From the “Bear” to some of the best flying machines, Kolkata’s new aircraft museum is a window to the world of Indian Navy’s air power.
Kolkata recently got its first aircraft museum situated in New Town which was built by the State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs along with a pact with the Indian Navy, in early June this year.
The aircraft museum is spread across an area of 2.2 acres of land which was allocated by West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation or HIDCO. On display is a Soviet-built Tupolev 142 M nicknamed the “Bear”. The aircraft is contra-rotating propeller piston-powered. The Tupolev 142 M was primarily used in long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare missions for the Navy. It has total flight hours of 3000 hours with clocked service tenure of 30 years.
Tupolev 142 M had its first flight in 1962. A total of 100 units were constructed from 1968 to 1994. The flying machine is powered by four Soviet-built Kuznetsov NK-12MV. A total of 12 crew members were required to fly the aircraft which could carry an array of warheads with a maximum range of 12000 kilometers. This made Tupolev 142 M an ideal choice for intercontinental bombing runs. In addition, the aircraft had a facility for external mid-flight air-to-air refueling.
The Tupolev 142 M has completed its lifetime flight hours and according to the Navy is no longer an economic option to serve in the forces. However, Russia continues to operate a fleet of Tu-142s as the aircraft was built for cold conditions and well suited for Russian weather conditions.
The museum is open to the general public on all days, the timings range from 2:30 to 8:30 pm on weekdays and 12 noon to 8:30 pm on weekends. Entry fee is exempted for students upon display of their identity cards, while the general public will be charged INR30 for every visit, which includes a look inside the aircraft.
Edited by : V. Prem Shanker