SAQER-ALJAZIRAH AVIATION MUSEUM

Civil and military aviation enthusiasts should not miss a detour to this museum, which has some twenty aircraft. The visitor is welcomed by a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar of Saudia Airlines visible from the ring road. The lobby features a permanent exhibition tracing the history of the Saudi Royal Air Force since the 1920s.

BAC Lightning T 55. The only 100% British designed and built aircraft capable of reaching Mach 2, the BAC Lightning was an interceptor aircraft used between the 1960s and 1980s. It is equipped with Rolls Royace Avon Turbojet engines integrated into the fuselage.

BAC Strikemaster Mk80. This small, light aircraft could be equipped with two bombs of 500 tons each. The Mk80 was specially developed for the Saudi army which had 25 aircraft. The aircraft dates back to the 1950s and was extensively redesigned in the 1960s, including advanced navigation and communication systems, and improved ejection seats.

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. A twin-engine tactical fighter aircraft, whose design dates back to the early 1970s. Exported to Japan, Israel and Saudi Arabia, this aircraft has never lost an air combat.

Douglas A-26 Invader. This twin-engine light bomber dates back to World War II. It began rolling out of the factory in 1943 and quickly became a fixture in military skies. It was notably loaned to France during the Indochina War.

Douglas DC-4. This four-engine propeller-driven transport aircraft made its mark during the Second World War and became famous for the airlift of supplies to West Berlin after the war.

Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Four-engine turbo-prop military transport that was designed to land and take off from unlevelled runways. Developed in the mid-1950s, it was later modified to be equipped with machine guns. The aircraft is still in production and use, making it one of the oldest in continuous operation.

Lockheed T-33. A variant of the P-80/F-80, the T-33, nicknamed "The Bird", is a trainer jet and fighter aircraft.

Panavia Tornado. This defense fighter (interception, reconnaissance) was developed jointly by Britain and West Germany in the 1970s.