# Old photos coming to light



## nuuumannn (Mar 22, 2020)

Wiuth everything going on as it is, I have taken to digging through some of my old photographs owing to images required for one thing or another and recently I stumbled across a pack of images I took at Monino in Moscow on a very rainy and bleak afternoon many years ago. I'm putting them online as I come across them. These were taken with a little 35mm film camera, so they require quite a lot of editing, as I hadn't realised how grainy and grubby they were untilI scanned them.

Beriev VVA-14.





Beriev VVA-14 141 MP

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## fubar57 (Mar 22, 2020)

Good stuff Grant


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## michael rauls (Mar 23, 2020)

Not sure what that is but it sure is interesting looking.


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## Wurger (Mar 23, 2020)




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## Crimea_River (Mar 23, 2020)

Your threads are always interesting Grant and this one should be no exception.


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## Airframes (Mar 23, 2020)

Agree, and looking forward to more.


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## vikingBerserker (Mar 23, 2020)

Awesome!


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## Gnomey (Mar 23, 2020)

Cool stuff Grant looking forward to more!


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## Micdrow (Mar 24, 2020)

Sweet Grant


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## nuuumannn (Mar 24, 2020)

Thanks guys.



michael rauls said:


> Not sure what that is but it sure is interesting looking.



The Beriev VVA-14 was an ekranoplan (surface effect vehicle) of sorts, Michael; more info can be found here: VVA-14 R.L.Bartini

Today's picture is the mighty Tu-144 "Concordeskii", with its sagging wingtips and dirt streaked flanks looks sad amid the gloomy weather.




Tupolev Tu-144 Charger

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## nuuumannn (Mar 25, 2020)

Today we look at a fading old bird, the airliner that spawned the Soviet C-130, the An-12. This is an An-10 Ukraina.




Antonov An-10 Ukraina Cat

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## fubar57 (Mar 25, 2020)

A shame any country lets its history deteriorate


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## nuuumannn (Mar 26, 2020)

The sad thing about Monino is that a big new memorial is being built on the outskirts of Moscow and airframes are being moved there from this museum, but any that are too big to be moved will be scrapped. This will include rarities like the Ukraina, the Sukhoi T-4 and probably the Tu-144.


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## Snautzer01 (Mar 26, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> Today we look at a fading old bird, the airliner that spawned the Soviet C-130, the An-12. This is an An-10 Ukraina.
> 
> View attachment 574915
> Antonov An-10 Ukraina Cat


Very good looking plane.


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## Crimea_River (Mar 26, 2020)

Good shots. The atmosphere is perfect.


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## nuuumannn (Mar 26, 2020)

Today, we look at something that was at one time quite prevalent at Monino, partially incomplete or wrecked airframes. Since my visit some 25 years ago or so, they've done a lot of cleaning up of the place and disposed of some of the less than pristine aircraft, although some have already made the journey to Patriot Park at Kubinka. This Cold War Warrior is a shadow of its former self - the once much feared MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-25P Foxbat

And since I'm going away for a night, another 'Beast' of a different nature; the Il-10 Sturmovik looking like its ready for action.




Illyushin Il-10M Beast 001

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## Tieleader (Mar 26, 2020)

Once again the only people that profit from this plan are the scrappers...

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## fubar57 (Mar 26, 2020)

Love that chunky Foxbat. I read the book by a Russian pilot who delivered it to the U.S.

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## Tieleader (Mar 27, 2020)

Got to meet the Russian MiG-29 pilot that defected as well.

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## Tieleader (Mar 27, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> Love that chunky Foxbat. I read the book by a Russian pilot who delivered it to the U.S.


You mean "Boxbat" !


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## Airframes (Mar 27, 2020)

Good stuff Grant.
I noticed a Havoc/Boston in the background - I wonder if the information board stated 'Made in Russia' !!!


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## Gnomey (Mar 28, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Mar 29, 2020)

Thanks all. Yep, Terry, a few US types at Monino, including this good looking P-63F Kingcobra.





Bell P-63F Kingcobra 002

Next is this rather diminutive swept wing fighter, the Lavochkin La-15, the losing competition to the classic MiG-15.




Lavochkin La 15

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## Airframes (Mar 29, 2020)

Good stuff, and interesting that those from the Great Patriotic War, seem better preserved.

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## Capt. Vick (Mar 29, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> The sad thing about Monino is that a big new memorial is being built on the outskirts of Moscow and airframes are being moved there from this museum, but any that are too big to be moved will be scrapped. This will include rarities like the Ukraina, the Sukhoi T-4 and probably the Tu-144.



Really? No!!


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## nuuumannn (Mar 30, 2020)

Capt. Vick said:


> Really? No!!



'Fraid so, The Russians love their history, but only if it is palatable to them. Patriot Park is a huge complex and incorporates the Kubinka Tank Museum exhibits, well, some of them anyway. The rest are still at the old site, which is, mercifully near the park.


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## nuuumannn (Mar 30, 2020)

Today's installment is a different take on a familiar subject, the sturmovik variant of the MiG-15.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-15 ISH Sturmovik 

And a rustic illusion...




Illyushin DB-3 002 

Thanks for looking.

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## jetcal1 (Mar 30, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> Today's installment is a different take on a familiar subject, the sturmovik variant of the MiG-15.
> 
> View attachment 575584
> Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-15 ISH Sturmovik
> ...


Thank you for posting.

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## Capt. Vick (Mar 31, 2020)




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## Gnomey (Mar 31, 2020)

Good stuff Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Mar 31, 2020)

Thank you.

Thought the Me 163 Komet was the only rocket powered interceptor of WW2 - the Berezniyak-Isayev Bi-1 - this is a replica.




Bereznyak-Isayev Bi-1 reproduction 001

A dog and a helicopter, a big helicopter.




Mil Mi-6T Hook A 002

There are dogs wandering about all over ther place at Monino, most of them scruffy mangy things. This one got a little feisty as I knelt down to photograph the Mi-6, but when I stood up and called it to say hello, it scampered away with its tail between its legs. It was chained to the Mi-26 out of the picture.

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## Snautzer01 (Apr 1, 2020)

Very nice but very apocaliptic pictures.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 2, 2020)

Snautzer01 said:


> Very nice but very apocaliptic pictures.



Yeah, the depleting of colour was designed to hide how poor the quality of the original images were to begin with. They were taken with a 35mm film camera and processed on rather poor quality agfa film (cheap and better to buy before I went to Russia, like water! Russian water back then was undrinkable. Survived for three weeks from bottled water bought in Finland!) so in scanning the photos I have digitally removed imperfections, ie marks on the paper, hairs etc. The vignetting and noise removal reduces aberrations in the digitalisation, which converts what it can't process into pixels, which stand out like dog's balls once effects are applied in post production.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 2, 2020)

The Russians, like evryone else who operated the DB-7/A-20 liked it. This was the first time I had seen one in the flesh. 




Douglas A-20G Boston 001 

Suka Blyat! What's going on with those engines?! Be-32.




Beriev Be-32 Cuff

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## Gnomey (Apr 2, 2020)

Nice shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 3, 2020)

Thanks mate.

This is 'allegedly' Ivan Kozhedub's La-7. Might be, might not be.




Lavochkin La-7 002 

The Yak-40 short haul transport was not an overwhelming success. It had three tiny engines that did little but convert fuel into noise, so had a short range. It was largely replaced by the superior Yak-42.




Yakovlev Yak-40 Codling

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## nuuumannn (Apr 3, 2020)

The Kamov Ka-25 was the standard ship based helicopter equipping Soviet era warships from the 1970s onwards. Wins no beauty contests...




Kamov Ka-25 BSH Hormone A 

Little appreciated by the VVS, the MiG-19 interceptor was a bold design for the early 1950s and has seen one of the longest production and service runs of any post-WW2 combat aircraft, with subsequent production in China as the Shenyang J-6 exceeding that of the original manufacturer in numbers by a wide margin. Who would'a thought?




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-19 PMU SM-7M Farmer D 002

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## Graeme (Apr 3, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> was not an overwhelming success.



Hi Grant.
I always thought the Yak-40 was very successful - then had a look around and read (Simpson) "but they had poor economics and were withdrawn after a short period". Took'em a while to figure it out - I see a production run of 1,136 built.

Very nice thread - keep'em coming!


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 3, 2020)

Awesome shots! I wonder if one of the other air museums would take the Tu 144.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 3, 2020)

Graeme said:


> "but they had poor economics and were withdrawn after a short period". Took'em a while to figure it out - I see a production run of 1,136 built.



Yeah, was exported extensively and did have a good production run, but not a great aircraft. I work with a guy who used to work with Lithuanian Airlines and he said the Yak-40 was rubbish. He did have praise for the Yak-42 though.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 3, 2020)

vikingBerserker said:


> I wonder if one of the other air museums would take the Tu 144.



Would be good if they would just keep Monino going. There's heaps of big aircraft there that face scrapping that should be preserved. I wonder if they will save the Tu-4? It's one of only three left. This stunning image gives you in indication of the scale of what might be lost if Monino closes:

https://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/wp...ssia-Central-Air-Force-Museum-at-Monino-1.jpg

Won't be the first time. There used to be a similar aircraft grave yard at Khodynka Field in Moscow (which I nearly went to but didn't) - it was a private collection of airframes, missiles and lots of other stuff located on the site of a former air base, but all the aircraft were scrapped and the site is now apartment blocks and a shopping centre.

here's a link to a guy's photos taken before they destroyed what remained:

Moscow: Abandoned Aircraft Museum

There was a lot more than what he photographed, but its all gone.

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## Capt. Vick (Apr 4, 2020)

They gave a TU-144 to a museum in Germany and mounted it on the roof with a Concorde.


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## Gnomey (Apr 4, 2020)

Cool shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 4, 2020)

Capt. Vick said:


> They gave a TU-144 to a museum in Germany and mounted it on the roof with a Concorde.



Sinsheim, been there, as impressive as it is. Big effort though. Cost a fortune to do. Its cheaper to scrap airframes than it is to transport then maintain them.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 4, 2020)

The Soviet Union's workhorse post-war flying boat, the Be-12 Chaika looks awkward out of the water.





Beriev Be-12 M-12 Mail 001

One of only three surviving complete Tu-4s left (the other two are in the China Aviaiton Museum on the outskirts of Beijing), this one has significance as it was one of the aircraft invoilved in what was named the Borispyl raid after the airfield it took off from in Kiev. This was a launch of armed bombers to suppress the civilian population of Budapest during the 1956 uprising; thankfully, while the aircraft were en-route they were given the order to return to base. Eek! Note the camera shy dog.




Tupolev Tu-4 B-4 Bull 001

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## nuuumannn (Apr 5, 2020)

Yakovlev's Yak-38 doesn't hold a candle to the Harrier, it's most obvious Western counterpart, but that wasn't the point. The Yak-38, unlike the Harrier was developed especially to operate from the Kiev Class anti-submarine cruisers and provide an air support arm to their enormous range of weaponry. Although possessing short range, average performance and weapons carriage capability, the Yak-38 had an ingenious autoland-eject capability installed after many were initially lost during recovery aboard the carriers. Yak-38s first went to sea aboard the Kiev a year before the Sea Harrier, too, so there, suka!




Yakovlev Yak-38 Forger A 003

This is the third prototype of what its pilots called the 'Cheburashka', after a big eared cartoon character, the MiG-23 was a promising variable geometry fighter interceptor that was widely exported and has seen combat with Western types in various war zones round the world. Featuring a combined radar scope/head up display, the MiG-23 was a sophisticated replacement for the MiG-21. Although still in service with a handful of countries, including Syria, wherethey have been used during the civil war that has devastated the country, most MiG-23s have been replaced by the superior MiG-29.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-23-11-3

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## Gnomey (Apr 6, 2020)

Good shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 6, 2020)

Thanks, as ever.

So, what can be said about the Il-2 in brief that hasn't been said already? One of the most significant WW2 aircraft and the most mass produced aircraft in history needs no introduction. This dusty example in a darkened hangar was the first time I'd seen one in the flesh.




Illyushin Il-2M3 Sturmovik 002 

The big An-22 Antei is a giant, although this patchwork palette of an aircraft hasn't weathered its outdoor stay too gracefully. The biggest turbo prop aircraft and an aircraft without equal in the West, the Antei is an impressive beast. In the West, only the limited production Short Belfast comes close, but even then, the Antei is bigger, carries a heavier load across a greater range at a higher speed compared to the Belslow.




Antonov An-22M Antei Cock

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## Capt. Vick (Apr 7, 2020)

So sad


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## nuuumannn (Apr 7, 2020)

Our next oddity from a dank Monino is the Ye-152M interceptor prototype, which was one in a family of big high-altitude high-speed missile toting bomber killers, the VVS instead settling on the MiG-25. It was called the E-166 for reasons known only to its painters after its sister the Ye-152-1, which undertook three record breaking flights and received the designation for FAI certification. Weird and unnecessary.




Mikoyan Guryevich Ye-152M Flipper 001 

One of the most versatile and prevalent aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, the Pe-2 was a true multi-role machine, performing a slew of different tasks with gusto. Despite this inherent notoriety, the Pe-2 survives in paltry numbers, only four left in the world.




Petlyakov Pe-2 002

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## Crimea_River (Apr 8, 2020)

The Pe-2 looks pretty fresh at that time.

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## Gnomey (Apr 8, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!

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## fubar57 (Apr 8, 2020)

Great stuff Grant. I think the sombre look of the photos is very fitting knowing the fate of the aircraft

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## nuuumannn (Apr 8, 2020)

Crimea_River said:


> The Pe-2 looks pretty fresh at that time.



Yup, some of the aircraft had undergone repainting at the time I was there, which makes the Ye-152M paint scheme all the more odd.

Something left of field now, the Volga stratospheric pressurised balloon capsule. The purpose of this was trials for cosmonauts exiting their spacecraft by parachute, as Gagarin did from his Vostok, at high altitude. Sadly, in 1962, during a trial ejection from an altitude of 24,000 metres, the cosmonaut in question hit his head on the exit door on the way out and while his parachute deployed and his body landed safely, his suit had de-pressurised and he had died.




Gondola Stratostata Volga

The big Mi-26 is a remarkable piece of engineering and is still in operation to this day. The type has lifted everything from oil rig pylons, turbine generators, artillery pieces and various military vehicles, yachts and other watercraft and even a Handley Page Hastings. The Alliertenmuseum (Allied Museum) in Berlin's Hastings was once airlifted from the former RAF Gatow to its current site at Zehlendorf. I wonder if they'll do the same when the Alliertenmuseum relocates to Tempelhof? Probably.




Mil Mi-26 Halo 001

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## nuuumannn (Apr 9, 2020)

Yet another forgotten DC-3, or in the Soviets' case PS-84/Li-2 replacement, the Il-12 was tthe forerunner of the ubiquitous Il-14. Quite a few of them were lost in accidents.




Illyushin Il-12 Coach 001 

Ooo boy. The Myasishchev M-4 was a big bomber of some repute and sent the West into a frenzy when it was first unveiled in 1954 during the May Day parade flyover of Red Square, although it had terrible range, it was faster and could carry a heavier load than the broadly similar in requirement Tu-95 Bear.




Myasischev 3MD Bison C 001

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## Gnomey (Apr 10, 2020)

Great shots Grant!


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## XBe02Drvr (Apr 10, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> It was called the E-166 for reasons known only to its painters


I vaguely remember from around 1960 +/-, some FAI speed and altitude records being set by a Soviet E-166, which at the time was passed off as a more or less stock MiG21. This may resonate nostalgically with some aging Russians.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 11, 2020)

One of the most distinctive of all the aircraft at Monino is the amazing Sukhoi T-4 Sotka, an aircraft designed to emulate the XB-70 Valkyrie in design and performance, although it was not merely a Soviet copy, but a completely individual design. Astonishingly innovative for a Soviet design, constructed primarily of titanium and equipped with quadruple redundancy fly-by-wire technology for example, the T.4 first flew in 1972 and after the completion of only one other airframe was cancelled two years later. It was a remarkable machine and a reminder that the Soviet industry could build quality as well as quantity, if not able to maintain what was an extraordinarily complex programme.




Sukhoi T-4 Samolet 100 Sotka 001

In September 1959, the United States awaited the arrival of Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev on its soil; a momentous occasion made even more eye-opening because of the means by which he arrived - in the prototype Tu-114 four-engined turboprop airliner. On completion this aircraft was an impressive beast; the largest, fastest and longest ranging airliner built up to that time, and with an enviable safety record for a Soviet aircraft. It also held numerous aviation records for its class for many years and to this day bears the distinction of being the fastest propeller driven airliner built.




Tupolev Tu-114 Cleat prototype 001

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## Gnomey (Apr 12, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 13, 2020)

One of the great aircraft to emerge prior to the outbreak of the Great War was the Sikorskii Ilya Muromets four engined bomber, named after A hero from Slavic mythology. This rather startling machine was the biggest aeroplane built at the time and was the first multi-engined aeroplane to be put into production. An S-22 variant, this is the only existing example, albeit a reproduction.




Sikorskii Ilya Muromets reproduction 003

This is the prototype of Sukhoi's long lived Su-24 bomber, the T-6-1 and is quite different from the production variant, the most obvious difference being its lack of a variable geometry wing. Note that it has down-turned wingtips, this is a direct influence of the British TSR.2, which the Soviets acknowledged. The idea was for a strike fighter with STOL performance and to achieve this, the aircraft was to be fitted with four extra engines to provide its short field performance, but it was deemed impracticable as the space required ate significantly into that needed for fuel tanks, as it had terrible range.




Sukhoi T6-1 001

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## Gnomey (Apr 14, 2020)

Cool shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 14, 2020)

Thanks again Hugh.

The big brutish Mil Mi-24 Hind has notoriety for its proven abilities in combat, but the early 'A models suffered a few teething issues in service; weapon sighting systems didn't work as advertised and the pilot's view through the angular and boxy canopy glazing was not the best.





Mil Mi-24A Hind B 

The Antonov An-8 was the smaller, less well known prececessor to what has been referred to as the Soviet C-130, the An-12 and lent that type its gun-turretted tail section. Its most notable feat in service was a 1968 raid by Soviet special forces against Plzen airfield during the invasion of Czechoslovakia. Apparently, they suffered a high attrition rate in service.




Antonov An-8 Camp

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## fubar57 (Apr 14, 2020)




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## herman1rg (Apr 15, 2020)

I have always found it interesting that Soviet plane had rear turrets on transports.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 15, 2020)

On the day I went to Monino I met with the director and we talked through a translator about the museum and the exhibits. He said that I could wander around at my leisure, but not to go past a certain area that was guarded by dogs. As I mentioned, when I got nearer the dogs, they'd bark, but withdraw as soon as I moved toward them. Needless to say, I ventured into this area where I wasn't supposed to be, knowing that the chances of getting to see what was there would probably not happen again and so, what I saw was unexpected. A host of Yak-28s in various states of damage and disrepair. Some had fire damage, some with badly damaged appendages; this Yak-28R had suffered a cockpit fire and ejection.





Yakovlev Yak-28R Brewer D 002

In this picture of the ubiquitous An-12, you can see some of the Yak-28s in the background. Looking at images of Monino today, the grass has been cut and the Yaks have all gone.




Antonov An-12BP Cub

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## jetcal1 (Apr 15, 2020)

These are some great pix. Can't thank you enough for sharing!

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## at6 (Apr 15, 2020)

It's really too bad that the TU-4 will likely be scrapped.


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## Capt. Vick (Apr 16, 2020)

I saw a video of the Bartini VVA-14 being cut up and even though it was quite derelict I could not help but feel a sense of loss.

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## Gnomey (Apr 16, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 16, 2020)

Thank you all again.

Another from the Yak graveyard, a Yak-28U slowly succumbing to the undergrowth, although the scrapman got there first...




Yakovlev Yak-28U 

This is one of the standout airframes at Monino and hopefully one that might survive; the record breaking Mil V-12, the world's largest helicopter. Initially designed for the aerial transportation of ballistic missiles, only two were completed before the programme was discontinued. Both examples survive, with this being the best preserved one.




Mil V-12 Homer 001

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## herman1rg (Apr 17, 2020)

That's a weird bird, I can't think of many flying machines with two cockpits.


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## XBe02Drvr (Apr 17, 2020)

herman1rg said:


> That's a weird bird, I can't think of many flying machines with two cockpits.


I think one of those "cockpits" is an observation station.


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## jetcal1 (Apr 17, 2020)

herman1rg said:


> That's a weird bird, I can't think of many flying machines with two cockpits.


The CH-54 has a secondary cockpit that faces aft for maneuvering sling loads, etc.


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## Graeme (Apr 17, 2020)

XBe02Drvr said:


> I think one of those "cockpits" is an observation station.



Looking at wiki {with photos of both 'cockpits') - the upper cockpit is for the navigator and radio operator.

Mil V-12 - Wikipedia


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## Graeme (Apr 17, 2020)

Great photos Grant. 
I've always like the shape of the Yak-28 series.


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## Gnomey (Apr 18, 2020)

Great shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 20, 2020)

Here's another from the ubiquitous twin engined Yakovlev stable, the Yak-25RV. 155 examples were built of this high altitude reconnaissance platform based on the layout of the Lockheed U-2; the Yak-25RV could reach 20,500m (over 67,000 feet but the VVS was not happy with its performance.




Yakovlev Yak-25RV Mandrake 003 

Perhaps the oddest place to find a single example of a Sopwith Triplane and perhaps the most original survivor of the breed - there are only two truly original examples of the Tripe to survive, the other being at the RAF Museum, even then, large components had been rebuilt following a decision to fly it before it was donated to the museum.




Sopwith Triplane 002

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## Crimea_River (Apr 20, 2020)

Good stuff Grant. We have a nice Sopwith Triplane at our local museum but I'm not sure of it's history.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 22, 2020)

Crimea_River said:


> We have a nice Sopwith Triplane at our local museum but I'm not sure of it's history.



Yeah, I think there are two in Canadia, unless someone's snuck one in since, but both are post WW2 reproductions. I think one of them, perhaps the one in Ottawa used to fly; it was built by an American guy in the 60s and was flown for a period by the museum.

This next Monino bird was as common as they come in Soviet and even post-Soviet Russia; the An-24 twin turboprop feederliner. Over 1,000 of these workhorses were built in the late 50s/early 60s in a multitude of variants, of which there are believed to be around 100 still operating around the world. And that's not including Chinese production as the Y7, the basic airframe is still being upgraded with new engines and avionics. There's life in the old girl yet.




Antonov An-24 Coke 

Another rarity at Monino is this BMW 003 copy powered MiG-9 jet fighter, of which, out of 610 built, only three survive. It was a promising idea; twin engined, light and nimble, but suffering engine flame outs as a result of gun gas ingestion into the intake.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-9 I-301 Fargo

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## Snautzer01 (Apr 22, 2020)

MIG 9 looks like Kurt Tank design. A lot.

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## Gnomey (Apr 22, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!


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## at6 (Apr 22, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> Yeah, I think there are two in Canadia, unless someone's snuck one in since, but both are post WW2 reproductions. I think one of them, perhaps the one in Ottawa used to fly; it was built by an American guy in the 60s and was flown for a period by the museum.
> 
> This next Monino bird was as common as they come in Soviet and even post-Soviet Russia; the An-24 twin turboprop feederliner. Over 1,000 of these workhorses were built in the late 50s/early 60s in a multitude of variants, of which there are believed to be around 100 still operating around the world. And that's not including Chinese production as the Y7, the basic airframe is still being upgraded with new engines and avionics. There's life in the old girl yet.
> 
> ...


It looks close to the Bell CX5 and the Messerschmitt P1011 series aircraft.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 22, 2020)

at6 said:


> It looks close to the Bell CX5 and the Messerschmitt P1011 series aircraft.



Possibly, but it doesn't mean it was based on those aircraft, not necessarily. That layout was common in Soviet designs to take advantage of the low power outputs of existing engines. Another and perhaps the best known examples were those produced by Yakovlev. The first one, the Yak-15 was essentially a Yak-3 fuselage and wings mated to a Junkers Jumo 004. Its successor was the tricycle undercarriage Yak-17, which, apart from the landing gear had refinements over its predecessor. Unfortunately it inherited its predecessor's faults, too as it was underpowered, short ranged and unreliable.





Yakovlev Yak-17 Feather

Prior to the outbreak of WW2 the Soviets bought a licence to build the DC-3 from Douglas. it had an enormous impact on the industry back home as although builders had made all metal aircraft before, the resulting PS-84 was a level of structural sophistication and manufacture unknown in the Soviet Union. Widely built and utilised, the Lisunov Li-2 certainly adds to the ubiquity of the DC-3 legend, but in reality it was a poor copy, being slower, heavier and less reliable than its progenitor.




Lisunov Li-2P PS-84 001

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## fubar57 (Apr 22, 2020)

The Yak reminds me of the U.S. light weight fighter program in the early stages of WW2


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## nuuumannn (Apr 22, 2020)

Yeah, a lot of manufacturers were doing quick ways to produce a jet fighter using existing airframes and stuff. take the Attacker, for example; Sea Fang wings mated to a new fuselage.




0307 FAA Museum Attacker

It did evolve into this, but still had at least one foot in the past.




FAA Museum Supermarine 510

That then became this, but it was not a good fighter and had weirdly expensive air-to-air missiles. Just look at that loading trolley!




0807 Newark Air Museum Swift

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## nuuumannn (Apr 24, 2020)

On the subject of interceptors, in the early 1950s the Soviets realised that small fighters like the MiG-15 and '17 would not be capable of intercepting supersonic bombers, thus they came up with their Komplex-15 concept of an integrated weapons system comprising sophisticated avionics and air-to-air missiles mated to a supersonic high altitude airframe. The Lavochkin La-250 was the result, but it never progressed past the prototype phase owing to being underpowered and issues with the Komplex-15 system. The last design from the Lavochkin firm, the La-250's drooping nose was a redesign owing to criticisms about visibility.




Lavochkin La-250-04

Following cancellation of the La-250 and the Komplex-15 system, the Soviets re-examined the interceptor requirement, considering that the sheer size of the Soviet land mass and the introduction of the S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missile (SA-2 Guideline in the West), interceptors couldn't possibly cover the entire country and they should be placed at strategically important points only. The result was the Tu-128, the biggest interceptor of its era and the heaviest fighter built. Blessed with a long range, powerful radar and the most powerful AAMs as possible, the Tu-128 saw many years of service and were replaced in 1990 with the MiG-31, and even went into action shooting down NATO reconnaissance balloons.




Tupolev Tu-128A Fiddler

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## Capt. Vick (Apr 24, 2020)

Stupid question: Did the Swift have rearward facing missles?


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## Gnomey (Apr 24, 2020)

Great shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 25, 2020)

Capt. Vick said:


> Stupid question: Did the Swift have rearward facing missles?



Stupid answer, yes. Right answer, no. The centre body was unpowered and fitted with boosters. It's a Fairey Fireflash, Britain's first AAM. A little info here:

"
The Fireflash was a beam riding missile - it was designed to fly down a radio beam emitted by the launch aircraft, which the pilot would keep aimed at the target.
It had a very unusual configuration: the missile body was unpowered. It was propelled by a pair of rocket boosters on the forward fuselage that were jettisoned 1.5 seconds after launch. The missile body, now travelling at around Mach 2, would coast the remaining distance to its target under guidance from the launch aircraft (the missile was unguided during the boost phase). The rocket engine nozzles were slightly offset to rotate the missile - this increased accuracy by evening out the effect of any slight asymmetry in thrust.

"This configuration drastically limited both range and flight duration, but was used because of fears that ionised particles in the hot, rocket motor exhaust stream would interfere with the guidance radar signals; further development showed the fears were unfounded.

"Steering was accomplished by four rudders in a cruciform configuration. These were moved by four pairs of pneumatic servos, operated by solenoid valves. An air bottle, pressurized to 3,000 pounds per square inch (21,000 kPa), supplied air for the servos and also supplied the air that spun the three, air-blown gyroscopes in the missile's inertial navigation system. A high pressure air supply from the aircraft was also required to spin the gyros before the missile was launched.
The purpose of the control system was to keep the missile centred in the guidance beam emitted by the launch aircraft. The pilot of the aircraft would keep the beam aligned with the target using his gunsight, which was harmonized with the axis of the radio beam. An advantage of this system was that it would be unaffected by the target aircraft using radar countermeasures such as chaff. The missile's receiver, fitted at the rear, only detected signals from the launch aircraft."

From here: Fireflash - Wikipedia


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## nuuumannn (Apr 25, 2020)

When the Tupolev Tu-22 first appeared at the 1961 May Day parade over Red Square, it caused a stir in the West as it was the first Soviet supersonic bomber and fears of annihilation of US cities was spread throughout Western defense circles. They needn't have bothered; the Tu-22 was found lacking in several key areas; it was short ranged and far less versatile than the Tu-16 it was intended on replacing. From a pilot's perspective it was a handful and was prone to scraping its tail on take-off. At supersonic speed its fuselage heated up significantly, causing localised damage. Despite these issues, the Tu-22 has seen combat, during the Iran/Iraq war in the '80s; Iraqi Tu-22s dropped 20,000lb bombs with impressive accuracy using toss bombing techniques. A total of 311 of this much maligned bomber were built.




Tupolev Tu-22 Yu Tu-105 Blinder 001 

One of the more graceful Soviet aircraft designs, the Il-62 airliner was the largest airliner in the world when it first flew in 1963. Widely exported, the attractive jet could carry 200 passengers and was one of the primary long haul pioneer jet airliners in the same class as the B707, DC-8, and VC-10, but gets little recognition in the West, despite being operated by around 30 different countries' airlines - including being leased to Air France. Because of its advanced age, the only operator as a passenger carrier these days is Air Koryo, the national carrier of the DPRK (that's North Korea), whereas a handful are operated as a military transport and cargo aircraft.




Illyushin Il-62 Classic

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## Crimea_River (Apr 25, 2020)

Very cool Grant.

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## XBe02Drvr (Apr 26, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> When the Tupolev Tu-22 first appeared at the 1961 May Day parade over Red Square, it caused a stir in the West as it was the first Soviet supersonic bomber and fears of annihilation of US cities was spread throughout Western defense circles. They needn't have bothered; the Tu-22 was found lacking in several key areas; it was short ranged and far less versatile than the Tu-16 it was intended on replacing.


Soviet analog to the B58 and A3J? And with much the same problems.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 26, 2020)

XBe02Drvr said:


> Soviet analog to the B58 and A3J? And with much the same problems.



Possibly, I read that because of its sharply swept wing it had terrible low speed handling and was a bit of a b*tch to land, to add to the many issues it suffered. Tu-16 crews converting onto it apparently found it extremely difficult to fly and pilots were drawn from Su-17 attack aircraft units.


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## XBe02Drvr (Apr 26, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> Possibly, I read that because of its sharply swept wing it had terrible low speed handling and was a bit of a b*tch to land,


As were the B58 and A3J, for the same reason.


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## Gnomey (Apr 26, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 28, 2020)

Thanks again Hugh.

Notorious as the aircraft that shot down the doomed Korean Airlines B747 Flight KAL007 on 1 September 1983, the Sukhoi Su-15 interceptor saw lengthy service with the PVO right until the fall of the Soviet Union. First flying in 1962, the Su-15 was optimised as a high speed, high altitude interceptor for subsonic aircraft, with the MiG-25 designed to intercept supersonic types. In the Su-15TM variant, it's intercept profile was almost entirely ground controlled. The aircraft was guided to the target on autopilot using ground commands sent via electronic uplink. Once a target had been identified its radar was switched on to enable its missiles to lock on, the pilot relying on his commanders instructing him on how to proceed through every step of the flight.




Sukhoi Su-15 Flagon D

First flying in 1964 and entering service in 1970, the MiG-25 Foxbat was once a type that struck fear into the hearts of Western military planners around the world. That the Soviets could have built an interceptor that could reach speeds up to Mach 3 was inexplicable, and in actual fact very rarely carried out by the type since it would roast its engines in doing so. Even after Soviet pilot Victor Belenko defected to Hakkodate Airport in Hokkaido with an intact specimen and US observers had inspected it, the mystique of the Foxbat continued, despite its secrets being exposed. This ia a MiG-25R strategic reconnaissance platform.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-25R Foxbat 003

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## fubar57 (Apr 28, 2020)

Good stuff Grant. I highly recommend Belenko's book


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## nuuumannn (Apr 28, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> I highly recommend Belenko's book



Yes, its a very interesting read.


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## Snautzer01 (Apr 28, 2020)

Keep it comming. Very nice thread.


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## rochie (Apr 28, 2020)

Great stuff Grant

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## nuuumannn (Apr 29, 2020)

Thanks again guys.

A sad looking example of one of the Soviet Union's post-war success stories in terms of exportability and adaptability in a single airframe, the Ilyushin Il-18 in production numbers surpassed every major Western large turboprop, exceeding the Bristol Britannia, Lockheed Electra and Vickers Vanguard combined in its total numbers, some 678 were built and exported to airlines around the world. First flying in 1957, the same year as the Electra, like that aircraft it became the basis of a dedicated maritime patrol bomber, the Il-38. A handful of Il-18s still fly today as freighters and airliners, with Air Koryo of course - the last bastion of 1960s and '70s Soviet airliners, and as specialised military platforms.





Illyushin Il-18D Coot

The two-seat variant of the legendary MiG-15, the UTI is prolific and long lasting, thanks to a new life as a warbird around the world. Few countries operate the MiG-15UTI as a military machine today however, but on the African and east Asian continent, a number still can be found. The DPRK Air Force still operates the type as its fast jet trainer.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-15 UTI Fagot

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## fubar57 (Apr 29, 2020)

The -18 is a one fine looking aircraft, along the lines of the Constellation but lacking the tail


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## XBe02Drvr (Apr 29, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> The -18 is a one fine looking aircraft, along the lines of the Constellation but lacking the tail


Almost looks like it could have been designed in the West.
"Honest, Comrade Colonel, I shot it down 'cause it looked foreign, not like anything made in the Rodina! DC7 with Dart engines, I was sure! Besides, it violated our airspace!"


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## Crimea_River (Apr 29, 2020)

Great pics and descriptions Grant.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 29, 2020)

So, from the sublime to the ridiculous. The PZL M-15 Belfegor ranks as one of the ugliest aircraft ever brought to fruition, but it has a practical purpose; it was designed as a top dressing aircraft to be mass produced for the Soviet Union, by the Polish firm PZL. It had to be rugged and be able to replace the ubiquitous Antonov An-2 in that role, only with a jet engine. Granted it was powered by a low bypass turbofan - the same AI-25 engine as in the Yak-40, but it was thirsty and underpowered. A few accolades (!) achieved by the Belfegor - the world's only pure jet powered crop duster, the world's slowest jet, the only biplane fixed undercarriaged jet... Eek.




PZL M-15 Belfegor

If there was a jet fighter that could take the claim as the Peoples of the World's fighter, it's the MiG-21. Built in greater numbers than any other jet fighter and in a bewildering array of variants, the MiG-21 combined excellent performance with rugged simplicity. This led to extensive foreign export and longevity of basic design. Its core advantages however also define its limitations, i.e. simplicity, size and advanced age, but technological upgrades and continued production and evolution in China as the J7 mean that the MiG-21 is not going away anytime soon.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-21 PFM Fishbed

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## Snautzer01 (Apr 30, 2020)

PZL M-15 Belfegor


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## Gnomey (Apr 30, 2020)

Great shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (May 3, 2020)

The Russians like to do things big and the Mil Mi-10 is a reflection of that. Designed for lifting heavy loads, the Mi-10 first flew in 1960 (two years before the Sikorsky Skycrane) and has a maximum take off weight of 43,760kgs, which is heavy. Only 40 were built, between 1964 and 1969, but it earned some seven world records because of its astonishing abilities, none of which still stand. Oddly, the Mi-10 was difficult to fly without a load and rolling take-offs were recommended. In service there was criticism as none of the crew could actually see the load from anywhere on the aircraft, a troublesome omission from an operations point of view.




Mil Mi-10 Harke 

To the Eastern Bloc, the Mil Mi-8 is the equivalent of the UH-1 Huey, only bigger. The basic design has seen multiple variations and enormous production; over 17,000 built makes the Mi-8 the world's most mass produced helicopter. Over 80 countries around the world have operated the Mi-8 and its derivatives in some form or another and remains today the third most widely used military aircraft, and it's still in production. Its operational use has seen it everywhere, in almost every war zone and peace zone since it first flew in 1961, doing everything a helicopter is expected to do. A legend in its own long lifetime.




Mil Mi-6T Mi-8T 001

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## Snautzer01 (May 4, 2020)

Mil Mi-10, could be a star in any worth while scifi movie.


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## XBe02Drvr (May 4, 2020)

Right at home in "Jurassic Park"!


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## nuuumannn (May 4, 2020)

I've always thought many Soviet era aircraft had that Gerry Anderson look about them.


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## XBe02Drvr (May 4, 2020)

Our stuff was (is) designed by the marketing department, theirs by the political doctrine department.


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## nuuumannn (May 4, 2020)

Today's entry is definitely something from the more fanciful penmanship of Soviet aircraft designers, the Myasishchev M-50 supersonic heavy bomber. One of the most innovative if fruitless bomber projects the Soviets launched, the M-50 first flew in 1959 and was intended on being powered by four turbofan engines, but these weren't ready and it received four non-afterburning turbojets, but then two afterburning turbojets were fitted in the inboard positions after flight trials revealed that it was severely underpowered. This all meant the M-50 couldn't even reach supersonic speed, so it never reached its designed speed of Mach 2+. When it was first paraded at the annual May Day flyover of central Moscow in 1961, few knew that that was the aircraft's last flight. Only the one was built, but a modified variant, the M-52 was begun but never finished; the advent of the ICBM rendered this ambitious and expensive project useless.




Myasischev M-50 Bounder 001

This next aircraft was as unusual as the M-50 but by contrast was moderately successful, with 142 of them being built and deployment among the Soviet armed forces. A medium range reconnaissance drone launched from a ramp on a wheeled vehicle, the Tupolev Tu-141 was designed to carry out strategic and tactical reconnaissance beyond the Soviet borders with a range of cameras and sensors and saw service for around ten years from 1979. The Ukraine received a small number after the collapse of the Soviet Union, too.




Tupolev Tu-141 002

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## fubar57 (May 4, 2020)

Thought it was a cruise missile at first glance

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## nuuumannn (May 4, 2020)

Here's the odd thing, the Soviets wanted to develop a cruise missile variant of the M-50, yes, the big four engined bomber, that could carry a range of deployable weapons all the way to America by remote.


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## XBe02Drvr (May 4, 2020)

Tupolev Tu-141 002
Ein "volksmistel"!


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## Snautzer01 (May 5, 2020)

I like the design shape of them. Think G Lucas liked them a lot too. 

Very nice thread btw.

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## rochie (May 5, 2020)

Interesting stuff Grant


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## nuuumannn (May 5, 2020)

Phew, a lot of photos to get through... This is the prototype of the eminently capable Su-27 air superiority fighter, the Sukhoi T-10-1 and came about as a result of the Soviets gaining wind of US next generation fighter programmes in the late 1960s. This resulted in the PFI project, which called for a advanced front line fighter (the initials stating as much in Cyrillic), which was highly ambitious. It had to have excellent performance and capability whilst being maintenance friendly, and have good short field performance. Sensibly, the decision was made to split this requirement into two; the LPFI, the lighteweight version with rough field capability, simplicity and manoeuvrability and the second, the TPFI, the high altitude sophisticated interceptor. The T-10 fulfilled the TPFI requirement and went on to become the Su-27, after some airframe redesign.




Sukhoi T-10-1 002

The LPFI was developed into this, the MiG-29; this is the prototype. An excellent air-to-air fighter, the MiG-29 fulfils the rough field capability and the simplicity angle, and with its helmet mounted sight and advanced missiles is a formidable threat and offers smaller, less wealthy nations a credible fighter at a low cost. That, of course comes at a price; avionics wise, the MiG-29 was behind the curve in many respects, its reliability leaves much to be desired, too. Nonetheless, upgrades are on offer, but few have taken them up because of the cost, as the basic design is considered elderly in a modern combat environment. Also, notice something peculiar about the MiG-21 in the background.




Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-29-01

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## rochie (May 6, 2020)

First time ive seen those 2 Grant.

Sure thats not a mirage III in the background


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## Wurger (May 6, 2020)




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## Airframes (May 6, 2020)

Karl's been at the sherry again !


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## rochie (May 6, 2020)

Airframes said:


> Karl's been at the sherry again !


I may have but the MiG 21 in the background has a delta wing


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## Gnomey (May 6, 2020)

Excellent shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (May 7, 2020)

rochie said:


> Sure thats not a mirage III in the background



I guess it might be what a Soviet Mirage III might look like! The aircraft between it and the MiG-29 is a clue as to its purpose. It is the MiG-21LI Analog delta wing test bed for the Tu-144 project. First flying in 1968, it is fitted with a double delta wing with a 78 degree sweepback on its outer wings. Two of these were built with the purpose of trialling handling across the flight regime, from low to Mach 2+ speeds to emulate the Tu-144's projected speed parameters. This is the last one left as the other crashed during an aerobatic flight. Please excuse the photo. I was disappointed when I got it developed to discover it was slightly out of focus.





Mikoyan Guryevich MiG-21LI 21-31 Analog

This is a Sukhoi Su-7BKL short range strike fighter, but note its undercarriage. It's fitted with skis as an attempt to improve its rough field operating capability. Designed initially as a fighter interceptor, the Su-7 was found to be lacking in a few key areas, not least was a high landing speed and poor visibility, as well as a long take off run, so in the Su-7BKL variant, measures were taken to rectify some of these issues. It could be fitted with Jato bottles and if fitted with this novel undercarriage could operate from unprepared airfields to increase its operational radius, which, in the initial versons was poor. The ski undercarriage could be retrofitted to existing aircraft.




Sukhoi Su-7BKL Fitter A

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## nuuumannn (May 7, 2020)

Oh, and Karl, in case you're interested, Sharkit do a 1/72 limited edition kit and if you're into 1/144 scale, you can buy a Retrokit conversion for the Eduard MiG-21 kit. Then you can place the Analog next to your Revell 1/144 scale Tu-144 Concordeski just for kicks!


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## rochie (May 7, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> Oh, and Karl, in case you're interested, Sharkit do a 1/72 limited edition kit and if you're into 1/144 scale, you can buy a Retrokit conversion for the Eduard MiG-21 kit. Then you can place the Analog next to your Revell 1/144 scale Tu-144 Concordeski just for kicks!


way too small a scale for me


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## Gnomey (May 8, 2020)

Good shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (May 11, 2020)

Thanks again Hugh ole buddy.

In the spirit of VE Day, here are a couple of Soviet wartime gems, and an American one, whose reputation for greatness has lasted long since their actions in WW2. Firstly, the Polikarpov U2, or Po-2 to use its later designation. So much can be said of this unassuming little biplane; the most mass produced aeroplane in history and easily one of the most versatile, this aircraft saw service in military and civilian hands before the outbreak of the war and well after it ended; its legendary status assured. This particular one was used in a Soviet film, somewhat appropriately about the actions of the Night Witches during WW2.




Polikarpov U-2 001

One of the seminal Soviet fighters of the Great Patriotic War, the Yakovlev Yak-9U was derived from the Yak-7 and was of all-metal construction. Blessed with excellent performance and surprising manoeuvrability it was easily a match for the best German fighters over the Eastern Front despite its light armament of one cannon and two machine guns, all in the nose. This one's lack of an oil cooler under the nose led me to believe, for a long time that it was actually a Yak-3, but I have since been informed that indeed the caption on the display board is correct; it is a Yak-9U.




Yakovlev Yak-9U

During the war, the US supplied a total of 826 B-25s to the Soviet Union via the Alaska-Siberia route, for which the generosity of this act and the thousands more aircraft and items of equipment sent to the Soviet Union during the war gets no mention whatsoever, let alone any thanks, in Russian histories of the Great Patriotic War. Therefore the presense of this, the P-63 and A-20 in Soviet markings must be puzzling to the average Russian who visits the museum. I'm hoping this attitude has changed in the intervening years since I visited. Note that this B-25C is fitted with the Bendix belly turret that was standard for the type, but the top turret is a Soviet abomination and not the usual streamlined Martin one, if indeed it is a real turret.




North American B-25C Mitchell

Thanks again for following along.

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## Crimea_River (May 11, 2020)

Liking this thread Grant.


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## Gnomey (May 12, 2020)

Nice shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (May 12, 2020)

Something of a pioneer nature in our first picture today, this is a Tupolev ANT-2, the first all-metal Soviet aircraft and a ground breaking machine for the fledgling industry. Following the development of the lightweight metal kolchugaluminium after the factory at Kolchuginsk, essentially an age hardened aluminium alloy like duralumin in 1922, Tupolev designed and built this small cabin monoplane with fully cantilever wings. Completed in May 1924 and powered by a Bristol Lucifer engine, the ANT-2 proved difficult to fly and, encountering difficulty in obtaining more engines and a metal shortage in the USSR, Tupolev did not put the aircraft into production.




Tupolev ANT-2

This rather interesting machine is one of only a small number of Myasischev M-17A Stratosphera aircraft built and was originally designed to shoot down high altitude reconnaissance balloons, but never saw this requirement fulfilled owing to the advent of spy satellites denuding it of a mission. First flying in 1982 it was repurposed for high altitude reconnaissance as the Soviet Union's U-2, as it has been dubbed in the West. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the aircraft set several high altitude world records, five of which still stand today, apparently. Notice the Aeroflot colours, perhaps to hide its true nature from prying eyes? This isn't the last we'll be seeing of this fascinating machine.




Myasischev M-17 Mystic A 004

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## Gnomey (May 14, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (May 15, 2020)

If anyone thought the Soviets couldn't build a world class combat aircraft during the war, this is the answer that they could - the Tu-2 (not to be confused with the SB-2, which we'll see later) was designed to be a equal to the Ju 88 and it succeeded at that. Combining versatility with excellent performance, the Tu-2 was one of the outstanding combat aircraft of WW2. Entering service in late 1942, the Tu-2 proved its worth against the invading Germanss almost immediately and somewhat expectedly saw extensive service following the end of the war, with examples being exported to seven foreign nations, including Poland, China and the DPRK. Throughout my visit to Monino it rained heavily and I stood under this aircraft for some time to change rolls of film and to dry off before I continued my photo sortie... I'd never been happier in the rain!




Tupolev Tu-2S Bat 001

The ultimate extrapolation of Yakovlev's piston engined fighter powered by gas turbine adaptations, the Yak-23 was the last throw of the dice of that particular concept and proved that it could not match current designs by other manufacturers of the time. Powered by a copied Rolls-Royce Derwent, the Yak-23 was a contemporary of the MiG-15, which was superior in almost every respect and only 319 were built, although it did see export to a handful of Warsaw Pact nations.




Yakovlev Yak-23 Flora

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## Gnomey (May 16, 2020)

Cool shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (May 25, 2020)

So, back at Monino, This is an example of the second jet powered airliner to enter service (the Avro Canada Jetliner never carried a fare paying passenger) and the Soviet Union's first jet airliner, the Tupolev Tu-104. Using the same powerplant and wings as the Tu-16 bomber, a total of 201 Tu-104s were built, but it was found to be thirsty and short ranged and it had a poor safety record; only Aeroflot and the Czech airline CSA operated the type. Interesting wee factoid, whilst the de Havilland Comet was grounded, between 1956 and 1958 the Tu-104 was the world's only operating jet airliner.




Tupolev Tu-104A Camel 002

Something from the research bench, the Turbolet, a VTOL proof of concept platform from the 1950s. Powered by a single RD-9BL turbojet from a MiG-19 mounted vertically and fitted with four directional thrusters fitted for manoeuvring. The hapless pilot sat in what was a cab lifted from a construction crane (!). It's larger than it looks. There's a short clip on youtube of it being demonstrated - the pilot looks cool and collected and flies it with ease. Still, eek. The balloon gondola next to it is somewhat significant as in 1933, the CCCP-1 ascended to an altitude of 19 kilometres.




Turbolyot

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## Capt. Vick (May 25, 2020)

Look like what Neil Armstrong had to eject from


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## nuuumannn (May 25, 2020)

Capt. Vick said:


> Look like what Neil Armstrong had to eject from



Yeah, I think I'd do that too...


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## Airframes (May 25, 2020)

Eject ?
I wouldn't even get in it !!!

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## Gnomey (May 25, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!

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## nuuumannn (May 25, 2020)

There should be more made about this aeroplane in the general perception of WW2 aviation, for the Tupolev SB was the most numeric Soviet bomber by the time the Germans began Operation Barbarossa, 94% of Soviet frontline bombers were SBs and it was the first stressed skin aircraft put into mass production in the Soviet Union. It was widely exported and built in large enough numbers, 6,656 built, that it ranks as a major production effort for an industry dragging itself into the modern age, yet still lagging behind the curve. The combat exploits of the SB are numerous, the most well known being over Spain, where its speed and ruggedness lent it to the conditions in that 'dirty little war'. The Finns got as much as they could from it - as they did with everything they had, repairing crashed Soviet examples and putting them into action against their former masters. In Finnish hands, not a single SB was shot down, although it was accident prone. A simple machine from the outset, despite its concession to modern technology, even the Soviet airmen who received it in 1934 found it a little on the basic side, but the SB was destined to become a modern classic - and so it is.





Tupolev SB-2 002

For a time during the Space Race, the Soviets led the world. Under Sergei Korolev, Soviet spacecraft regularly demonstrated feats that the United States designers struggled to emulate. His pragmatic, but no less technologically challenging approach to space technology gave us the likes of the Soyuz capsule - the most prolific spacecraft in history and the R-7 rocket, derivatives of which still hoist people into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome 60 years on. After Korolev's tragic death in 1966, the Soviet space programme got stuck in limbo; his pretenders weren't up to the task and did not have his insight, nor his respect and things went sideways on the launchpad. This is Spiral, a Spaceplane concept vehicle begun under Korolev, but cancelled a few years later. Revived in 1974 with news of the US Space Shuttle programme, the 105-II was designed as an orbital rocketplane that was to hitch a lift on a high altitude hypersonic jet and would boost itself into orbit with a detachable booster. This rather lofty concept was never proceeded with and it only ever flew within the confines of earth's atmosphere, taking off under its own power and flying approach vectors to land, some eight times by 1978. The decision to build a carbon copy of the US Space Shuttle, named the Buran, effectively killed the Spiral, nicknamed the 'Shoe' by its pilots. Korolev would have finished the job, _and_ made it work.




Mikoyan Gurevich 105-II Spiral 002

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## Snautzer01 (May 26, 2020)

The Germans used the SB2 quite a lot. For fly school but also quite a bit as target tugs. A winch was made in the belly from the plane. Look right under the black cross

See my thread here: Tupolev SB-2

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## nuuumannn (May 28, 2020)

This particular beast is asomething of an oddity. The Yak-24 was designed to a requirement for a medium sized helicopter that could transport 12 people issued in 1951, but the specification was issued directly to the Mil Design Bureau, who produced the prolific and successful Mil Mi-4, but Yakovlev decided to go ahead with its design anyway. Exact numbers built are unknown, but it was powered by two Shvetsov ASh-82V radials and did enter service, but was found to be a technical challenge particularly in its gearboxes driving its tandem rotors, a novelty in Soviet helicopter design. This one is looking a little worse for wear in the inclement weather.




Yakovlev Yak-24LV Horse

This is a rather basic full scale reproduction of a MiG-3 fighter, it still looks sleek in its rain ravaged surroundings though. Designed as a high altitude fighter, the MiG-3 found itself in combat over the Eastern Front at low altitudes and had a reputation of being a handful to fly. Apparently, this combination resulted in an unsatisfactory frontline career during the war, where MiG-3 suffered high rates of attrition and combat loss, being the highest of all VVS fighters of the war. When it first entered service at the beginning of 1941, it was faster than the Bf 109F and Spitfire V at height, but low down, where it spent most of its time, it was inferior to both. Nevertheless, 3,422 were built during the war. Note the very low canopy situated on the after half of the fuselage, making for terrible visibility.




Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-3

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## Gnomey (May 28, 2020)

Good shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (May 31, 2020)

Today, two birds of a feather. A crucial part of the Soviet Air Defence mechanism in the 1970s through to the 1990s, the MiG-23 remains to this day the most mass produced variable geometry aircraft, with 5,047 built (and a further 1,075 MiG-27s derived from the same airframe - see that entry below), the first Soviet fighter to incorporate look-down shoot-down radar and to be armed with beyond visual range missiles. All-in-all a potent airframe on its debut in 1967, the type has seen constant innovation throughout its lengthy career, as well as combat in export hands; with the Indian Air Force against Pakistani jets, in Angola against South African aircraft and with the air force of Libya against Chadian aircraft and, of course, the mighty F-14 Tomcat, when in an oft publicised incident, two MiG-23s were quickly shot down by the F-14s in 1989. Still in service in numerous countries, as a Third Generation fighter the MiG-23 is a little long in the tooth, but is a formidable foe, with its impressive missile fit. This is the first prototype, bizarrely not decorated as such, as the third prototype, also on display at Monino is in its markings!




Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-23-11-1

The ground attack optimised variant of the MiG-23 was originally the MiG-23BN, which shared commonality with the interceptor variant, and was therefore offered for export, but the MiG-27 was developed as a separate entity and designated as such, as a more sophisticated variant of the MiG-23BN. Fitted with a laser designator in its steeply sloped proboscis, the MiG-27 features armour plating on its nose to protect the npilot from small arms fire. Exported to only a few countries, perhaps the most notable foreign operator was the Indian Air Force, which has recently retired the type and had a less than happy relationship with the Bahadur, as it was called - it had a tendency for its engine to spontaneously explode in flight! Not a quality one expects in a jet aircraft!




Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-27BM Flogger D

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## Micdrow (May 31, 2020)

Just some sweet shots.


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## Crimea_River (May 31, 2020)

Excellent Grant.


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## tengu1979 (May 31, 2020)

Are those from Kubinka Museum? Great photos. I have sentiment for MiG-23s as I used to live about 45miles from 28th Polish Fighter Regiment airbase in Slupsk-Redzikowo. The only one that used the type. Magnificent sight and sound.


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## Gnomey (May 31, 2020)

Lovely shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Jun 1, 2020)

tengu1979 said:


> Are those from Kubinka Museum?



Central Air Force Museum, Monino. They were taken years ago. A few of the aircraft in these pictures no longer exist or have been moved to Kubinka.


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## nuuumannn (Jun 1, 2020)

This next aircraft could be called Russia's Warhorse - the Su-25 has had a prolific and active career, seeing combat in a number of different arenas since its introduction into service in 1978. Over 1,000 have been built of the hardy jet - a direct comparison can be made with the A-10 Warthog in its similar roles and usage, although the A-10 is more sophisticated avionics wise, and the Su-25 has a rough field capability. Upgrades are available, including from Elbit of Israel, oddly enough, as the Su-25, despite its age looks to remain in the arsenals of a handful of operators for a while yet.




Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot A 002

I can only guess at the circumstances behind the cabin fire that befell this hapless Tu-124, but it looks grim, sitting only partially covered out the back of the aircraft park. Developed from the Tu-104, the Soviet Union's first jet airliner, the smaller Tu-124 was a short haul feederliner and had impressive performance, although with a seating capacity of 56, was not an overly economical proposition. Only four airlines operated the type, although it did see service as a military transport in a number of air forces. 164 were built, and with its career mirroring that of the Tu-104 and its poor safety record, the Tu-124 didn't last long in airline service. Somewhat incredibly, this aircraft has undergone structural repair and as a result there is no sign of the damage that afflicted the aircraft that is visible in this photo anymore.




Tupolev Tu-124 Cookpot

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## Gnomey (Jun 1, 2020)

Good stuff Grant!


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## fubar57 (Jun 3, 2020)

Love the the Su-25


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## tengu1979 (Jun 4, 2020)

Damn that poor Tu-124. I wonder if it happened on site or it went to museum after that fire.


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## nuuumannn (Jun 4, 2020)

tengu1979 said:


> I wonder if it happened on site or it went to museum after that fire.



Good question. There was no display board or anything. In fact I was told not to wander into that section of the museum, but I did anyway! The fact that it has undergone repair is quite something. There are plenty of pictures of it on the net looking very different.

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## Crimea_River (Jun 4, 2020)

Once again, great thread Grant.

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## nuuumannn (Jun 6, 2020)

In the Cold War era, the aircraft carrier reigned supreme as the epitome of visible naval power projection, and no one does carriers like the United States Navy. During its post-war build-up, the Soviet Navy flirted with the concept, but didn't give it a sufficient nudge to become a serious threat to US dominance in this field. Its answer to the mighty war machines is the cruise missile, and utilising almost any platform possible, the Soviets and the Russians succeeding them, have developed an array of weapon systems that utilise this deadly thing as a direct deterrent to the US carrier battle group. By far the most flexible and visible is the fleet of cruise missile carrying Tu-22M supersonic bombers. A natural successor to the troublesome Tu-22, the Backfire is something of a success story and numbers still see service in both the Russian and Ukranian air forces. First delivered in 1973 as a nuclear capable long range bomber, the Tu-22M has proven its adaptability in use in the conventional bomber role in Afghanistan and in Russian hands against Chechniya. Suffering unreliability in Soviet service, the aircraft, equipping Russian naval aviation units and armed with subsonic and supersonic cruise missiles, the Backfire represents a genuine threat to any naval task force. Current plans are to equip the type with hypersonic missiles, increasing its effectiveness as a potential carrier killer. This is an example of the first production batch, of which nine were built. Note the Kh-22 supersonic anti-ship missile under its wing.




Tupolev Tu-22MO Backfire A 001

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## tengu1979 (Jun 6, 2020)

The original TU-22 was a weird aircraft but I always liked the Tu-22M. At least they gpt rid of this weird engine placement.


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## Gnomey (Jun 6, 2020)

Cool shots Grant!


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## nuuumannn (Jun 7, 2020)

"Better is the enemy of good-enough" - the motto attributed to Admiral of the Fleet Sergei Gorshkov; a remarkable figure with a vision of naval power projection that brought the Soviet Navy to modernism at a time it was lagging far behind the other major naval powers. Following WW2, the Soviet Union relied heavily on Western technology and weaponery to advance its military. Equipment such as the Type XXI submarine, the B-29 Superfortress, the British centrifugal flow and German axial flow gas turbines and so forth had profound and lasting influence on developing the first generation of Soviet Cold War weaponry. There are inherent problems in basing ones tech on someone else's however; one is always trailing behind in development, and this is the situation the Soviet Navy found itself in midway through the second decade of the Cold War, despite having numerical superiority in ships and submarines, they were archaic in design and function compared to the superpower status quo.

Enter Admiral Gorshkov. With a singular vision, Gorshkov dragged the Soviet Navy from being a coastal force with outdated equipment to becoming a true blue water navy designed around a comprehensive defence strategy that was technologically advanced and uniquely Soviet. New designs were rushed into service and new purposeful equipment, such as what we know as the Close-in Weapons System, small rapid firing Gatling style machine guns were fitted as standard to all classes of Soviet surface vessels, something that would not appear on Western ships until a decade later. Supersonic cruise missiles were designed to take out ocean dominating US carrier battlegroups and were fitted to all sorts of platforms, and nuclear submarines that were faster, could dive deeper and remain hidden for longer than their Western counterparts were built. All of this saw the Soviet Navy become extraordinarily powerful.

This is a Tu-16 bomber converted to carry anti-ship cruise missiles. One of the great post-war aviation success stories, the Tu-16 has seen enormous development scope over a 60 year period and remarkably is still in production today, despite the prototype, designated Tu-88 first flying in 1952. Originally built as a nuclear capable heavy bomber, the Tu-16 found a new lease of life with Gorshkov's naval expansion plans as the premier Soviet jet powered cruise missle carrier (a variant of the Tu-4 was configured to carry cruise missiles); a deadly weapon against the carrier battle group (see the previous entry). In the late 1950s, the Chinese sought a production licence for this then formidable warplane and like the Soviets, saw its potential as a missileer - the Xian H6K variant first flew in 2007 and fitted with turbofan engines, modern avionics, advanced defensive measures and capable of carrying supersonic cruise missiles, represents the latest variant of the Tu-16 airframe to see military service. Somewhat worryingly for those countries who share boundaries along what's been coined the Nine Dash Line, PLAN H6Ks have been spotted on the artificial islands being developed in the South China Sea. In the cruise missile carrying derivatives of the classic Tu-16, Gorshkov's motto definitely applies to this day.




Tupolev Tu-16 K-26 Badger C Mod

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## Gnomey (Jun 7, 2020)

Nice shot Grant!


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