Attack of the Communist Crop Dusters!

[Firebird2XC]

No, really. Check it:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/PZL-Mielec-M-15-Belphegor/0447261/L/

So ugly only Mother Russia could love it, this odd looking airplane was used to dust crops in the Soviet Union. Western types originally feared a more sinister application. I know that in chemical warfare training that "Seeing an aircraft spraying a chemical" was enough to trigger a chem-attack response (masks and suits and talking like Darth Vader, etc).


So here's a fun thread idea: Post a photo and maybe a bio of an airplane with an usual design, look, or colorful history. Cheers! :beer:

 

[SurferLucas]

That aircraft is the only Turbine Jet powered crop duster in the world! Very odd indeed!

 

[cmill]

The Beriev A-40. Leave it to the Russians to build the only flying jet seaplane (AFAIK.) Can land in swells up to 9 feet.

 

[SurferLucas]

The Beriev A-40. Leave it to the Russians to build the only flying jet seaplane (AFAIK.) Can land in swells up to 9 feet.

Actually the US built a jet powered seaplane back before the Russians:

The Martin P6M SeaMaster. The SeaMaster, built by the Glenn L. Martin Company, was a 1950s strategic bomber flying boat for the United States Navy that almost entered service; production aircraft had been built and Navy crews were undergoing operational conversion, with a service entry about six months off, when the program was cancelled on August 21, 195

 

[Adler]

So here's a fun thread idea: Post a photo and maybe a bio of an airplane with an usual design, look, or colorful history. Cheers! :beer:

sooooo any Russian airplane.

 

[SurferLucas]

Around the same time as the SeaMaster, the US also built the only seaplane to exceed the sound barrier.

The Convair F2Y Sea Dart:

 

[darthpanda]

Not really a plane, instead a "Wing in ground effect" or WIG, the KM Ekranoplan

Created to deliver troops and fire cruise missiles across the Caspian Sea, quite the monster.

And a related Lun class Ekranoplan:

 

[cmill]

Yeah, i knew about the seamaster, not about the other one. Hence, why i said:

the only flying jet seaplane

Guess i coulda said currently flying, but oh well.

That sea dart looks pretty bad ass though.

 

[Adler]

The Beriev A-40. Leave it to the Russians to build the only flying jet seaplane (AFAIK.) .

...howbout the 200

 

[Firebird2XC]

... and all this because Stalin wanted to go water-skiing. Geebus.

 

[cmill]

...howbout the 200

i stand corrected :beer:

 

[Adler]

Leave it to the Russians to build the only flying jet seaplane (AFAIK.)

we got one too

 

[gtlyon]

...howbout the 200

I have to admit...this seaplane looks pretty damn cool IMHO-)

 

[gtlyon]

we got one too

HA! touche

 

[CcrlR737AMT]

... and all this because Stalin wanted to go water-skiing. Geebus.

Has Putin or Mevev been on these yet? Put Putin and Obama on the BE-200. The swells are bigger in Russia than what Hawaii and California can offer:insane:

seriously these pics of all of the old pics remind me of one of my training classes when the instructor showed some soviet aircraft. Including some of these. Laughed my butt off when I saw some of the pics!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

 

[Phantom017]

...In Soviet Russia.... crops dust you!

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

Has Putin or Mevev been on these yet? Put Putin and Obama on the BE-200.

Not only has Putin been one, he was out fighting forest fires with one about two weeks ago. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/co-pilot-putin-helps-put-out-wildfires/412123.html

 

[z987k]

That aircraft is the only Turbine Jet powered crop duster in the world! Very odd indeed!

Can it possibly go slow enough to be effective?

 

[Adler]

Can it possibly go slow enough to be effective?

it looks like a drag machine.

 

[z987k]

Not only has Putin been one, he was out fighting forest fires with one about two weeks ago. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/co-pilot-putin-helps-put-out-wildfires/412123.html

FTA:

Putin, wearing a blue shirt and jeans, boarded a Russian-built Be-200 amphibious aircraft as a passenger for a flight over the Ryazan region. But he later went into the cockpit and sat in the co-pilot's seat, holding the throttle and pushing a button to dump 24 tons of water on forest fires about 200 kilometers southeast of Moscow.

So SIC sits left seat over there?