Tupolev 144 / Russian Concorde

Here are some pictures i took last year whilst at Sinseim of the Concorde and Tu.144.

Thats a very steep angle to walk up!

Must be interesting when busy with only one entry/exit point!

Do they get high winds in that area as they dont seem lashed down that much other than the wheels!

Yes it is !….even worse when it’s a tad warm ! Spent a couple of days at both Sinsiem and Speyer last year,both awesome museums and well worth the trip.Speyer has a Lufthansa 747 up in the air which climbing up the stairs is a challenge but walking along the wing is so worth the scary climb ! They also have an AN-22 on the ground.First post over !

Ah yes, closer examination of the website reveals that it is 77115 and that there is some debate as to where it will be situated eventually, whether outside TsAGI, on Gromov Square or as a very last resort with LII.

From a free online translator:

The important stage of program Ту-144 becomes restoration of the plane up to “рулежного” conditions and its display on air show МАКС 2007. It will be shown both to the first persons of the state, and thousand visitors of an air show, foreign visitors. Also can become a bright symbol of revival of the aviation industry of Russia, advertising of your business! Ту-144Д on МАКС

* the Program provides: руление on ВПП at opening of an air show,
* demonstration on static parking with access of visitors.

The success of display will be promoted by works on restoration of the plane, furnish of its interior.

In the first interior:

In a forward half the VIP-interior on 6-8 person, the screen and a projector for viewing presentations, a case-bar, the stand for souvenirs is equipped.

In a back half along boards of the plane settle down demonstration and displays.

In the second interior:

In a forward half the simulator with two workplaces settles down, allowing to execute virtual flight in a stratosphere with supervision закабинного spaces “pilots” and other spectators who are settling down behind a back of “pilots”.

In a back half regular armchairs of the plane are established.

Accommodation by the plane of the outdoor advertising is stipulated.

It gives all this huge opportunities on advertising sponsors of display!
We invite you to participation.

Don’t leave me dangling like that – what is 77115 going to do at MAKS? Are they wheeling it out to the static park? I have a vague memory that 77114 was open to the public one year before NASA took it over.

Check this out:

http://www.testpilots.ru/club/tu144/to_maks07.htm

77115 (I’m pretty sure it’ll be this one) is being restored!

If this were really the case the Soviets/Russians should never have sold any of their Tu-154M or Il-62M airliners – both of which used the Soloviev D-30 engine, which, in afterburning form is used to power the MiG-31 – one of the Russians most classifed aircraft.

The D30F6 powering the FOXHOUND is sufficiently different so that an exported D30 won’t give anything substantial away. The NK-321, on the other hand, is a relatively modern, purely military product, and as such would face export restrictions.

77114 was originally put up for sale with a price tag of $10 million USD. However, the Russian government blocked the sale due to the fact that the NK-321 engines it was refitted with were military engines (they power the Tu-160). Since then, the aircraft has been seen fitted with it’s original RD-36-51 engines (you can tell thanks to the unique nozzles of the -51), so it may yet be sold.

Refusing to supply NK-321 engines because of their military applications might indeed be the reason that the Russians gave for not selling them, but I can’t help but think that the Russians are being a little bit inconsistant in their rules. If this were really the case the Soviets/Russians should never have sold any of their Tu-154M or Il-62M airliners – both of which used the Soloviev D-30 engine, which, in afterburning form is used to power the MiG-31 – one of the Russians most classifed aircraft.

Don’t leave me dangling like that – what is 77115 going to do at MAKS? Are they wheeling it out to the static park? I have a vague memory that 77114 was open to the public one year before NASA took it over.

Did anything ever happen about the NASA funded TU-144D at Zhukovsky? Wasn’t it supposed to be up for sale on e-bay?

77114 was originally put up for sale with a price tag of $10 million USD. However, the Russian government blocked the sale due to the fact that the NK-321 engines it was refitted with were military engines (they power the Tu-160). Since then, the aircraft has been seen fitted with it’s original RD-36-51 engines (you can tell thanks to the unique nozzles of the -51), so it may yet be sold.

I know 77105 was parked in the junk lot and was scrapped at one point, and that a Tu-144 is supposed ot be preserved as a display at the Tupolev facility at Zhukovskiy, so maybe 77114 will be that aircraft as 77112 and 77113 have been sold for scrap as well. That still leaves 77115 as far as Tu-144Ds go, and that one is due to make an appearance at MAKS 07.

Thats a very steep angle to walk up!

Must be interesting when busy with only one entry/exit point!

Do they get high winds in that area as they dont seem lashed down that much other than the wheels!

Did anything ever happen about the NASA funded TU-144D at Zhukovsky? Wasn’t it supposed to be up for sale on e-bay?

The Air France Concorde sits on a similar mount right beside it.

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5816570&nseq=18

That’s one of 5 Tu-144Ds that flew, and the only Tu-144 to be displayed outside of Russia. Fascinating aircraft.

That would be quite interesting to see