# Newcomer



## puddleduck7 (Jul 4, 2009)

Hi All, I'm not actually an aircraft expert or even a hobbyist. What I am is a former keen photog who took pictures of everything that moved and a lot of things that didn't.

As many of you will know, taking lots of photos means lots of boxes of photos- including some boxes which don't get opened for a long time. My wife and I have just had a clean-out of our loft and found a box which has followed us around the world for 40 years. In that box was a picture of an aircraft that I took in 1969 whilst stationed in Cyprus (at Ayios Nikolaos).

I managed to successfully scan the two and a quarter inch transparencey and would like to put it in from of you guys to see if anyone can give me a type ident, and, maybe, even info on this particular airframe.

There are three pictures, one taken forward left quarter and one left rear quarter, the other is a blow-up of the tail number. The tail ident is clearly visible - 172701 OK-KIE. See the three attachments, please.

The pictures were taken at the back of the NAAFI (nope, sadly the very Byzantine looking church is not our NAAFI) in Famagusta in either 1969 or 1970.

Grateful for any info that you can all throw my way.

Thanks,

IanF


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## Wurger (Jul 4, 2009)

Welcome to the forum Mate.Greetings from Poland.

The aircraft in your pics is the Yak-11 (C-11).The OK-KIE registration can indicate a machine used by Czechosloviakian flying clubs called SVAZARM.

Yakovlev Yak-11 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## puddleduck7 (Jul 4, 2009)

Thanks for the quick reply Wurger. Probably an interesting history as to how it came to be in Famagusta!

Cheers.


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## Wurger (Jul 4, 2009)

You'r welcome. The training planes were quite popular in the world region.The total number of built Yak-11 (C-11) is 4566 planes.

Finally I have found the info on the plane.The machine is one of the first renovated C-11s that were brought to the UK.The Yak trainer started its service in Czechoslovakian Air Force with the number 2701.Then it was handed off to SVAZARM organization where was used with OK-KIE registration.
In 1963 the plane with 21 other C-11s was bought by Egipt from Czechoslovakia.All planes were moved to Egipt flying with a few stages.On 27th March 1964 a group of C-11s took off to the next stage Rodos-Cyprus.Due to the engine failure the pilot Milan Meisner was forced to make an emergency landing on Cyprus.Because of the serious damages it wasn't worth to repair the machine. The damaged plane was moved to Famagusta and in a car workshop its landing gear was opened and then she was set in the downtown where the bird was exhibiting for a couple of years.Then the wreck was bought by an Englishman Filip Mann and shipped to UK.Here the plane was renovated, its engine got the main reperation, the pneumatic instalation of the main landing gear and flaps was replaced by the electrical one.The aircraft was painted in the Russian camo scheme with red stars with the white outline and the white registartion G-AYAK. Being brought back to the sky the plane participated in many airshows.In July 1984 was sold to the USA where is still (as memory serves) using with the N11YK registration number.


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## lingo (Jul 4, 2009)

Welcome aboard puddleduck7. 
I have been to RAF Ay Nik - about 4 miles from the Golden Sands beach at Famagusta although a bit before your time. The base was an eavesdropping post listening in to radios in the Soviet sphere. It had the most amazing 'Antenna Farm'. I had a chum who was stationed there as an interpreter during his national service.


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## Doughboy (Jul 4, 2009)

Welcome to the forum, puddleduck. Happy posting.


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## wheelsup_cavu (Jul 4, 2009)

Welcome to the forum from Sunny 8) southern California Puddleduck.
Nice pics, looking forward to your time here.


Wheels


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## ccheese (Jul 4, 2009)

Welcome to the forum, Ian. Enjoy the place..... mos of us do...

Charles


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## Lucky13 (Jul 5, 2009)

Welcome to the family mate!


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## imalko (Jul 5, 2009)

Welcome and greetings from Serbia. Enjoy the forum.


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## Geedee (Jul 5, 2009)

Welcome to the site Ian.

Was at the old derelict Nicosia airport a few weeks and boy does that old Trident look sad. Going back in two months and am hoping to see what state the two Shaks at Paphos are in.

Got any more old pics of Cyp ?


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## Wayne Little (Jul 5, 2009)

G'day...welcome to the site mate!


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## Gnomey (Jul 5, 2009)

Welcome.


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## Njaco (Jul 5, 2009)

WElcome puddleduck!

Cool first post!


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Jul 5, 2009)

So far it looks like you'll fit in just fine around here. Welcome and have fun!


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## vikingBerserker (Jul 5, 2009)

Welcome aboard puddleduck, it's a pleasure to meet you.


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## trackend (Jul 5, 2009)

hi and welcome


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## Airframes (Jul 6, 2009)

Hello and welcome.


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