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Did you work on those seven planes and the
helicopter at your previous employ in Kbely?
What was the most interesting part of it?
Yes, under my previous employer. It is
impossible to say which project was the most
interesting. These were all airplanes that I had
admired in the museum and had no idea I would
ever get this close to them. I enjoyed working
on all of them.
Which do you enjoy the most? Jets, props,
biplanes or helicopters?
I enjoy variation, so everything. After working
on a jet, I look forward to a biplane.
Do you know what it will be specifically?
It will be an aircraft from Hangar No.18. For now,
I can’t say any more, but that will be revealed
shortly on the Facebook page of the museum,
where the progress of the project will be posted.
Was the renovation of the F-5E any different
than the renovations of other aircraft you've
worked on?
All renovations follow approximately the same
course, although each one is different at the
same time. What was exceptional about the F-5E
was that most of the parts had already been
removed from the aircraft during examination
by Aero Vodochody in the eighties. It was up
to us to clean the parts that had been stored
in crates for forty years, restore them, and find
their correct place in the airplane.
Was this with the help of manuals or some type
of documentation, or was deduction a tool?
There was precious little documentation to
go by. The greatest help to us were several
contemporary photos from the examinations
and tests conducted by Aero, and a summary of
these was written by Ing. Vlček that survived
in the archive. The Internet provided some
documentation as well.
Did you make any contact with other museums
or manufacturers?
We did, but the work went faster than the
communication with other institutions
progressed. But we hope that the established
contacts will bear fruit and the F-5E will be
completed on our acquiring the missing parts
there still are.
What is left to do there?
Some cockpit equipment is missing, such as
a scope, mirrors and a few small parts, and then
the ammunition guide to the cannon and the
boarding ladder. And probably the biggest item
is the General Electric J-85 engine. We'll see
if these missing parts can be found over time.
Were those parts already missing when the
plane arrived in Czechoslovakia, or were they
lost here?
The plane arrived in Czechoslovakia complete.
Some of the missing parts did not return after
the plane was examined at the companies to
which they were sent, and some were lost
during storage of the aircraft at Aero Vodochody
before being transported to the aviation
museum in Kbely.
Perhaps the biggest problem is the engine, or
can one be sourced easier than the little things?
As for the small things for the cockpit, they can
be found. It’s harder to source items that were
typically used exclusively in the F-5. But even
that has a solution. It's a little harder still with
the engine. They are certainly available, but
it is already a larger unit, so acquisition and
transport are a bit more difficult.
What was the condition of the exhibit when you
took it over for renovation?
It was in surprisingly good condition for the fact
that the exhibit had been displayed outdoors for
thirty years. Some corrosion on the outer panels
was present along with rusted over screws, but
nothing serious. The internal structure was
in good condition. You could see that quality
materials were used on the airplane.
Is it true that the Kbely F-5E is assembled from
two different airframes?
It does appear to be that way. The distribution
of the camouflage colours on the tail of the
aircraft is a mismatch with the forward section,
leading to the conclusion that the two sections
probably do not belong together. We suspect
that the back end of our F-5E is in Poland, on
display at the Aviation Museum in Krakow, and
we have the Polish counterpart.
But this is not certain?
Unfortunately, no. The production plate that
would be conclusive is missing from our
airframe Someone must have swiped it over
the years. But there is still hope that there is
a label on the Krakow F-5E. If the serial number
matched our machine, our suspicions would
still be confirmed.
Any desire to go to Krakow?
Desire? Yes! Time? Not so much!
Aero Ae-45 before restoration. Photo: Petr Jezek
Aero Ae-45 after restoration. Photo: Petr Jezek
HISTORY
INFO Eduard14
March 2024