[ad_1]
It’s time to say goodbye to a piece of aviation history!
Ilyushin Il-76, which sat in the sun for decades at Umm Al-Quwain (UAQ), is being dismantled. Designed for landing in harsh conditions, the freighter has ties to airlines flying between Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Although its story remains shrouded in mystery, the most accurate version of events has been detailed by Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun in their book dead businessmanAccording to the author, the aircraft was allegedly sold by the Russians to Air Cess (an airline operating in Sharjah). It ended up being registered with Central African Airlines. Both Air Cess and Centralafrican have ties to the notorious international arms dealer Viktor Bout, who allegedly used his airline to smuggle weapons.
Farah & Braun allege that Bout sold the plane to an ad agency in the UAE with a promise to turn it into a roadside billboard. Instead, it became a landmark – a destination known to #avgeeks and adventurers alike.
Abandoned IL-76 was once part of the vast Soviet Ilyushin fleet. Originally built for the Soviet Army in 1971, these large freighters replaced the Antonov 12s used by the Soviet Armed Forces since 1959.
The dismantling is said to take weeks due to the intense process of dismantling the aircraft. Its sudden demise is rumored to be due to the start of luxury real estate development in the area.
Instagram: @LipstickAndLuggage
YouTube: @LipstickandLuggage
Facebook: @LipstickandLuggage
_______________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: My posts are my personal views and do not represent the views of my company.
[ad_2]
Source link