The Hidden Hangar: Restoration & Storage at Tatoi
By Dino van Doorn | GMAP.nl Team | September 2025
Behind the main “Leros” hangar of the Hellenic Air Force Museum at Dekelia (Tatoi), there is a comparatively less-visible area dedicated to storing retired aircraft, restoring them, and using parts as spares. The public usually sees the restored aircraft in the Leros hangar; behind it lies a “boneyard” of sorts, plus a restoration workshop.
This area is not generally open to visitors. It serves multiple roles:
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Storage of surplus / duplicate airframes: Aircraft no longer active, or multiple examples of a given type (where only one is on display) often end up here, both as reserves for parts and as candidates for future restoration.
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Restoration work: The museum does periodic restoration efforts, with specialists (often from the museum itself) working to bring artifacts back to display condition. Some aircraft in storage are awaiting restoration.
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Preservation: Exposed to weather, the stored aircraft are at risk of corrosion, degradation of materials, etc. Part of storage involves taking measures to slow decay (though many aircraft are stored outdoors, under partial covering or none).
