- HERITAGE & HISTORY
- historical museum
Rayak, Zahleh district
Rayak Air Base is home to the Lebanese Air Force Museum, as it contains all of the old aircraft and the majority of grounded aircraft. The museum is not open to the public, however visitors can and must obtain permission to visit from air force authorities.
The Lebanese Air Force was established in 1949 in Rayak airbase under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Emile Boustany. The unit had several names such as the Force of the Air and the Air Defense Force, and was finally named the Air Force. The Air Force Headquarters was located in Rayak airbase before being moved to the Ministry of National Defense in 1969, and then to the Bayda building in Ain el Remmaneh in 1989.
The museum displays: de Havilland Vampire T55, Hawker Hunter F6, Sud Aviation SE3130 Alouette II, Sud Aviation SA316B Alouette III, Agusta Bell AB212, Fouga CM170 Magister and Aerospatiale SA342L Gazelle.
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Opening hours
Visits only by permission of the Air Force Authority’s