Late May 1993 saw a large container draw up in the privacy of TFCs T2 hangar at Duxford. The cyrillic lettering on the side of the container and the hauliage unit - and the fact that we had trouble understanding the driver, could point to only one thing - we had just taken delivery of a something from Russia!

Once the wrapping had been peeled away we were left with three very green pieces of aeroplane. It didn't take very long to establish that the machine was of Russian pedigree - and was a Lavochkin La-11 fighter aircraft.

The type was designed during WWII and first flew during 1944. It is powered by a 1,850hp ASh-82FN radial engine, which arrived with the airframe, and was a notable front line fighter aircraft in its own right during the latter stages of the War. The La-11 was developed from a long line of Lavochkin aircraft each following similar design criteria, but each being refined and improved through the lineage. The La-11 was the last of the line.

TFC's example was obtained with the cooperation of the Russian Armed Forces Museum at Monino, just outside of Moscow. Nothing is known of its service in the Russian forces, or indeed which of those forces it actually saw service with. Since its arrival, it has joined a long line of machinery awaiting restoration in the TFC hangar but, when work can be completed on the aeroplane, it will be the only machine of its type to be in the air anywhere in the world!