Mystery Special

**Ralf Roggeveen** · March 8th, 2013, 11:18

This is a mystery even to the good old boys at Air Britain (who know a thing or three about aeroplanes), so there will be much kudos for anyone who can i/d it.

As you can see from the background, it's in Moscow, so likely to be a Russian/East European type. Any ideas?

Attachment 82539

***Willy*** · March 13th, 2013, 12:08

No idea Ralf. Hopefully someone will come along who does.

**lefty** · March 13th, 2013, 14:59

First obvious comment, Ralf, is that it doesn't appear to have any form of propulsion - the nose seems to be faired over. And the undercarriage looks very flimsy.

**Ralf Roggeveen** · March 13th, 2013, 22:29

Er...yes! These are just lying about in a sort of run-down 'Museum' that doesn't have proper security, so the exhibits have been vandalised, grafittied and even destroyed by arson in the case of one tragic Il-14. Mystery seems to be balanced on a sort of wooden base? Presumably the engine has gone, along with the prop. Was there once some sort of exhaust coming out of the 3 holes in front? I thought the tail had a vaguely Stearman look to it. But maybe it's a home-built one off?

I'm relying on you, Lefty!

**FentiFlier1** · March 13th, 2013, 23:13

I can't help but I'm interested...

Do I spot seriously oversize flaps? They seem massive for such a light looking plane. Also, I find the windows vaguely reminiscent of a PZL creation.
Maybe a prototype...:ques:

Cheers,

Owen.

**lefty** · March 14th, 2013, 00:48

Originally Posted by Ralf Roggeveen

I'm relying on you, Lefty!

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ralf !

But Wout is the man for this, surely........? There is not much in the way of postwar flying machines that he hasn't I/D'd.

**lefty** · March 14th, 2013, 01:01

I found this in Janes 81-2. Built by the Kuybyshev Polytechnic, it is a much smaller machine than this mystery.

However, the one salient feature mentioned is the 'almost full-span auxiliary aerofoil ailerons.'

Which is exactly what this machine has. Plus a single-strut high wing.

Coincidence ? Maybe, but food for thought.

**PeteHam** · March 14th, 2013, 01:01

The first pic has a vague look of a Dornier Do 27 ..... sort of.

Pete.

**FentiFlier1** · March 14th, 2013, 01:22

"auxiliary aerofoil ailerons" - Ah, OK, that's what they are. Bit like on the Ju-52?

Here's a pic to show what I meant about the PZL look. It is a PZL-105.
There was a drawing-board design called the PZL 108 which seems to have looked a bit like the mystery plane.

**lefty** · March 14th, 2013, 01:38

I see where you are coming from, Owen. Also the positioning of the (missing) horizontal tail surfaces would be similar. Can't get any further with this.

**FentiFlier1** · March 14th, 2013, 10:33

Found another picture. What about the paintwork? It's still in its primer coat, isn't it? Looks like it was never painted.

There was a prototype PZL Wilga fitted with "special ailerons" - couldn't find any pics.

***Moses03*** · March 14th, 2013, 11:24

Here it is with a prop fitted. Windshield is not broken yet either.

**FentiFlier1** · March 14th, 2013, 12:43

Looks like remnants of red paint under the left wingtip...

***Ferry_vO*** · March 15th, 2013, 07:27

Definitely looks like a Wilga, except the Wilga is a much larger aircraft than it appears to be in photos. This seems much smaller. I've tried to find a photo of the original Wilga Mark 1 which was much different from the production version but no success. This Mark 1 didn't have the upward opening doors though and the aircraft in the photos looks like it does have those.

**lefty** · March 15th, 2013, 08:07

You just have to ask, Ferry......

***Ferry_vO*** · March 15th, 2013, 08:22

Thanks Mike!

**Ralf Roggeveen** · March 15th, 2013, 22:47

Some good detective work, Gentlemen. It is almost certainly a one off prototype. Russian or East European, so it could even be by Wilga. The clearer photos show that it's on a rickety road trailer, whatever undercarriage it might have once had is long gone. And it may never have had a paintscheme at all, since that buff colour does indeed look like just a primer. Awful to see it getting more & more vandalised too...

If anyone can get a definite fix on it, perhaps we'll send this thread to Air Britain as a link? :salute: