Aero L-39MS, L-59 and L-139

When Aero Vodochody is mentioned, the vast majority of the aviation world immediately thinks of the elegant silhouette of the L-39 Albatros – the most widely used jet trainer on the planet. However, this booklet does not focus on that famous legend, but on its direct successors bearing the design reference and naming following this model, the L-39MS type, its export version L-59 and the L-139 prototype. These were created at a time when it was becoming clear that the original L-39, without significant modernization, could not provide sufficiently effective training for new combat types. And while the L-39MS and L-59 were designed as a deep modernization of the L-39, the L-139 was a much more modest version with the same airframe equipped with more modern Western components. The L-39MS, L-59 and L-139 prototype aircraft are some of the least described Czechoslovak types. This is mainly due to their limited distribution, which did not allow their qualities to stand out and did not leave enough information about their deployment. Nevertheless, it can be said that in its time, in terms of performance and price, these were the most successful Czechoslovak training aircraft in history. The shapes of the L-39MS alone clearly show how much the shape and design of the L-39 were optimized and, thanks to the new engine with increased thrust, the potential of the legendary design by Ing. Jan Vlček was used to the fullest. It is a great shame for our aviation industry that they were created at a time of global decline in military budgets, when history and political maps were being rewritten, and the initial introduction of the L-39MS and L-59 into service was marked by problems in Egypt, which cast a shadow over the entire family. At the same time, a technically identical model served in neighboring Tunisia for two decades without significant problems … ……

The publication is A4 format, full-color on high-quality coated paper, V2 binding, 52 pages, many photos, color side views.