CHILE: THE BRADT TRAVEL GUIDE

 

EMAIL FROM TIM BURFORD Hi - I'm writing a new guidebook to Chile for Bradt Travel Guides. I came across your site and the single Chilean pioneer, Francisco Montero, whom I'd not heard of. I did do a bit of research on Chilean aviation, and for your interest, below is the draft text on the National Aviation Museum. Best wishes, Tim Burford - 12-14-03

 

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AVIATION AND SPACE by TIM BURFORD      It's worth a journey to the south of the city to the Museo Nacional de Aviación y del Espacio or National Museum of Aviation and Space (Pedro Aguirre Cerda 5000, Los Cerrillos; tel: 538 1919, 942 4708; fax: 942 4698; email: museoaeronautico@manquehue.net ; open Tues-Sun 10.00-17.30, free entry). The easiest way to get there is by bus from the Estación Central, notably route 358 (Cerrillos) and also 301, 303, 335, 414, 614 and 711.      Founded in 1944, it moved to the present modern building in 1992; it's owned by the air force, but there's no military presence or overt recruiting. In front of the museum are a Grumman Albatross flying boat, a Hawker Hunter (as used to attack Allende in the Moneda), an F86 Sabre, a T-35 Pillan trainer (built in 1982 by the Chilean company ENAER), and Sikorsky S55 and S58 helicopters, and some executive jets to the north (no access).       Inside are replicas of the Wright Flyer (1903), the Bleriot XI used for the first public flight by a Chilean in 1912, an Avro 504, SE5a and the Red Baron's Fokker F1 as used in World War I, and a Spitfire, as in World War II. Genuine preserved planes include a P47 Thunderbolt, a powerful fighter plane used by the Chilean air force from 1946 to 1957, a B26 Douglas Invader, a bomber flown by the air force from 1954 to 1972, a Douglas DC6, a four-engined plane flown by LanChile from 1955 to 1973 and by the Chilean air force until 1980, and a Bell 47 helicopter used by the air force from 1953 to 1977.       On the lawn to the east (with no access, at least until the airport closes in a few years time) there are a Canberra, another Hawker Hunter, a Douglas DC3 Dakota, a Boeing 707 and a Phantom jet fighter-bomber.      The space section seems to be closed at the moment, but as Chile has never had a space programme it doesn't much matter. There are also cases of memorabilia and quite a lot of historical information, although you'll need decent Spanish to benefit from this.      The Aviation Museum is easily combined (Tuesday to Friday) with wine-tasting at Viña Undurraga - go there first to be sure of catching the right bus, then return the same way asking to be dropped off at Los Cerrillos. Afterwards you can easily go to the Basilica of Maipu with bus 303, 602 or 711.

 

RECOMMENDED READING   CHILE: THE BRADT TRAVEL GUIDE by Tim Burford Product Details Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides; (November 2004) ISBN: 1841620769   Editorial Reviews Book Description "A comprehensive Bradt guide to Chile, with the emphasis placed firmly on natural history and ecotourism. Every aspect of this geographically diverse country is covered, from the immense deserts and peaks of the north via the fertile central valleys to the amazingly dense rainforests and glaciers of the south. There is much to discover both in physical beauty and in the culture of Chile, such as ancient Inca ruins on some of the highest peaks of the Americas, wine districts of the central regions, volcano-fringed Chilean Lake District, and sailing and kayaking off subantarctic islands. Hiking, transportation, accommodations, and eating out are all detailed for this most easy of Latin American countries for independent travelers, along with plenty of information on natural history, national parks, and conservation."

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