Thursday 23 August 2007

Long range Aviation Base, Engels

Tu-95MS named after the city of Kaluga.

The Tu-95 just looks so mean and broody.

There was plenty of room to stand back and take photos.

Closeup of the name and Kaluga City coat of arms.

Tu-160 named after a former GPW bomber pilot - Vasily Reshetnikov.

The two mainstays of Russian strategic aviation - the Tu-95MS Bear & Tu-160 Blackjack.

Another shot of the Tu-160 - the Russian AF nickname of 'White Swan' seems a bit inappropriate on this example!

Not so white swan.

The entrance to the base museum.

This An-2 is just outside the museum proper.....

....as is this An-24.

The first of the exhibits is this magnificent Myasischev 3MS-2 'Bison'.

Another shot of the 3MS-2.

The exhibits at Engels are maintained in good condition.

Turbojet-powered Kh-20 long-range missile carried by the Tu-95K.

Tu-95K-22 with a single Kh-22 missile on a pylon under the port wing root.

Tu-95K-22.

Closeup of the Kh-22 mounting.

One of four Tu-22 Blinders - this one is a Tu-22RDM recconnaisance variant.

Another view of the Tu-22RDM.

Script on the side of the RDM.

This one is a 'standard' missile-carrying version - the Tu-22KD.

Tu-22KD.

Trainer variant - Tu-22U.

A closeup of the steeped canopies - the instructor sits in the rear cockpit.

Shark-mouthed Tu-22PD ECM variant.

Tu-22PD.

Nose on shot of the Tu-22PD.

Closeup of the 'sharkmouth'.

Tu-134UBL crew trainer for the Tu-160.

Tu-134UBS bomber trainer.

Closeup of the bomb racks under the Tu-134UBS.

An-12BP Transport. Note the three different colours on the propellers!

An-24VSR

L-29 Delfin.

L-39 Albatros.

The Tu-160 being towed back to its dispersal.

Whilst we were in the museum, this Il-76 taxied out and took off.......

....as did this white-painted Il-76

KSR-2UD missile.

Large 'dumb' bomb......

....and a selection of ordinance.

One of the treats of the visit to Engels was the chance to climb aboard the Tu-95K-22.....

.....and photograph the front office......

.....and gunners station.

An overall view of the small base museum.

X-15 missile.

X-55 cruise missile.

Tu-22 ejection seat.

Another ejection seat - I'm not sure from what though??

There were some superb paintings for sale - it was just a pity I had no way of getting them home.....

Tu-160 painting.

Gate Guard Tu-22 at Engels.

This Tu-16 was a little further down the road - providing some shade in the midday heat.

Victory Park, Saratov

Yak-38 at the entrance to 'Park Pobed' (Victory Park).

Monument to the fallen - and eternal flame.

Another Tu-22 - this time in a more peaceful setting.

MiG-23 in a rather inaccurate garish colour scheme.

This MiG-27 had a slightly better finish.......

....but this MiG-21SMT didn't.

MiG-31 Interceptor.

Triton 1M - manned torpedo.

As well as the aircraft, Victory Park has a great collection of armour, missiles and radars. This T-34 is just one of them.

SA-2 'Guideline' missile.

T-64 tank.

Dubki Sports Airfield

Reflective moment at the 'Saratov Aeroclub named after U. A. Gagarin'

.

The history of sports aviation in Russia - called Osoaviakhim, then DOSAAF and now ROSTO.

Bust of Yuri Gagarin.

Resident ROSTO An-2 at Dubki.

Smart looking Mi-2 helicopter.

Another Mi-2.