Khotilovo is a secret military airfield located in the Tver region. It is always in combat readiness to protect the airspace of Moscow and the Central industrial region. It’s not that easy to get there…
A normal day begins with flight training.
Crews examine various confidential documents and tables.
In the 90s, due to the collapse of the USSR, there were some difficulties here and the planes were almost permanently grounded. Now everything is much better: pilots spend three days flying and two days preparing for it.
Before the flight, pilots are told the current situation, weather conditions and, most importantly, their task. The main parameters for the day are written on the blackboard.
Notes and equipment of the navigator.
Flight suits are individually fitted. Here you can see helmets with pilots’ last names written on them.
They are used when not flying at very high altitudes. They protect the head from striking the various things inside the cabin and also while ejecting.
A barracks with the crew that is on duty is located at the far end of the airfield. On the combat alert signal, they must quickly dress, go to the plane (some planes are already filled and have missiles aboard) and prepare it for takeoff, all within 10 minutes.
The pilots’ changing room. Each set of equipment is unique.
This is the pressure suit used in case of depressurization of the cockpit at altitudes of more than 12 km.
The principle of the pressure suit is the fact that the surface of the body is subject to mechanical squeezing with specific pressure equal to the pressure of gas in the lungs. This is done by tension devices with pneumatic chambers inside. When they fill with gas, the chambers straighten out, increase in diameter, and stretch the fabric of the suit.
And these are pressure helmets which are also designed for flying at high altitudes (up to 20,000 meters).
Fitting.
The heating system is embedded into the helmet to prevent the glass from becoming foggy. So if the pilot puts on a helmet which doesn’t fit him and his nose touches the glass, it can easily get a burn.
Ready for the flight.
This is a parking area of the MiG-31, supersonic interceptor aircraft.
The plane weighs 20 tons, and the fuel tanks add another 16 tons, plus 4 more tons for various cargoes. It can fly at an altitude of 20 km, with a maximum speed of 3000 km/h.
Number seven is going to scout the weather conditions.
Its turbojet.
And a pitot tube.
The main part of the undercarriage. A very well thought-out construction. Every wheel moves along its own line. It makes it easier to go along unpaved and icy airfields.
“Don’t turn on without fluid cooling”.
Filling the plane with nitrogen.
The crew.
Inspecting the engine.
These planes often fly at night here, and although pilots don’t have any special equipment for night vision, they easily navigate by the lights on the ground.
Finally, the crew take their seats and perform the final pre-flight preparations.
The engines are running, the systems have been tested. It’s time to take off.
When the plane reaches supersonic speed, one can hear a crack or boom on the ground. At that moment, the pilot in the cockpit is watching the needles on the guages shudder and swing.
since russia hasn’t produced anything new to fly, then let’s fly those old and rusty mig 25/31!
Considering the MiG 25/31 is the fastest interceptors in the world to this day. Yes we should fly it.
I seem to remember that the F-16 entered service in 1979 and the F-15 in 1972. They are still the main fighter types in the US, ain’t they?
does russia have a stealth jet now?….
Google Pak-Fa its Sukhio’s 5th gen aircraft their developing. They say its going to be more maneuverable then the Su-27’s and faster then the F-22’s but it will not be as stealthy.
The US Airforce has several wings of F22s deployed while Russia is still fooling around with prototypes. Also, The F16s and F15s of the 70s don’t come close to those of today. The US has a serious upgrade and refitt program for all of it’s military equipment. Russia is not nearly as aggressive in maintaining it’s equipment as the US. A point proven on this website everyday.
I’m not afraid of the FSB come and get me, my 1911 is ready for you.
Wow, this is a fantastic post. These pictures are great and I really appreciate all the extra information, it was well written. Thanks.
Don’t worry, I won’t tell the Americans or whomever about this secret airbase. Your secret is safe here!
The only reason to have a secret base is to tell everyone you have a secret base.
and also remember-area 51 does not exist in nevada….
Love those Su-27s. Beautiful aircraft.
Yep, nothing like putting lots of photos of something on the internet to keep it secret.
57° 39′ 18″ N, 34° 6′ 0″ E
Here are the Google Earth coordinates for the base.
Love the pink auto body filler around the windows of the cockpit. This should make it more airtight. Good luck guys.
finally they have started to put the captions under the pictures I salute them.
The Strange Red-White device looks like a Runway caravan to me
Here’s some more birds – http://www.friendsofblackwater.org/camhtm.html
We already know all about it.
This is obviously a much more professionally run aviation unit than we usually see pictures of. The aircraft and facilities are much more organized and maintained.
Here’s another (known) secret: All governments who promise to protect us are liars. We are on our own, past and present, U.S. and Russia, whatever. Unless you’re wealthy- then you are safe, of course.
The right part of the cockpit, not the right part of the photograph, you spong!!!
Not very secret now is it. ^_^
Don’t tell me that this guy with 5 diopters on each eye is a pilot too!
I’m really surprised that there are people intelligent enough to fly or even basically operate these childish looking airplanes. How can they fly when its apparent that they do not know how to spell, all of those backward letters, and wow the advancement of such a third world race that just hammers a few bricks from a wall to install an ATM.
You are idiot. These are superb flying machines, the dogfighters that can fly circles around F-15, F16, F-22 and all other stealth F***ing US planes. Was proven countless number of times in the Middle East, Africa, Bosnia, Iraq and other local wars.
LOL funniest thing I read all day, thanks
I guess we all are in trouble now for looking at the pictures.
Is that Bondo on the windshield??
Not Bondo, I suspect something more flexible – Bubblegum.
Even if it’s a bubble gum (not true) it’s still the fastest flying machine today! Beats all other shiny-looking US F-fighters (or should I say F’d-up? fighters)
You guys are cold. That’s a fantastic piece of machinery. A MiG-25 holds the world’s altitude record for a jet fighter at just over 105,000 feet……. of course it had to glide back down because it took all it’s fuel to get up there. But it did get up there.
Hey Guys you will see the real PAKFA T-50 IN 2014 while flying wildly in the sky…
We can compare MIG-35 OR Su-35 Flanker with F-22 but not Sukhoi PAKFA T-50 But If SO,
yOU CAN Tell american shits to attack once Russia(The lion of the world)
Is this article available in English?
Lots of “OMG Russian plainz are so good and amazing, will beat the crap outta anything”.. So why do they look like something a 3rd world African country would be embarrassed to own?
The MiG-25 was known as “The Flying Restaurant” because the alcohol used to operate the hydraulic systems was drinkable and was constantly being pilfered by aircrew. The wives of the pilots complained to the commanders and suggested that some other fluid be used but they were told: “Go to hell, if we want we will fuel our planes with cognac”.
Could someone translate this article into English?