Until the end of October, visitors can explore the exhibition titled “How Do We Get There? Energy Mix in Transportation” at the Hungarian Museum of Science, Technology, and Transport, featuring an Antonov An-2 that previously stood atop the museum’s former building. Despite spending nearly 13 years exposed to the elements, the aircraft seemingly bore no trace of time. At the request of the museum, the Aeroplex aircraft maintenance team performed a complete exterior refurbishment.
The paint job adorning the Antonov An-2 showcased in the new exhibition at the Hungarian Museum of Technology and Transport would be envied by a modern passenger aircraft. The new-look is no coincidence, a complete exterior refurbishment was carried out by Aeroplex’s paint and cabin interior specialists, prior to the exhibition. The aircraft holds a special significance as it stood atop the former Museum in City Park between 2004 and 2016, serving as an emblematic symbol for both hundreds of thousands of visitors and the residents of Budapest.
During the renovation, the aircraft was given a completely new look, with a snow-white livery instead of the previous sand-coloured one. The fuselage has also been stripped of its Transport Museum sign, replaced by an elegant red stripe running from the nose to the windows. Naturally, the markings in the museum’s current branding have been added to various parts of the aircraft, as well as the well-known ACE logo. Additionally, the experts placed an original Antonov emblem on the vertical stabilizer, alongside the Hungarian flag, located on the rudder.
Inside the aircraft, minor modifications were carried out by the Museum’s restorers, with assistance from Aeroplex using various materials and tools. The cabin, like the external shell, was painted white, and a series of passenger seats were installed. The previously empty cockpit now welcomes visitors once again, with seats crafted in the workshops of ACE.
Árpád Demény, Managing Director of Aeroplex, said about the cooperation,
” It was an honor for us to be invited to participate in the preparation of the new exhibition of the Hungarian Museum of Technology and Transport. We at Aeroplex consider it an important task to promote the Hungarian aviation industry, which includes the preservation of aviation historical monuments. The aesthetic restoration of the An-2 has been carried out with the same care as the maintenance of the aircraft in our hangars, so I am confident that it will remain a jewel in the Museum’s exhibitions for many years to come.”
The Antonov An-2 is one of the most widely used types in the aviation industry, with more than 18,000 units produced over almost 60 years, and many “kukuruznik” (nickname meaning “corn crop duster”) are still flying in Hungary. The twin-deck has been and is still used for a wide range of purposes, from agriculture to aerobatics to parachuting, and in many countries even for military purposes. As part of the temporary exhibition of the Hungarian Museum of Technology and Transport, it can be seen along with many other special vehicles in the Diesel Hall of the former Northern Vehicle Repair plant.
