The representatives of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society have outlined plans for interactive equipment of the legendary «Tyurikov’s Plane», which is undergoing restoration in Novosibirsk. Special sound and lighting devices can be installed on the «Douglas» C-47 aircraft, which is to become an exhibit at the Museum of the Development of the North. They will allow to reproduce the sensations of flight, as well as acquaint the guests of the exhibition with interesting facts from the rich biography of the aircraft.
According to Aleksandr Matveev, head of the Commission for the Preservation of Historical Memory of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Branch of the RGS, restorers are now focusing on equipping the fuselage interior of the «Tyurikov’s Plane».
«Some of the difficulties of the restoration were related to the difficulty of obtaining original instruments to complete the main instrument panel of the 'Douglas’ and the general rise in the cost of materials for restoration. Currently, the aircraft’s instrument panel is fully equipped with instruments. The lost and severely damaged parts of the panel have been replaced by new ones, specially made by restorers. After the final painting, the panel will be ready for installation,» said Aleksandr Matveev.
The restoration of the pilot’s seats caused a lot of trouble. However, now their metal load-bearing structure has been completely restored and painted.
«The difficulty is to restore the soft part of the seats. The original design was a material resembling multilayer cardboard. Under atmospheric exposure in an open cabin, the material completely decomposed. Now restorers are looking for a suitable in terms of durability replacement,» Matveev said.
Autopilot mechanism, lever, steering wheel. Photo: Aleksandr Matveev / Krasnoyarsk Regional Branch of the RGS
The control panel for fuel pumps and fuel circulation is already fully ready, cabin equipment elements are being manufactured. The restored steering wheels, levers, and autopilot mechanism have been painted and prepared for installation.
«The interior of the radio operator’s and navigator’s compartments are covered with thermal and sound insulation coatings restored from fragments of original materials. An astrodome and a mast are mounted on the upper part of the fuselage, on which the radio antennas of the connected receiver are mounted. The radio room is being equipped with restored original units. A large number of panels have been prepared to cover the cabin floors and compartments. In addition to seeing the completed works, during our trip to Novosibirsk, plans were discussed for more interactive equipment of the exhibit with sound and light devices that allow one to immerse oneself in the atmosphere of flight and reproduce historical materials related to the biography of the aircraft,» added Aleksandr Matveev.
The restoration of the aircraft is scheduled to be completed in 2025. After that, the «Tyurikov’s Plane» will return to Krasnoyarsk as an interactive exhibit of the future Museum of the Development of the North on the historic island of Molokov.
The instrument panel. Photo: Aleksandr Matveev / Krasnoyarsk Regional Branch of the RGS
The aircraft, which was evacuated from the Taimyr tundra as part of a project by the Russian Geographical Society, is being carefully restored by specialists from the Novosibirsk company «Helicopter» in a special hangar at Mochishche Airfield. The historical appearance of the «Douglas» C-47 aircraft is being returned according to archival documents. The Krasnoyarsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society is coordinating the work.