During the 1960s, the L-29 Delphin was the standard trainer for all Iron Curtain air forces. Pilots who qualified in the L-29 would then progress into the MiG-15 and MiG-21. From 1961 to 1964, about 3,600 L-29s were manufactured by the Aero Vodochody National Corporation in Czechoslovakia. Most went to the Soviet Union. The airplane shown below was displayed in the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.
According to the Museum:
“A mid-wing cantilever monoplane of all-metal construction with the instructor’s rear seat raised above that of the front-seat pupil, the aircraft’s simple, robust design and docile handling were significant characteristics in its favor.”
The L-29 Delphin has a maximum speed of 422 mph, a cruising speed of 326 mph, a range of 397 miles, and a ceiling of 36,000 feet.
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Evergreen Aviation: Jet Planes (photo diary)
Planes of Fame: Soviet Aircraft (Photo Diary)
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Museum of Flight: Jet fighters of the 1950s (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: MiGs (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: Sabrejets (photo diary)
Air Force Museum: Korean War fighter planes (photo diary)