76 |FLIGHTPATH
A venerable collection
T
he Sri Lanka Air Force Museum was
establishedin1993attheRatmalana
Air Base to the south of Colombo.
Modernised in 2008, it remained
closedtothepublicforseveralyearsuntil
recently.
Open every day except Monday, the mu-
seumhasanumberofrareaircraftondis-
playandmosthavebeenrestoredtoahigh
standard.Theolderaircraftarekeptina
fairly well lit hangar while the rest are dis-
played outside.
TheAirForcewasformedastheRoyal
Ceylon Air Force in 1951. The first aircraft
were de Havilland Chipmunks and these
werefollowedbyBoultonPaulBalliolsand
Airspeed Oxfords. A transport fleet was
builtarounddeHavillandDovesandHer-
ons.TigerMothCX123andsomeofthe
Chipmunks are maintained in airworthy
condition.Nigel Hitchman
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