11/30/2011. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The single-seat Harakka I (Magpie) had its origins in a Soviet glider designated UC-3. During the Finnish occupation of East Karelia in the Continuation War (1941–1944), the occupier found a sort of glider school in the city of Petrozavodsk, (the Fins named it Äänislinna), USSR and captured a number of UC-3s which were brought to Finland as war prize. One of the aircraft was test flown and, despite inferior construction, showed impressive performance.

Members of the Flying Club of the Finnish Institute of Technology (Polyteknikkojen Ilmailukerho) decided to construct a prototype derived from the UC-3. The first primary glider designed in Finland for Flying Club use was designated PIK-7 Harakka I and weighing only 203 lb (92 kg) the Harraka I proved to be a relative success when flown in 1945 and subsequently some 28 were constructed. The pictured H-5 was built in 1946 at Jämi Flying School for the Finnish Aeronautical Association."