National Technical Museum Prague (Czech Republic) 2022
In view of rapidly shrinking MiG-21 fleets (if one can still speak of "fleets" at all with around 30 MiG-21s still flying in Europe) and travel restrictions still in force as a result of the ongoing corona hysteria, the author now welcomes any opportunity to get close to aircraft. During a visit to Prague in April 2022 – especially as the relevant museum at Kbely was still closed at that time – the programme included the National Technical Museum, which besides many vehicle exhibits also has a small but very nice selection of aircraft with a local connection.
Czechoslovak pilots in British exile flew the Spitfire and brought these aircraft home with them after the end of the war.
The L-39 is by far the most-built and most widespread Czechoslovak aircraft.
Only the one example shown in the museum was built of the Zlín Z-XIII racing aircraft.
The HC 2 (VR-2) Heli Baby is the only helicopter series-built in Czechoslovakia.
Unfortunately, the licence production of the MiG-21F-13 at Aero Vodochody is not commemorated by any large exhibits, only by some models and equipment in a display case.
In the 1970s and 1980s the Zlín Z-50L was one of the most powerful aerobatic aircraft.
The Sokol M1C was the first Czechoslovak post-war aircraft.
