Broadly equivalent to the de Havilland Chipmunk, the Aero 3 first flew in 1956 and from 1958 a total of 110 were built for the Yugoslav AF as primary trainers. They could also be employed in the army co-operation role and served until the mid-1970s when several found their way onto the civil market.

The Utva Aero 3 was a piston-engined military trainer aircraft built in Yugoslavia, of which one hundred and ten were eventually produced. They served in the Yugoslav AF from 1958 to mid-1970s.

Prototype 1 of the UTVA Aero 3, a piston-engined military trainer aircraft built in Yugoslavia to replace the Ikarus Aero 2. One hundred ten were built, in Yugoslav AF service from 1958 to mid-1970s until superseded by the UTVA 75.

Stored at the Golden Hill storage site of Fantasy of Flight, former Yugoslav Aero 3 40142.

The UTVA Aero 3 was a piston-engined military trainer aircraft built in Yugoslavia to replace the Ikarus Aero 2. One hundred ten were built, in Yugoslav AF service from 1958 to mid-1970s until superseded by the UTVA 75.

The Utva Aero 3 was a piston-engined military trainer aircraft built in Yugoslavia, of which one hundred and ten were eventually produced. They served in the Yugoslav AF from 1958 to mid-1970s. Not many are properly preserved and so it is nice to see this example on display at this super museum.

Ex Yugoslav AF stored in the back of the hangar.

The Aero-3 was the Yugoslav air force's elementary trainer from 1958. Alarmingly for such an aircraft, it is said to be 'notoriously difficult to fly'. Certainly, few of the 110 examples built survive and this one, seen in full former Yugoslav markings with an additional Slovenian flag on the tailfin, crashed three months after I took this picture. The pilot lost his life.