C-305 (Zlín Z-326 Trenér Master)
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The prototype Z-326 Trainer Master first flew in the summer of 1957, when it was completed as a successor to the famous Trainer. It differed from previous designs mainly by the retractable main landing gear, but there were a number of other changes. The cabin equipment was improved, its glazing and the main cockpit was installed in the front. The aeroplane was capable of aerobatics when fully manned and allowed to practice also elements of higher piloting. It was powered by a Walter Minor 6-III inverted in-line air-cooled six-cylinder engine with a wooden twin-bladed propeller. It is interesting to note that the Z-326 version was the largest ever built of the entire Trainer family, at 420 units.
However, the bulk of the production went for export, mainly to the USSR. The Z-326 type was quite rare in our country, with only twelve units produced domestically. The only domestic customer was the Czechoslovak Air Force - under the designation C-305, at least part of the aircraft was assigned to the military unit 8727 at Sliač. After the abolition of military aeroclubs, these aircraft were transferred to civilian aeroclubs. Later, almost all of these aircraft were transferred to the Svazarm aeroclubs and given civilian matriculation. In the collection of the VHÚ there is a Zlin Z-326 M Trainer Master OK-OTE, serial number 610. It was built at Moravan Otrokovice in 1960 in a block of ten aircraft ordered by the MNO. Then it served in our military air force, among others in Trencin.
In 1972 the machine was transferred to the Svazarm Aeroclub and on 29 September it was issued a Civil Certificate of Airworthiness. The aircraft was then used intensively in our aeroclubs, so that when it was converted to the Z-326 M version during the III. GO, it had already flown 1 021 h and 51 min. The modification consisted in the installation of a new Avia M-137 A engine and a wooden twin-bladed propeller, including changes to the relevant installations. The pilot's seat remained forward and the interior was retained. At that time, the machine was mainly flown by the Central Bohemian Regional Aeroclub Svazarm and appeared frequently at Prague's Točna. It entered the collections of the VHÚ Aviation Museum at the end of 1998 by purchase, having previously flown at the Jičín Aeroclub. As it had less than 400 hours of service life left, it was agreed that it would be temporarily loaned to the Zbraslavice Aeroclub, which would cover the costs of repairs and operation. Later it was agreed that the aircraft would undergo one more overhaul. It was chosen to be in the form in which it was flying at the time of its creation in the military air force.
During 2007, the workers of the ZLÍN-AVION SERVICE company in Otrokovice did a perfect job in its renovation. The aircraft continued to be used in normal operation and was often presented at air events throughout our country. Its flight life was completed in September 2013 with 5 500 hours of flight time. It was then returned in excellent condition to the collection of the VHI and stored in a depository with the prospect of display in the new exhibition of the Aviation Museum.
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