The Russian Team

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The Russian Team

It is never easy to out-dance the Bear at the WAC. The Russians have enjoyed government support of their program since the start of the WAC. With the introduction of the Yak-18PM, at WAC IV Moscow in 1966, the Soviet Team swept the competition, taking the first four positions in both the Mens and Women's categories, a feat that has never been repeated. In 1976, WAC IX was held in Kiev, and the Soviets responded to the Pitts S1-S Special with the introduction of the Yak 50 and the state sponsored team won the Men's Individual (Letsko) and Team (Letsko, Egorov and Pimenov) and women's Individual (Leonova) and Team (Leonova, Yaikova, Nemkova) titles. In 1984 the Sukhoi 26 made its first appearence at WAC XII at Békéscsaba, Hungary. Soviet women's pilots Khalide Makagonova and Liubov Nemkova took first and second in the Women's, flying the new Yak 55. The Sukoi has taken longer to develop than the Yaks, which tended to blow away the competition on introduction, but it has developed very well, and lasted longer. The latest model 31 is state of the art, and the Russians fly them with gusto.

Members of the Russian Aerobatic Team pose with the new Sukhoi Su-31. Photo courtesy G. Serebrennikov

Pilots
The 1996 Russian Aerobatic Team:

Nicolay Timofeev Photo: G. Serebrennikov.

Mikhail Mamistov Photo:Elena Klimovitch.

Sergei Rahmanin Photo:Elena Klimovitch.

Victor Chmal Photo: G. Serebrennikov.

Oleg Shpolijamsky Photo: Elena Klimovitch.

Svetlana Kapanina Photo: G. Serebrennikov.

Svetlana Fedorenko Photo: G. Serebrennikov.

Svetlana Kabatsoaya Photo: G. Serebrennikov.

Elena Klimovitch Photo: Elena Klimovitch.

Elena Pilshchikova Photo: G. Serebrennikov.

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Airplanes
The Sukhoi Su-31, the latest development of the Sukhoi aerobatic monoplane: