PZL M-18 Dromaders return to Poland

In summer 2026 two PZL M-18A Dromader aircraft returned to Poland. Both were built in the mid 1980s and had served many years overseas.  

SP-JAR is s/n 1Z015-21 - built in 1985 it was initially delivered to East Germany ( DDR ) as DDR-TLF -in the early 1990s it was sold on to the USA and then Canada before returning to the US as N862UR operating with Norads Aerial Services of Virginia USA - in July 2026 it was registered in Poland as SP-JAR

 

N862UR now SP-JAR - photo via Norads Aerial Services USA 

 

The second example is SP-JFK s/n 1Z017-28 - built in 1986 it was delivered new to Czechoslovakia as OK-SGJ with Slovair - in the mid 1990s it was sold on to Canada becoming C-FVYQ for many years before sale to the USA as N52760 also with Norads Aerial Services of Virginia - in August 2026 it was registered in Poland as SP-JFK 

 

 N52760 now SP-JFK - photo via Norads Aerial Services

 

 

 

East German PZL M-18A Dromader - 1984

A photo from the Polish national archive shows M-18A Dromader DDR-TKB awaiting delivery at the PZL Mielec factory in 1984. The aircraft wears Interflug titles on the tail and shows the type as "Dromedar" ( German language ) on the engine cowling. 

 

 

This Dromader has factory serial number s/n 1Z013-22 - East Germany subsequently changed their registration prefix from DDR to DM so it would have become DM-TKB until the collapse of the Berlin Wall. In 1991 ( after German reunification ) it became D-FOHB. It was sold on to Australia becoming VH-XKK in 1996. It was later modified with a Garrett TPE-331 turbine engine at Trangie, New South Wales, completely changing the forward profile of the aircraft and became VH-TGY.

  

More info about the Turbine Dromader can be found on the web link below

 

https://aeropedia.com.au/content/pzl-m-18-dromader-turbine/