Parco Tematico e Museo dell’Aviazione Casolari is a museum near Rimini in Italy, close to the border with San Marino. Opened in 1995, it is located on a small hill, with several airplanes especially from the Cold War. Unfortunately, since most planes are on display outdoor with few protections, most are significantly damaged by weather. Moreover, when I visited it (last August, during my holidays nearby), grass was not mowed and it was very high. Few days ago, it was announced that the museum is for sale.

Close to the entrance, you can find the front section of a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UM “Mongol-B”, on which you can sit in the front cockpit. It is painted in Soviet colours, but I found different versions about its origin: some sites say it is a former East German plane, others say it is a former Iraqi Air Force plane.

Fiat G.46, one of the first aircraft developed in Italy after WW2

Lockheed/Aeritalia F-104S ASA-M, the final update for the Italian Air Force “Spilloni”

Grumman S-2F Tracker

Probably the most interesting display: Gloster Javelin FAW.9, the only one on display outside of the UK.

SAIMAN 202, Italian general aviation and trainer developed at the end of the Thirties

McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II

Czechoslovak Air Force Sukhoi Su-7BM “Fitter-A”

De Havilland Venom FB.54 built in Switzerland by F+W Emmen

LTV A-7E Corsair II

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak

Agusta-Bell AB.47G

Mirach 100 target drone

Polish Air Force Mil Mi-2 “Hoplite” built by PZL-Swidnik

East German and Luftwaffe MiG-21UM “Mongol-B”

Piaggio P.166

East German MiG-15UTI “Midget”

East German MiG-23BN “Flogger-H”

East German and Luftwaffe Mil Mi-9 “Hip-G”

East German Sukhoi Su-22M-4 “Fitter-K” repainted in Soviet Air Force livery

Polish Air Force PZL Lim-6bis, Polish version of the MiG-17 “Fresco”

Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star

North American Texan/Harvard

Czechoslovak Air Force MiG-19S “Farmer-C” repainted in Pakistani Air Force livery

Aermacchi MB.326E

Swearingen SA-226AT Merlin IVA operated by airline Besit Servizi Aerei, in very bad conditions

Mock-up of Red Baron Manfred von Richtofen’s Fokker Dr.I

In the RC modeling pavilion you can find this homebuilt ultralight. I could not identify it even with the help of very expert people, so I tried to ask on Facebook. The son of the builder contacted me, saying that it is a one-off homebuilt not based on any plan, and nicknamed “Camillo” by his father.

North American/Fiat F-86K Sabre

Agusta-Bell AB.205

Douglas DC-3. The museum markets it as Clark Gable’s plane. I was skeptic at first, but after doing some research about construction numbers it looks like it is actually the actor’s plane.

Guardia di Finanza Nardi NH-500MC, license built version of the MD-500