1/72 Rublič R-7 „Racek“

At the beginning of the 1960s, Svazarm was looking for a new aerobatic aircraft for the needs of aeroclubs and national competitions. The task was undertaken by an experienced designer ing. Zdeněk Rublič, author of the well-known M-1 Sokol, M-2 Skaut, M-3 Bonzo, L-40 Meta Sokol and co-author of the L-29 Dolphin jet. In 1961, he introduced the R-7 Racek project, which was to offer a cheap, easy to operate and aerobatically capable machine that could replace the existing line of Trainers and eventually make a name for itself in international competitions.

It was planned that the R-7 would be deployed at the 1964 World Aerobatic Championships III in Spain. The prototype was built at the Gliding Development Centre in Medlanky near Brno. However, the fate of the project was complicated by the sudden death of Ing. Rublic on 27 March 1963. The development was continued by ing. Jiří Hlávka and the prototype was actually flown in April 1964. However, the flight tests were prolonged, technical problems appeared and the necessary modifications progressed slowly.

Eventually the project was terminated without the Gull entering serial production. Yet it was a machine with performance that later approached that of even specialized aerobatic aircraft such as the Zlin Z-50M of the 1980s. The R-7 Racek thus remained an interesting, but blind, development direction for the Czechoslovak aviation industry.

KPM's 1/72 scale kit allows you to build this unique prototype and commemorate the legacy of designer Zdeněk Rublic and the efforts to strengthen the Czechoslovak aerobatic school.

The package does not include the paint or glue needed for assembly.