The exhibition, entitled Ikarus, the Rolling Legend, tracks the history of a once famous Hungarian brand from 1948 until it went under liquidation at the end of 2007. Ikarus's easy-to-spot articulated buses and other models have become a fixture on roads in Hungary and other countries in the region in the time between.
Among the Ikarus bus models to be seen at the exhibition are the 630, the 55, the 60, the 280 and the 254, as well as two MÁVAG types, made by Ikarus's predecessor. The exhibition is the first of its kind that is based on vehicles and objects loaned to the museum, rather than its own collection.
The predecessor of Ikarus - Ikarus Automobile and Airplane Factory -- was established by the engineers Móric Erney and Ernő Vécsei in 1916. The company produced mainly radiators for aircraft during WWI, but expanded production to include car radiators in 1921-25 -- the beginning of the age of the automobile. During WWII, the company made radiators for the Botond all-terrain vehicle and the MÁVAG K3 truck.
After the war, the vehicle market came to a halt. Though Ikarus still repaired radiators, it soon became insolvent and was merged with the state-owned Uhry Brothers Chassis and Vehicle Factory in 1948.
In 1949, Ikarus Chassis and Vehicle Factory was established from the merger of Uhry Brothers and the state-owned Heavy Industry Centre. Within two decades, the Ikarus brand would become one recognised all over the region.
Ikarus saw its golden years from 1980 until the fall of communism. Afterward, the company was able to stay afloat as demand fell by sticking to production of its 200 model. However, facing increasing financial difficulties, the factory went under liquidation on December 31, 2007, just a few weeks after its last bus rolled off the production line.
The Ikarus exhibition at the Transportation Museum runs until June 1.
