The Nederlands Transport Museum is seeking new owners for several important aviation artifacts following its closure, including a rare Douglas DC-2, three Link Trainers with thousands of spare parts, and components for the Consolidated Catalina and Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engine. Founded in 2018, the museum operated for seven years but was unable to secure a suitable replacement for its premises in Nieuw-Vennep, the Netherlands. According to museum representative Arno van der Holst, the organization had known that its location was intended for housing development and had been working toward relocation. Despite those efforts, a viable new home could not be found.
(Image credit: Nederlands Transport Museum)
The update follows Vintage Aviation News’ May 2025 report on the museum’s DC-2 and impending closure. That coverage identified the aircraft as construction number 1288, previously operated by Eastern Air Lines and later in Australia. It retains its original cockpit, while its display cabin was created for the Dutch television series Flying Dutchmen. The earlier report also described restoration needs affecting several areas of the airframe.
(Image credit: Nederlands Transport Museum)
For the museum, finding another location proved to be a major obstacle. Van der Holst explained that museums face stiff competition for available sites in the Netherlands, where housing and commercial development tend to receive priority. Environmental and planning requirements further complicated the prospect of establishing a new facility. According to van der Holst, the Netherlands’ nitrogen deposition issues meant that a prospective new site could require 27 separate studies and assessments before approval could be obtained to change its permitted use to accommodate a museum.
(Image credit: Nederlands Transport Museum)
Ultimately, the financial position became unsustainable. “Because we had no income and lots of costs, we decided to close the museum and sell the collection items that we own,” van der Holst explained. The museum has identified four groups of aviation material currently available for purchase. Leading the list is the Douglas DC-2, described by the museum as one of only eight remaining examples worldwide. Its availability presents an opportunity for a museum or collector interested in preserving a rare surviving early Douglas airliner. Also available are three Link Trainers, accompanied by thousands of associated spare parts. These early flight training devices represent another significant part of the collection and may interest institutions preserving the history of pilot training.
The remaining material comprises Catalina aircraft parts and Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engine parts. The museum has a parts list available for prospective buyers, allowing interested organizations and restoration teams to review the components on offer. There is no fixed deadline for the sales, although the museum hopes to find suitable new owners as soon as possible. Further information and photographs can be supplied on request. For inquiries about the DC-2, Link Trainers, Catalina components, or R-1830 engine parts, contact Arno van der Holst at [email protected].
