10.08.2022

Restoration of the Douglas C-47 aircraft is currently in progress in Novosibirsk. The work on the aircraft should be done within 2 years. Now the plane is in a special hangar on the territory of the Mochishche airfield. The renovations started at the end of last year.

d5632c90e219d46a71d796e8202b2c37.jpg

— The restoration workers focused their efforts on restoring the forward fuselage, which was most severely damaged during a forced landing in 1947. Two new frames were made to replace those severely damaged during the deformation of the aircraft's bow. They also corrected the original cover plates of the lower part of the fuselage. Cockpit equipment, steering frame, pilot seat frames – all cleaned and prepared for painting. Already beginning is the process of painting some individual elements and attachments of the engine. Also, a restored keel has already been installed on the tail section of the fuselage, — said Alexander Matveev, head of the commission of the Krasnoyarsk regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society for the preservation of historical memory.

After the restoration project is complete, the aircraft will return to Krasnoyarsk and become an interactive museum exhibit, according to the representatives of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society.

1-shpangouty-kabiny.jpg

​For more info on the ALSIB – the Alaska-Siberian air road – please refer here​

«Douglas» crash landed in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Region in 1947. The then crew commander Maxim Tyurikov managed to save all the passengers. In order to ensure their survival, however, the commander sacrificed himself and part of the crew. In 2016, the aircraft itself was evacuated to Krasnoyarsk. A year later, the wings of the aircraft were transported to the capital of the region. The plane was located in the Solnechny microdistrict in the Sovetsky district. For 5 years, specialists from the regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society have cleaned, decontaminated, disassembled and sorted the aircraft wreckage. In addition, the terms of reference and a plan for the restoration of the aircraft were developed as well.