Estonian Air Force celebrations

On 21 November 2020, the Eesti Öhuvägi (Estonian Air Force) celebrated its 102nd anniversary. Some months after the country declared independence in 1918, the air force was founded and continued to grow in the 1920s and 1930s. In World War II the Soviet occupation put an end to the independence, only to be restored in 1991.

Publications on this anniversary showed some pictures of the Estonian Air Force. The ERR news showed a photo of a "new" L-39 jet trainer.

It is known that since 2007, during various moments, the Estonian Air Force leased L-39s. According to the knowledge of Scramble Magazine, since 2012 the air force leased almost continuously one or two, with possibly even a third, L-39 jet trainer. As far as we know, these lease contracts had a duration of two years.

We have lost sight on all the L-39s that were leased over the years, many times re-using the same registrations. If you have information on the identities of the L-39s, please go to the Estonia military database and use the update form at the bottom of the page.

Photo via Siim Lõvi / ERR News