During my annual pilgrimage to Russia – Moscow to visit the MAKS airshow and various museums in Moscow, Samara & Saratov, I took a few photos of aircraft being restored – not always sucessfully – plus a few monuments that the Russians do so well….
First off is the magnificent airworthy MiG-3 that you all know about….
….and a Po-2…
A scale replica Ju-87….
This Il-2 is on a plinth in the middle of a busy roundabout in Samara…
Tu-22 Blinder gate guard at Engels….
Restored Ilyushin Il-4 bomber at Victory Park, Moscow…..
Tucked away behind an Li-2 was this cockpit section of a Ju-88…
This Hurricane is being restored just for display purposes – and is a bit ‘boilerplate’…..
….this Ki-43 ‘restoration’ is ongoing……
This is a genuine Bf-109G in a musem in Moscow awaiting restoration for display….
Finally, on the approach to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport is this superbly restored Tupolev Tu-104 on a plinth…..
My webpage about the whole Moscow trip is at :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/moscow_2007.html
Enjoy…..
Ken
By: daniel-k - 30th October 2007 at 07:12
We had a few newcomers to Moscow this year – as well as us ‘old stagers’
As we approached central Moscow I pointed out the tank traps to a couple of the newbies – explaining that they were a memorial to how near to Moscow the German’s had advanced.
One wag pointed to the nearby IKEA – and said in a deadpan voice –
“Looks like the Swedes got further” 😀
Ken
Well, Ingvar Kamprad (IKEA founder) has been questioned for his Nazi sympathies… 😉
By: Flanker_man - 29th October 2007 at 19:16
The treatment of another memorial that appalls me are the tank traps on the way into Moscow from Sheremetievo, which now seem to be in danger of being engulfed by IKEA et al on that retail park.
We had a few newcomers to Moscow this year – as well as us ‘old stagers’
As we approached central Moscow I pointed out the tank traps to a couple of the newbies – explaining that they were a memorial to how near to Moscow the German’s had advanced.
One wag pointed to the nearby IKEA – and said in a deadpan voice –
“Looks like the Swedes got further” 😀
Ken
By: zoot horn rollo - 29th October 2007 at 13:07
The treatment of another memorial that appalls me are the tank traps on the way into Moscow from Sheremetievo, which now seem to be in danger of being engulfed by IKEA et al on that retail park.
By: Flanker_man - 28th October 2007 at 22:25
Superb photos indeed, and reassuring to discover that there are a good number of Russians doing their best to preserve the nation´s aviation heritage.
Indeed……
In 2006 I went to the Hydroaviation show at Gelendzhik on the Black Sea.
We visited the port city of Novorossisk – and saw an Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik on a Great Patriotic War monument being lovingly painted by an old guy with a couple of tins paint and a paintbrush.
The colours were all wrong – bright green on top, bright blue underneath and the wheels were from a car !! 😮
I imagine he was keeping it alive using his own meagre resources – but at least he was doing something to honour the millions of Soviets who perished in that conflict.
He was doing his bit to preserve history – in complete contrast to the corporate might of the Russian Eastline company who own and run Moscow’s Domodedovo airport.
They have destroyed the airport gate guard – a mightly Tupolev Tu-114 airliner that stood at the airport entrance.
All because it was taking up valuable develoment land -and ‘wasn’t in keeping with their modern image’ :confused: 😡
Again, more details about the whole visit at :- http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/flankers_pages/moscow_2006.html
Ken
By: SMS88 - 28th October 2007 at 20:39
Superb photos indeed, and reassuring to discover that there are a good number of Russians doing their best to preserve the nation´s aviation heritage.That BF109 looks very fresh, as if it has been painted since WW2 ended
By: RPSmith - 28th October 2007 at 11:14
what a great set of pictures – thanks.
Roger Smith.
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October 28, 2007 at 10:02 am