VAD-AF museum belongs to Political Department of the Vietnamese Air Defense and Air Force, formerly known as the traditional house of the air military established in 1958. The museum which was ranked second in the Vietnam museum system, was built in 2004 and inaugurated on August 28, 2007. It preserves images, materials, artifacts showing the exploits and the process from fouding to development of Vietnam air defense and air force as well as the remarkable air combats.
The indoor exhibition section of the Vietnam Air Defense – Air Force Museum has more than 3,000 artifacts.
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The museum includes the outdoor and indoor display sections.
The outdoor exhibition displays 73 noteable artifacts systematically, including unique weapons of air defense and air force such as anti-aircraft gun, radar, aircraft and missile. Some of the exhibited weapons tell a glorious war history such as the 37mm anti-aircraft To Vinh Dien’s gun battery used in Dien Bien Phu campaign; the US made 90mm anti-aircraft which is used in the first air combat victory on August 5, 1964; the air traffic control radar producing electromagnetic waves, used during the 12 day and night campaign against US bombings in 1972 to detect signals of B-52s, helping to recognize the bombers half an hour ahead of its arrival; a launching pad where missiles were fired to down the first B-52s in “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu-in-the-air” campaign in December, 1972; a MiG-21 aircraft which shot down US bomber B-52s at night on December 27, 1972.
In addition, there are other artifacts such as the fighters MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, transport helicopter, helicopter submarine hunter, fighter aircraft of US army and Saigon regime’s military including an A-37 Quyet Thang squadron used to bomb Tan Son Nhat airport, contributing to the victory of historical Ho Chi Minh campaign and some weapons and vehicles used by the enemy during the Vietnam War.
73 big artifacts are displayed scientifically in the outdoor exhibition section.
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The indoor exhibition or the main building is designed with solemn dome representing a symbol of Vietnamese peaceful sky. In order to effectively defend the Motherland’s airspace, over the past 50 years, the air defense and air force has fought, won and continuously developed. In the middle of the building is the statue of President Ho Chi Minh. This section also introduces some pictures of the glorious achievements that the air defense and air force has obtained in more than 50 years of the force history.
Next is themed exhibition zone with displays showing typical historical events and important milestones of Vietnam air defense and air force. More than 3,000 artifacts displayed according to six themes reflecting the true and heroic history, the outstanding achievements of air defense and air force over the past 50 years as well as in the current period.
Each of artifacts displayed in the building is associated with the excellent achievements of air defense and air force during the wars against the French and the American. The myth of how the Vietnamese army won the the victory defeating the much better equipped air forces of the countries that had the utmost science and technology at the time, is still very attractive to be told to domestic and international visitors.
