Following is an introduction to our three most popular types of aircraft for jet fighter flights, air combat flights and aerobatics. Our fleet consists of two or more of each type.

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MiG-15

L-39C

Yak-52

Victa Airtourer

MiG-15

The Soviet MiG design bureau developed a high-performance jet fighter design called the I-310 in 1948. It incorporated some advanced features, such as a 35-degree wing sweep, and it promised to be a sprightly performer. However, the design lacked one essential component: A suitable engine. This problem was resolved when the British government authorized the Rolls-Royce company to export their Nene turbojet engine to Russia. As soon as the Russian Klimov design bureau received the engines, they immediately developed their own copy of the Nene, called the Klimov RD-45. Within months, the first prototype of the I-310 had flown with the new engine. The aircraft was redesignated MiG-15 and entered service early in 1949.

Later in the year, the improved MiG-15BIS version appeared. A two-seat trainer version, the MiG-15UTI, was also introduced. In 1950, Western air forces were surprised by the combat capability of the new design in the skies over Korea. The MiG-15 could out-climb, out-turn, and fly higher than the American F-86 Sabre. Fortunately, allied pilots were better-trained and had better equipment installed in their aircraft and they prevailed against the MiG.

In the years to come the MiG-15 was built under license in Czechoslovakia as the A-102, S-102 and two-seat CS-12, and in Poland as the LIM-1, LIM-2, and two-seat LIM-3. China also built many components for the MiG. As would be expected, many Warsaw Pact nations used the MiG-15 and, after the introduction of the MiG-17 and MiG-19, the MiG-15 was retired as a fighter and became the standard advanced trainer of the Eastern bloc.

In the late 1980's, the first MiG-15 appeared on the civilian register in the USA, and in the last decade, at least 20 have been licensed as warbirds in other countries around the world.

Specifications (MiG-15bis):

Engine: One 5,952-pound thrust Klimov VK-1 turbojet
Weight: Empty 8,115 lbs., Max Takeoff 13,327 lbs.
Wing Span: 33ft. 0.75in.
Length: 35ft. 7.5in.
Height: 12ft. 1.75in.

Performance:

Maximum Speed at Sea Level: 668 mph
Ceiling: 50,855 ft.
Range: 1,156 miles

Armament:

One 37-mm N-37 cannon
Two 23-mm NS-23 or NR-23 cannon
Up to 1,100 pounds of mixed stores on underwing hardpoints

Number Built: 8,000+ built in USSR alone, many thousands built in Poland and Czechoslovakia.

Additional information from http://www.warbirdalley.com
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L-39C

History: The Czechoslovakian L-39 was built as the successor to their earlier trainer, the L-29 Delfin. Design work began in 1966, and the first prototype made its initial flight on 4 November 1968. The idea of the design was to marry an efficient, powerful turbofan engine to a sleek, streamlined fuselage, resulting in a strong, economical performer which would become the next standard jet trainer for the Warsaw Pact. Full-scale production was delayed until late 1972 due to apparent problems with the design of the air intakes, but these difficulties were overcome and the type went on to be a great success with the Soviet, Czech and East German air forces, among others.

Three main variants were produced. The L-39C was built as a pure trainer and was used by numerous air forces throughout Eastern Europe beginning in 1974 and continuing through today. The armed weapons-trainer variant is called the L-39ZA, and a close-support and ground-attack version is called the L-39ZO. In addition to those mentioned above, the L-39 has been exported to numerous countries, including Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Iraq, Libya, Estonia, and Kyrghyzstan. A modernized derivative of the Albatros, the L-59, is still being built in the Czech Republic. Another modernized, but very different version, the L-39MS, actually has much more in common with the L-59 than the L-39, despite its designation.

As of this writing, the L-39 is the most popular jet warbird in the world, with over 300 believed to be actively flying in the USA alone.

Specifications:

Engine: One 3,792-lb thrust Walter Titan turbofan (Ivchenko AI-25-TL built under Czech license by Motorlet).
Weight: Empty 7,340 lbs., Max Takeoff 11,618 lbs. (L-39ZO with four rocket pods)
Wing Span: 31ft. 0.5in.
Length: 40ft. 5in.
Height: 15ft. 5.5in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed at 19,600 ft: 485 mph (Trainer version, clean)
Maximum Speed at Sea Level: 435 mph
Ceiling: 37,730 ft. (Trainer, clean)
Range: 528 miles with internal fuel; 995 miles with external tanks.
    

Armament:

(L-39ZO): Up to 2,425 pounds of weapons on four underwing hardpoints, including bombs, 57- or 130-mm rocket pods, gun pods, a five-camera reconnaissance pod, or two fuel drop-tanks. Centerline point carried a pod-mounted 23-mm twin-barrel GSh-23 cannon with 180 rounds.

Number Built: 2800+

Additional information from http://www.warbirdalley.com

Yak-52

A two seater aircraft, the Yakovlev Yak-52 first flew in 1976, and is still being produced in Bacau, Romania, by Aerostar. Designed originally as a primary trainer for students who would later transition to Soviet jet aircraft, the aerobatics capable (+7g / -5 g) Yak-52 is now often seen in the hands of sports flying enthusiasts all around the world.

A descendant of the single-seat champion aerobatic Yak-50, but with a tricycle-geared undercarriage that makes it appear more like the earlier Yak-18, the all-metal aircraft is powered by a 360 hp radial engine, the Ivchenko M-14P, with an inverted fuel system that permits inverted flight for as long as two minutes, while drawing fuel from a five gallon reserve tank. The engine drives a two-bladed counter-clockwise rotating, variable-pitch, wooden propeller.

Described as an easy airplane to fly, with a fast roll rate, especially to the right, the Yak-52 takes some time for flyers accustomed to hydraulics to adjust to. This is because the plane uses air pressure to operate the brakes (as well as the flaps and landing gear) and also because the non-steerable nose wheel calls for differential braking. Air lines to each cylinder, used for starting the engine, may easily be mistaken for a fuel injection arrangement.

At just 2,200 lbs. empty weight the plane is quite light and agile. While the landing gear is fully retractable, it remains partially-exposed in the retracted position. This provides a measure of protection should the plane be forced to land "wheels up." Capable of operating from unimproved grass runways, the aircraft is easily maintained even "in the field."

Specifications:

Engine: One 360-hp VMKB (Vedenyev) M-14P radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 2,238 lbs., Max Takeoff 2,877 lbs.
Wing Span: 30ft. 6.25in.
Length: 25ft. 5in.
Height: 8ft. 10.25in.

Performance:

Maximum Speed: 223 mph
Range: 310 miles
Armament: None

Number Built: 1,800+

Number Still Airworthy: 1,200+.

Victa Airtourer

The Airtourer was designed by Dr. Henry Millicer, of the Australian Government Aircraft Factory (GAF) and was the winning entrant in a (British) Royal Aero Club sponsored Light Aircraft Design competition.

The Airtourer Group was then formed in Australia to build a 65 hp Continental powered wooden prototype that first flew in March 1959. This attracted the interest of Victa (the lawnmower manufacturer) who undertook production of an all-metal version with a 100 hp Continental engine that first flew in December 1961.

With development completed it entered production in June 1962 as the Airtourer 100. The more powerful Airtourer 115, with a 115 hp Lycoming engine, followed in September.

Victa built 170 Airtourers before succumbing to cheap American imports, and the design was purchased by Aero Engine Services Limited (AESL) of New Zealand in 1967. They produced 94 Airtourers, including more powerful 130 and 150 hp versions. This included a militarised version which served with the RNZAF.

AESL's successor, New Zealand Aerospace Industries (NZAI) produced a trainer based on the Aircruiser development of the Airtourer. These aircraft were sold to the Royal Australian Air Force as the NZAI CT-4 Airtrainer. A total of 51 CT-4s, known as "Plastic Parrots", served with the RAAF between 1975 and 1993. They were somewhat larger than the Airtourer, and with improved performance, but of nearly identical lines.

When flight grading for the RAAF and RAN was privatized in 1992, 36 "Plastic Parrots" were sold to eager private buyers. In December 1997, Millicer Aircraft Industries resumed Airtourer production in Australia, with their aerobatics capable M-10 AirTourers and their four-seat M9 Aircruisers entering production in 1999. In early 2000 the company had 11 firm orders and 36 expressions of interest in its M10-160 Airtourer, with a 160 hp Lycoming engine..

Victa Airtourer 115 Overview:
CT-4 Airtrainer in brackets where specifications differ

Type: Two-seat light aircraft (CT-4; Primary trainer).
Years of manufacture: 1962-1966 (Australia)
Country of origin: Australia (CT-4; New Zealand)

Engine:

One Lycoming O-235 flat four piston engine.
(CT-4; One 210 hp Continental IO-360-HB piston engine)

Dimensions:

Wing span: 26 ft 0 in / 7.92 m (CT-4 same)
Length: 21 ft 6 in / 6.55 m (CT-4: 23 ft 2 in / 7.06 m)
Height: 7 ft 0 in / 2.13 m (CT-4: 8 ft 6 in / 2.59 m)
Empty weight: 1,080 lb / 490 kg (CT-4: 1,490 lb / 676 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 1,650 lb / 750 kg (CT-4: 2,400 lb / 1089 kg)

Performance:

Max. speed: 123 kt / 228 kph (CT-4: 154 kt / 286 kph)
Long range cruise: 96 kt / 177 kph (CT-4: 125 kt / 232 kph)
Initial climb: 900 ft/min (CT-4: 1,345 ft / 410 m. per min)
Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (CT-4: 17,900 ft / 5456 m)
Max. range with no reserves: 617 nm / 1,140 km (CT-4: 680 nm / 1270 km)

Capacity: Side-by-side seating for two.