Final Days of Helicopters

For Russia it was the year of losing much in aviation. The great exposition was destroyed on Khodynka, the air force academy in Monino was closed, the training base on Medvezhye (Bear) Lakes have been also liquidated. These lakes are the very place we are going to visit right now.

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Just recently these planes had been strictly guarded, today there are neither dogs nor people here.

Two fighters MiG-23 are here. It’s the open compartment for the drag chute.

Inside the wings of the plane resemble some cellular structure – rather light but not very stable.

The exhaust nozzle of the engine.

Gear retraction compartment.

The wing was probably damaged during the transportation. But it doesn’t matter anymore.

Here’s what remained from the Mi-24.

An empty cargo bay (it was a transport-combat helicopter).

Remains of avionics.

Cabin.

The tail was carefully put on the tire.

The tail inside.

The wings lie nearby.

There are several MiG-21 here, too.

The engine is still in a normal condition.

Even the chains are still here.

As well as most of the wires.

Does anyone what to take a bath?

Though not only planes of the third generation are dying here but of the fourth as well.

MiG-29. The nose cone is lying nearby, the radar was carefully dismantled.

Tail fin.

One more MiG but in a worse condition.

The wings have been dismantled.

The fuel lines are broken.

Container for the drag chute.

The skeleton of the vehicle.

Don’t they look beautiful in their aesthetic complexity?

The dismantled engines can be found in the forest nearby.

They look like hearts prepared for transplantation but thrown away.

This one has served its time.

Not so far is the space communication center.

Unfinished telescope.

This building had a radar on its top, but today it’s abandoned.

via ru-aviation