An impressive legacy: Benvenutas Ivanauskas honored with the Phoenix Diploma 2024

The Phoenix Diploma 2024, a renowned FAI Award for the best reconstruction or restoration of a classic (more than 30 years old) aircraft by an individual amateur, has found a worthy recipient in Benvenutas Ivanauskas from Lithuania.

This prestigious honor, awarded by the FAI Amateur-Build and Experimental Aircraft Commission (CIACA), recognizes Ivanauskas’ unwavering dedication to the conservation of hoverflies rich heritage.

A lifelong passion for vintage aviation

Benvenutas Ivanauskas’ journey into the field of vintage aircraft restoration began in the mid-2000s when he worked as a technician at the Lithuanian Aviation Museum, where he played a crucial role in the restoration of the museum’s prized exhibits.

After leaving the museum, Ivanauskas continued his passion as an independent aircraft technician, devoting his time and expertise to the restoration and reconstruction of a range of classic gliders.

His goal is to restore as many Lithuanian gliders as possible in memory of gliding pioneer Bronius Oškinis and others who founded the sport in Lithuania.

The crowning achievements: Technikas T-1 (BrO-1) and BrO-9 “Žiogas”

Ivanauskas himself considers the recreation of two iconic Lithuanian gliders – the Technikas T-1 (BrO-1) and the BrO-9 “Žiogas” – to be the most interesting and valuable projects of his career.

These aircraft hold a special place in the country’s aviation history and symbolise the ingenuity and passion of Lithuanian designers and engineers.

No T-1/BrO-1 or BrO-9 survived beyond the 1960s. Furthermore, no complete set of drawings of each aircraft has survived. Consequently, the reconstruction of each of these aircraft also involved the development of respective drawings, which further increased the challenge of the reconstruction process.

Technikas T-1 (BrO-1): Reviving the First Mass-Produced Lithuanian Glider

The Technikas T-1 (BrO-1) was the first mass-produced Lithuanian glider, designed in 1932 by Bronius Oškinis, then a 19-year-old student. Oškinis took the drawings of the German RRG 23 “Zögling” and introduced several improvements, including the addition of struts, rounded wingtips and a larger tail, which improved the glider’s lift-to-drag ratio.

Over the years, a total of about 10 BrO-1/T-1s were produced, forming the backbone of the original glider training system in Lithuania.

Ivanauskas undertook the monumental task of completely rebuilding the BrO-1. He based himself on the preserved original designs and painstakingly recreated every detail, making the replica as authentic as possible. The glider was officially presented in 2022 in Nida, Lithuania, near the site of the historic Nida Gliding School, where the original aircraft had been used extensively from 1934 to 1938.

BrO-9 “Žiogas”: reviving an advanced trainer glider

The BrO-9 “Žiogas”, or “Grasshopper” in Lithuanian, was an advanced training glider designed by Bronius Oškinis in 1952. Considered superior to its contemporaries in the Soviet Union, the BrO-9 was mass-produced at the Simferopol Gliders Workshops in Ukraine from 1954 to 1955, with a total of 320 units produced. However, the glider’s wooden frame gave it a relatively short service life, and by 1958 all BrO-9s had been destroyed or scrapped.

Ivanauskas undertook the painstaking task of building a BrO-9 from scratch. The undertaking took over a decade, with Ivanauskas making all the wooden and metal parts himself, and using fabric that was as close to the original as possible. The result was a stunning replica aircraft. The first flight, registered as LY-BHH, took place in 2020.

Preserving Aviation History: Ivanauskas’ Achievements

Benvenutas Ivanauskas’s reconstruction efforts extend far beyond the Technikas T-1 (BrO-1) and BrO-9 “Žiogas”. He has devoted countless hours to the meticulous reconstruction and preservation of a diverse array of vintage gliders, ensuring their continued airworthiness and legacy well into the future.

Other projects by Ivanauskas include:

• A 1958 EoN Olympia 419, one of only seven ever built, restored to flyable condition in 2009 (tail number LY-OLY).
• A Scheibe Bergfalke III from 1954, single-handedly restored in 2011 (tail number LY-AXI) and frequently used for training flights.
• A 1967 Scheibe SF-27 Zugvogel V, restored to a flyable condition in 2024 (tail no. LY-BLR, EYPR) and used for training flights. This project took almost two years to complete.

Restored Scheibe SF-27 Zugvogel V from 1967

• A Scheibe Spatz / L-Spatz 55 from 1959, restored by him twice to a flyable condition: the first restoration in 2007 (then with tail number LY-GNK) and the second in 2023 (tail number LY-GUN).
• A Schneder Grunau Baby Iib, restored to flyable condition in 2010-2011. Test flight performed on 30.09.2010 (tail number LY-TBA).
• A 1953 SZD 12 Mucha 100, restored to static display condition in 2010 at the request of the Lithuanian Aviation Museum.
• A 1982 BrO-23KR Garnys, restored to a flyable condition in 2009.
• A replica of the Schneider DFS 108-14 SG-38 Schulgleiter from 1938, produced in 2022.

Replica of a Schneider DFS 108-14 SG-38 Schulgleiter from 1938

Promotion of aviation and social involvement

Ivanauskas’ dedication to vintage aircraft restoration and reconstruction extends beyond the workshop. He is an active promoter of gliding, aviation sports, and aviation-based community building. As the primary organizer of community aviation events, Ivanauskas uses the restored BrO-1/T-1 and BrO-9 gliders to engage the public, foster a sense of community, and inspire the next generation of aviation enthusiasts.

One of Ivanauskas’ notable achievements was his role as organizer of the 40th Vintage Glider Rally in 2012, which took place in Prienai, Lithuania. This event attracted over a hundred vintage aircraft and their pilots, demonstrating the enduring passion for vintage aviation.

Top photo: Benvenutas Ivanauskas in front of his Technikas T-1 (BrO-1) replica