Rare and One-Off Aircraft, Archives Threatened

Aero-News has learned that the Central Russian Air Force Museum, at Monino Airfield near Moscow, broke out in flames Friday afternoon or evening (Moscow time). At least ten fire engines were called to the scene.

The museum is the leading air museum in the Russian Federation, and it has been the home to many irreplaceable exhibits and archives since the days of the Soviet Union. It is the rough equivalent of the US National Air and Space Museum and Air Force Museum, combined, or the French Musee de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget.

Aircraft displayed or in storage at Monino include many unique and historic Russian aerospace craft, including X-planes, supersonic transports, prototypes of mass-produced and never-produced warplanes, famous warbirds, and examples of air- and spacecraft connected to individual heroes.

According to the Russian Novosti press agency, the museum also holds 37,000 unique or rare photographs and documents.

A major airshow, MAKS 05, is underway in Russia this week, but that is taking place at a different airfield -- Zhukovskiy. Whether the show has any connection to the fire, whether any human injuries have occurred, and the cause of the fire remain unknown. Stay with Aero-News for updates.

FMI: www.moninoaviation.com