Aero L-59 Super Albatros vs North American Sabreliner

ASupport aircraft

Aero L-59 Super Albatros

Military trainer aircraft COIN

Credit

Michal šenki · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

North American Sabreliner — licensed reference photograph

BSupport aircraft

North American Sabreliner

Trainer aircraft Business jet

Credit

PH2 Berry, USN · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Aero L-59 Super AlbatrosL-59E · Length

12.2 m

Length source ↗

North American SabrelinerT3J-1/T-39D · Length

13.41 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

18 of 28 rows sourced on both sides

12.2mL-59E · Length

13.41mT3J-1/T-39D · Length

LengthScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

12.2 m

L-59E · Length

Single source

12.20 m (40 ft 0 in)^[source]

13.41 m

T3J-1/T-39D · Length

Single source

44 ft 0 in (13.41 m)^[source]

9.54mL-59E · including tip tanks

13.56mT3J-1/T-39D · Wingspan

WingspanScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

9.54 m

L-59E · including tip tanks

Single source

9.54 m (31 ft 4 in) (including tip tanks)^[source]

13.56 m

T3J-1/T-39D · Wingspan

Single source

44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)^[source]

4.77mL-59E · Height

4.88mT3J-1/T-39D · Height

HeightScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

4.77 m

L-59E · Height

Single source

4.77 m (15 ft 8 in)^[source]

4.88 m

T3J-1/T-39D · Height

Single source

16 ft 0 in (4.88 m)^[source]

8.1t

MassScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

4,030 kg

Empty; L-59E · includes gun

Single source

7,000 kg

Maximum take-off; L-59E · Max takeoff weight

Single source

4,030 kg (8,885 lb) (includes gun)^[source]

7,000 kg (15,432 lb)^[source]

4,199 kg

Empty; T3J-1/T-39D · Empty weight

Single source

8,056 kg

Maximum take-off; T3J-1/T-39D · Max takeoff weight

Single source

2L-59E · Crew

four–five

Crew

All recorded figures & sources

2 people

L-59E · Crew

Single source

2^[source]

four–five^[source]

865km/hMaximum; L-59E · at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)

885km/hMaximum; T3J-1/T-39D · Maximum speed

SpeedScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

865 km/h

Maximum; L-59E · at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)

Single source

865 km/h (537 mph, 467 kn) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)^[source]

800 km/h

Cruise; T3J-1/T-39D · Cruise speed

Single source

885 km/h

Maximum; T3J-1/T-39D · Maximum speed

Single source

478 kn (550 mph, 885 km/h)^[source]

435 kn (500 mph, 800 km/h)^[source]

2,000km

4,020kmT3J-1/T-39D · Range

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

2,000 km

L-59E · at 7,000 m (23,000 ft) (with maximum internal and external fuel)

Single source

2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi) at 7,000 m (23,000 ft) (with maximum internal and external fuel)^[source]

4,020 km

T3J-1/T-39D · Range

Single source

2,170 nmi (2,500 mi, 4,020 km)^[source]

21.6kNL-59E · 1 × Lotarev DV-2 turbofan thrust

13kN

ThrustScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

21.57 kN

L-59E · 1 × Lotarev DV-2 turbofan thrust

Single source

1 × Lotarev DV-2 turbofan , 21.57 kN (4,850 lbf) thrust^[source]

13 kN

T3J-1/T-39D · 2 × Pratt & Whitney J60-P-3 turbojet thrust each

Single source

2 × Pratt & Whitney J60-P-3 turbojet , 3,000 lbf (13 kN) thrust each^[source]

18.8m²L-59E · Wing area

31.8m²T3J-1/T-39D · Wing area

Wing areaScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

18.8 m²

L-59E · Wing area

Single source

18.80 m 2 (202.4 sq ft)^[source]

31.79 m²

T3J-1/T-39D · Wing area

Single source

342.1 sq ft (31.79 m 2 )^[source]

11,800mL-59E · Service ceiling

12,200mT3J-1/T-39D · Service ceiling

Service ceilingScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

11,800 m

L-59E · Service ceiling

Single source

11,800 m (38,700 ft)^[source]

12,200 m

T3J-1/T-39D · Service ceiling

Single source

40,000 ft (12,200 m)^[source]

28m/sL-59E · 5,510 ft/min

—

Rate of climb

All recorded figures & sources

28 m/s

L-59E · 5,510 ft/min

Single source

28.0 m/s (5,510 ft/min)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Aero L-59 Super Albatros and North American Sabreliner configuration
Specification	Aero L-59 Super Albatros	North American Sabreliner
Type	Military trainer aircraft COIN^[source]	Trainer aircraft Business jet^[source]
Manufacturer	Aero Vodochody^[source]	North American Aviation Rockwell International^[source]
Status	Out of production, in service^[source]	In active service^[source]
Primary users	Czech Air Force Egyptian Air Force Tunisian Air Force^[source]	United States Air Force United States Navy United States Marine Corps^[source]
Number built	80^[source]	800+^[source]
Manufactured	1986–1996^[source]	1959 – 1982^[source]
First flight	30 September 1986^[source]	September 16, 1958^[source]
Developed from	Aero L-39 Albatros^[source]	—
Variant	Aero L-159 ALCA^[source]	—
Fuel capacity	1,537 L (406 US gal; 338 imp gal) including tip tanks^[source]	—
Stall speed	185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn) (flaps down)^[source]	—
Guns	one GSh-23L cannon in under-fuselage pod^[source]	—
Hardpoints	four underwing hardpoints with a capacity of inner hardpoints 500 kg (1,100 lb)capacity, outer hardpoints 250 kg (550 lb)^[source]	—
Country of origin	Czechoslovakia^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 1, row 26, cell 2; revision 1374778711; retrieved 2026-10-01	United States^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 13, row 7, cell 3; revision 1374043591; retrieved 2026-09-30
Introduction date	—	1962^[source]
Capacity	—	five–seven passengers^[source]
Thrust/weight	—	0.338^[source]

FORCETALLY

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Preparing your view.

Aero L-59 Super Albatros

North American Sabreliner

Type

Military trainer aircraft COIN^[source]

Trainer aircraft Business jet^[source]

Manufacturer

Aero Vodochody^[source]

North American Aviation Rockwell International^[source]

Status

Out of production, in service^[source]

In active service^[source]

Primary users

Czech Air Force Egyptian Air Force Tunisian Air Force^[source]

United States Air Force United States Navy United States Marine Corps^[source]

Number built

80^[source]

800+^[source]

Manufactured

1986–1996^[source]

1959 – 1982^[source]

First flight

30 September 1986^[source]

September 16, 1958^[source]

Developed from

Aero L-39 Albatros^[source]

—

Variant

Aero L-159 ALCA^[source]

—

Fuel capacity

1,537 L (406 US gal; 338 imp gal) including tip tanks^[source]

—

Stall speed

185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn) (flaps down)^[source]

—

Guns

one GSh-23L cannon in under-fuselage pod^[source]

—

Hardpoints

four underwing hardpoints with a capacity of inner hardpoints 500 kg (1,100 lb)capacity, outer hardpoints 250 kg (550 lb)^[source]

—

Country of origin

Czechoslovakia^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 1, row 26, cell 2; revision 1374778711; retrieved 2026-10-01

United States^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 13, row 7, cell 3; revision 1374043591; retrieved 2026-09-30

Introduction date

—

1962^[source]

Capacity

—

five–seven passengers^[source]

Thrust/weight

—

0.338^[source]