L-410 UVP-E20 - universal twin-engine aircraft Czech production for local airlines, accommodating 19 passengers. Designed for operation on unprepared dirt, grass, snow 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 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 part of the Russian aircraft industry: the foundations for this were laid during its development and during its long history of operation. As of 2012, more than 400 L-410 aircraft are in operation around the world.

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 aircraft through a 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.

L-410 fuselage parts production workshop. The enterprise is expanding and modernizing production - light green equipment is intended for the production of a new generation of the L-410 NG (New Generation) aircraft.
The plant's production capacity is 16-18 new aircraft per year.
About 80% of aircraft are supplied 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

Forming a part on a press

Punching press

Design documentation - interceptor drawing

Manufacturing of the wing spar on a 5-axis CNC milling center.
The production uses Russian duralumin produced by OJSC Kamensk-Ural Metallurgical Plant. 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

Assembly of the front wing

Checking the quality of riveting on an airplane wing

One L-410 aircraft uses about 185,000 rivets of different types and sizes

Riveting work in the middle part of the fuselage

Installation of floor panels

Production of the rear fuselage

Production of engine air intake parts

Production of air intake parts 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 for L-410 UVP-E20 aircraft. 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 production lines for new L-410 aircraft, in the second half there is a service workshop for aircraft coming out of service.

There are about 10 aircraft in the assembly shop at the same time. 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 for delivery to customers.
Over the entire history of its existence, the plant has produced over 1,150 aircraft of the L-410 family.
More than 850 of them were delivered to operators in the USSR.

Finishing process luggage compartment aircraft in the nose after completing the installation of electrical equipment

Emergency exit door assembly

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

Installing Wiring Harnesses

Installation of electrical wires on an aircraft wing in the area of ​​the engine nacelle

Five-blade AV-725 propellers (Avia Propeller) together with a GE H80-200 engine make up the new power plant for the L-410 UVP-E20 aircraft. It has been installed on all new aircraft since January 2013 and is certified by EASA and the Russian AR MAK.
Young people in production are not uncommon, also due to the presence of its 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 installation stage takes about 5 months - this is the most expensive part of production, as 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 components the fuselage takes just under a year to complete flight testing.

Cockpit of the L-410 UVP-E20 aircraft.
The aircraft is fully equipped for instrument flight and has an advanced Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) and TCAS II. The L 410 is designed in the metric system (rather than inches), which is an exception in Western aviation.

This type of aircraft has been used for many years as a graduation aircraft for training pilots at the Sasovo Flight School civil aviation(Ryazan region).

Pre-flight preparation. Stanislav Sklenarz is the chief test pilot of the plant.

Under the wing of an airplane, a view of the river. Morava and the town of Uhersky Ostrog

Aircraft L-410 UVP-E20 for French Guiana.
Airplanes for exotic countries often have bright, memorable colors.

Leaving with a turn
Practical ceiling - 8000 meters

Approaching the runway.
The L-410 aircraft can land both on a paved runway and on grass, soil and snow. UVP in the name of the aircraft means the Russian abbreviation “Shortened Takeoff and Landing,” which also recalls the Russian roots of the aircraft.

Castle Novy Svetlov (1480), Bojkowice.

The medieval Gothic castle Buchlov (13th century) is located 10 km from Kunowice.
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 churches in the Czech Republic.
In 863 - 866 Christian saints Cyril and Methodius lived and preached in Velehrad.

A prototype of the L-610M aircraft in Staroe Mesto, installed for viewing at the entrance to the city.

L-610 - the swan song of the Czech aircraft industry...

Trying to convince fans of European integration in Ukraine, we see, is useless. Logical arguments based on scientific analysis do not work on them. Because for them, Europe is a kind of fetish: everything is fine there, everything is ideal, and all the problems of Ukraine will be miraculously solved as soon as we are there too. And Petro Poroshenko, on the day of his inauguration, generally stated that “Ukraine’s European choice is the heart of our national ideal.”

Many people here like to rant about high technologies that will supposedly flow to us from Europe along with the Gulf Stream of coveted investments. They remember our pride - the aircraft industry and the rocket and space industry.

But here's the problem. We have before us the example of the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe - the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, in which, after the collapse of socialism and joining the “family of European nations,” the once developed aircraft industry fell into a noticeable decline. Because it flourished with abundant orders from the USSR, and in Europe its large-scale high-tech products turned out to be simply unnecessary - well, except for light sports airplanes and gliders that are produced by small companies; Yes, in addition, there are also components for Western companies.

So we have every reason to believe that our glorious aviation industry, already barely making ends meet, will have a long life after the forced break with Russia and possible entry into Europe. And as concrete example For our edification, we will cite the Czech Republic - a country with long and noble industrial traditions.

Albatrosses were left without wings

In Czechoslovakia, the aviation industry began, one might say, at the very dawn of aviation. Thus, Avia, a well-known company between the world wars, was founded in 1919. Its pre-war fighter Avia B.534, by the way, is considered by some experts to be the pinnacle of the development of biplane fighters. Aero Vodochody, located in Prague's Vodochody district, is just as old (1919).

During the war, the Germans concentrated large facilities on the territory of Czechoslovakia, supplying aircraft equipment for the Luftwaffe. After the defeat of fascism, the Czechs continued to produce German aircraft for some time, then moved on to licensed production of such outstanding Soviet aircraft as the Il-10, MiG-15, and MiG-21.

L-39 Albatros

And later the Czechs began to create their own very decent winged cars. The most famous of them is the two-seat training aircraft (TCA) Aero L-39 Albatros - simple, cheap and reliable, which has enjoyed and continues to enjoy the well-deserved love of aviators in many countries around the world. About 3 thousand of these machines were assembled - approximately the same number as such popular Western training vehicles were built as Dassault / Dornier Alpha Jet, BAe Systems Hawk, Aermacchi MB-339, Pilatus PC-7 and PC-9 and EMBRAER EMB- 312 Tucanos combined!

L-29 Delfin

However, the predecessor of the L-39, the L-29 Delfin, which served for almost half a century, was produced in even larger quantities - 3.5 thousand units!

The Albatross became the standard training aircraft in all Warsaw Pact countries except Poland in the 1970s. The Poles, proud of their aviation industry, preferred their own PZL TS-11 Iskra trainer. However, the main buyer of the L-39, naturally, was the Soviet Union - the Air Force and DOSAAF purchased 2 thousand of such devices! Many of these machines, inherited from the USSR, are now used by the Ukrainian Air Force.

After the fall of the Iron Curtain, in 1990, one L-39 arrived in England for the Battle of Britain anniversary show, where it created a real sensation. In principle, this aircraft is technologically inferior to modern Western training aircraft, in particular the modernized British Hawks, but it is very attractive to poor third world countries due to its low price and simplicity. In the 90s, the Czechs tried to improve their famous car, proposing a new version equipped with a Western engine and avionics - the L-139 Albatros 2000. However, things never went further than the construction of a single prototype, which took off in 1993. At the JPATS competition, announced jointly by the US Air Force and the US Navy, it lost to the American turboprop trainer Beech T-6 Texan II.

Perhaps the only major export success of Aero in the post-socialist period can be considered the delivery of 40 modernized L-39ZA/ART to the Royal Thai Air Force in 1993–1997. In addition, the Czechs also implemented old orders for the L-39 from Algeria and Egypt.

IN Russian Federation L-39 aircraft still remain in service, but their fleet is steadily declining, incl. and because since the beginning of the 90s the Czechs have been creating problems with the supply of spare parts. The L-39 will be replaced by the Russian Yak-130 trainer, which recently began entering service. This is an excellent new generation combat training aircraft, supersonic, equipped with the latest technology. And at the same time, it is relatively cheap in comparison with similar Western training equipment (in 2011, the Yak-130 cost $15 million versus $21 million for the South Korean KAI T-50 Golden Eagle and more than $25 million for the Hawk or Italian AleniaAermacchi M-346 Master).

However, the biggest fiasco for Aero was the Aero L-159 ALCA light multi-role attack aircraft project. This single-seat device(there is also a two-seat version) was created starting in 1993 on the basis of the proven L-39/L-59. Boeing specialists also took part in the work (the company initially had a 35% participation in the project). The new plane turned out to be excellent, according to experts. It received modern on-board equipment of NATO standards (including radar and GPS navigation system), manufactured by leading Western companies.

However, only 72 vehicles were built, commissioned by the Czech Air Force. Their deliveries began in 1999, and already in 2003, when the order was completed, there was a major reduction in the Czech armed forces. To date, about half of the L-159 aircraft have been withdrawn from combat units and placed in storage. The manufacturer tried unsuccessfully to promote its product to foreign markets. L-159 aircraft were offered, in particular, to Venezuela and Greece. As far as we know, it has not yet been possible to sell even the vehicles that have become unnecessary for the Czech Air Force.

The reason for the failure is obvious. The needs of the small Czech Air Force are too small to organize full-fledged mass production, NATO allies Czech planes are not needed (they have their own!), and the country has closed the Russian market for itself. On the other hand, the Czech Republic itself closed itself to products of the Russian military-industrial complex, switching to the acquisition of Western military equipment instead of Soviet-made equipment.

As for promotion to the markets of third world countries, the past success of the L-29 and L-39 there was largely due, again, to the support of the USSR. And the point is not only that the Soviet Union could “strongly recommend” this or that weapon system to its African and Asian allies. Another thing is important: in order for the world to become interested in an aircraft (tank, armored personnel carrier, missile, etc.), this model of military equipment must undergo successful operation and combat use in armed forces large and reputable states (Russia, USA, France, Britain, etc.). The acquisition of military equipment by such a state is the best advertisement for it. Therefore, it is important for the Ukrainian military-industrial complex to supply its products to Russia, and on this basis it would be possible to enter the markets of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The Aero company now survives mainly by producing components for aircraft in other countries: for Boeing, Airbus and the Brazilian company EMBRAER airliners; gun ports for F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters, etc. Such activities, of course, also have the right to exist, and the company can find such a market niche. But stopping the creation of our own aircraft means the loss of the national design school...

Without Aeroflot - nowhere!

Another epoch-making Czechoslovak aircraft was once well known to Soviet citizens. We are talking about a twin-engine turboprop on a passenger plane For local airlines Let L-410 Turbolet from Let Kunovice (Kunovice is a town in the vicinity of Uherské Hradište on the border with Slovakia). By 1997, about 1,000 aircraft of this type were produced, of which Aeroflot acquired up to half. Their production ceased in 1997.

L-410 Turbolet

It was for the Soviet customer, to meet his specific requirements, that the Czechs designed the most widespread modifications of the L-410 - L-410UVP and UVP-E. One of the main requirements for them was the ability to operate in extreme conditions. climatic conditions– in the temperature range from -50 to +45 degrees. In fact, we note that the Czech aviation masterpiece withstood minus 60!

These reliable machines still fly today, having moved into the aviation fleets of small airlines, including Ukrainian ones. In addition, about 50 L-410s entered the army at one time different countries– were used as light transport, communications, training and even reconnaissance vehicles. One of the largest military operators of the L-410 was again the Soviet Air Force.

In the 90s, demand for products fell sharply, and the pace of L-410 assembly decreased from 50 vehicles per year to 2–5. In 2005, Let was renamed LET Aircraft Industries and attempted to relaunch the L-410, offering the L-410UVP-E20 and L-420 variants. Their customers were a number of “old” operators and South American airlines, but the Czechs could not even dream of the previous sales volumes!

The situation improved slightly after in 2008, 51% of the company’s shares were bought by Russians - OJSC Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC). Moreover, in 2013, UMMC acquired the remaining stake, becoming the sole owner of the Let company. In 2010–2012, the production rate increased slightly – to 8–10, and now the plan is to increase it to 16–18 aircraft per year. However, it’s also not so hot...

In the 1980s, the Let company designed, based on the L-410 (its usual capacity is 15 passengers), a much larger and more powerful L-610 - 40 seats, with a pressurized passenger cabin (first flight - 1988). It could have replaced the old regional airliners like the An-24, but the coming era of the collapse of the USSR and military-political and economic associations (Warsaw Pact Organization, Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) put an end to the career of the promising machine. Sales turned out to be sluggish and sporadic; Thus, the Czech Air Force acquired only one L-610, and it was decommissioned in 2007.

In the east of the Czech Republic, in Moravia, in the city of Zlin (at one time it was called Gottwaldov) there is still a company called Zlin Aircraft (also known as “Moravan”). It specializes in the construction of light aircraft, of which it has produced more than 5,000 since 1934. Interestingly, her Zlin Z-326 and Z-526 were portrayed by Messerschmitts in the film epic “Liberation” and the film “Only Old Men Go to Battle.” And its production volumes have fallen sharply since the early 90s, when the state-owned enterprise was transformed into a joint stock company. During all this time, no more than 200 cars were produced.

In general, for the Czech aircraft industry, the country’s accession to Europe did not create a new market - but the old one was lost forever...

Because we are “out there” – strangers and competitors

Advocates of European integration argue in the following spirit: they say, after integration into Europe, our industrial producers will rebuild, switch to European standards, improve the quality of their products, and then they will become competitive in the West.

You have to be an incredibly naive person to believe in fairy tales about a free market, where competitiveness is supposedly determined only by the quality of products at an affordable price.

Indeed, in a number of high-tech industries, Ukraine today, after more than 20 years of collapse and degradation, is still capable of producing worthy products that are not inferior to their Western counterparts, and at the same time cheaper. The trouble is that their access to Western markets will be blocked by hook or by crook by local monopolies, using lobbies in parliaments and ministries and many other, not market-based, competitive levers. This is especially true for the military-industrial complex, with which almost all high-tech production is associated.

We remember how Ukraine’s attempts to interest European countries NATO long-suffering An-70. The Europeans, however, chose to launch a program to create their own Airbus Military A400M and intend to see it through to completion, despite the considerable problems that have arisen that have delayed the adoption of this military transport aircraft for many years. But our An-70 is no worse. And if mass production were established, it would cost half as much!

Therefore, whatever one may say, it would be possible to save the An-70 only if this aircraft began to be delivered in large quantities to Russia. However, after all the changes that have happened and are currently occurring in Ukraine in its relations with Moscow, such a possibility now seems close to zero, so the Ukrainian An-70 will apparently be put to rest.

And here is another fresh and striking example from the relationship between the Western allied states themselves. In the 2000s, the US Air Force announced the KC-X competition for a new refueling aircraft to replace the well-used Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (since the 50s). Two cars entered the fight for the contract. The first: the Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport), which received the military designation KC-30 in the States, presented jointly by the European concern EADS and the American company Northrop Grumman. Its rival was the KC-46, created on the basis of the Boeing 767-200 airliner.

The competition turned out to be scandalous. In 2008, the US Air Force chose the “European”, but the result was disputed by Boeing and a number of high-ranking US politicians. As a result, everything was replayed in favor of the KC-46, and now it should enter service. Although in comparative tests the KC-30 demonstrated superiority over its competitor. For example, in the “truck” configuration, it is capable of transporting 32 standard 463L pallets versus 19 in the case of its rival.

So what do you think: will the An-70 be able to displace the Aurbus concern’s product in Europe or the new Lockheed Marnin C-130J Super Hercules turboprop transporter in the United States? The question, as is usually said in such cases, is rhetorical.

In the vicinity of Prague there is a very interesting museum called Letecké muzeum, in other words, an aviation museum. It is noteworthy that admission to it is free, and that almost all the exhibits look the way exhibits should look - well-groomed and restored. I won’t talk about how old military equipment is treated in Russia, I’ll just show a photo. Since there were a lot of pictures, I will have to break the story into two parts. Conventionally, the first will talk about aviation before 1950, the second - after that moment. In addition, information about some aircraft had to be collected from different sources, and sometimes almost piece by piece. The result was an almost encyclopedic article, which I spent two days on. If you are too lazy to read descriptions of aircraft, you can scroll through the text and just look at the photos. But for me personally, in the process of collecting information, it became more and more interesting, since some of the exhibits have quite rich history and rare origin. So, I hope this data will be useful to someone.

1. Two-seat trainer 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. The exhibit was exchanged for another car from a French collector in 1988, and a major overhaul was carried out in 1998-1999

2. SPAD SVIIC.1, France. The first SPAD aircraft were not very successful. Until in May 1916, the single-seat SPAD S.VII fighter with a 150-horsepower Hispano-Suiza engine entered testing - the first truly successful fighter model. More than 3,500 vehicles of all modifications were produced in France alone, and about a hundred in Russia.

3. De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth Mk. II, Great Britain, 1931. Received quite wide distribution. In addition to Great Britain, it was produced in Canada, Norway, Portugal and Sweden; a total of 8,868 vehicles of various modifications were built. The aircraft was used by the Royal Air Force until 1952. After being written off, many copies were sold to flying clubs and individuals.

It is estimated that about 250 aircraft of this type have survived today. The aircraft pictured is serial number 4613 and was manufactured by Morris Motors Ltd and entered the RAF Reserve in 1944. From 1946 to 1968, the aircraft was used in a Dutch aviation school, and in 1971 it was sold to Germany to an aviation museum. The plane was in poor technical condition and was repaired in 1988 - 1990. Now, as you can see, it is part of the exhibition of the aviation museum in Prague.

4. Airplane Aero Ae-10, Czechoslovakia, 1919. Military training biplane, equipped with a Mercedes engine. Two students and a teacher boarded at the same time.

5. And this is 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 30s to the early 50s.

6. Such simulators became famous 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 until 1940, only 17 of these aircraft were sold. But the second World War, as you know, gave many a start in life. After its start, large military orders followed.

8. An airplane with an almost native name - “Kukuruznik”. 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 touched on the military topic: LI-2 military transport aircraft, USSR, 1942.

10. The LA-7 fighter, USSR 1943, was compactly located next to it.

12. Well, this plane hardly needs any introduction. IL-2M3 attack aircraft manufactured in 1942.

14. And his potential rival is the Messerschmitt Me.262 “Schwalbe” fighter. The world's first production jet aircraft.

15. Why potential? Because this model’s career never took off. He had every chance of erasing all the technical achievements of the Allies in one moment. In many respects, the new aircraft 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 still postponed. Hitler then considered that this model would be successful as a bomber. The Luftwaffe leadership disobeyed and continued the already taken technological line. When Hitler found out about this, a scandal broke out. As a result, the aircraft was again sent 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 from the Second World War
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, there remained a large number of Messerschmitt Bf 109G airframes, and the Avia plant remanufactured them. The first flight of the Czechoslovakian version of the Messerschmitt took place on April 25, 1947. A total of 450 Avia S-199 fighters were produced in Czechoslovakia.

In April 1948, despite the UN ban on arms supplies 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 arrived 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-50s. 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 were taken from an aircraft scrapyard in city ​​of Olomouc, the other part is from an aircraft with serial number 178. The aircraft has the livery and markings of a military training center of the 50s of the last century.

19. Another rework. A two-seat version of the Avia S-199, a single-engine piston low-wing fighter that was in service with the Czechoslovakian 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 plane shown in the photo with serial number 565 was discovered in 1966 in a schoolyard, in 1967 - 1968 it underwent a major overhaul at the Avia company, and since 1972 it has been in the collection of the aviation museum in Prague. The coloring and identification marks of the vehicle correspond to those used in the late 40s - early 50s on vehicles of the Military Aviation Academy in Moravia. Apart from the Avia CS-199 manufactured in Czechoslovakia after World War II, there are no other copies of the Messerschmitt Bf.109G-12 preserved in the world.

20. ZK Kubat is not an Icarus wing at all. Although, against the backdrop of all these formidable combat vehicles, this design looks a little unusual. But, as it turned out, its 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 was able to find out outside the search engines, it became clear that the device was popular among amateurs and athletes during the Nazi occupation in 1941-1942. Such flights were prohibited and severely punished, however, as you can see, this did not stop those who liked to soar above the ground.

21. Avia Ba-122 - another sports aircraft, Czechoslovakia, 1936. In the 1930s, one of the best aircraft for aerobatics. appeared new car in almost every respect, although it was developed from the BH-22. V.122 successfully showed itself in competitions aerobatics. The team of three famous pilots finished second and third in a competition held concurrently with the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

22. Letov LF-107 Lunak, a Czech aerobatic glider, has a good reputation for its aerobatic performance. The first flight of the prototype took place on June 25, 1948. Serial production was never put into production; the plant was reoriented to the production of 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 perform a full range of aerobatic maneuvers. They were called "fighters without an engine." According to some reports, nine such aircraft are still flying.

23. Mraz M-1C Sokol. This aircraft was designed by the famous aircraft designer Zdenek Rublic during 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 trainer aircraft, developed in 1941. The seemingly dissonant name reads like “Mrazh”.

The plane made several long-distance flights, 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, not only to socialist countries, but also to Great Britain, France and Finland.

24. Amphibious aircraft Saunders Roe A.19 Cloud, Great Britain 1930. Although it now stands sadly without wings, it still impresses 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 entire aircraft of the Aero C-3 type have survived. Since 1976, the Aviation Museum has been collecting individual surviving parts of aircraft of this type, and in 2000 it discovered a relatively well-preserved SNCAC NC-702 Martinet airframe in France. Only after this 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 exhibition of Czech aircraft technology deserves special attention.

Aero A-12, Czechoslovakia, 1923. Originally designed as a reconnaissance biplane. The wing frame was made of wood, the fuselage was welded from pipes. The flight characteristics of the A-12 were very good, the car was controllable, stable and quite fast. The plane in the photo is a replica with the original engine and propeller.

Six A-12s took part in the 1924 race, where they won first and second places in categories A and B and the first three places in category C. The A-12 set a number of international and national records in 1924, mainly in speeds with load at ranges of 100 and 200 km.

27. Letov S-20, Czechoslovakia, 1925. This fighter was developed by engineer Alois Smolek in 1925. It was a biplane equipped with a Skoda HS 8 Fb engine with 300 hp. 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 vehicles were purchased by the Lithuanian Air Force. The photo shows 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 the A.11 was the ability to install various types of engines without significant structural alterations. 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 car.

The A.11 was a maneuverable, robust 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 flight duration (13 hours 15 minutes), set on September 13, 1925. At the same time, Aero A.11 took three first 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. The modification "Ab-11" designated a bomber.

29. So the Czech pilots, apparently, rested in between setting new flight records.

30. Aero A-18C, Czechoslovakia, 1924. This biplane fighter was designed in the 20s. Aero A-18C -
a specially modified racing version, participated in competitions of the Czech Aero Club. It would seem to be small, but it reached speeds 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 World War II, received several of these reconnaissance aircraft. Without hesitation, they quickly disposed of the ancient biplanes as unfit for use. Five A-32s went to the Slovak Air Force in 1939. They became part of the 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 completely 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 resulted in 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
World War. The Aero 45 prototype made its first flight in July 1947. Production aircraft for the first time
was shown to the public in Great Britain in 1949, where the car, which reached a speed of 262 km/h, won a prize
Norton-Griffiths.

The Ae-45 won the gold medal for being the first to cross the Sahara Desert. This model
fully equipped with the necessary radio equipment, measuring and navigation instruments, was
It is also suitable for night flights. In ordinary life, the aircraft was used for civilian purposes, such as
as transportation of victims, or simply as an air taxi.

34. Letov S-2, one might say, is the first stone in the foundation of the Czech aircraft industry. The S.A., soon renamed Sm-1 ("Smolik"), was an all-wooden 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. The Sm-1 was mainly used as a reconnaissance and light
bomber - it could carry two 50 kg bombs and 12 10 kg bombs. Despite its shortcomings, "Smolik" for
young Czechoslovakian aviation industry was of 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 became famous as the first commercial aircraft,
built in Czechoslovakia.

36. Despite its angular shape, the fuselage housed a comfortable cabin for five passengers, with a luggage compartment behind it. The power plant consisted of six-cylinder in-line Maybach 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 new impetus to the development of aircraft manufacturing. And the Soviet one, too.

On the right is the MiG-19 (1953), on the left is the Yak-23. The Yak-23 was not widely used in the Soviet Union. 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 Mlada airfield at the end of the 1950s, and subsequently nine more fighters of this type were added.

39. MiG-15UTI-P, Soviet two-seat jet trainer 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 production MiGs, one of which crashed in 1953. Ultimately, the tests were completed with unsatisfactory results.

Within the framework of the second project, only one aircraft was developed; it was tested in 1955. But the project also did not receive development. If this is so, and the signature under the exhibit is true, then the photo shows a very rare specimen.

40. He's on the right. On the left is the MiG-17F.

41. Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 “Meteor” (England, 1944) - the only Allied jet fighter to take part in the Second World War. The first combat flight of Meteor fighters took place on July 27, 1944, and the first cruise missile was destroyed by pilots of the 616th Squadron on August 4. In total, Meteors destroyed 14 V-1s during the war. Since April 1945, British jet fighters have participated in combat operations in continental Europe, but they have not conducted a single air battle with German Me 262 jet fighters. Meteors did not participate in attacks on piston engines either. german planes. They were only engaged in attacking ground targets.

By the way, the first air enemy of the British fighters was the Soviet MiG-15 in the skies of Korea. 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 produced by the Avions Fairey Company from components supplied by the Gloster Company. It was in service with the 1st Fighter Wing of the Belgian Air Force and later served as a target tug. The aircraft was sold in 1965, and five years later its owner, J. Leemans, donated it to the Belgian Aviation Museum in Brussels. The car was then used several times for advertising 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 equipped with weapons and liveries from its service with the 4th Squadron of the 1st Fighter Wing based at Bevekom Air Base. The last repair 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 transition pilots from propeller-driven aircraft to jet aircraft.

43. I will end this part with, perhaps, an unusual model. This is a Mignet HM-14 Pou du ciel.

In the early 30s, designer Henri Minier began developing his brainchild, the Flying Flea (Pou du ciel) aircraft. Its main concepts were described in the so-called “Minier formula”. Final version- HM-14 Pou du ciel took off 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 any hobbyist could build. It cost about $350 to assemble.

Soon, in many European countries, especially in France, the USSR, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia and Great Britain, 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, repurposed by Henri Mignet into an aircraft manufacturing enterprise, produces under the Mignet brand both finished aircraft, and KIT sets with a tandem circuit. Aircraft model markings begin with the HM index. Over the years, enthusiasts have continued to build their own aircraft by modifying the original design. French amateurs hold annual competitions in June each year.

In the second part I will try to talk about aircraft of post-war design. I will also include instructions on how to get to the museum.

From MiGs to Gripens

Aviation and air defense forces of the Army of the Czech Republic (this name was originally given to the air force of the sovereign Czech Republic) were formed on January 1, 1993 after the once united Czechoslovakia was divided into two independent states. In accordance with the agreement reached between the two new countries, all weapons and military equipment of the Czechoslovak Army were distributed to the armed forces of the Czech Republic and Slovakia according to the approved list. As a result, the Czech Air Force received all the MiG-23BN, MiG-23MF, MiG-23ML and MiG-23UB aircraft available in Czechoslovakia; MiG-29 fighters were divided equally, and the rest of the aircraft was distributed in a ratio of approximately 2 to 1 in favor of the Czech Republic. Among the Soviet-made aircraft it inherited from the union state were 52 MiG-21MF fighters, 21 MiG-21R reconnaissance aircraft and 24 MiG-21US and MiG-21UM combat trainers.

However, the exploitation of most of them by the new “owner” turned out to be short-lived.

Having set a course for joining NATO, the Czech government began to gradually free itself from Soviet-made military equipment. Already in 1994, all MiG-21R, MiG-21US, MiG-23BN and MiG-23MF aircraft were removed from service. In the same year, all MiG-29 fighters available to the Czech Republic were transferred to Poland. Four years later, the Czech Air Force removed the MiG-23ML fighters and MiG-23UB combat trainers from service, and in 2000, all 24 Su-25K attack aircraft inherited from Czechoslovakia (along with one two-seat Su-25UBK). In 2002, 36 Su-22M4 and Su-22UM3K fighter-bombers left service, and the only type of Russian combat aircraft in the republican Air Force remained, paradoxically, the oldest available - the light front-line fighter MiG-21MF (in total in the period 1971 -1975 102 such aircraft arrived in Czechoslovakia).

After a series of reorganizations and a significant reduction in the Czech Air Force, the MiG-21MF became the main fighter aircraft of the republic and was supposed to remain so until the arrival of new generation fighters. The successor to the “twenty-first” was determined to be the Swedish “Gripen” in 2002, but for now, in connection with the Czech Republic’s accession to NATO, it was decided to subject these aircraft to some equipment modernization so that they could be successfully used within the framework of the joint air defense system of the North Atlantic Alliance. 12 MiGs modernized in this way were called MiG-21MFN.

By the beginning of 2005, they were in service with the 211th squadron of the 21st tactical aviation base of the Czech Air Force at the Časlav airfield (the second, 212th, squadron at this base was equipped with new Czech L-159A aircraft, which replaced the country's Air Force removed from strike weapons Su-22 and Su-25). Even after the first batch of Gripens entered the squadron, the “good old” MiGs continue to remain on combat duty. Their final removal from service is scheduled for the end of this year, when Časlav will begin operating all received JAS39s (the remaining eight of the 14 ordered vehicles will arrive here in August).

As our magazine has already reported (see “Takeoff” No. 1/2005, p. 27), the Czech Republic became the first country in Eastern Europe to adopt the new Swedish JAS39 Gripen fighters. In accordance with the contract, the Czech Republic will lease 14 such aircraft for a period of 10 years - 12 single-seat JAS39C and two twin-seat JAS39D. The first six Gripens arrived at the Časlav airbase, located 70 km southeast of Prague, on April 18 this year. Here they became part of the 21st Air Base of the Czech Air Force, which until now operated Soviet-made MiG-21 MF fighters. However, time takes its toll, and the legendary MiGs are giving way to more modern fighters. An air show at the Časlav airfield, held on May 21 of this year, was dedicated to the farewell to the MiG-21s, which served in the Czech Air Force for 45 years, and the adoption of the Gripens into service. Our special correspondents visited it.

Show

The organization of the holiday at the Časlav airfield was undertaken by the military of the 21st Tactical Air Base themselves, with the participation of the Czech Air Show Agency and the Kolin Aero Club. It must be said that there were no complaints against the organizers, with the exception of the cancellation of flights of the German F-4 Phantom aircraft (and how they would have looked in the same ranks with the MiG!) and the absence of the Yugoslav Galeb stated in the program - clearly, according to flights were on schedule, visitors could have a snack, buy model airplanes, T-shirts, patches and toys. Those who wished could practice shooting with automatic weapons. To the credit of the Czechs (as well as numerous Germans and Austrians), unlike guests of Russian air shows, they put garbage only in special bags, leaving both the grass and concrete of the parking lots pristinely clean. To be honest, both the airfield and the airfield are quite different from ours for the better, and the quality of concrete, lighting, markings, and other infrastructure is almost ideal.

The flights were divided into three large blocks - two military ones, almost identical in program (morning and afternoon) and a free flight - with performances by aircraft modelers (aerial combat of large-scale copies of aircraft from the Second World War), athletes, amateurs, presentations of replicas and retro, "rides" everyone on the An-2 and Moravians. An interesting performance was shown by amateur pilots: red ones filled with light gas were launched from the ground Balloons, and the planes attacked them, trying to ram them with a propeller or wing. Having lined up in a conveyor belt, they again and again rushed to the next target, to the delight of the spectators, who kept a “battle score” for each of the participants.

The symmetry of the military parts of the show contributed to the fact that the spectacle was perceived without tension - if something was missed from attention in the first part, distracted by other matters, you can see it in more detail in the second, change the point of observation and perspective. The organizers gave the journalists this opportunity - after the first part of the flights, they were taken to a parking lot, where they could photograph in detail the flying equipment, the process of servicing it by technicians (with one exception - they were asked not to film the parking lots of MiGs on combat duty). By the beginning of the second military block, two buses with photographers were transported to the other side of the airfield - in order to shoot from the direction of the sun.

in one formation - the past, present and future of the Czech Air Force. The leader is a trio of Gripen aircraft, in the center is a flight of MiG-21 MFNs, and a pair of L-159A brings up the rear.

a pair of Czech MiG-21 MFN in a demonstration flight

The combat training MiG-21 UM takes off. Several "sparks" still remain in service with the 21st air base of the Czech Air Force

MiG-21 MFN aircraft were still on combat duty in Caslav in May. The photo shows an aircraft with two R-60 missiles and two drop tanks

This MiG-21 MFN has an unusual camouflage and bears the symbols of the 45th anniversary of the Časlav airbase.

Basic data of MiG-21 MF and JAS39C "Gripen" fighters

	MiG-21 MF	JAS39C
engine's type	Р13-300	RM12
Engine thrust, kgf	1x6600	1x8200
Aircraft length (without PVD), m	14,185	14,1
Wingspan, m	7,154	8,4
Aircraft height, m	4,71	4,5
Wing area, m2	23,0	30,0
Empty aircraft weight, kg	5350	6820
Normal take-off weight, kg	8200	8500
Maximum take-off weight, kg	9320	14 000
Fuel reserve (without fuel tank), kg	2300	2270
Maximum combat load weight, kg	1300	4800
Maximum flight speed at high altitude, km/h	2175	1900
Maximum flight speed near the ground, km/h	1300	1320
Maximum number of M	2,05	1,8
Practical ceiling, m	16 800	17 000
Maximum operational overload	8,5	9
Practical flight range, km	1400	1800
Run length, m	800	400
Run length, m	550	500

To us, spoiled by the displays of aerobatic pilots and test pilots, the flight program of combat MiGs, L-159s and Gripens did not seem particularly difficult - mainly group passes, afterburner slides, loops, rolls and take-offs with a combat turn, although it looked quite spectacular. The vehicles flew with drop tanks, and the pair of “twenty-first” standing on duty under the NATO NATINEADS program also carried missiles. Much more lively was the display of Aero-Vodohody factory tester Miroslav Shitsner on the L-159B.

We were truly pleased by the helicopter pilots who demonstrated the evacuation of a wounded parachutist on the Polish Falcon, accompanied by excellent dynamic aerobatics, and energetic combat maneuvering at low altitudes on the Mi-24V.

It must be said that the MiGs are leaving the Czech Republic, leaving a noticeable mark on the country’s aviation history. In 1951, the director of the Aviation Research Institute, Frantisek Horak, obtained permission from Stalin to produce the MiG-15, after which in 1953 a new plant with a capacity of up to 1000 aircraft per year was built in Vodochody near Prague, and at the beginning of 1954 the first of the MiGs built at the enterprise took off. A total of 3,405 MiG-15s of various modifications were produced in Czechoslovakia, followed by 103 MiG-19s and 194 MiG-21F13s. Few people know, but it was on one of the UTI MiG-15s built at the Aero plant that Yuri Gagarin and Vladimir Seregin took their last flight in 1968...

The baptism of fire of the Czechoslovak MiG-15 took place on March 10, 1953, when Jaroslav Sramek shot down an F-84 near Pilsen, and soon Jaroslav Novak opened a combat account of the destroyed reconnaissance balloons. Exactly one year later, Zdenek Voleman chalked up an American twin-engine intruder. About five thousand Czech and Slovak pilots served on MiG aircraft.

The pilots and technicians with whom we were able to talk at the Caslav airfield noted the exceptionally high reliability of the outgoing Soviet equipment. The only disaster in the unit with her participation - a mid-air collision between a MiG-21 MF and a MiG-21U - occurred in June 1999. Two pilots - Jaromir Zbranek and Ivan Kaiser - were killed, and Zdenek Svoboda ejected safely.

This spring, 21 Czech MiG-21 modifications MF, MFN and UM, along with spare parts, were sold to a private company (its name and contract amount are not disclosed). The 12 vehicles of the same type remaining in service were planned to be sold after receiving the Gripen, but their service life was once again extended - this time until June 30. Expert opinion about future fate"MiGs" disagree - some talk about the exhaustion of the resource, others insist on the possibility of its extension. But everyone is unanimous that in the near future these cars will be sold abroad.

Compared to the MiG-21 MF, the Gripen cockpit has fewer dial instruments, but there are liquid crystal indicators

preparing Czech Gripen aircraft for flights at the Časlav airbase. It is noteworthy that, unlike the MiG-21 MF, you must enter the cockpit of the Swedish fighter from the starboard side

To increase the flight range, Gripens almost constantly fly with a large ventral drop tank

after a demonstration flight, the Czech JAS39C lands on the strip of the Časlav airbase (in the background is a Tu-154M of the Czech Air Force). The remaining eight of the 14 Gripens ordered by the Czech Republic should arrive at the base in August.

As for the 14 multifunctional Swedish-British JAS-39, which are supplied under a leasing contract with a total value of about $850 million, all our interlocutors said that this equipment requires a completely different approach. The role of software is so great that the entire operation and training system had to be rebuilt. Finding out the features of programs, searching for answers in multi-volume manuals and calling the support service, which was previously not typical for aviators, takes up more and more of their time. However, the advantages of the approach incorporated in the creation of the aircraft, combining the ability to exchange data between attacking vehicles of the same group, ground-based radars and command posts, AWACS aircraft, an on-board system for monitoring the condition of units with maximum automation of the piloting process, should bring their combat capabilities to fundamentally new positions.

Answering the question why the Gripens did not show anything at the show that was very different from the aerobatics of the “twenty-first”, representatives of the Air Force referred to the short flight time - 50 hours on the new type for each of the pilots, which does not yet allow them to carry out a complex program.

One of the program numbers became symbolic - the group passage of three Gripens, four MiGs and a pair of L-159s. Disbandment - and new vehicles go up, those currently in service remain on the horizon, and those removed from service leave - they are rearranged into a bearing and take turns landing.

The instructive respectful attitude of Czech aviators towards the outgoing generation of combat vehicles, the show organized in honor of this event, free access to almost all the equipment that took part in it, combined with the festive atmosphere, the friendly attitude of our interlocutors towards guests from Russia made up a very good memory of visiting Caslav.

Photo report by Andrey Zhirnov

I’ll share with you information that’s a little off-topic on the blog. We are talking about Czechoslovak aircraft production during the Second World War. More specifically, about the aviation company Aero. This enterprise was created in 1919 and initially serviced aircraft transferred to the young Czechoslovak Republic by the Entente (SPAD, Salmson, Voisin). Well, that is, the Czechs write that it all started in 1919, but in fact these were the former facilities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, namely the Hansa-Brandenburg Werke plant of the notorious Ernst Heinkel. The young company took off and after 12 months they were able to start producing aircraft of their own design. By the end of the 30s, Aero became a fairly serious manufacturer, capable of mastering and mass-producing aircraft such as the MV-200 or SB-2. Our own projects were also quite up to par. Unfortunately, in March 1939, the Nazis came to the country.

At first, they were not interested in the Aero company, and the Czechs calmly completed the last 4 MB-200s and 14 Aero A-304s, which were transferred to the German side. Soon, the Air Force attache arrived at the enterprise from Berlin and German types of aircraft began to be put into production. They started small - in the Aero workshops they began to assemble Bucker Bu-131 training two-seat biplanes intended for flight schools. They were produced until 1940 and only 200 were produced. In addition, from May 1940 to November 1940, the Czech company also produced 45 B-71 air target towing aircraft and 10 B-71B glider towing aircraft for the Luftwaffe. Let me remind you that this car was actually a Soviet high-speed bomber SB-2, which the Czechs produced under license.

Having assessed the performance of the Czech side, the Luftwaffe ordered another extremely useful vehicle - the recently launched tactical reconnaissance aircraft Focke Wulf Fw.189. They were produced for almost twelve months, delivering 337 Rams to the customer by the end of 1942. Starting next year, Aero was given new tasks - to put into production the auxiliary twin-engine Siebel Si.204D. The work was carried out at an accelerated pace and before the end of the war they managed to transfer 553 of these machines to the German Air Force. At the same time, a total of 1007 Siebels were produced in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia at the Aero, ČKD-Prague and Walter factories, and the fuselages for all of them were assembled in the Aero workshops (before the end of the war, 1023 fuselages were produced). To this must be added 49 overhauled Bucker Bu-131 aircraft and 15 modernized Aero A-304.

In total, during the war years, the number of Aero employees grew from 1,200 to 8,000. Since mid-1943, the Czechs have been talking about “forced” labor, and since 1944, the Germans have introduced a 12-hour working day for them with one “sliding” day off per week. However, the Czechs themselves note the positive aspects of working for the Germans: improved organization of work and technical equipment production, introduction of some new technologies. I will add that in addition to this, the Czechs “inherited” a couple of quite good models aircraft (Bucker Bu-131, Siebel Si.204D), which they produced after the war for their own needs. Aero's fruitful work for the German Luftwaffe ended only on March 25, 1945 (!), when 50 Allied heavy bombers destroyed the company's assembly shops, destroying 50 almost finished Siebels on the stocks.