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original livery. They seem more authentic to
me, and especially more valuable as exhibits.
Each exhibit must be approached individually.
Unfortunately, most of the exhibits get to us in
such a condition that there is no other option
not involving a complete repaint. But there are
also exceptions such as the Su-7, Su-22, MiG-23
and 29, and Mi-1. I also see an overall rebuilt
aircraft as somewhat sterile, without history,
but sometimes there really is no other way.
I understand. We are now collaborating on
the reconstruction of a Stuka wreckage to
airworthy condition, and with this project,
it is clear that there is no other way. It will
be essentially a newly built piece. But if the
plane is in good condition, I wouldn't touch the
surface. For us, as a kit manufacturer, such
authentic exhibits are priceless!
It seems to me that every museum plane yields
many new items when it's restored. I once saw
several boxes of such things that came out of
a Marauder restoration. In addition to a pile of
Flak shrapnel, there was a pack of cigarettes,
a newspaper from 1945, and the skeleton of
a rodent. Do you find such remains in airplanes
too?
Since we are working on exhibits from
a slightly different period, our findings are not
particularly interesting. Most of the time it is
a fastener that dropped down to irretrievable
locations or some coins. Our F-5E, although it
had photographic evidence of surface damage
from the Vietnam War, cleaning the interior of
the fuselage found nothing to cause the damage.
What was the extent of the F-5E renovation?
The scope of the renovation was generally no
different from other renovations. Simply put,
we documented the condition of the aircraft,
cleaned all available areas, removed paint from
the surface of the aircraft, repaired the airframe,
restored and reassembled the surviving parts,
and finally painted the aircraft. It sounds simple,
but behind it lies almost a year of hard work.
It seems to me that you had it done incredibly
quick. Was this the work of just the two of you?
Two people worked on the plane, but we
outsourced some work to external collaborators
and companies. After all, we can't do everything,
and we don't have time for some operations, so
we outsourced them to subcontractors. In total,
we worked on the Tiger for almost ten months.
From a restorer's point of view, what is the
difference between the Russian and American
schools of design?
Each has its strengths and weaknesses.
My opinion is that Eastern Bloc tech was built for
rougher handling and that's why it's so robust.
The western technique I have experience with
seems more subtle, but at the same time more
thoughtful and easier to maintain. But it's my
personal opinion that not everyone may agree
with.
I would tend to agree. Aircraft differ from one
to the next, but all are beautiful.
Ano. Pro mě jsou všechna letadla, na kterých
jsem pracoval, krásná. I když mi třeba před tím
krásná nepřišla. Ale když si je můžete osahat,
vidíte jejich tvary i z jiných úhlu, začnou se líbit.
It’s kind of like with women, isn’t it?
As a happily engaged father, I can't comment on
that
Thank you for the interview.
Mi-1 in the collection of the VHU prior to restoration. Photo: Petr Jezek Same item post-restoration. Photo: Petr Jezek
Kbely’s Northrop F-5E Tiger II after renovation. Photo: Petr Jezek
HISTORY
INFO Eduard
17
March 2024