Featured Polish Aviation Museum: Historic City of Krakow is Home to One of the World’s Most Extensive Collections of Soviet Warbirds [VISIT] Iain Harrison November 3, 2025 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Read our affiliate policy. Find out more about how we test products. A short taxi ride from the center of Krakow’s bustling and ancient downtown, tucked into a wooded suburban district lies the Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego, which is attached to an active military base. It houses one of the most impressive collections of MiG’s, SU’s, and Mi’s outside of Russia. Unfortunately, as I have no desire to wind up in jail, that other country is off-limits to me at the moment, so the chance to get up close with Soviet-era warbirds in their natural environment while avoiding attention from descendants of the Cheka was naturally appealing. Although the headliners are all from east of the Danube, there’s a significant number of Western aircraft on display, too. Indeed, stuffed into one hangar is a beautifully preserved F4 Phantom, cheek by jowl with its contemporary enemy MiG-17, both of which tangled in the skies above Vietnam. Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie Address: al. Jana Pawła II 39, 31-864 Kraków, Poland Hours: 0900-1700 daily Admission: $12 (approx.) Elsewhere, nuclear-capable Cold War hardware sits on cracked, partially inflated tires, plexiglass canopies turning hazy as camo-painted fuselages weather with age. It wasn’t too long ago that both sides trained with an intensity born of certain annihilation, and these aircraft were readied to launch from improvised airfields across Europe. An Antonov AN-2, the world’s largest biplane, sits next to … Its failed replacement, the PZL M-15, proving that newer is not necessarily better. As Poland was at the time firmly within the Soviet orbit, before the Solidarity movement contributed greatly to the demise of the Evil Empire, their collection of first-line kit is both wide and deep. World War I-vintage Sopwith Camel, one of the most capable single-seat fighters of its day. This F4 Phantom is one of the few modern warplanes to earn a place inside the hangars. One of the most impressive displays is the long line of early Soviet jet fighters. The Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 saw its combat debut in the Korean War, but would probably never have made it in time for that conflict had not the British Labor government of the day sold the Soviets its power plant, a feat of idiocy unrivaled at the time. WWI Halberstadt CL.II German biplane featuring all-wood construction. This is the only surviving example in the world. Instead, the MiG-15 far outclassed anything the Allied forces could put in the air, and on April 12, 1951, or “Black Thursday,” a handful of them shredded a flotilla of B-29 Superfortress bombers, resulting in three planes shot down and seven damaged. Piloted by Russian aces who had honed their skills against German Luftwaffe only a few years prior, the MiG-15 shocked the world with its performance, hammering the piston-engined bombers with cannon fire and outrunning the F-84 Thunderjets pulling escort duty. The museum’s collection of WWII planes covers both Axis and Allied inventories, like this Spitfire parked next to a Ju 52. The Spitfire wears the colors of the 308th “Krakow” squadron, which was composed of Polish pilots who escaped to the UK following the German invasion. This feat was repeated during the Vietnam conflict by the MiG-17, which — although a theoretically outdated, improved MiG-15 — was still able to tangle successfully with the F-4 Phantom and F-105 Thunderchief. By the time it entered service in 1953, its replacement, the MiG-19 was already conducting flight trials. The second-generation Harrier entered service in the mid-1980s. The MiG-19 was the Soviet Union’s first supersonic interceptor, and there are several examples at the museum. Capable of out-turning and out-accelerating the F-4 Phantom up to Mach 1.2, captured samples flown by U.S. test pilots were found to be very capable machines, but with the severe drawback of very limited range, particularly when employing their afterburners. The F-86 Sabre was the only U.S. fighter at the time that could reliably take on the MiG-15. At the end of the MiG-15/MiG-17 lineup, the visitor turns to their left and is greeted by the imposing sight of a Sukhoi Su-24. Filling the same CAS role as the Fairchild A-10, the Fl was built to take punishment from anti-aircraft systems and still complete its mission. One of the best-looking warplanes ever produced, this MiG-29 sits next to its ugly sister. As the Polish air force is now part of NATO’s ORBAT, the Polish Aviation Museum’s collection also includes many examples of Western aircraft. Cold Warriors such as the SEPECAT Jaguar, Harrier, Starfighter, Phantom, and Draken are grouped together for the visitor to inspect. There are no ropes around the exterior displays, and while signage asks visitors not to touch, there’s nothing stopping you from getting up close to the aircraft. Some of the museum’s collection of Soviet-era rotary wing aircraft. Fast movers are usually the first thing that visitors gravitate toward, but there’s a significant number of interesting utility aircraft on display. The bizarre PZL M-15 jet agricultural aircraft, a product of the central planning good idea fairy, was intended to spray crops on the Russian steppe and transport goods from far-flung locales. This SEPECAT Jaguar is the result of a collaboration between the French and British, serving with distinction as a ground attack aircraft in the first Gulf war. Designed in Poland as a replacement for the robust Antonov An-2 biplane, an example of which stands next to it, its users reportedly hated it. Jet engines impose certain limitations, such as high operating costs and more frequent and expensive maintenance, in return for the promise of high performance. Which is exactly what’s needed in a flying tractor. The MiG-23 proved to be almost as capable as its better-looking sibling. Going farther back in time, Poland’s part in World War II is captured in the aircraft which flew for both the Axis and Allies. A Spitfire shares a hall with an ME109, cheek by jowl with a Junkers 88 and a DC3, along with some lesser-known contemporaries, such a French Renault CR714. Over 4,000 Mi-4 “Hound” transport helicopters of all variants were built. The hall in which they’re displayed is crammed with other examples of WWII equipment, such as jeeps, flying suits, engines and ordnance, and is only a short walk to an even earlier era. Polish fliers operated in WWI also, and there are well-preserved examples of German and British biplanes from that conflict on display. Polish pilots referred to the MiG-21 as “pencil” due to the shape of its fuselage. We don’t have the space in these pages to list everything in the museum — it really does showcase the breadth of aviation history in Poland, and by extension, central Europe. If you find yourself anywhere near Krakow, it’s well worth the time to grab a cab and go exploring. Expect to spend at least four hours wandering through exhibits, as every time you think you’ve seen it all, you’ll turn another corner and have an, “Aha!” moment. Why you can trust RECOIL Since our founding in 2012, RECOIL remains the premier firearms lifestyle publication for the modern shooting enthusiast. We deliver cutting-edge coverage of guns, gear, accessories and technology. We go beyond basic reviews, providing no B.S. buyer’s guides, hands-on testing and expert analysis on everything from firearms and survival equipment to watches and vehicles. 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