In tumultuoasa sa istorie, Avioane Craiova a incercat in cateva momente sa intre intr-o nisa mica de piata, cea a avioanelor replica sau de colectie.
Rezultatul a fost construirea , sau refacerea unor avioane sovietice YAK- 3U sau YAK -11, pastrand proiectul de structura originala , dar echipate cu motoare Pratt &Whitney, cam de doua ori mai puternice fata de motorul original si cu o elice mult mai performanta . Rezultatul a fost un avion „de curse” folosit in SUA la competitiile de la Reno, unde inca se mai zboara ca pe vremea lui Vlaicu in jurul a noua piloni , desigur pe clase de competitori, pe primul loc fiind desigur viteza.
Avionul din imagine a fost construit la Avioane in 2005 si este cel care a batut recordul detinut de Howard Hughes in 1935 ( filmul AVIATORUL cu Leonardo Dicaprio ) la clasa sub 6000 pounds ( 2800 kg).
Acest avion a fost vandut si zboara acum in Australia .
VH-YOV / N46463 / 33 Avioane Craiova Yak-3U-R2000 (MSN 001-3/2005) named ‘Steadfast’, owned by Eastern Fighters Pty Ltd, at Jandakot Airport – Australia Day, Mon 26 Jan 2015.
Though based on the World War Two Yakovlev Yak-3U, this example is based on a Yak-11 airframe and was built in Romania in 2005, powered by a Pratt and Whitney R-2000 radial engine. It was registered N46463 to William E Whiteside, in California in 2005, and was used in the Reno Air Races with the name ‘Steadfast’.
In 2011 it broke the 3K World Speed Record at Wendover, Utah in the USA travelling at a speed of 416.02 mph (670 kph). You can watch a video of this event herehttp://vimeo.com/30833749
In late 2013, it was shipped to Australia and has been under rebuild in the AeroJacks hangar since November 2013. It was registered in Australia on 24 December 2013 as VH-YOV, but still carries its US registration. Great to see it on static display with the Australia day aircraft at Jandakot.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
FOTOGRAFII DIN AUSTRALIA
