The Airlift plane
The Hastings TG 503
From Airlift plane to museum object
Few aircraft from the time of the Berlin Airlift still exist today. One of them is the British Hastings from the collection of the Allied Museum. Only three more of this model of aircraft survive anywhere in the world. When the Berlin Airlift began on June 26, 1948, the new planes were not yet ready for operation. Because of the tense situation in Berlin, however, there was an urgent need for transport capacity. In November 1948 the Hastings began flying cargo – mainly coal – to Berlin.
Even after the Berlin Airlift, the Hastings TG 503 had a turbulent history. It was deployed for many missions outside Europe, for instance in the Sudan, where its suitability under tropical conditions was put to the test. The Hastings flew for the last time in 1977, and then stood for many years as a “Gate Guard“ at the British military airbase in Berlin’s Gatow district. In 1997 the British government and the Royal Air Force donated it to the Allied Museum, where it recalls the British contribution to the Berlin Airlift.
You can currently visit this unique property every day except Mondays from 10 to 18, also from the inside. The plane is closed during inclement weather or restoration work.
Opening hours
Temporary closure of the Allied Museum
In light of recent government measures aimed at stopping the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Allied Museum will remain closed until further notice.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
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Car: Clayallee 135, 14195 Berlin. Free parking is available.
Metro: U3 to “Oskar-Helene-Heim”
Bus: Line 115 or X83 to “AlliiertenMuseum” -
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Topics

History in overview
The Allied Museum offers information on such important topics as the Cold War-era Airlift and Berlin crisis.
further information