Laatzen-Hannover Aviation Museum

© L.Gerhardts

The Aviation Museum in Hannover-Laatzen was established in 1992 from a private collection. Spread across 3,500 square meters of exhibition space in two halls, it houses nearly 4,000 exhibits, including 35 aircraft —originals and faithful replicas—800 model airplanes, more than 30 piston engines and jet engines, instrument panels, aviator clothing, books and aviation documents, carriages, motor vehicles, and everyday items.

Time travel begins in 1783 with a hot air balloon

The permanent exhibition begins with a presentation of the ascent of the first hot-air balloon by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783. Highlights include an original Royal Air Force Spitfire, the only example on display in a German museum, as well as the only Bf 109 G-2 and the first Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 in Germany since the end of the war in 1945. The presentation of the recovery of four Ju 52s in the Arctic Circle in the summer of 1986 and a photo documentation of the recovery of several Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8s are also on display.

Children are allowed to sit in helicopters

An "Alouette-II" in the exhibition is a reminder of the development of the helicopter. Younger museum visitors can take a seat here and dream about how they might later pilot a helicopter themselves.

The declared aim of the museum and the members of the support association is to maintain and continually expand a site for the presentation of aviation history.