A private museum in Latvia holding dozens of Soviet Union aircraft collected over half a century by a retired flight engineer is facing closure. “I have to relocate my museum or face its destruction, ” said Talpas, who was born in Ukraine and served in the Black Sea fleet in Soviet times before moving to Latvia. The collection also has deactivated Russian anti-aircraft missiles and Polish, Czech and Ukrainian civil aircraft, as well as remnants of World War II planes such as German Messerschmitt fighters. There is also the blade of a propeller plane from 1927 – an example of Latvia’s own aviation construction industry, which did not survive World War II. Talpas said he had received offers to host the museum but, since none of the aircraft are airworthy, transport would cost a lot, “and that amount of money we simply do not have”.

Source: The Star April 16, 2021 19:33 UTC