used by the Luftwaffe in support of operations in the North Sea. The base remained under German control for the duration of WWII until liberation by British and Norwegian forces in May 1945.

The Flyhistorisk museum was founded in 1984 by local enthusiasts and displays a diverse and varied collection aircraft, encompassing civilian, military and general aviation aircraft which are mainly related to local aviation history. The collections includes some rarer aircraft types such as Arado 96 and Caproni Ca.310 alongside some of the more recent types operated by the Norwegian Air Force. The museum also holds a large collection of aviation related artifacts.

 

More recently a  newer hangar was constructed to accommodate the ever-growing collection and now houses the more recently modern aircraft types that were previously operated by the Norwegian Air Force.

 

In addition a further new building was in the process of being erected during out visit which will be become the new museum welcome foyer and entrance.

Jærmuseet, a collection of 12 museums across the Jæren region has worked closely with the museum since 1997, and in January 2002 the museum overtook the operational responsibility of the museum from the volunteers.

One of the most unique exhibits is a Heinkel He.115 float plane which was recovered in remarkable complete condition from nearby Hafrsfjord during 2012 and is believed to be the only example of the aircraft in existence. This aircraft is undergoing a gradual restoration to preserve it having spent many years under water.

The location of the museum is in easy reach of Stavanger Airport terminal, only a 20 minute walk or a short taxi ride. The museum is open every Sunday from May through to November, and daily during school holidays with the exception of Monday. Details can be obtained from the museum website.

The following aircraft were noted in the museum during our visit in June 2024.

RegistrationTypeC/NCode/MarkingsNotes
060Westland Sea King Mk.43BWA746
1034Arado Ar-66C-91034
117045Republic RF-84F Thunderflash?[T3-N]
151De Havilland/Kjeller DH.82 Tiger Moth161
220Northrop F-5A Freedom FighterN.7043[DP-C]
2398Heinkel He.115B/C2398[8H-F]
28470Republic F-84G Thunderjet3250-2295B[101161/MU-Z]
31082North American F-86F Sabre202-011[AH-A]
336SAAB SB.91B-2 Safir91.336
4039Meggitt BTT-3 Banshee?
41266North American F-86K Sabre213-36[ZK-L]
4246Arado Ar-96B-14246[P1+OT]Restoration Area
501Caproni-Begamaschi Ca.310 Libeccio361
688Bell UH-1B Iroquois268
6W+ANArado Ar-196A?
730Canadair CF-1041030
75-YPolardykk Hang Glider
BK309Vickers Wellington B.III?Tail only
DT-571Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star580-5903[DP-X]
F-BDHZMorane-Saulnier MS.502 Criquet540[SB-UY]
L-857Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina928[KK-A]
LN-ABMLippisch Hols der Teufel (Replica)?
LN-BDRNoorduyn Norseman IV92
LN-BFYDe Havilland DH.114 Heron 1B14015[LN-PSG]
LN-BIOFairchild PT-26 Cornell IIT43-4646[141]
LN-FADPiel CP.301C EmeraudeL-355/67
LN-FMSCyklokopter?
LN-GARJacobs DFS 108-70 Olympia Meise527[LN-SCA]
LN-GBHScheibe Bergfalke II/55202
LN-GBIElliots of Newbury AP.8 BabyEON/B/018
LN-KLKConvair 440-75357
LN-LMDAero Commander 680FL1401-56
LN-NAUPiper L-4H Cub11773
LN-SUBDouglas DC-6B45496
LN-SUFFokker F27-100 Friendship10298
LN-YACAerodyne Vector 6101389
SE-HMEWestland-Bell WB.47G-3B-1 Sioux AH.1WA.583[LN-ORB]
U-1217F + W DH.115 Vampire T.55977

The following aircraft are part of the museum and were not present as they were on Static display at the Sola Airshow.

14055Messerschmitt BF.109G-1
AR-114SAAB Draken RF35

South West Aviation Photographers would like to thank the Flyhistorisk Museum for their assistance in making this article possible.

Report by Gary Morris & Matt Sudol

© South West Aviation Photographers 2024