All news

Dress rehearsal of air show dedicated to 100th Air Force starts in Zhukovsky

The air show may have 100,000 viewers

ZHUKOVSKY, Moscow region, August 10 (Itar-Tass) — The dress rehearsal of an air show dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Russian Air Force has begun in Zhukovsky, Moscow region.

The rehearsal started with parachute jumps. The paratroopers were carrying flags of Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry and the Air Force. Six Sukhoi Si-25 jets came next, and Mikoyan MiG-29SMT, Sukhoi Su-25SM and Su-25SM3 followed.

World aviation legends – Po-2 Il-3, Yak-3, MiG-15, Hurricane, B-25, Fokker, Avenger and others - will spend almost two hours in the air. Pilots from the UK, France, Poland and Finland are taking part in the rehearsal, too.

“Warplanes of the Russian Air Force, DOSAAF aircraft and foreign aerobatics teams from the UK, Italy, Turkey, France, Poland, Finland and Latvia will participate in the Common Skies show,” Russian Air Force spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik told Itar-Tass.

“In all, there will be over 50 operative and tactical aircraft, among them Sukhoi Su-24, Su-25, Su-27 and Su-34, Mikoyan MiG-31 and MiG-29 and Yakovlev Yak-130, as well as strategic aircraft, such as Tupolev Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS and Tu-160. About 20 aircraft will represent military transport and specialized aviation, while army aviation will be represented by 20 helicopters – Mil Mi-8, Mi-28, Mi-26 and Mi-35, as well as Kamov Ka-52 and Ansat,” Drik said.

“Internationally acclaimed aerobatics teams of the Russian Air Force, Russkiye Vityazy flying Su-27, Strizhi flying MiG-29 and Berkuty flying Mi-28N, will end the show,” he said.

The air show will start on Saturday in the attendance of national leaders, and the centenary will be marked on August 12 when the air show opens to the general public.

The air show may have 100,000 viewers. Tickets are available online at www.100letvvs.ru. An applicant needs to provide his or her passport data and contacts, and the booking confirmation will be e-mailed.