1. The museum was founded in 1968 on the territory of the historical military airfield in Prague - Kbely. It was the first Czechoslovakian airbase established in 1918. Currently, the museum has 275 aircraft in its collection.
2. This is what pilots of aircraft with an open cockpit looked like
3. Aircraft Morane Saulnier MS-230 ET-2, France, 1932
4. Wood glued multilayer screw, front edge reinforced with metal
5. Aircraft Avia Ba-122, Czechoslovakia, 1936. Aerobatics aircraft, multiple winner of various air shows
6. Czechoslovak pilots of the times of the First Republic between sorties. In hand, of course.
7. Fighter SPAD S-VIIC.1, France, 1916. A large number of these aircraft were purchased in France after the end of the 1st World War.
8. Aircraft Ae-10, Czechoslovakia, 1919 Aircraft mechanic at work.
9. Aircraft Avia Bk-11, Czechoslovakia, 1923
10. Aircraft De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth Mk. II, UK, 1931
11. The wing of a historic aircraft that flew Prague-Beijing in the 1920s.
12. Military transport aircraft LI-2, USSR, 1942, slightly modified American aircraft Douglas DC-3.
13. Training aircraft PO-2 (U-2) "Kukuruznik", USSR 1929. During the war it was used as a night bomber.
14. Fighter LA-7, USSR 1943
15. Attack aircraft IL-2M3, USSR 1942
17. Attack aircraft AVIA B-33 (IL-10 BEAST), Czechoslovakia 1951
18. Military transport aircraft Aero C-3a (Czech version of the German Siebel Si 204).
21. Avia S-199 fighter (Czech version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G / K), 1946. After the 2nd World War, what remained on the territory of Czechoslovakia a large number of airframes of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G aircraft, and the Avia factory redesigned them to install the Junkers Jumo 211D engine.
24. The Messerschmitt Me.262 "Schwalbe" fighter was the world's first serial jet aircraft, and the world's first jet aircraft to participate in hostilities. Under the brand name Avia S-92 and Avia CS-92, it continued to be produced even after the war in Czechoslovakia. The release of these aircraft became possible due to the fact that at the end of the war the Czech industry produced a complete range of fighter components, including its BMW and Jumo engines, although it did not collect the plane. On August 27, 1946, the first flight of the Czech S-92 took place.
Aero (Odolena-Water). The largest Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody was founded in 1919 and will soon celebrate its centenary. First of all, Aero produces military equipment, and the company's two flagships are the L-39NG light fighter and training aircraft and its older counterpart, the L-159. The picture shows a classic - Aero L-159 Alca of the Czech Air Force (first flight in 1997, mass-produced since 2000).
AirLony (Steti). A small manufacturer founded in the mid-1990s. Builds the only model AirLony Skylane UL - a licensed copy of the four-seater Cessna 182. Actually, she is in the picture. 
Airsport (Zbraslavich). A small company that makes motor gliders from composite materials. On this moment there are three models in the line - Sonata, Sonet and Song, differing in physical dimensions (wingspan from 10.2 to 15 m). The picture shows the most technically advanced Airsport Song model. 
Skyleader (Jihlava). A fairly large company building sports aircraft - 6 models with piston engines and one jet (!), Which is a serious request for a private manufacturer. The company also has various flight simulators for training, summer school, research projects. The picture shows the old piston model, the spectacular Skyleader 600. 
ATEC (Libice nad Cidlinou). Founded in 1992, it is a very successful company that manufactures light sport aircraft in fully assembled form, as well as in kit format for self-assembly. Today the range includes 7 aircraft models, including one flying boat. The photo shows the flagship model ATEC 321 Faeta. 
Czech Sport Aircraft (Kunovice). One of the oldest Czech companies producing small aircraft. It was founded in 1934, and today it is one of the divisions of the American Piper Aircraft. There are two licensed Pipers in the range. Pictured is a Czech Sport Aircraft PS-28 Cruiser model. 
Let (Kunowice). And here is the second aircraft manufacturing company from Kunovice, and also historical - founded back in 1936. The main model of the company is a large business jet (or a small transport aircraft, depending on the configuration) Let L-410, it is in the picture. Back in the 1980s, a new model, the Let L-610, was being prepared to replace it, but as a result, the 410th is still being produced. 
TST (Brno). A company that makes motor gliders is, in principle, pretty standard. There are three models in the line. The picture shows TST-14 Bonus. 
Direct Fly (Gluk). Czech manufacturer of ultralight aircraft in small series. There are no kits in the range, aircraft are delivered only in full ready-made. The picture shows the Direct Fly ALTO 912 model, one of the ALTO line. 
TL-Ultralight (Hradec-Králové). And this company, on the contrary, specializes in the production of kit kits (fully assembled cars - only by special order). The picture shows the TL-3000 Sirius model. 
L-410 UVP-E20 is a universal twin-engine Czech-made aircraft for local airlines, accommodating 19 passengers. Designed for operation on unprepared unpaved, grassy, snowy areas, as well as on airfields with short runways (about 600-700 meters), which, in fact, makes it an aircraft in the off-road category. The first flight of the L-410 was made on April 16, 1969. The main customer of the aircraft was the Soviet Union. In addition, the L-410 was also supplied to Bulgaria, Brazil, Hungary, East Germany, Libya, and Poland. Despite the fact that the plant is located in the Czech Republic, it considers itself a part of the Russian aviation industry: the grounds for this were laid during its development and during its long history of operation. As of 2012, more than 400 L-410s are in operation worldwide.
Production site of Aircraft Industries in Kunovice, Czech Republic.
The Aircraft Industries plant, better known under the Let Kunovice brand, is located 300 km from Prague. The plant employs 920 people.
The company produces the aircraft according to the full production cycle - it has its own lines for surface treatment of materials, paint and varnish production, a machine shop, assembly shops, a design bureau and an airport.
Workshop for the production of parts of the fuselage L-410. The enterprise is expanding and modernizing production - light green equipment is intended for the production of a new generation of aircraft L-410 NG (New Generation).
The production capacity of the plant is 16-18 new aircraft per year.
About 80% of aircraft are delivered to Russia. Over the past four years, 35 aircraft have been delivered to Russia.
Production of parts on a CNC milling center from the French company Creneau.
Cleaning parts before molding
Press molding
Punching press
Design documentation - drawing of the spoiler
Wing spar fabrication on a 5-axis CNC milling machine.
In the production, Russian duralumin produced by OJSC Kamensk-Ural Metallurgical Plant is used. The total share of components from Russia in the L-410 aircraft is about 15% - this is a legacy of the fact that the aircraft was developed by order of the USSR and with the participation of Soviet designers.
Wing panel production
Front wing assembly
Checking the quality of riveting on an aircraft wing
About 185,000 rivets of various types and sizes are used for one L-410 aircraft
Riveting work in the middle part of the fuselage
Installation of floor panels
Rear fuselage production
Manufacture of engine air intake part
Production of an air intake part for the CASA CN-235 aircraft within the framework of industrial cooperation.
The plant also cooperates with Boeing for the Boeing 787 aircraft.
Assembly conveyor of aircraft L-410 UVP-E20. It is located in one of the newest buildings of the plant, originally designed for the production of L-610.
In one half of the building there are two lines for the production of new L-410 aircraft, in the second half there is a workshop for servicing aircraft coming out of service.
At the same time, about 10 aircraft are in the assembly shop. The fuselage, wing, end tanks and tail unit come to the beginning of the line from the paint shop.
At the end of the line are aircraft undergoing flight tests and preparing to be shipped to customers.
Over the entire history of its existence, the plant has produced over 1150 aircraft of the L-410 family.
More than 850 of them were delivered to operators in the USSR.
The process of finishing the luggage compartment of the aircraft in the nose after the completion of the installation of electrical equipment
Assembling the emergency exit door
The nose of the aircraft with serial number 2915. The weather radar antenna is visible.
The forward luggage compartment doors are open.
Installation of avionics in the cockpit. Avionics traditionally include devices from Russian manufacturers
Installation of electrical equipment in the aircraft cabin
Installation of wiring harnesses
Installation of electrical wires on the wing of the aircraft in the area of the engine nacelle
Five-bladed propellers The AV-725 (Avia Propeller) together with the GE H80-200 engine make up the new power plant for the L-410 UVP-E20 aircraft. It has been installed since January 2013 on all new aircraft and is certified by EASA and the Russian AR IAC.
Young people in production are not uncommon, also due to the presence of their own vocational technical school on the territory of the plant.
The average age of the company's employees is 44 years.
Work on the GE H-80 engine carried out by a representative of GE Aviation Czech, Prague (former Walter plant).
The final assembly stage takes about 5 months - this is the most expensive part of production, so within its framework, engines, landing gear and all avionics are installed on the aircraft, where each individual unit can cost 100-250 thousand Euros.
The total duration of the aircraft production cycle from the production of the first fuselage components to the completion of flight tests takes a little less than a year.
The cockpit of the aircraft L-410 UVP-E20.
The aircraft is fully equipped for instrument flight, has an advanced ground proximity warning system (GPWS) and airborne collision warning system (TCAS II). The L 410 is designed in the metric system (not in inches), which is an exception in Western aviation.
This type of aircraft has been used for many years as a graduation for pilot training at the Sasovo Flight School. civil aviation(Ryazan region).
Pre-flight preparation. Stanislav Sklenarzh is the plant's chief test pilot.
Under the wing of the aircraft view of the river. Moravu and the city of Uhersky Ostrog
Aircraft L-410 UVP-E20 for French Guiana.
Aircraft for exotic countries often have a bright, memorable coloring.
Leaving with a turn
Practical ceiling - 8000 meters
Runway entry.
The L-410 aircraft can land both on a hard-surfaced runway and on grass, soil and snow. UVP in the name of the aircraft means the Russian abbreviation "Short Takeoff and Landing", which also recalls the Russian roots of the aircraft.
Castle New Svetlov (1480), Bojkovice.
The medieval Gothic castle Buchlov (XIII century) is located 10 km from Kunovice.
Buchlov Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in South Moravia, the southeastern region of the Czech Republic.
Velehrad Monastery (XIII century) is one of the main pilgrimage temples in the Czech Republic.
In 863 - 866 years. the Christian saints Cyril and Methodius lived and preached in Velegrad.
The prototype of the aircraft L-610M in Staroe Mesto, installed for viewing at the entrance to the city.
In the vicinity of Prague there is a very interesting museum called Letecké muzeum, in other words, the aviation museum. It is also noteworthy that the entrance to it is free, and that almost all the exhibits look the way exhibits should look - well-groomed and restored. I will not talk about how they treat the old military equipment in Russia, I'll just show the photo. Since there are a lot of pictures, I will have to break the story into two parts. Conditionally - in the first we will talk about aviation before 1950, in the second - after that moment. In addition, information about some aircraft had to be collected from various sources, and sometimes almost bit by bit. The result was an almost encyclopedic article, which I spent two days on. If you are too lazy to read the descriptions of aircraft, you can scroll through the text and just look at the photo. But for me personally, in the process of collecting information, it became more and more interesting, since some of the exhibits have a rather rich history and rare origin. So, I hope someone will find this information useful.
1. Double training aircraft Morane Saulnier MS-230 ET-2, France, 1932. The aircraft, in addition to training, performed many other tasks, including communications, surveillance, shooting training, towing targets and gliders, as well as aerobatics . The model in the picture has serial number 1077. In 1988, the exhibit was exchanged for another car from a French collector, and in 1998-1999 they underwent a major overhaul
2. SPAD SVIIC.1, France. The first SPAD aircraft were not very successful. Until, in May 1916, the SPAD S.VII single-seat fighter with a 150-horsepower Hispano-Suiza engine, the first truly successful fighter model, came out for testing. Over 3,500 machines of all modifications were produced in France alone, and about a hundred in Russia.
3. Aircraft De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth Mk. II, Great Britain, 1931. Received a fairly wide circulation. In addition to the UK, it was produced in Canada, Norway, Portugal and Sweden, in total 8868 machines of various modifications were built. The aircraft was used by the RAF until 1952. After decommissioning, many copies were sold to flying clubs and private individuals.
It is estimated that about 250 aircraft of this type have survived to date. The aircraft in the photo has serial number 4613, this model was manufactured by Morris Motors Ltd and entered the RAF reserve in 1944. In 1946 - 1968, the aircraft was used in the Dutch aviation school, and in 1971 it was sold in Germany to the aviation museum. The aircraft was in poor technical condition and was repaired in 1988-1990. Now, as you can see, it is part of the exposition of the aviation museum in Prague.
4. Aircraft Aero Ae-10, Czechoslovakia, 1919. Military training biplane equipped with a Mersedes engine. Two students and a teacher were on board at the same time.
5. And this - no, not a plane at all. This little one is a trainer. The Link D.2 Trainer, also known as the "Blue box", was produced from the early 30's to the early 50's.
6. Such simulators rose to prominence during World War II when they were used as key experimental training simulators.
7. Noorduyn Harvard Mk. IIB, USA, 1937. Initially, these aircraft were intended for commercial transportation, and only 17 such aircraft were sold before the 40th year. But the second World War, as you know, gave many a start in life. After it began, large military orders followed.
8. An aircraft with an almost native name - "Corn". But he received this nickname later. And back in 1929, this was the PO-2 (U-2) training aircraft. During the war, by the way, it was used as a night bomber.
9. Since we have touched on the military topic: military transport aircraft LI-2, USSR, 1942
10. An LA-7 fighter, USSR 1943, is compactly located next to it.
12. Well, this plane hardly needs any introduction. Attack aircraft IL-2M3, 1942 release.
14. And his potential rival - Fighter Messerschmitt Me.262 "Schwalbe" - "swallow". The world's first production jet aircraft.
15. Why potential? Because the career of this model did not work out. He had every chance at one moment to cross out all the technical achievements of the allies. In many respects, the new machine was superior to traditional aircraft. Its speed - more than 800 km / h - was 150-300 km / h higher than the speed of the fastest fighters.
16. But mass deliveries were delayed. Hitler then considered that this model would be successful as a bomber. The leadership of the Luftwaffe disobeyed, and continued the already taken technological line. When Hitler found out about this, a scandal erupted. As a result, the aircraft was sent back for revision. Until the very end of the war, these aircraft were not successful either as bombers or as fighters.
17. And this is Zlin Z-381, Czechoslovakia, 1945. A modernized version of the training aircraft of the times of the Second
World War - Bucker BU.181A Bestmann.
18. Avia S-199 fighter (Czech version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G / K), 1946. After the Second World War, a large number of Messerschmitt Bf 109G gliders remained in Czechoslovakia, and the Avia factory reworked them. The first flight of the Czechoslovak version of the Messerschmitt took place on April 25, 1947. In total, 450 Avia S-199 fighters were produced in Czechoslovakia.
In April 1948, despite the UN ban on the supply of weapons to Palestine and even before the formation of the State of Israel, the Czechoslovak government sold 25 Avia S-199 aircraft to Israeli agents. The first Czechoslovak fighter landed in Israel on May 20, 1948, and on May 29, Czechoslovak aircraft took part in combat for the first time. Israeli Avia S-199s were used to attack Arab troops, they shot down Egyptian, Syrian and Iraqi aircraft in air battles, including those significantly superior in technical specifications English Spitfires.
The aircraft served in the Czechoslovak Air Force until they were replaced by MiG-15 fighters in the mid-1950s. The Avia S-199 fighter shown in the photo was recreated in the first half of the 80s of the 20th century. A significant part of the airframe parts was taken from an aviation dump in the city of Olomouc, the other part - from an aircraft with serial number 178. The aircraft has a coloring and identification marks of a military training center of the 50s of the last century.
19. Another alteration. A two-seat version of the Avia S-199, a single-engine, low-wing piston fighter aircraft used by the Czechoslovak and Israeli Air Forces after World War II. Used as a fighter
fighter-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft. It is a post-war modification of the Messerschmitt Bf.109,
developed in Czechoslovakia.
The aircraft shown in the photo with serial number 565 was discovered in 1966 in the schoolyard, in 1967 - 1968 it was overhauled by the Avia company, and since 1972 it has been in the collection of the aviation museum in Prague. The coloring and markings of the car correspond to those used in the late 40s - early 50s on the machines of the Military Aviation Academy in Moravia. In addition to the Avia CS-199 made in Czechoslovakia after the Second World War, no other copies of the Messerschmitt Bf.109G-12 have survived in the world.
20. ZK Kubat is not an Icarus wing at all. Although, against the background of all these formidable combat vehicles, this design looks a bit unusual. But, as it turned out, her pilots had no less heroism than those who flew fighters and participated in air battles. Unfortunately, Google has practically no information about this aircraft development. From what I managed to find out outside the search engines, it became clear that the device was popular with amateurs and athletes during the Nazi occupation in 1941-1942. Such flights were banned and severely punished, however, apparently, this did not stop lovers of soaring above the ground.
21. Avia Ba-122 - another sports aircraft, Czechoslovakia, 1936. In the 1930s, one of the best aircraft for aerobatics. It was a new machine in almost every respect, although it was developed on the basis of the BH-22. B.122 successfully showed itself in aerobatics competitions. A team of three well-known pilots took second and third place in a competition held simultaneously with the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
22. Letov LF-107 Lunak, a Czech aerobatic glider, has proven itself well for its aerobatic performance. The first flight of the prototype took place on June 25, 1948. Serial production was never put on stream, the plant was reoriented to the production of the MiG-15, MiG-19 and MiG-21F. Thus, only 75 cars of this model were produced. Lunak gliders were very popular in Czechoslovakia because allowed to make a full set of aerobatic maneuvers. They were called "fighters without an engine." According to some reports, nine such aircraft are still taking off.
23. Mraz M-1C Sokol. This aircraft was designed by the famous aircraft designer Zdenek Rublich back in the years of the German occupation of Slovakia and put into mass production in 1946. In fact, it was a development of the Mraz Zobor light training aircraft, developed in 1941. The dissonant seemingly name is read as "Mrage".
Several long-distance flights were made on the plane, in particular the trans-African Prague-Cape Town in 1947 and the non-stop Brno-Altai (4765 km), during which a distance record was set for aircraft weighing up to 1000 kg. "Falcons" were exported, and not only in socialist countries but also to the UK, France and Finland.
24. Amphibious aircraft Saunders Roe A.19 Cloud, UK 1930. Although it is now sad without wings, it still inspires with its size.
25. Another giant is the Aero C-3a military transport aircraft (Czech version of the German Siebel Si 204). In Czechoslovakia, no complete aircraft of the Aero C-3 type have been preserved. Since 1976, the Aviation Museum has been collecting individual surviving parts of aircraft of this type, and in 2000 discovered a relatively well-preserved glider of the SNCAC NC-702 Martinet type in France. Only after that did it become possible to reconstruct the Aero C-3A aircraft of a military modification, which is shown in the photo. It was completed in 2004.
26. The exposition of Czech aviation technology deserves special attention.
Aero A-12, Czechoslovakia, 1923. Originally designed as a reconnaissance biplane. The wing frame is wooden, the fuselage was welded from pipes. The flight characteristics of the A-12 were very good, the machine turned out to be controllable, stable and fast enough. The aircraft in the photo is a replica with the original engine and propeller.
Six A-12 aircraft took part in the race in 1924, where they won first and second place in category A and B and the first three places in category C. A number of international and national records were set on the A-12 in 1924, mainly in speeds with a load at a distance of 100 and 200 km.
27. Letov S-20, Czechoslovakia, 1925. This fighter was designed by engineer Alois Smolek in 1925. It was a biplane equipped with a 300 hp Skoda HS 8 Fb engine. and armed with two 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns. After successful testing, the Czechoslovak Air Force ordered 105 S.20s. In addition, 10 more aircraft were purchased by the Lithuanian Air Force. In the photo - the only surviving specimen in the world.
28. Aero Ab-11. The A.11 was built in Czechoslovakia between the First and Second World Wars. The main design feature of A.11 was the ability to install various types engine without significant structural modifications. This was one of the reasons for the many years of successful use of aircraft of this type. In total, there were at least 22 variants of the machine.
A.11 was maneuverable, durable and reliable aircraft. Thanks to these qualities, it was produced in large quantities, for those times. In total, more than 440 cars were built in different versions. The A.11 set a number of records, including the Czech record for longest flight (13 hours 15 minutes), set on September 13, 1925. At the same time, the Aero A.11 took the first three places in the competition for the Aviation Prize of the President of the Czech Republic.
In 1926, A.11 made a demonstration flight of 15,000 km in twenty-three European countries, North Africa and Asia Minor. And in 1927, the A.11 built for Finland, controlled by the Aego pilot Novak, made a loop 225 times within 45 minutes. Modification "Ab-11" meant a bomber.
29. So the Czech pilots, apparently, rested in the intervals between setting the next flight records.
30. Aero A-18C, Czechoslovakia, 1924. This biplane fighter was built in the 1920s. Aero A-18C-
specially modified racing version, participated in the competitions of the Czech Aero Club. It would seem - a baby, but developed a speed of up to 275 km / h.
31. Aero Ap-32. The design of the A-32 began in 1925, that is, shortly after the end of the First World War, which left its mark on the appearance of the aircraft. In 1928, the A-32 was officially adopted by the Czechoslovak Air Force.
The Germans, who occupied part of Czechoslovakia during the Second World War, got several of these reconnaissance aircraft. Without hesitation, they quickly dealt with the ancient biplanes as unusable. Five A-32s went to the Slovak Air Force in 1939. They became part of 12 letka and continued to be used as training aircraft. Three of them were destroyed on March 24 during a Hungarian air raid on the Ves airfield. The Finns behaved quite differently. The Finnish purchasing commission liked the A-32 and in 1929 they placed an order for 16 aircraft.
32. Letov S-218. Czechoslovakia, 1926. This is a modernized Letov S-18, a complete reconstruction of the fuselage led to a new serial number. Soon the Finnish Air Force became interested in this model. In 1930-1931, the Finns received the first batch of 10 such aircraft. Soon, several dozen more aircraft were built in Finland under license. One of these is kept in the Finnish Aviation Museum in Vantaa.
33. Aero Ae-45, Czechoslovakia, 1947. One of the first Czech aircraft built after the Second
World War. The Aero 45 prototype made its first flight in July 1947. Production aircraft for the first time
shown to the public in the UK in 1949, where a car that reached a speed of 262 km / h won a prize
Norton Griffiths.
Ae-45 got the gold medal as the first to cross the Sahara desert. This model
fully equipped with the necessary radio equipment, measuring and navigation instruments, was
adapted for night flights. In ordinary life, the aircraft was used for civilian purposes, such
as the transportation of victims, or simply as an air taxi.
34. Letov S-2, one might say, the first stone in the foundation of the Czech aircraft industry. The S.A., shortly renamed the Sm-1 ("Smolik"), was an all-wood biplane. The aircraft was armed with machine guns: the first pilot had a stationary synchronized Vickers machine gun, and the observer had a mobile twin Lewis machine gun.
The observer also had a camera and a radiotelegraph. Basically Sm-1 was used as a reconnaissance and light
bomber - it could carry two 50 kg bombs and 12 10 kg bombs. Despite its shortcomings, "Smolik" for
the young Czechoslovak aviation industry had a vital importance. He was proof
that Czechoslovakia is able to independently provide itself with aircraft and not depend on supplies from France.
The S-2 was the first Czechoslovakian military aircraft to fly abroad.
35. Aero A-10, Czechoslovakia, 1922. This is one of the first aircraft of Aero Tovarna's own design.
Letadel Dr Kabes. And besides, this six-seat biplane gained fame as the first commercial aircraft,
built in Czechoslovakia.
36. Despite its angular shape, the fuselage housed a comfortable cabin for five passengers, behind it was a luggage compartment. Power point consisted of Maybach six-cylinder in-line engines, a large number of which were left by the Germans in Czechoslovakia at the end of the First World War.
38. War is war, but it gave a new impetus to the development of the aircraft industry. And the Soviet, including.
MiG-19 (1953) on the right, Yak-23 on the left. In the Soviet Union, the Yak-23 was not widely used. Poland became one of the largest foreign owners of the Yak-23. There were also plans to produce the Yak-23 in Czechoslovakia at the Rude Letov enterprise, but they remained unrealized. The volumes of deliveries of these aircraft from the USSR were small. The first 12 aircraft arrived in containers at the Mlada airfield at the end of the 1950s, subsequently nine more fighters of this type were added to them.
39. MiG-15UTI-P, Soviet two-seat jet training aircraft, created on the basis of the MiG-15 fighter. Developed in the late 40s. Wikipedia says that the training MiG-15 with the letter "P" was of two types "ST-7" and "ST-8". The first project was intended to train radar operators and interceptor pilots. For this
converted two serial MiGs, one of which crashed in 1953. Ultimately, the tests were completed with unsatisfactory results.
As part of the second project, and at all - only one aircraft was developed, it was tested in 1955. But the development project also did not receive. If this is so, and the signature under the exhibit is true, then the photo is a very rare specimen.
40. He is on the right. Left - MiG-17F.
41. Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 "Meteor" (England, 1944) - the only Allied jet fighter that took part in the Second World War. The first sortie of Meteor fighters took place on July 27, 1944, and the first cruise missile was destroyed by the pilots of the 616 Squadron on August 4. In total, Meteors destroyed 14 V-1s during the war. From April 1945 the British jet fighters participated in hostilities in continental Europe, but they did not conduct a single air battle with the German Me 262 jets. Meteors did not participate in attacks on piston german planes. They were engaged only in attacking ground targets.
By the way, the Soviet MiG-15s in the skies of Korea became the first air opponent of the British fighters. In total, about 4 thousand aircraft of all modifications were built. Quite a few Meteors have survived to this day.
The Gloster Meteor F. Mk.8 shown here, serial number EG247, was built by the Avions Fairey Company from components supplied by the Gloster Company. He was in service with the 1st Fighter Wing of the Belgian Air Force, and then served as a target towing aircraft. In 1965, the aircraft was sold, and five years later, its owner, J. Leemans, gave it to the Belgian Aviation Museum in Brussels. The machine was then used several times for promotional purposes and as a source of spare parts for the restoration of other aircraft. In March 1989, the Czech Aviation Museum acquired it through an exchange. The aircraft was refurbished in 1992, and in 1998 it was re-armed and painted from the time it served with the 4th Squadron, 1st Fighter Wing deployed at Bevekom Air Base. The last overhaul of the Gloster Meteor F. Mk.8 fighter was carried out in 2009.
42. Lockheed T-33 T-Bird, a two-seat aircraft designed to retrain pilots from propeller to jet aircraft.
43. I will finish this part with, perhaps, not quite an ordinary model. This is Mignet HM-14 Pou du ciel.
In the early 1930s, the designer Henri Mignet began developing his brainchild - the Pou du ciel (Flying Flea) aircraft. Its main concepts were described in the so-called "Mignet formula". The final version - HM-14 Pou du ciel took to the air on September 10, 1933. The aircraft was equipped with a 25 hp Aubier et Dunne motorcycle engine. The HM-14 was almost certainly the first airplane that almost every hobbyist could build. Its assembly cost about 350 dollars.
Soon, in many European countries, especially in France, the USSR, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia and the UK, dozens of aviation enthusiasts began building their own aircraft. But after a series of disasters in France, a ban was imposed on the construction and operation of the Flea.
Today, the furniture factory, converted by Henri Mignet into an aircraft manufacturing company, under the Mignet brand produces both ready-made aircraft and KIT kits with a tandem scheme. Aircraft model markings begin with the HM index. Over the years, enthusiasts have continued to build their own aircraft, modifying the original design. French amateurs hold an annual competition in June each year.
In the second part, I will try to talk about post-war aircraft. I will also post instructions on how to get to the museum.
The L-410 plane, which crashed in the Khabarovsk Territory killed six people, is widely known in the former Soviet Union, despite its Czechoslovak past. It was developed in the late 1960s at the Let Kunovice aircraft factory. The history of the aircraft plant dates back to 1936 as a branch of the Avia Letnany plant, built as part of the development of the military-industrial complex of Czechoslovakia. During the occupation, the plant was engaged in the repair of fighter aircraft.
After the war, the plant was nationalized and car repairs began. In 1948, the company became part of the newly established Let company, and serial production began in Kunowice single-engine aircraft Zlin 22.
In 1953, already at the new aircraft plant, licensed production of Soviet Yak-11 training fighters and Aero Ae-45 twin-engine civilian aircraft was launched.
In 1955, Kunovice began to produce the first model of its own design, created by Czechoslovak engineers under the leadership of Ladislav Smrchek, a light passenger aircraft Let L-200 Morava. The plant produced the Z-37 Cmelak ("bumblebee") agricultural aircraft, gliders and the L-29 jet trainer, which in 1961 became the main training aircraft of the Warsaw Pact member countries.
However, a landmark for the Czechoslovak aircraft was an order from the USSR for the development and production of a 19-seat turboprop aircraft L-410.
By the end of the 1960s, there was a need in the USSR for a small short-haul passenger aircraft of a new generation with a capacity of up to 10 people, capable of taking off and landing on unpaved airfields. And since the emphasis was on high efficiency, the aircraft had to be built with turboprop engines.
Despite the fact that the Beriev Design Bureau had an aircraft with the necessary characteristics (Be-30),
within the framework of cooperation between the CMEA member countries, it was decided to transfer the project to Czechoslovakia.
And this was not the only example of such cooperation. So, at one time the USSR transferred to Poland the production of the Mi-2 helicopter and the An-2 aircraft. Thanks to the course towards the integration of the CMEA member countries, the fleet of airlines of "friendly" countries was constantly replenished with Il-62, Tu-154, Tu-134 aircraft and Soviet-made helicopters, Czechoslovak L-410 aircraft and agricultural M-15, produced in Poland .
The USSR became the main customer of the L-410, where it became the most massive turboprop aircraft,
operated on regional routes, the first foreign-made aircraft to enter domestic air routes.
The L-410 is made according to the classical scheme of a twin-engine high-wing aircraft with a single-fin tail unit. The first prototype aircraft equipped with Pratt & Whitney PT6A27 engines took off on April 16, 1969. The first regular use of L-410A aircraft was started by the Czechoslovakian Slov Air (Bratislava) on local routes. In 1973, tests of the L-410M aircraft with Czech Walter M601A engines began. Until the end of 1978, the USSR received about a hundred L-410 aircraft.
“According to the designers’ plan, this turboprop machine will replace the An-2, Li-2 on local airlines of the CMEA member countries in the future,” wrote at that time.
In 1979, the aircraft was modified, and the L-410UVP model became the main serial one. The aircraft was distinguished by a longer fuselage, the use of spoilers and increased wing dimensions, which made it possible to improve one of its main characteristics - the abbreviation "UVP" meant "short takeoff and landing."
In total, more than 1200 L-410 units were produced, most of which (862) were sent to the flights of the Soviet Union, where they rightfully earned popularity for their reliability and unpretentiousness. L-410s could carry up to 19 passengers at a cruising speed of 380 km/h and were not very demanding on the runway - a normal dirt strip was enough.
The geography of their routes covered the entire territory of the USSR, from Sukhumi to Omsk. Having paid for a ticket not much more expensive than for a train, passengers could, for example, fly
from Krasnodar to Kerch, from Rostov-on-Don to Donetsk, from Sukhumi to Kutaisi, from Ryazan to Mariupol or Poltava.
By the beginning of 1992 in former USSR there were about 750 of these aircraft left. Among them were transport, airborne and training aircraft used by the military, including in the USSR. After the collapse Eastern bloc Kunovitsky plant fell into decay, mass production of the L-410 was curtailed and the plant changed owners several times. The pace of production fell tenfold - from 50 cars a year to two to five. In 2008, a 51% stake in Let Kunovice (Aircraft Industries) was bought by the Russian company Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, after which the production rate was eight to ten aircraft per year. Today, the company, having purchased the remaining shares, is the sole owner of the production.
In 2017, preparations for the production of L-410 aircraft in Russia were announced, which should begin in 2018.
According to the Russian State Research Institute of Civil Aviation until 2020, from 604 to 822 aircraft with a capacity of 4 to 19 seats will be sold in Russia.
