Moses03
December 29th, 2009, 15:38
On August 12th 1937, a specially modified TB-3 bomber took off from Moscow in an attempt to fly non-stop over the North Pole to the USA. It never arrived.
http://i45.tinypic.com/a9vfwg.jpg
Aboard URSS-N209 were six crewmembers who along with the aircraft all disappeared without a trace. A international search effort yielded no clues.
The brightly painted red and silver TB-3 was equipped with supercharged AM-34RVN engines for artic duty. It also had skis, a heated cabin, brake parachutes for short field landings and extra rescue and emergency equipment.
http://i46.tinypic.com/2428ryd.jpg
The bomber most likely ran into bad weather and was forced down into the frigid artic ocean. Sadly, another TB-3 was lost during the search although this one has since been found:
"The partially snow-covered wreck of specially-modified Arctic variant of the Tupolev TB-3 four-engine bomber was located at Teplitz Bay, Rudolf Island in Franz Josef Land. From data gathered, the wreck was subsequently identified as TB-3 (ANT-6) No. 210. This aircraft was piloted by Boris Chukhnovsky during a failed search for another TB-3 (ANT-6), No. 209, which had been lost in August 1937 during an attempt to fly from Moscow over the north pole to the United States. The Teplitz TB-3 (ANT-6) wreck represents both the primary aeronautical archaeology of the triumphs and disasters of the Soviet Union's air expeditions to the pole in 1937–1938 and, at 81°47.5'N, is the northernmost aircraft wreck yet identified.
P.J. Capelotti Dec 2006"
Some excellent video of the TB-3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVRUwx1NIPk&NR=1
http://i45.tinypic.com/a9vfwg.jpg
Aboard URSS-N209 were six crewmembers who along with the aircraft all disappeared without a trace. A international search effort yielded no clues.
The brightly painted red and silver TB-3 was equipped with supercharged AM-34RVN engines for artic duty. It also had skis, a heated cabin, brake parachutes for short field landings and extra rescue and emergency equipment.
http://i46.tinypic.com/2428ryd.jpg
The bomber most likely ran into bad weather and was forced down into the frigid artic ocean. Sadly, another TB-3 was lost during the search although this one has since been found:
"The partially snow-covered wreck of specially-modified Arctic variant of the Tupolev TB-3 four-engine bomber was located at Teplitz Bay, Rudolf Island in Franz Josef Land. From data gathered, the wreck was subsequently identified as TB-3 (ANT-6) No. 210. This aircraft was piloted by Boris Chukhnovsky during a failed search for another TB-3 (ANT-6), No. 209, which had been lost in August 1937 during an attempt to fly from Moscow over the north pole to the United States. The Teplitz TB-3 (ANT-6) wreck represents both the primary aeronautical archaeology of the triumphs and disasters of the Soviet Union's air expeditions to the pole in 1937–1938 and, at 81°47.5'N, is the northernmost aircraft wreck yet identified.
P.J. Capelotti Dec 2006"
Some excellent video of the TB-3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVRUwx1NIPk&NR=1