Strana 61
L-39ZA, s/n 915254, 222 Training Squadron, Náměšť nad Oslavou AFB,
Czech Republic, 2008-2010
L-39ZA, No. s/n 232436, 2436, 1 Fighter Squadron, Žatec AFB, Czechoslovakia, 1991-1993
The Albatros s/n 233903 made its first flight
on October 13, 1986. The aircraft served with
30 Air Attack Regiment at Pardubice, then at
32 Air Tactical Base Náměšť nad Oslavou (later
redesignated 22 Air Base) and finished its
career with 21 Air Tactical Base Čáslav. Among
the highlights of its operations is a test flight
with modified AI-25TL engine after a series of
so-called titanium fires in the second half of the
1990s. Col (Ret.) Oldřich Pelčák, an astronaut of
the reserve crew, participated in these tests.
On October 24, 2016, Albatros No. 3903 made
its last flight. After 30 years of operation, it
accumulated 3644 hours and 40 minutes of
flight time. The surface of the aircraft showed
significant signs of repairs, during which paints
of different shades were used. The “zebra” stripes
on the top of the fin appeared in mid-October
2009 as an initiative by ground staff. The idea
was made for the joke, combining the symbols
of the squadrons of AFB Čáslav, i. e., tiger and
a winged horse Pegasus in their emblem.
The stripes were sprayed on three aircraft,
namely 3903, 2344 and 2436. But only 3903 had
them in green, as it flew with a green top of the
fin. Nonetheless the stripes did not last too long
on the aforementioned aircraft as they were
ordered to be removed by high brass – to the
displeasure of the ground staff.
The L-39ZA Albatros s/n 232436 was delivered
to the 2 Squadron, 30 Air Regiment in Hradec
Králové on December 28, 1982. During the
autumn of 1984 it was transferred to the 11 Sqn
in Žatec and consequently was relocated to
the 5 Sqn at Pilsen-Líně airbase at the end of
November 1984. It was used in the system of the
western border air defense, in one case with the
use of live weapons. This incident occurred on
September 28, 1985, when Lt. Piskatý took off to
take an action against US AH-1S Cobra helicopter.
The pilot of the Albatros fired S-5 unguided
missiles at the helicopter in the area of Knížecí
Pláně over Šumava mountains. Three years
later, on April 10, 1988, the same aircraft, flown
by Col Petřík, took off against West German sport
aircraft with a pair of inexperienced pilots who
were forced to land at the airport in Karlovy Vary.
After the first overhaul at LOT Trenčín in 1989,
the 2436 received “tiger” markings and
participated in events in the UK. After the
disbandment of the 5 Sqn in 1991 and then the
11 Sqn in 1993, it changed several units. It served
with the 4 Independent Fighter Squadron, initially
based in Přerov and then in Čáslav. From January
1995 it served with the 41 Fighter Sqn at the
4 Fighter AB in Čáslav and on January 30,
2001, it was transferred to the 32 Tactical
Air Base in Náměšt' nad Oslavou. After
a collision on September 15, 2007, the 2436 was
decommissioned with a total of 3,926 hours flown
and 5,138 landings. Since 2018 it has been in the
collections of VHÚ Praha.
KITS 10/2024
INFO Eduard
61
October 2024