The official web site of MAKS-2009 announces on the news section that the TU-144 will open the static display of the exposition that will take place at Zhukovsky airbase in August 18-23, 2009. Like in 2007 is expected that the last TU-144D completed, the aircraft registered CCCP-77115, turns into one of the most visited of the exhibition. More than 15,000 persons made a tour inside the aircraft in the past edition of MAKS Airshow.
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The Club of Heroes of the City of Zhukovsky
announces on his web site that the aircraft will be on display with the same internal configuration than two years ago,
and invites to sponsors to use the plane as advertising. All founds will be used for the complete restoration of the
aircraft.
All visitors will have also the possibility of to make a donation for the restoration of this beautiful aircraft. |
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TU-144 flight test pilot Edward V. Elyan has sadly passed away at the age of 82. He was born in Baku (Azerbaijan) on August 20th, 1926. In the period between the years 1938-1944 lived in Norilsk, Moscow and Sverdlovsk. In 1944 ended studies in the Sverdlovsk special school of the Air Forces and took part in the World War II. After the war worked as pilot-instructor and test-pilot in many institutions until 1958. Between the years 1958 and 1960 was test-pilot for the OKB-Sukhoi. In that year he joined to the OKB-Tupolev until was retired in 1982. He was the pilot in the historic first flight of the TU-144 registered CCCP-68001 on December 31st, 1968. After the retirement lived in Moscow and later in the city of Rostov-on-Don. He was awarded with Lenin Order, Order of Red Banner and Order of Red Star, medals. Also was awarded with the Tissande Diploma from the FAI in 1969. Was designed Hero Of The Soviet Union on April 26th, 1971. |
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He took part very actively in all the development program of the TU-144. He was member of the Soviet delegation present at Paris Air Show the day of the accident of the TU-144S registered CCCP-77102. After de accident declared: “This crash was sad example showing how coincidence of minor negligence also from French air traffic control services resulted in tragedy”.
He was also onboard the first TU-144D registered CCCP-77111 when did an emergency crash-landing in Yegoryevsk in 1978. As result of the accident Elyan suffered small injures.
In the last years he was very active in all efforts directed to save and restore the last two TU-144D stored at the Zhukovsky Air Base near Moscow.
After many years parked on the ramp at Zhukovsky Air Base, the TU-144D registered CCCP-77115 has been restored, thanks to the Club of Heroes of the City of Zhukovsky, and now is one of the aircrafts on display at the MAKS-2007 Airshow until Sunday, 26th August. She looks like in her better days because she has been repainted with the Aeroflot livery.
On this page of the Club you can see the current state of the last completed TU-144 at MAKS-2007 Airshow.
The Club of Heroes of the City of Zhukovsky informs in his website that is scheduled that the TU-144D registered CCCP-77115 will be on display in the MAKS-2007 AirShow that will take place at the Zhukovsky Air Base from 21st August until 26th August. This program still depends of the necessary funds for the whole restoration of the aircraft.
The passengers' cabin will be divided into two sections. The forward half of the first section will have 6-8 seats for VIP visitors, a screen with a projector for viewing presentations, a case-bar and a stand for souvenirs. The back half will be for demonstration and displays.
The back section will be also divided. The forward half will be equipped with two workplaces where a virtual flight to the stratosphere will be simulated and the back half will have a representation of the passengers' cabin of the TU-144 as it was in her regular flights.
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When the MAKS-2007 AirShow ends, and with the
aircraft fully restored, it is foreseen that remains on display as a monument in the city of Zhukovsky.
A company will be designated to control the visits, the maintenance and the exploitation of the monument.
On the right you can see the final proposal for the monument. |
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After a social movement that have involved many Russians associations and institutions, this site can affirm that the TU-144LL registered RA-77114 is also saved and will be preserved and on display at Moscow.
The foreseen place where she will be installed is still undefined, but an aviation museum that will be created the next year at Khodinskoe Pole, in downtown Moscow, is the most probably location. Another place might be at VDNH, the Exhibition Center of Moscow.
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RA-77114 is a unique aircraft because she was the only one TU-144 converted into Flying Laboratory as part
of the joint program between Tupolev and NASA for the development of a supersonic transport of second
generation, SST-2. She is also the holder of 14
world records of speed, altitude and payload.
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Her current state is not pretty good, all the instruments installed during her life as Flying Laboratory have been removed and the original equipment was not put back. She is also without engines.
When this project becomes a reality and CCCP-77115 is on display as a monument in Zhukovsky, Moscow will be the only one city of the world with three TU-144 preserved.
The last completed TU-144D registered CCCP-77115 will not be scrapped and will be on display at the city of Zhukovsky as soon as possible. This information is from the Club of Heroes of the City of Zhukovsky that has collected until the moment 3 million rubbles of the 10 million asked for the owner of the aircraft.
The aircraft will be restored and placed on a well preserved place. At last seems that the efforts of the Russian lovers of aviation have given a good end to one of the most important piece of their aeronautical history.
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After many contacts with different persons in Russia it seems that the TU-144D
registered CCCP-77115 will be placed as a monument at the city of Zhukovsky. According this
info, this aircraft still belongs to the ANTK Tupolev and a contract has been signed for to
restore and place it on a public square at the city of Zhukovsky. CCCP-77115 was the last
completed TU-144 and she still maintains the original engines and avionics.
This is a design of one proposal for the TU-144's monument at Zhukovsky. |
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In other side of the coin is the fate of the TU-144LL registered RA-77114. This aircraft has
been sold to Zvetmet, a company related with nonferrous scrap activities. The Kuznetsov NK-321
engines were removed from this aircraft after the MAKS-2005 AirShow and after years of open
air storage her hulk seems dirty, but we can't forget that this aircraft suffered a expensive
transformation of 350 million $ when she was converted into Flying Laboratory in 1996 and
she's still the holder of 14
world records.
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Obviously the price of this aircraft is bigger as a TU-144 than as a mountain of metal. Any aviation museum of the world will be proud to have on display this wonderful piece of the aviation history.
According to the info of a Russian TV, two TU-144 aircrafts registered RA-77114 and CCCP-77115 parked at Zhukovsky Air Base near Moscow, have been sold and will be scraped soon.
This site is trying to contact with different persons and organizations in Russia for to save both aircrafts because the TU-144 is a very important part of the aeronautical world history.
Click on the logos for to see the history of both aircrafts
According to a report from Auto & Technik Museum, the TU-144 on display at Sinsheim is under a series of inside modifications that will compare her to the Concorde's state.
A new carpet has been installed on the floor. This carpet is very strong and it has rubber on its underside, so that water and salt cannot harm the airplane's floor.
Also now everything will be covered with plexi plastic like in the Concorde. The reason is to avoid that nothing can be stolen or damaged. Another change is the addition of some more seats, now the visitors can see and feel how it was in a supersonic aircraft. These seats are not original TU-144 seats, they are taken from a “Malév” TU-134 on display also at Sinsheim.
It is expected that these works will be ready for the next weekend. This site will inform about the end of the works and the reopening of the only one TU-144 on display out of Russia.
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