Polish Aviation Museum Cracow

31-864 Kraków,
al. Jana Pawła II 39
phone: (12) 640 99 60,
(12) 642 40 70
e-mail: info@muzeumlotnictwa.pl

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Aeroplane: TS-11 Iskra bis DF '1409'

Poland
advanced trainer
1975

Technical data


Span	10.06 m (33 ft)
Length	11.15 m (36 ft 6 in)
Take-off weight	3,840 kg (8470 lb)
Maximum speed	770 kph (416 kt, 478 mph)
Ceiling	11,500 m (37,700 ft)
Range	1,460 km (900 mi, 790 NM)
Armament	one 23 mm cannon; 50 kg bombs, gun pods or rocket launchers on 4 underwing hardpoints
Powerplant : a single SO-3W turbojet, 9.81 kN (2,205 lbf) of thrust

An example of the final variant of the TS-11 bearing an anniversary painting scheme.

TS-11 Iskra (English: spark) was a two-seat jet trainer designed in 1958 by a team supervised by Tadeusz Sołtyk. The prototype made its maiden flight in 1960 powered by the British Bristol Siddeley Viper 8 engine. The aircraft entered production line in 1963 in WSK PZL Mielec fitted with HO-10 engine (based on BS Viper 8) from WSK PZL Rzeszów factory. In 1964 Iskra broke four world speed records for this class of aircraft.

Following variants of Iskra were developed:

in 1963 – Iskra bis A (HO-10 engine)
in 1966 – Iskra bis B (HO-10 engine, with underwing armament pylons)
in 1972 – Iskra bis C (SO-1 engine, reconaissance & artillery spotting, Iskra 200)
in 1972 – Iskra 200BR (SO-1 engine, prototype of single seat strike version)
in 1973 – Iskra bis D (SO-3 engine, Iskra 200SB)
in 1975 – Iskra bis DF (SO-3 engine, training and reconaissance version)

Production finally ended in 1987 after 427 examples had been built. In 1975 Indian Air Force purchased 50 Iskra bis D aircraft (operational until 2004). In Polish Air Force Iskras are still used for advanced training and as aerobatic aircraft by the military display team of the PAF called "Biało-Czerwone Iskry" (White and Red "Sparks").

The TS-11 Iskra bis DF BoNu 1409 was manufactured in 1975. The aircraft served with several aviation units, among others in No. 28 Fighter Regiment based at Slupsk-Redzikowo on the Baltic coast. When with the advent of 1990s it became possible to apply unofficial markings to the aircraft of Polish Air Force, for the 40. anniversary of No. 28 FR the '1409' received a special painting scheme including the Pomeranian Griffon, sea waves and the head of an Indian (being the emblem of the 1st Squadron of No. 28 FR). The authors were ensigns Ryszard Kuras and Tomasz Kowalski.

In 1995 the aircraft was passed over to No. 58 Air Training Regt in Dęblin. The Iskra was repainted according to the standard scheme of overall grey. When '1409' was donated to the Polish Aviation Museum in 2014 it was decided that it should be repainted in the 28. FR anniversary scheme. In July 2015 the scheme was recreated by Filip Jereczek-Bambrowicz, Bogdan Zolnierowicz, Zbigniew Zonlierowicz with the assistance of Wojciech Butrycz and Ryszard Kuras – one of the authors of the original scheme.

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