It is warm, the sky is blue, soft rumbling is heard from the most powerful turboprop engines in the world… We are at the airbase in Engel’s. These are photos that you could never have hoped to see before. During the Soviet era, this was top, top, top secret stuff. But not anymore thanks to brave Russian bloggers who took their cameras with them when they visited this place. Are you ready to see the largest supersonic, variable wing geometry plane up close and uncensored? Let’s take a look!

This is the commander of this strategic Russian base. He is also a pilot and takes practice flights on an Ilyushin-78.

–nextpage–

First, let’s see some older Russian Tupolev-95MS. They are not the ones we came here for but they still carry a lot of firepower!

–nextpage–

Tu-95MS is a turboprop bomber and rocket carrier, the fastest turboprop plane, and one of the symbols of the Cold War. It is the only turboprop bomber which went into full production. It was designed for bombing the enemy’s important targets with cruise missiles, in any weather conditions and at any time of the day.

–nextpage–

On July 30, 2010 these planes broke a record of non-stop flying, after they had covered 30 thousand kilometers, crossed three oceans and refueled four times!

–nextpage–

The Tu-95SM carries X-55 cruise missiles.

–nextpage–

A double-barrelled GSh-23 gun is located in the rear of the aircraft. The range of a 23 x 115 mm bullet is 2 kilometers.

–nextpage–

On the next few pages you will see the Top Secret Soviet TU-95s!

–nextpage–

Preparing the aircraft for a flight.

–nextpage–

Inside of the cabin of Tu-95MS.

The crew consists of seven people. There are no ejection seats for them, so in case of emergency, they should leave the plane through the entrance ports.

–nextpage–

Tu-95 has the most powerful engine in the world (15000 hp). Its propellers have a diameter of 5.6 meters which is more than a single track tunnel of Moscow Metro.

–nextpage–

It is also one of the noisiest aircrafts in the world and can be spotted even by hydroacoustic systems of submarines, however stealth is not critical for making nuclear missile strikes.

–nextpage–

At this airbase they make a minimum of two practice flights a week.

–nextpage–

Are you ready to see the real thing? It’s ahead!

–nextpage–

These aircraft are practicing take-offs and landings, refuelling in the air, and long flights over Russia.

–nextpage–

The first to take off is a rocket carrier scout plane. It makes a circle of a 300-kilometer radius.

–nextpage–

A Tu-95MS is about to take off. The two lights imitate a predator to scare birds away.

–nextpage–

The feeling of seeing such a big, heavy and powerful plane ascending are indescribable! But what you see next is really cool!

–nextpage–

The Ilyushin-78 is the only plane of the Russian Air Force that can refuel other planes in the air.

–nextpage–

It’s amazing that such a gigantic thing can fly! Moreover, it can carry up to 90 tons per load!

–nextpage–

–nextpage–

–nextpage–

And the highlight of the show is the Tu-160! This is a supersonic bomber rocket carrier. Here is what we waited so long for!

–nextpage–

Maximum speed: 2230 km/h.

Cruising speed: 917 km/h.

Maximum flight range without refuelling: 13950 km.

Operational ceiling: 15000 meters.

Rate of climb: 4400 meters a minute.

–nextpage–

The plane has 4 engines with a total 100000 hp!

–nextpage–

Russian pilots call it ‘white swan’ for its beauty and gracefulness. Americans call it ‘black knave’ for its invulnerability.

–nextpage–

Each one costs 7.5 billion rubles (250 million dollars), and since 1984 35 of them have been produced.

–nextpage–

The Real White Swan of Russians!

–nextpage–

The Tu-160 is the the largest supersonic variable wing geometry plane. It is the most powerful and the heaviest military aircraft in the world. It has the biggest take-off mass and weapons load.

–nextpage–

What’s interesting on the next page is that you are able to see the cozy little cafeteria where the pilots of these monsters have their lunch breaks between intercontinental flights.

–nextpage–

The local cafeteria. Each lunch will cost you approximately 110 rubles (15 dollars).

–nextpage–

Museum of Aviation.

–nextpage–

–nextpage–

Nearly evening, and the first aircraft are returning to the base.

–nextpage–

–nextpage–

Its take-off mass is comparable to the mass of 9 x 71-619KT trams!

A crew of more than 30 technical specialists work to prepare the aircraft for another flight.

–nextpage–

When these aircraft fly over neutral territory, they are accompanied by NATO fighter interceptors. In case they come too close, which does happen sometimes, Russian swans gather up their supersonic speed and fly away, leaving the NATO planes behind.

–nextpage–

–nextpage–

Tu-95MS landing.

–nextpage–

These are two pictures of the air pageant in Moscow.

–nextpage–

Location: Engel’s

via chistoprudov