Visitor Information
📍 Location & Access
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- The Sri Lanka Air Force Museum is located within the Ratmalana Air Force Base (commonly the Sri Lanka Air Force Base Ratmalana), in the suburb of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, just off Galle Road and roughly 13 km from Colombo city centre.
- Opening hours
Typically open Tuesday through Sunday from 08:30 to 16:30; closed Mondays and on public holidays. - Admission
Fees vary (and may differ for local vs international visitors). One source lists adults over 18 at Rs. 200, children under 18 at Rs. 50, and foreign adults US$ 15.
Contact & direction tips - Address: Commanding Officer, Aircraft Preservation & Storage Unit (AP & SU), SLAF Base Ratmalana, Sri Lanka.
- Phone: +94 77 244 4445 (as listed)
By Hans van der Wilt | GMAP.NL Team | February 2025
✈ SRI LANKA AIR FORCE MUSEUM, RATMALANA
The Sri Lanka Air Force Museum is located within the Ratmalana Air Force Base and is dedicated to preserving and presenting the aviation heritage of the Sri Lanka Air Force, as well as the earlier Royal Ceylon Air Force. It features aircraft, vehicles, uniforms, weaponry and other artifacts that tell the story of military aviation in Sri Lanka—from World War II, through post-colonial development, to modern day.
The facility was initially established in 1993 as the Aircraft Preservation and Storage Unit, and after refurbishment reopened on 5 November 2009.
Aircraft & outdoor exhibits
A range of historic aircraft are on display outdoors and in hangars, including types such as the DHC-1 Chipmunk, Airspeed Oxford, Boulton Paul Balliol, MiG-17F, MiG-27 and a Mig-23 among others. Many are preserved in original or restored markings.
The outdoor exhibits also include wreckages of Japanese aircraft shot down over Ceylon during WWII, and aircraft and vehicles associated with more recent conflicts.
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Aircraft Highlights
✈️ Jet and Combat Aircraft
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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F – Soviet-built fighter aircraft used by the SLAF.
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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23/27 – Soviet-built fighter aircraft used by the SLAF.
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IA 58 Pucará – Argentine counter-insurgency/ground-attack aircraft.
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Hunting Percival Jet Provost – British jet trainer used for pilot training.
- BAC Jet Provost T.51 – Later model trainer variant used by the SLAF.
🛩️ Training Aircraft
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De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk – Early basic trainer for the Royal Ceylon Air Force.
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Scottish Aviation Bulldog – Basic training aircraft introduced in later SLAF service.
🚁 Helicopters
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Bell 206 JetRanger – Light utility helicopter.
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Bell 47G – One of the first helicopters operated by the SLAF.
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Mil Mi-24 “Hind” – Russian attack helicopter, used extensively in operations.
🛫 Transport and Utility Aircraft
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Cessna 337 Super Skymaster – Twin-engine push-pull reconnaissance and liaison aircraft.
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De Havilland Heron – Four-engine transport aircraft used in the 1950s–60s.
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Douglas Dakota (C-47 Skytrain) – Classic World War II transport aircraft used post-independence.
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