David: Dear fellow Russian aviation enthusiasts:

I was in Mesa Arizona on a corporate flying trip recently, and had an opportunity to visit two museums on the airport, and see some interesting Russian Aviation items at a third location as well. In order:

First I visited the Arizona wing of the Confederate Air Force. This has no Russian aviation items, but is a nice display anyway. In residence there were a B-17 and CASA license built version of Heinkel 111, both open for inside inspection. This is more of a working restoration shop than a museum, so the inside of the hanger is very much a work in progress. There was also a B-25 undergoing restoration, a T-6, Beech C-45, Grumman Albatross, DC-4, and 2 Canberra jet bombers recently flown there from the UK. A very nice collection

WWII fighters collection

of aviation artifacts is on display. This is a nice museum, and is worth planning 1-2 hours, depending on how long you want to look at the inside of the He-111 and B-17.

The second stop was at the Champlin Fighter Museum. I identified myself to the staff of the museum as a MiG and Yak owner, and I was rewarded with a behind the ropes, open the cockpit and climb-in tour of the collection. I was later hosted by Doug Champlin, the collection owner, who delighted me by staying an hour after closing to show me the restoration shop and behind the scenes areas. This is a private collection and is the worlds best private collection of fighter aircraft. There is a fabulous collection of WW-I aircraft, and a nearly complete collection of WW-II fighters including a Daimler-Benz powered Me-109

Yakovlev Yak-9U

and a Focke-Wulf 190D. The collection so large that I will not attempt to describe other than the Russian airplanes on exhibit.

Alexei: I am fully agree with David - Champlin Museum is very impressive indeed. You appreciate it even more when you realize that this is a private collection. Museum has its strong individuality and it well worth the trip to Arizona. Never before I have met museum staff who guided me on one-on-one basis and willingly answered most of my inquiries. I personally thank Melvin Derry and Roy Pratt for their tours.

Unfortunately I did not have a chance to be introduced to Doug Champlin himself

Noncompensating reflector sigh and canopy jettisoning ball are parts which makes Yak-9U cockpit different from aerobatic Yaks.

since I visited museum on weekend.

David: First, there is a Yak-9 fighter, which is an original WW-II version, not the Allison powered ones being made new at this time. The airplane was discovered in Siberia in very poor condition four years ago, and Mr. Champlin had it restored in Russia over a two year period. It is authentic in every respect. I was allowed to sit in it, and I was amazed to find that the cockpit was in many ways very similar to my Yak-50 and Yak-52, with all of the magneto switches, gear and flap controls, clock, engine gauges, etc identical. I was even more surprised that there are a number of cockpit gauges which are identical to those in my MiG!! It seems that if it works the first time, these items are not ever redesigned. The paint scheme was ollower gray with light blue/gray camouflage and blue belly, a classic scheme and also the same as my Yak-50. This was a real pleasure to me, to be able to sit in this actual combat veteran of the Great Patriotic War.

Alexei: As far as I am concern this is a real jewel of Champlin's collection. It is the only Yak-9 in North America today. I am not certain if this particular airframe saw service with Red Army air force because it is a late

A dummy dressed in Red Army airforce uniform stands net to the fighter

model Yak-9U. This actually saved the plane from total deterioration - this was one of the first Yaks to get all aluminum wing and fuselage rather than wood. The aircraft was found in the pile of scrap metal at the grounds of the former training base near Novosibirsk. It appears that the fighter was used as a target tug and was later demilitarized with help of the hand grenade detonated between the engine banks. Although this totally destroyed the engine and most of the front of the aircraft the remaining airframe was found to be relatively intact after 50+ years of abuse and exposure to the elements. The aircraft was offered to Mr. Champlin during his trip to Russia in 1992 by Sergei Kotov, General Director of AVIA-M. AVIA-M is a versatile company which among other things restores and exports rare aircraft.

Yak-9U wears an authentical WWII camouflage.

The original parts were used whenever it was possible and Kotov managed to find a spare Klimov engine to replace shuttered original as well as propellor. Interestingly, the aircraft's wing spar is intact and Yak is in flyable conditions. When aircraft was brought to Mesa and reassembled, Sergei Kotov suggested to test fly the Yak (most of the planes in Champlin's collection are flyable), but Doug Champlin declined this offer due to the great risk involved in flying of one of the kind airplane.

I was less fortunate and my request to look inside of the Yak's cockpit (not to mention to sit in) was politely rejected, however I was allowed to cross the

P-63 King Cobra is Chaplin's next restoration project

ropes and study the Yak closely. As David mentioned, Champlins collection includes almost all major fighter aircraft involved in European theater flown by Germans and Allied forces. Addition of the Yak-9 presents an unique chance to make visual comparison between the types, side-by-side, rarely achieved in other museums.

David: Second, there is a Bell King Cobra wreck, currently stored outside. This is a wreck recently recovered from the Kuril islands, and is a Russian lend-lease aircraft. The aircraft is in very poor condition, but clearly shows the Soviet "Red Star" markings on the remains of the wings. It is the intention of the museum to restore this aircraft to flying condition in the future.

The shaft which ran between pilots' legs makes you wonder if they ever had afterthoughts about the choice of the aircraft.

Alexei: It seems that this wreck was resting in fairly accessible area. It is covered with scratches similar to "I was here, 75-77, Sergei". Stars are indeed very noticeable as well as a shaft running under what used to be a pilot seat.

David: For more modern aircraft there are 4 MiG's. There are two MiG-15 fighters, both of Chinese manufacture. One is displayed outside, along with a

Sitting outside of hanger a MiG-15 in nonstandard movie paint job.

Russian tank in running condition, and the second is inside. Inside a special hanger is the "aces" collection, pairing US aircraft with the Russian aircraft that they met in combat in Korea and Viet Nam. First, a F-86 is displayed opposite the second MiG-15. This is very interesting as a size comparison. The MiG-15 is LOTS smaller, or should I say the F-86 is lots bigger. Second, there is an F-4 displayed against a MiG-17 and a MiG-21. Again the size difference is enormous. The MiG-17 is a rather rare one, as is a early Russian manufactured non-afterburning version. This aircraft was donated by the government of

A camera gun protruding from upper lip of the air intake of this MiG-17.

Morrocco. Next to it is a MiG-21PFM, recently purchased from Czechoslovakia. This is in excellent "flying" condition, and I offered to fly it for them if they wanted to see it in flight! My offer was refused, on the grounds that the airport is too short. It is the policy, though, that flyable aircraft in this collection are FLOWN by qualified pilots, this is a living collection!! Doug Champlin wanted a MiG-21PF to represent the proper version flown in Viet Nam, and there is one in our hanger which is available. A trade was discussed, and so it is still possible that I will get to fly this beautiful machine.

Alexei: As in case of Yak-9, MiGs give a visitor of the Champlin museum to compare the former advercairies.

David: A marvelous collection of artifacts and aviation art completes the museum. On a non-aviation note, there is also located there the most complete private

Nineteen red stars painted under the cannopy of the white 36 as a sign of 19 air victories.

collection of machine guns in the world, all neatly displayed. All in all this museum rates a "10" and could be the subject of a multi-day stay by a serious student.

Alexei: Mr. Champlin selling off his machine gun collection, keeping the aircraft systems and leaving the spots for aviation related artifacts. I found Hoering hat and a neat Soviet flight helmet in the former "gun room".
As far as an art collection concerned, it is indeed impressive. I have spotted at least four oil paintings depicting Red Army air force WWII aircraft. I believe one of them was Crandall's painting of Kozhedub's La-7 scoring Me-262.
The aces collection includes a dozen photographs of Russian WWI and WWII aces, some of which were signed. It was unclear if the hand written labels were original autographs.

MiG-15 jet engine is a part of the display

I was also nicely surprised when I discovered a "Russian corner" in the Jet Hall. Behind Chinese MiG-15 I have discovered several stands with black and white photographs of many service and experimental aircraft of Soviet Union and few color posters. At least dozen scale models were on display including La-250, I-153, Su-2, An-225/Hotol combo t.e. not what one expect to see in the heart of Arizona. Mr. Derry shared that the whole collection was acquired by Doug Champlin from Moscow. I have noticed few VOA labels, which stands for All-Union aviation society (Vsesouznoe-Obshchestvo Aviatsii).

A slight deviation from the fighter theme, a T-34 can be found on the grounds of the museum

David: Lastly, I found in an open hanger on the field a newly restored MiG-15UTI (Polish LiM-2) trainer, in a decidedly non-authentic camouflage scheme. I obtained permission to examine it, and it is a good restoration, however it's totally modern glossy paint with script markings all over it detracts somewhat. It is not yet been flown, and the owner was not available for comment. In a snow-fenced yard about 100 yards away I found no less than SEVEN disassembled MiG-17F (Polish LiM-5) fighters sitting awaiting their fates. These look dejected, but are no doubt good restoration candidates. I noticed a sistership to my own MiG-17, a Block 17 production aircraft (mine is 1C-1705). These are all on private ground not open to the public, so I will not give the FBO name. A hint: Find three Lockheed Hudson bombers and look across the road behind the fence!!

All in all, I spent two very interesting days at this airport. I would recommend a visit to any enthusiast. When you find the MiG-15UTI and MiG-17's, be sure not to miss the pilot shop at the FBO. I bought a few nice books on Warsaw Pact aircraft there. I had a great time, don't miss it if you are in the Phoenix area.