Aircraft Graveyard, Crimea

I've got a thing for old technology and I do like scrapyards

I can't bear to get rid of Walkmen, reel to reel tape recorders 35mm cameras and record decks. Not that I use any of them, I just like to have them hanging about.


I find Soviet era old tech utterly fascinating too. I expect it's something to do with a childhood  building Airfix F4 Phantom/Mig 21 dogfight doubles and the like which I never grew out of, and growing up with my weekly fix of Warlord, Eagle and Victor comics with their cutaway technical pictures.

Anyway, I found all these amazing pictures of an abandoned Soviet Era aircraft graveyard online. The pictures, it appears, were taken last summer.
The Livejournal link is a bit dodgy, so I've nicked some of them for people to see here.

(I would normally feel bad about nicking someone elses copyright, but as its Russian and knowing their somewhat cavalier approach to rights I'm not feeling terribly guilt ridden - Last time I was in Belarus I got a Russian produced copy of the whole of AC/DCs back catalogue on a DVD in MP3 form for 40,000 roubles - about a tenner in UK money - from the Belarussian equivalent of HMV. However if the picture's owner sees this and is deeply offended, I'll happily take this post down.)

I've used an online translator to reprint the original sites text.
you can see the original site HERE

Click on the pictures to make them full size

These Jets are Czech built L29 Dolphin Trainers

The thrown air station in Ukraine
We continue our expedition to Crimea. For a day we have overcome customs and half of way across Ukraine. Before last jerk on plateau Караби we are waited with spending the night somewhere in the central part and visiting of the thrown air station where as speak, even there are planes. In it we slightly trust, for фигли in the thrown air station to do to the thrown planes? They for a long time should be sold already on color and other мет.

So already late at night we have arrived to area of air station. We knew only that it somewhere here in a floor. To look for it in total darkness бессмыслено, therefore we have placed tents, have made a supper and were filled up to sleep. Early in the morning we were waited with object.

To tell, that I have tested a shock from seen, it nothing to tell. In air station really there was туева a heap only. Л-29, Ан-24РТ, Ми-2, Ми-8 and Ан-2. Planes and a little bit air field motor-vehicles stood in some numbers up to horizon. Almost all whole and not развандалено. We slowly and in full prostration wandered between aviatechnics, enjoying a show. The thrown air station with planes is as клад to find, whether that. By the way, it is possible to approach on them is direct by the car. To drive on a strip. We have not found any protection. It can there slept in 6 mornings, can it there is not present. Though hardly in a distance behind a fence there was still party Л-29 (they are protected or not, we did not begin to find out) and like as in the best possible way. But here to fly up it already there is no place.

By these planes should studies new Ukrainian pilots, but alas. Neither planes, nor pilots.