PZL TS-11 Iskras

The background on Indian Iskras abroad can be read at this link. There are several other countries in Europe and elsewhere that odd single examples of IAF aircraft that are not the specific ones mentioned in our other pages.

One such place is the Luchtvaart Hobby Shop at Aalsmeerderbrug near Amsterdam's Schipol Airport in Netherlands. Visitors to this shop would be bowled over by the pole mounted PZL TS-11 Iskra which is maintained in pristine condition. The Iskra carries the Indian Air Force markings and the serial W-1748. The Iskra was actually one of the ten TTL-expired airframes that was returned to Poland in September 1999. This airframe with the construction number 3H-1423 was replaced with a refurbished 'new' Iskra with the number 3H-2015, which was flown back carrying the serial number 'W-1748'. Meanwhile the old W-1748 had found its way to Netherlands.

	PZL TS-11 Iskra W-1748 on display at the Luchtvaart Hobby Shop in Amsterdam. Photo Courtesy Hans van Herk
PZL TS-11 Iskra W-1757 on display at Museo dell' Aviazionein Italy. Photo Courtesy Hans van Herk

Another Ex-IAF Iskra that has been put up on display outside Poland is W-1757 in Italy. The aircraft is displayed in the Museo dell' Aviazione (Museum of Aviation). Cerbaiola is located west of Rimini, which is on the east coast of Italy, on the road to San Marino. Hans van Herk of Scramble has sent us the following information on the Iskra.

"The TS-11 was painted in complete Indian AF markings, the cockpit instrumentation was fully labeled in English. No c/n was found. The owner had no further information, only that the aircraft was bought in Poland. If this information is correct and the original serial is applied then the Iskra's construction number would be 3H-1432 and it would have been rolled out of production on 24 Nov 75. It was returned to Poland, change-over for c/n 3H-1916 (d/d 23 Nov 99) which was sent to India as the "new" W1757."

The aircraft carries the crest of FTW Hakimpet on its nose and is painted in the color scheme carried by the IAF Iskras. However , It is missing its anti glare panel ahead of the windshield.

In addition to the above, several other Iskras are still reported lying in Poland. A couple of them were being scrapped when Greg Shepard of the South Florida Defence Antiquities Museum was touring the country. W-1758 and another unknown Indian Iskra were seen scrapped at the Babimost Airbase towards the end of September 2003.

W-1758 and another unknown Indian Iskra were seen scrapped at the Babimost Airbase towards the end of September 2003. Photo Courtesy : Greg Shepard

The following table shows the list of Iskras that have been sent out of the country and known last fates where available.