Aeroflot Polar Division Ilyushin IL-76 (Aeroclassics)

Of the January releases from Aeroclassics as well as the NE FH-227 I also picked up the Polar Division IL-76. It's a very nice model. Looking around for info on it I saw that AC have released this in 1:500 scale already which perhaps explains why it was used last month just prior to the Chinese New Year? It must be cheaper to reuse existing graphics.

I tried to do some quick web-searching for info on the Polar Division of Aeroflot but didn't find much. Any info would be gratefully received. A hint on a photo did suggest this was the only Polar painted IL-76 but I'm not sure.

Here's the history I did find:

This IL-76 was delivered in 1985 wearing the red Polar colours and wasn’t repainted into standard Aeroflot blue until well into the 90s by which time she was RA-76479. She was sold onto the Moldovan register as ER-IBK with Tiramavia and later Jet Stream. The Moldovan authorities clamped down on dodgy airlines operating in the Middle East and removed their AOC a year later and she passed to Gomelavia of Belarus in August 2007 with the registration EW-264TH. A year later she was sold to the Kazakhstani Eastern Express, as UP-I7628, though fundamentally she still wears her Aeroflot scheme albeit without titles or flag.


Aeroflot Polar Colours Ilyushin Il-76TD by rstretton, on Flickr


Aeroflot Polar Colours Ilyushin Il-76TD by rstretton, on Flickr


Aeroflot Polar Colours Ilyushin Il-76TD by rstretton, on Flickr


Aeroflot Polar Colours Ilyushin Il-76TD by rstretton, on Flickr

Here she is next to my Soviet Air Force IL-76 - note she is an MD with the gun positions:


Aeroflot IL-76s by rstretton, on Flickr


Aeroflot IL-76s by rstretton, on Flickr


Aeroflot IL-76s by rstretton, on Flickr