#tu154

Tupolev Tu-154M Transportgeschwader 44 (TG-44)

Registration: DDR-SFA Type: Tu-154M Engines: 3 × D-30КU-154 Serial Number: 0799 First flight: 1989

In the year the Berlin Wall fell, a pair of brand-new Tu-154s appeared in the fleet of Transportgeschwader 44 (TG-44), a special transport unit of the GDR Air Force, painted in the colors of Interflug, East Germany's flagship carrier. The philosophy was simple: government aircraft should look like ordinary passenger airliners.

This was characteristic of an era when socialist leaders preferred modesty to ostentatious luxury. Moreover, the civilian livery helped remove certain barriers to obtaining flight clearances to foreign countries. The paradox was that the GDR's national airline never operated the Tu-154.

The aircraft entered service at the most inappropriate historical moment. 1989 became the year of the socialist bloc's collapse, and soon the GDR itself ceased to exist. The two practically new aircraft served East German leadership for only a very short time.

After German reunification in 1990, TG-44 was disbanded, and both Tu-154Ms were transferred to the Luftwaffe – the air force of unified Germany. They received new registration numbers: 11+01 and 11+02, and continued to perform VIP transport duties, as well as participating in observation flights under the Treaty on Open Skies from 1992.

The further paths of the two aircraft diverged dramatically. The first aircraft – 11+01 (formerly DDR-SFA), was withdrawn from service and received a second life in Iran. In 2011, it was finally retired and sent to storage in Iran, where it probably remains to this day.

The second aircraft – 11+02 (formerly DDR-SFB) – met a tragic end. On September 13, 1997, it collided in mid-air with an American C-141B at a distance of 65 miles off the coast of Namibia. Both machines were completely destroyed.

This brief story vividly demonstrates how aviation reflects the political changes of an era, and that even the most modern aircraft can become hostages to historical circumstances.

Tupolev Tu-154M Aeroflot – Russian Airlines

Registration: RA-85643 Type: Tu-154M Engines: 3 × D-30КU-154 Serial Number: 88A779 First flight: Jun 1988

Aeroflot, main carrier of the USSR since 1923. It all started with little Junkers Ju-13s. By the 1970s, it was one of the world’s biggest airlines.

In 1972, Aeroflot welcomed the brand-new Tu-154 – a plane that became a true workhorse. Aeroflot loved them, and by the 1980s, hundreds of these planes were crisscrossing the skies, ferrying everyone from vacationers and business travelers to bigwigs. But time marches on, and the popular Tu-154B-2 model at that time began to need an upgrade.

In 1984, the Tu-154M started arriving at Aeroflot – an improved version of the old “Tu” that became a real hit. The NK-8-2U engines were swapped for more powerful and fuel-efficient D-30KU-154s, the electronics got a boost, and the cabin became comfier. Aeroflot put them to work on medium-haul routes, and they faithfully carried passengers across the country and abroad. By the 1990s, the Tu-154M was the backbone of the airline’s fleet.

By the early 2000s, Aeroflot wasn’t the Soviet-era giant anymore – the market had opened up, competition was growing, and Boeing and Airbus started showing up in the fleet. But the Tu-154M held its own, even if it was considered a veteran. During this time, some planes got winglets. These cut fuel consumption and made flights a bit more economical, which mattered with rising kerosene prices. On the ground, the winglets were barely noticeable, but once the plane took to the sky, you couldn’t miss them.

In the 2000s, Tu-154Ms flew popular routes: Moscow–Sochi, Moscow–Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg–Simferopol. The planes were aging, maintenance costs were climbing, and stricter noise and environmental rules were closing in. Aeroflot gradually phased them out, replacing them with Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. By 2008, only a handful of “Tu” remained at Aeroflot. The last flight was in December 2009: Moscow–Yekaterinburg. The plane went out with dignity, like an old captain who knows it’s time to retire.

Tupolev Tu-154M Aeroflot – Soviet Airlines

Registration: СССР-85662 Type: Tu-154M Engines: 3 × D30КU-154 Serial Number: 0816 First flight: Sep 1989

Aeroflot was founded in 1923 and is one of the oldest airlines in the world. During Soviet times, it was the only air carrier in the country and the largest airline in the world. Most of its routes ran inside the USSR, and at the same time, international transportation was developing, carried out through the International Air Communication Central Control, This department was established in January 1971 on the basis of the International Airlines Transportation Control and had a monopoly on international flights as the Aeroflot—Soviet Airlines brand. In 1984, Aeroflot began operating the Tu-154M, a new modification of the popular aircraft in the USSR. In 1987, the Tu-154M began operating international flights on behalf of Aeroflot—Soviet Airlines.

Tupolev Tu-154B-2 Aeroflot

Registration: СССР-85412 Type: Tu-154B-2 Engines: 3 × NK-8-2 Serial Number: 0412 First flight: Apr 1980

During the era of the USSR, Aeroflot—Soviet Airlines reigned supreme as the sole airline in the nation, and it held the title of the largest aviation company in the world. Predominantly, its extensive network of routes spanned the vast Soviet territory, while its international operations, which bridged all five continents, were steadily expanding.

In the mid-1970s, the Soviet Union embarked on the ambitious endeavor of preparing to host the XXII Olympic Games in Moscow, slated for August 1980. Two years prior to the commencement of the Games, Aeroflot was designated as the official carrier of the event. The airline commenced operating charter flights to numerous countries worldwide, with the frequency of these flights surging as the Games approached. Aircraft assigned to international routes were emblazoned with stickers featuring the Olympic Games-80 emblem and the proclamation "Official Olympic Carrier." Approximately one hundred aircraft, including the IL-62, Tu-154, and Tu-134, proudly bore the Olympic symbols.

During this period, Aeroflot was vigorously augmenting its fleet with new aircraft, among which was the Tu-154, registered as USSR-85412. This particular aircraft, which would later be depicted on the poster, was constructed in April 1980 at the Samara Production Association of the 6th Main Directorate of the MAP of the USSR. After a distinguished service life, this aircraft ceased operations in 2007 in Kazan following the expiration of its airworthiness certificate. By that time, it had become part of the fleet of Tatarstan Airlines.