Guess The Airplane II

[simi_av8r 0]

Piper?

'fraid not rob...keep the guesses coming guys...

[allardjd 1,853]

I'm thinking it's a Yak 52.

 

John

[simi_av8r 0]

I'm thinking it's a Yak 52.

John

You know john, here i was, thinking i had you all fooled, and you go and get it right...although saying that, it took you all weekend.

Correct, it is the Yak 52, full picture:

[allardjd 1,853]

That was a tough one. Spotting the exhaust stacks narrowed it enough to make it possile. The gear on that thing is unique - it folds up but doesn't go into wells, just hangs out in the breeze.

 

I'll post one but probably not until this evening - busy day today.

 

John

[simi_av8r 0]

The gear on that thing is unique - it folds up but doesn't go into wells, just hangs out in the breeze.

unique indeed, having seen the Yak-52 numerous times at airshows this year, the u/c always gets a mention. Apparently, back when the '52 was used as a basic trainer, the idea was that if the gear was only partially retracted when 'up', if the aircraft was forced to do a 'gear up' landing, the partially retracted u/c would protect both the pilot and more importantly - given the economic climate of the Eastern Bloc in the late 70's - the aircraft from damage!