ILA 2018 Aviation Exhibition & Airshow, Berlin & Aviation Museums & Collections WEDNESDAY, 25th – SUNDAY, 29th APRIL PROVISIONAL ITINERARY & GENERAL INFORMATION Held every 2 years, the Berlin Airshow, or ILA as it is better known, was the world’s first such international aerospace exhibition and airshow! It is certainly as big as the more well-known events held in Paris and Farnborough - and many enthusiasts would say that this airshow is a great deal better: a good, long crowd-line and a more exciting display with a wide range of civil and military participants. At ILA 2016 over 200 aircraft participated either in the static display and/or the flying programme, including this Polish Air Force MiG-29 (pictured left) making a dramatic start to its incredible flying display. Our tour includes 1 day at the show plus these fabulous, exciting museums: Luftfahrtmuseum Finow Berlin Wall & Checkpoint Charlie Museum Alliiertenmuseum, Clayallee Deutsches Technik Museum Luftwaffe Museum, Gatow There is also time at leisure for you to enjoy as you wish. Alternatively, spend a day away from the group to explore and enjoy the many attractions of this vibrant and popular capital city. We can recommend any of the various ‘hop-on, hop-off’ sightseeing tours. Or maybe you prefer a second day at ILA and/or spotting/photographing the airliners at Tegel Airport from the excellent observation terrace. We fly on the scheduled services of British Airways from London’s Heathrow Airport; travel in-country by air- conditioned coach (see appropriate paragraph on page 4 of General Information); stay each night in a comfortable hotel on a bed and breakfast basis; and are accompanied by one of our very experienced and well-travelled Tour Managers. This long weekend trip is also a perfect short break for non-aviation persons! Not limited by time or funds? Then why not join our longer trip to the Baltic area of Germany, which includes the famous Luftwaffe R&D and testing sites of Rechlin and Peenemunde; plus ILA 2018; 21st-29th April. See Tour 227809 on our website. Or extend your stay in Berlin. PROVISIONAL ITINERARY (all times local) DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, 25th APRIL Between 08:00 and 08:50 please check-in with British Airways in Terminal 5 at London’s Heathrow Airport. Then meet your Ian Allan Tour Manager and fellow enthusiasts who will be standing by Column G, located in the Departures Hall immediately before the self-service check-in podiums (not the usual line of check-in and fast bag-drop desks). Latest check-in time advised by the airline is 2 hours prior to departure, i.e. 08:50. Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5 Flight: BA 992 Departs: 10:50 Berlin, Tegel Airport Arrives: 13:40 Tour 227810 - ILA 2018 Berlin & Museums - Provisional Itinerary – Issue 1 Page 1 of 6 Ian Allan Aviation Tours Terminal House, Shepperton, Middlesex, TW17 8AS, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1932 255625 Fax: +44 (0)1932 231942 e-mail: [email protected] www.ianallantravel.com/aviationtours Meeting our local driver we board the coach and drive into the centre of the German capital. We stay 4 nights on a bed and breakfast basis at the 4-star Berlin Mark Hotel. Situated down a quiet street, it’s only a 2-minutes walk from the famous Kurfürstendamm (or Ku-damm) shopping strasse. It has air-conditioned, spacious rooms equipped with a flat- screen TV with satellite channels. Some rooms include free Wi-Fi and a trendy cocktail lounge serves drinks and snacks. The Uhlandstraße Underground Station is a 4-minutes walk away; a 10-minutes walk is the Memorial Church, Berlin Zoo and the Zoologischer Garten Train Station (with connections to Schönefeld Airport and ILA). The remainder of the afternoon is free. DAY 2: THURSDAY, 26th APRIL Mid-morning we arrive in Eberswalde (from where the world's first radio concert was broadcast in 1923), and the excellent collection of aircraft in the Luftfahrthistorische Sammlung Finow. From 1944 Finow was home of the famous KG200 which flew captured Allied bombers on clandestine missions, and was involved in the unique and unusual “Mistel” programme (‘bomber-with-a-fighter-on-top combination’). Exhibits range from the Second World War to the Cold War. They are located in and around a HAS (hardened aircraft shelter) site (pictured right), on this ex-Soviet Air Force airbase! Possibly the only such location for any aviation museum in the world! Website: www.luftfahrtmuseum-finowfurt.de/ Mid-afternoon we arrive back in Berlin and visit the infamous “Berlin Wall & Checkpoint Charlie” Museum. Named after the famous crossing point on the Berlin Wall, it was created to document the so-called "best border security system in the world" (in the words of East German general Heinz Hoffmann). On display are the photos and related documents of successful escape attempts from East Germany, together with various escape apparatus: hot-air balloons, getaway cars, chairlifts – even a mini-U-Boat! Website: www.mauermuseum.de/ We arrive back at our hotel around 16:30. DAY 3: FRIDAY, 27th APRIL Our first visit today is to the Alliierten Museum which covers the Berlin Airlift, the dividing of Berlin into East and West and the Cold War years. Exhibits include the French military train, the guardhouse from Checkpoint Charlie, a Handley Page Hastings T.5 (pictured left) and the DHC Chipmunk from the Station Flight, RAF Gatow (is the secret camera still fitted?). We understand that the Vickers Varsity is now locked away in storage somewhere on Tegel Airport. Website: www.alliiertenmuseum.de/en/0.php Next is the very impressive Deutsches Technik Museum; huge, with various ‘transport’ and other exhibitions. You need several hours to see everything, but our visit is specifically to see only the aviation collection. Those who would like to spend longer here may do so, transferring back to the hotel at a time of their own choosing and expense. The main group arrive back at the hotel at approximately 13:00. The afternoon is free to enjoy as you wish. DAY 4: SATURDAY, 28th APRIL This morning we depart the hotel by coach at 07:30 for a full day at ILA 2018 which takes place on Schönefeld International Airport. ILA have tightened up their security requirements for the 2018 event and for those of you who would like media accreditation, you can now only apply on-line via their website. At the end of the flying display we return to our hotel. Tour 227810 - ILA 2018 Berlin & Museums - Provisional Itinerary – Issue 1 Page 2 of 6 Ian Allan Aviation Tours Terminal House, Shepperton, Middlesex, TW17 8AS, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1932 255625 Fax: +44 (0)1932 231942 e-mail: [email protected] www.ianallantravel.com/aviationtours DAY 5: SUNDAY, 29th APRIL This morning we arrive at the ex-RAF station of Gatow to look around one of the best aviation museums in Europe (if not the world!): the excellent Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr-Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow and its huge number of aircraft – 214 at the last count! Plus 66 air defence missile and radar systems. The Museum focuses mainly on the history of the post-war German Air Force and has a fabulous collection of more than 600,000 items, including 5,000 uniforms, 30,000 books and documents, art, personal estates, training materials and a great deal more. Not surprisingly, not all are on public display! Uniquely, there is at least one aircraft of every type ever to serve in the air forces of East and West Germany! There are also displays on the history of the airfield when it was used by the RAF. A lot of the post-war aircraft are stored outside on the tarmac and runways. Website: www.luftwaffenmuseum.de Mid-afternoon we transfer the few miles to Tegel Airport and check in with British Airways for our flight back to Heathrow Airport; latest check-in time is 14:45. Berlin Tegel Airport Flight: BA 985 Departs: 16:45 Heathrow, Terminal 5 Arrives: 17:45 Whilst waiting for our luggage we bid each “auf Wiedersehn” – until we meet again! PRICE PER PERSON TOUR: 227810 From £ 769.00 Package price based on sharing a twin bedded room on a bed and breakfast basis From £ 239.00 Single room supplement On request Land-only (NO flights) PLEASE SPEAK WITH ONE OF OUR CONSULTANTS BEFORE BOOKING TOUR PRICE INCLUDES Return flights on the scheduled services of British Airways from London’s Heathrow Airport as stated UK & German airport taxes and UK Passenger Service Charge (subject to change) 4 nights accommodation in rooms with private facilities Continental Breakfast All transfers and transportation by chartered air-conditioned coach, as stated Admission to all museums and collections as stated Services of an Ian Allan Tour Manager Gratuity for coach driver NOT INCLUDED Meals, other than those stated above One day admission to ILA 2018 – prices not released as of 31st July 2017 Visa – not required by UK and EU citizens: see General Information Travel Insurance – see General Information Personal expenditure, for example, telephone calls, laundry, drinks, etc. Tour 227810 - ILA 2018 Berlin & Museums - Provisional Itinerary – Issue 1 Page 3 of 6 Ian Allan Aviation Tours Terminal House, Shepperton, Middlesex, TW17 8AS, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1932 255625 Fax: +44 (0)1932 231942 e-mail: [email protected] www.ianallantravel.com/aviationtours GENERAL INFORMATION Payment for Ian Allan Aviation Tours A deposit of £400.00 per person should accompany your Booking Form, with the balance due 10 weeks prior to the tour’s departure. Please see your Booking Confirmation/Invoice for the exact date.