L-39 Albatross: The Czechoslovakian L-39 was built as the successor to their earlier trainer, the L-29 Delfin. Design work began in 1966, and the first prototype made its initial flight on 4 November 1968. During the L-39 Albatross first flight way back November 4, 1968, piloted by Rudolf Duchon, the L-39 aircraft was assigned as the basic jet trainer for the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Warsaw pact Nations though Poland is exempted from this one. The craggy and simple design of the L-39 Albatross made the aircraft capable to adjust with hardest climate and operational conditions of hot and dusty regions as well as frosty winters or tropical wet climate. The design resulted in easy maintenance, excellent reliability, simple pre flight check and full anatomy. The L39 Albatross was exported to 16 countries. The newest recipients of the L-39 were as follows: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bulgaria, Cuba, Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Romania, Syria and Vietnam. Between the years 1971 to 1999, there were a total of 2,921 units that were produced, delivered and used all over the world. The L-39 is the most popular jet warbird in the world and 300 of it is flying in the USA alone.