About us
The Noorduyn Foundation was established in 2006. Its objective is:
“To promote the name of the third-largest Dutch aircraft builder, Mr. Robert B. Noorduyn, to acquire, preserve, manage, and present his contributions to world aviation, and everything related to or conducive to this.”
In December 2014, the long-cherished wish finally came true: our own Noorduyn Norseman arrived from the USA by container. In the following years, the restoration began. It all proceeded step by step, as, especially in the beginning, the volunteers had to get used to the working methods, and it took some time to find the right suppliers for small and larger parts. That network is now rock solid.
The aircraft has now been freshly painted and is in a hangar at Lelystad Airport, and we are making preparations to set up the workshop and begin the final phase of the restoration project.
Four major projects remain to be completed; The engine needs to be connected, the instruments need to be connected, all the hoses (fuel and brake lines) need to be done, and finally, the final assembly needs to take place.
We are looking for support for this; support from individuals, companies, and organizations.
We are now looking for technical and administrative volunteers to help us make this beautiful machine airworthy.
Our Mission
The Noorduyn Foundation aims to inspire people by telling moving stories about the Noorduyn Norseman and its role in World War II. We aim to do this by creating a "living painting" during events using re-enactors, artifacts, cars, and airplanes, creating a world that truly engages visitors.
We hope that visitors will ask questions and, more importantly, learn something about the small piece of history we share. The ultimate outcome would be for visitors to become ambassadors themselves and help us spread our story.
To achieve this, we will fly to events, airshows, and fly-ins at home and abroad. Whenever possible, we want visitors to experience what it's like to fly in such an aircraft. By presenting the aircraft both statically and dynamically, we hope to spark a passion for aviation and thus increase support for this unique mobile heritage.
Plans for the Future
We look forward to flying across Europe and sharing her story. We hope to showcase the aircraft at airshows, fly-ins and give people the opportunity to book a flight with us.