for the May challenge "portrait".

We met Nicolai, a retired Lt. Colonel from the Soviet Navy whilst he was caring for this old aircraft which is retained as a monument in the village of Skulte near Riga. He is one of 8 people who look after the plane, an Ilyushin IL-28 jet bomber that first flew in the late 1940s.

Nicolai, who flew IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft, fought to retain the old plane when Latvia became independent. It was in danger of being scrapped as it represented the Soviet occupation but happily it was kept.