The same board RA-76842 from Kandahar

Last week, Ilya Varlamov at the invitation of the press service of the Moscow airport "Domodedovo" with bloggers and ottenki_serogo russos attended aviation technical base (ATB) airport to watch the legendary IL-76TD, tail number RA-76842. The plane with seven crew members on board a cargo of ammunition and troops "Northern Alliance" was captured by the forces of the movement "Taliban" in Afghanistan. Known escape heroic crew of more than a year of captivity.

39 ph via Ilya Varlamov

01. IL-76 - Soviet medium military transport aircraft developed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau. Because of the characteristic shape glass cockpit navigator, he was nicknamed "ulybayka." IL-76 (transport long-range) - modification of civil Il-76MD. Capacity of the machine is 50 tons. The maximum takeoff weight of 190 tons. Flight range with maximum load of 3,600 km. The first flight 05/05/1982. The estimated cost of the aircraft - 27 million US dollars.





August 3, 1995 IL-76 tail number RA-76842, which belonged to the Kazan company "Aerostan" (now the plane belongs to airline "Aviacon Zitotrans"), with seven crew members on board for the government in Kabul as part of an intergovernmental agreement with Albania, made a commercial flight from Tirana - Kabul (Bagram) loaded with small arms ammunition.

02. The actual recipient of the goods was the "Northern Alliance" Bagram was controlled by the evil enemy, "the Taliban" Ahmad Shah Massoud. Similar flights to Bagram, in particular, from Sharjah, the crew performed several times, carrying a variety of cargo. Flight from Tirana with ammunition was third after the two the same, it is quite successful. Over Afghan plane was intercepted by MiG-21 movement "Taliban" and was forced to land in Kandahar under the guise of inspection of cargo. Among formally allowed to be transported rifle ammunition was found a box of ammunition prohibited for carriage.



03. More than a year (378 days) members of the crew of the aircraft were in captivity in very difficult conditions, suffering from the heat, lack of water and bad food. The psychological state of the crew was also very difficult: they seriously feared for their lives because they were captured while carrying weapons enemies "of the Taliban." On the other hand, they did not notice any significant effort on the part of Russian authorities rescued them from captivity. The Taliban asked them to convert to Islam with promises to improve the lot. Communication with the Russian managed to maintain, in particular through Timur Akulov, the representative of the President of Tatarstan Shaimiev.



04. Trying Akulova to exchange prisoners for spare parts for helicopters failed. On the other hand, managed to achieve the right to a rare personal meetings, including with other representatives of the Russian authorities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the transmission of mail, which allowed to discuss the details of a possible escape. The crew was able to convince the Taliban that very valuable airplane requires periodic maintenance. In the absence of in-house expertise, the crew was allowed from time to time, under armed escort, to maintain the aircraft in serviceable condition.



August 16, 1996 the crew of the plane was able to escape on his same plane - through Iran to the UAE. With regular maintenance (in particular, the reason for it was the damaged wheel chassis) Start the engine and the crew took off, taking advantage of the weakening of vigilance at the airport because of the Friday prayers and the time. Aerodrome service tried to prevent take-off, but to no avail. Aircraft fighter raised in the air was not. The guards, who were less than usual, managed to disarm and tie. Enough to fuel the flight, as the aircraft before the flight to Kabul was filled with the expectation of a return flight, and the fuel was drained not. For more stealth aircraft went from Afghanistan to the west to Iran (and not to the north, in Russia), with at extremely low altitudes. Air traffic controllers Iran, as it was agreed in advance, missed the plane in its airspace, to further unobstructed plane flew to the United Arab Emirates, Sharjah.

In the night from 18 to 19 August, Russian pilots returned safely to Kazan. August 22 the same year signed a decree on awarding the crew, the captain and co-pilot was awarded the title of Hero of Russia, and all the rest of the crew were awarded the Order of Courage.

In February 2010, saw the release of film director Andrei Kavun "Kandahar", based on the events of the capture.

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06. round in cross-section fuselage split into several sealed enclosures, such as cockpit (at the top of the forward fuselage), the navigator (under the cockpit), cabin and cargo compartment arrow aft gun mount. In the front part of the fuselage there are two hatches.



07. All cabins IL-76 sealed, which makes it possible to transport 167 (in the two-deck version - 245) soldiers with personal weapons and ensure the release of 126 people landing group. The cargo compartment 24 is dimensioned and 5 m in length (of which 4, 5 have the ramp), 3, 45 m in width and 3, 4 m in height.



08. The aircraft is able to carry up to 109 500 liters of fuel, and to overcome the distance of 6700 km with an average fuel consumption of 9 tons / hour. The length of the run-up to the take-off of 1500-2000 m and running at landing 930-1000 m.



09. The cargo cabin is equipped with two cargo winches mounted near the front bulkhead, four hoist lifting capacity of 2, 5 tons and four podtrapnikami width layout that can be changed. Paul cargo cabin is equipped with roller conveyor lanes that enables loading, unloading and landing of non-powered single piece.



10. In the stern is tricuspid rear cargo door.



11. At the Moscow airport "Domodedovo" plane arrived maintenance.



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13. cockpit.



14. Technical staff ATB "Domodedovo" tests all aircraft systems.



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18. Cab navigator.



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23. The emergency hatch on the roof.



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25. Refrigerator of "Aeroflot".



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29. Also held redecorating fuselage. Embroidered and processed seams.



30. Then they re-painted.



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34. Once all the systems tested, the aircraft touched up and polished to a shine it kicked out of the hangar. Before that, you need to pay for parking



35. And now the legendary aircraft leaves the hangar.



36. By the way, Kandahar, 1995 - is not the only "heroic" the flight of the aircraft. The plane has carried out flights to a variety of UN agencies, humanitarian organizations - The International Committee of the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam and many others.



This aircraft, like all planes of this type, is unique. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that he has the ability to transport oversized, for example, helicopters, vehicles, and heavy, including heavy cargo such as petroleum equipment.



38. With regard to the interest of goods transported on this aircraft - this satellite equipment to Baikonur, the French aerospace equipment Cayenne. Last summer, the helicopters were brought to the United Nations in the area of ​​the disaster in Indonesia. Aircraft companies carried white whales, a rare species of horned rhinos for the zoo in the city of Vienna and other exotic animals.



Ramp planes, which include IL-76, are designed to address specific tasks, such as responding to emergencies and transport support humanitarian missions, transportation of heavy and oversized cargo.

39. From this angle the plane is very similar to a thick turkey.



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