Planes die in different ways: some in catastrophies, others are cut into pieces or decay on graveyards. The luckiest ones come to museums like this one, in Ulyanovsk. It is called the museum of civil aviation and has been existing since 1983.
AK-1 is the first Soviet passenger plane. It was designed to carry 2-3 passengers. The first flight was performed in 1924.
Another pride of the museum is the world’s first and last Soviet supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-144.
Such places are rather attractive. Wandering between them is like wandering between huge dinosaurs. You feel how powerful they were, how far they flew. Each has its own personality and destiny.
via alexio-marziano
Tu-144, wasn’t it restored a couple years ago or was that another Tu-144?
asd
There should be 7 Tu-144 left, 6 in ex-SSSR and one in Germany.
Was part of the AK-1 rebuilt or something? I have a couple of vintage pictures of it and they look nothing like this one. The nose is wrong (missing its giant spinner hub), the cockpit is enclosed and the only one to have a closed cockpuit was the “Latvian Sharpshooter”. The other one has an open cockpit but the wing is level.
It actually looks like a replica with no cooling for the motor apparent !!
Thanks. If I am not mistaken the original construction was a thin plywood sealed against the wind with flush seams. The other thing too is the engine at this time in space is very rare. Would to see what it looks like inside to clarify this. Again, thanks for the reply!