VH-DUC  LET (Orlican) L-40 Meta Sokol                      (c/n  150506)

                               
                               
                                  After WW II all civil aviation in Czechoslovakia came under the auspices of Ceskoslovenske Zavody
                                  Automobilove A Letecke (don't try to say this too quickly).  This consortium designed and built the
                                  LET 40, a lightplane unique in that it had a reverse-tricycle undercarriage. Production was carried on
                                  by Letecky Narodni Podnik after individual companies were again permitted in the post war state. 
                                  This latter concern, in turn, was later absorbed by defense manufacturer Orlikan.   VH-DUC, a late
                                  model, was imported in August 1960.  Production ceased the following year after some 200 examples
                                  had been built.  The above shot was taken by Geoff Goodall at Parafield in April 1962 showing the
                                 craft in its original factory blue and white finish.   Note fully castoring reverse tricycle wheel.   By the
                                 1990's -DUC sported a green and white scheme as seen in the shot (below) taken by  Barry Maclean
                                 at Kyneton, Victoria .  I've never spoken to a pilot who flew one, but clearly I would suspect that on
                                 the flare, care would have to be taken not to get the tail down too much!