…* thinking back to 2001, and the utter surprise and total disbelief some Sukhoi representatives had when this smelly dude walks underneath a Flanker, and starts scratching off the paint of a c/n plate with a rouble coin… 😀

Did you get to have the preach by FSB Colonel Pavlov as well? I got busted underneath the Bear on the Tupolev platform… Don’t think there’s more fun to be had than at MAKS, i had a full-size grin on my face for two straight days.

We turned up extremely early and got on the workers bus without having to show anything to get in. I started walking and kept going and going and managed to avoid the FSB goons more by luck than design. I saw them nabbing someone else further away and decided I had chanced my luck enough.

I think that was the week when earlier on I was standing under the Su-35(?) discussing what it was exactly comparing c/ns with the Su-33 next to it with the American Embassy air attache who went by the name of ‘Dan Eagle’. I still have his business card around somewhere.

Let me be the first to post this one from today

SB042 10MK2308

Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in the world now, especially if you are looking at hotel rooms. Public transport is still cheap though.

Don’t forget that you also need to factor in the time and costs of getting a visa.

I wonder if anything interesting will turn up at MAKS 2007 as that is always somewhere that new c/ns can be found.

*thinks back to 2001 and the “self guided tour” at 0645 to get c/ns…*

…for that little metal plate on the forward bulkhead at just about head height or we will be knocking on your doors :dev2:

The two ER- registered ones are the ex Enimex ones ES-NOG/NOK re-registered 🙁

I think you’ll also find that the Dutch Spitfire MK732 spent time there in 1997 (at least) as G-HVDM and was associated with the current operator of TA805. He looked a bit younger then 😀

WoGB aircraft I saw there were SM969, NH238, PL983 and TE356 all flying and TE392 and Seafire PP972 in store. Great fun trying to get a look into that Hangar 😉

The one time I went to a Biggin Hill Air Fair the Spitfire hangar was open and you could go in and see the assorted fuselages in store. Probably 1985 or 86.

For a while BY did operate scheduled services and as such were eligble for IATA membership (which is why I remember this) but that might have been later than this. They were seen frequently on trooping flights and this might have been one of those.