War remnants museums IndoChina
Fifty years ago there was a lot of war in IndoChina, consequenly there are a lot of war remnants museums and memorials in both Vietnam and Cambodia. Below an extract of what I have visited.
Air Force Museum - Saigon, Vietnam
The War Remnants Museum is a war museum at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam and situated 5 minutes from Tan Son Nhat Airport.
Preserved at the museum is this Mikojan-Goerevitsj MiG-21 Fishbed.
The entrance of the museum with a Mil Mi-24 and Mi-8.
"4326" was the MiG-21 of Vietnam War Ace Nguyen Van Coc.
Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter with serial "7579".
The Cessna A-37B Dragonfly was used in the counter-insurgency role.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey was used as a utility helicopter
Cessna U-17 Skywagon was the military variant of the well known Cessna 185 Skywagon.
Due to air pollution, Saigon is often shrouded in smog and consequently visibility was poor during our visit.
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Mikhail Mil's Mi-8 Hip.
Mikhail Mil's Mi-24A Hind with serial "7403".
Saigon City Museum
The museum has three aircraft on display.
Cessna A-37B Dragonfly with serial "3724".
Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey with serial "541".
An airplane stored outside will be subject to streaking down the paintwork from dust and dirt deposits unless washed regularly.
Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter with serial "1271".
Independence Palace, Saigon, Vietnam
The Independence Palace in the City Center of Saigon.
A North Vietnamese T-54 tank crashes through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, marking the fall of South Vietnam to Communist forces.
Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey "45" on the roof of the Independence Palace.
Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter "01638".
War remnants museums - Saigon, Vietnam
Weathered, but still as good a looker as the day she rolled off the Boeing Vertol Philadelphia plant, is this U.S. ARMY Boeing CH-47 Chinook with serial "086".
"69170" Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter was one of the 3.800 F-5's built at Northrop production line at Hawthorne, California.
Cessna A-37B Dragonfly USAF serial number 70-1285 (MSN. 43300). She was transferred to South Vietnam AF as 287. Taken over by Vietnam People's AF as 09. Now on display at War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Of the 577 A-37Bs built, the USAF provided 254 to the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) to replace their aging A-1 Skyraiders.
The A-37's were built by Cessna Aircraft company in Wichita, Kansas.
Douglas A-1H Skyraider, USN BuNo 139674 was transferred as 139674 to South Vietnam AF. Now on display at War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
"39674" Skyraider, a great looking brute.
The Skyraider was built at Douglas's El Segundo plant in Southern California. The Skyraider production ended in 1957 with a total of 3,180 having been built.
Cessna U-17B, US serial number 71-1448. Transferred to South Vietnam as 1448 (MSN. 185-01989). On display in War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
An absolute stunner.
This Huey might be Bell UH-1H-BF Iroquois, US Army serial number 69-15753: 15753 (MSN 12041) and is on display at War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
More than 16.000 Huey's were built by Bell Helicopter Company in Fort Worth, Texas.
Cu Chi Tunnel Complex
Vietnam Air Force Lockheed C-130A Hercules with serial 5-0532. Former USAF 56-476 and most likely built in 1956! Seized by VPAF in 1972. Struck off charge in April 1975 and stored at Than Son Nhut. Cu Chi, January 2025.
Nothing more than a wreck is this Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey at Cu Chi.
Vinh Long Provincial Museum
Vinh Long is situated in the Mekong Delta.
A very scruffy and weathered Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter wtih IIAF marking.
Cessna A-37B Dragonfly "295" had faded paint and flat tires during my visit in January 2025.
Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey with serial GB-323.
Vietnam Military History Museums, Hanoi, Vietnam
Due to the Tet holidays Hanoi's Military History Museum was closed for a couple of day. Below pics were taken through the fence.
"5832" is a Mikojan-Goerevitsj MiG-21 Fishbed.
What a treasure. "C-482" is the well known IL-14 of Hang Khong Vietnam.
Antonov An-26 "282" is on display at the new Hanoi War Museum.
Vietnam Force Lockheed C-130A Hercules with serial GZB 0-50001 was built for the USAF in 1957. She was transferred to the SVAF in November 1972.
Entrance ticket to the infamous 'Hanoi Hilton Prison' where downed U.S. Air Crew were imprisoned.
Da Nang Fifth Military Zone Museum
Mikojan-Goerevitsj MiG-21MF "5114" and "5127" Fishbads are on display at Da Nang's Fifth Military Zone Museum.
Fighter pilot Nguyen Van Nghia, used this plane to shoot down an American F-4 Phantom in the BAC Thai Province in 1972.
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Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey serial "780".
Cessna A-37B Dragonfly.
Cessna U-19 Bird Dog of the Vietnam Air Force with serial 042 (msn. 185-1219).
The U-17/19 was basicly a Cessna 185 Skywagon.
A North Vietnamese T-54 tank crashes through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, marking the fall of South Vietnam to Communist forces.
Overseas National Airways Douglas DC-8-63 N865F "Superb" brought the U.S. military back to the U.S. Keep in mind; this streched DC-8 is still in one piece and stored at Willow Run Airport near Detroit. The owner seems to be the Yankee Air Force Museum.
Khê Sanh Combat Base
A Huey and a Chinook, stand guard under a rain laden sky. Khê Sanh, February 2025.
U.S. ARMY Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey 69-15883
Khê Sanh. The grounds of heavy fighting and loss of life in the late 60's.
US Air Force Lockheed C-130A Hercules with serial 5-0532 standing guard in pouring rain.
ARVN troops marching into Laos via Route No. 9 during operation Lam Son 179.
A bridgehead set up by ARVN troops on a hill.
A C-130 transport on the ramp of Ta Con Air Base (Khe Sanh) 1968.
U.S. is carrying out strategy 'helicopter mobility'in operation Lam Son 719.
U.S. ARMY Boeing CH-47 Chinook, serial 025, strongly illuminated against a storm, still stands guard at Khê Sanh, more than almost 60 years after the Battle for Khê Sahn.
U.S. marine tank M48 company defending Ta Con Air Base 1968.
During our visit it poured with rain!
A battery of 105mm cannon on South 881 hill, 1968.
Lang Vay special force camp at the receiving end of LA artillery.
Under sieged. Supplies for U.S. marines in Khe Sanh hang solely on air drops.
The U.S. outposts in Khe Sanh at the mercy of LA artillery.
The U.S. helicopter which had just taken off was shot down by Liberation artillery.
The U.S. marines helplessly looking at a C-123 transport on fire on teh runway at Ta Con Air Base.
More than 2.600 C-130's have rolled off the production line at Lockheed Martin's Marietta, Georgia facility.
The storm of fire of LA artillery causing earth shaking impacts on Ta Con combat base, January 21, 1968.
Evacuation of U.S. marine KIA out of Khe Sanh byhelicopter, 1968.
War Museum - Siem Reap, Cambodia
The exhibits of the Siem Reap War Museum are more a collection of scrap metal than a museum collection!
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A Mil Mi-8T and a Shenyang J-6C are on display at the 'museum'.
Well worn Cambodia Air Force Shenyang J-6C had serial 30-950 (msn. 68837).
This J-6C has been standing outside for over years at the Siem Reap Museum without any care. Dirt has gathered everywhere.
This Mil Mi-8 Hip did operate for the Cambodia Air Force with serial XU-814 (msn. 22907).
The Mil Mi-8's paint has faded extremely due to ultra-violet exposure.
The marking XU-814 is bearly visible.
These clunkers will never fly again.
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