Bykovo looked every bit an airport that was on its last legs. Very limited movements and a terminal like nothing I've ever experienced. Inside was a true communist throw-back with lots of wood paneling, brown "marble" and wooden ticket counters with more of a railway station feel than an airport. The downstairs toilets were the most repulsive I have encountered at any airport anywhere in the world, ever.
Movements were limited to a departing Centre Avia Yak42 and a corporate Yak 40 followed by an arriving Russian Air Force IL-18. Aside from these, the saving grace here was the mass of stored frames and aircraft in various states of refurbishment at the adjoining works plant. I'm glad we went here though as the airport is now closed with only a few frames languishing in a corner of the field.
Day 4 - 1st July 2002 - Moscow Bykovo Airport - full album at https://www.flickr.com/photos/56388143@ ... 992492490/
The terminal from the "active" ramp:
IMG_0027 by Illusion450, on FlickrThis IL14 was mounted outside the terminal next to the car park. Looking at google earth it appears to have disappeared along with the entire passenger terminal. Can anyone confirm the fate of the aircraft?
IMG_0002 by Illusion450, on FlickrI wish I had taken more photos of the interior:
IMG_0012 by Illusion450, on FlickrThis was probably the star attraction:
RA-42344 a Yakolev 40 at Moscow Bykovo 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on FlickrUntil this arrived:
RA-75676 an Ilyushin 18 at Moscow Bykovo 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on FlickrThere were a few Antonovs in various states of storage:
RA-30062 Antonov 30 at Moscow Bykovo 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on Flickr
IMG_0004 by Illusion450, on FlickrThe adjoining re-work facility had a whole mish-mash of items in various states of repair and colour schemes, some with no paint whatsoever:
IMG_0016 by Illusion450, on FlickrThere were quite a few smaller Yaks as well:
RA-87280 Yakolev 40 at Moscow Bykovo 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on Flickr
RA-87224 Yakolev 40 at Moscow Bykovo 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on FlickrAs well as this Russian Government Tupolev 204:
RA-64015 Tupolev 204 at Moscow Bykovo on 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on FlickrThis Aeroflot An74 in Polar colours was operated by Yeniseisky Meridian Airlines:
RA-74004 Antonov 74 at Moscow Bykovo on 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on FlickrLithuanian seemed to be disposing of their Yak 42 fleet and two or possibly three of them were parked:
LY-AAV Yakolev 42 at Moscow Bykovo 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on FlickrProbably the most colourful machine on the field was this Specavia An26:
UN-26507 Antonov 26 at Moscow Bykovo 1st July 2002 (scanned slide) by Illusion450, on FlickrMoscow Myatchkovo Airport - 1st July 2002 - full album at https://www.flickr.com/photos/56388143@ ... 002941412/
I recall it took a while to find this field and gain access for our bus. Once there, we were treated to a ramp full of Antonov 30s as well as a good variety of other frames in various states. We were let loose across the entire ramp with very few areas "out-of-bounds" and only a few grumpy engineers giving us disapproving looks as we snapped away...
We eventually found the entrance sign and the airfield along what could only be described as a country lane:
IMG_0001 by Illusion450, on FlickrThese were in abundance:
CCCP-30045 Antonov 30 at Moscow Myachkovo Airport on 1st July 2002 by Illusion450, on Flickr
RA-30006 Antonov 30 at Moscow Myachkovo Airport on 1st July 2002 by Illusion450, on Flickr
RA-30042 Antonov 30 at Moscow Myachkovo Airport on 1st July 2002 by Illusion450, on FlickrThis An2 had seen better days but looked very pretty "out to grass":
CCCP-01666 Antonov 2 at Moscow Myachkovo Airport on 1st July 2002 by Illusion450, on FlickrAs did this Let 410 which sadly crashed nearby the following year:
FLARF-01032 Let 410 of Aeroklub Borki at Moscow Myachkovo Airport on 1st July 2002 by Illusion450, on FlickrAtran seemed to be breaking up a couple of their IL76s here. I was surprised to see aircraft of this size at the field:
RA-76789 Ilyushin 76 at Moscow Myachkovo Airport on 1st July 2002 by Illusion450, on FlickrThis beauty had just been repainted, albeit without much colour:
FLARF-01114 Ilyushin 14 of ASK Aviatsionny Sportivny Klub at Moscow Myachkovo Airport on 1st July 2002 by Illusion450, on FlickrThere were a few corporate Yak 40s here as well:
IMG_0034 by Illusion450, on Flickr
IMG_0031 by Illusion450, on FlickrI have a vague recollection that this aircraft may have been involved in over-flights of the Chernobyl disaster and as such was "quarantined" here. Any confirmation would be appreciated:
IMG_0023 by Illusion450, on FlickrThe last day of our trip was spent at Sheremetyevo where we had a ramp tour in the morning ahead of our departure back to London that afternoon. Part 4 to follow!
Full collections can be viewed at https://www.flickr.com/photos/56388143@ ... 355662067/
