Aviaarktika was a Soviet

airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines for ...

which started operations on 1 September 1930 and was absorbed by

Aeroflot PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...

on 3 January 1960.

History

Aviaarktika was the flying branch of the Department of Polar Aviation of

Glavsevmorput The Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route (russian: Главное Управление Северного Морского Пути , translit=Glavnoe upravlenie Severnogo morskogo puti), also known as Glavsevmorput or GUSMP (russian: ГУ� ...

. Its first head was

Mark Shevelev Mark Ivanovich Shevelev (; – 6 October 1991) was a Soviet pilot during World War II and one of founders of Soviet polar aviation. He was a head of aviation department Aviaarktika of the Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route, a Hero of th ...

and it was originally based in

Krasnoyarsk Krasnoyarsk ( ; rus, Красноя́рск, a=Ru-Красноярск2.ogg, p=krəsnɐˈjarsk) (in semantic translation - Red Ravine City) is the largest city and administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. It is situated along the Yeni ...

. It moved to Moscow in 1932. Aviarktika established routes along the rivers and lakes of

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...

and

Northern Russia Russian North (russian: Русский Север) is an ethnocultural region situated in the northwestern part of Russia. It spans the regions of Arkhangelsk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, Komi Republic, Vologda Oblast and Nenets Autonomous ...

; the

Ob River } The Ob ( rus, Обь, p=opʲ: Ob') is a major river in Russia. It is in western Siberia; and together with Irtysh forms the world's List of rivers by length, seventh-longest river system, at . It forms at the confluence of the Biya (river), Biya ...

with a base at

Omsk Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...

, on the

Irtysh The Irtysh ( otk, 𐰼𐱅𐰾:𐰇𐰏𐰕𐰏, Ertis ügüzüg, mn, Эрчис мөрөн, ''Erchis mörön'', "erchleh", "twirl"; russian: Иртыш; kk, Ертіс, Ertis, ; Chinese: 额尔齐斯河, pinyin: ''É'ěrqísī hé'', Xiao'erj ...

and

Yenisei The Yenisey (russian: Енисе́й, ''Yeniséy''; mn, Горлог мөрөн, ''Gorlog mörön''; Buryat language, Buryat: Горлог мүрэн, ''Gorlog müren''; Tuvan language, Tuvan: Улуг-Хем, ''Uluğ-Hem''; Khakas language, K ...

rivers, with a base at Krasnoyarsk, on the

Angara The Angara ( Buryat and mn, Ангар, ''Angar'', "Cleft"; russian: Ангара́, ''Angará'') is a major river in Siberia, which traces a course through Russia's Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai. It drains out of Lake Baikal and is ...

near

Lake Baikal Lake Baikal (, russian: Oзеро Байкал, Ozero Baykal ); mn, Байгал нуур, Baigal nuur) is a rift lake in Russia. It is situated in southern Siberia, between the federal subjects of Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Repu ...

Irkutsk Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is ...

, and at

Yakutsk Yakutsk (russian: Якутск, p=jɪˈkutsk; sah, Дьокуускай, translit=Djokuuskay, ) is the capital city of the Sakha Republic, Russia, located about south of the Arctic Circle. Fueled by the mining industry, Yakutsk has become one of ...

on the

Lena Lena or LENA may refer to: Places * Léna Department, a department of Houet Province in Burkina Faso * Lena, Manitoba, an unincorporated community located in Killarney-Turtle Mountain municipality in Manitoba, Canada * Lena, Norway, a village in � ...

Fleet

Initially Aviaarktika flew the

Junkers F.13 The Junkers F 13 was the world's first all-metal transport aircraft, developed in Weimar Republic, Germany at the end of World War I. It was an advanced Cantilever#Aircraft, cantilever-wing monoplane, with enclosed accommodation for four passenge ...

floatplane A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, ...

and six

Dornier Wal The Dornier Do J ''Wal'' ("whale") is a twin-engine German flying boat of the 1920s designed by ''Dornier Flugzeugwerke''. The Do J was designated the Do 16 by the Reich Air Ministry (''RLM'') under its aircraft designation system of 1933. De ...

flying boat A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...

s. By 1933 there were 42 aircraft including

Tupolev ANT-4 The Tupolev TB-1 (development name ANT-4) was a Soviet bomber aircraft, an angular monoplane that served as the backbone of the Soviet bomber force for many years, and was the first large all-metal aircraft built in the Soviet Union. Design and ...

and

ANT-6 The Tupolev TB-3 (russian: Тяжёлый Бомбардировщик, Tyazhyolyy Bombardirovshchik, Heavy Bomber, civilian designation ANT-6) was a monoplane heavy bomber deployed by the Soviet Air Force in the 1930s and used during the early ...

's. AVIAARKTIKA Tupolev ANT-4, CCCP-H317, currently located at the Ulyanovsk Aircraft Museum in

Ulyanovsk Baratayevka Airport Ulyanovsk Baratayevka Airport (also Ulyanovsk Southwest Airport and Ul'yanovsk Airport) is an airport in Russia located southwest of Ulyanovsk. It generally operates as a civilian/transport base. Towards the end of the Cold War there has been ...

(Central) (UWLL), is the only surviving example of the ANT-4. CCCP-H317 crash-landed in Siberian

tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless moun ...

in 1944 and was recovered 39 years later and restored for the museum.

Accidents and incidents

;24 March 1944: SP CCCP-N335 crashed shortly after takeoff from Yenseisk after the pilot became disorientated in crosswinds; both pilots survived. ;November 1945:

Douglas C-47 The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in f ...

CCCP-N362 force-landed near Tiksi due to fuel exhaustion after repeated landing attempts, causing wing and landing gear damage; all 23 on board survived. The aircraft was possibly written off. ;25 December 1945: A Douglas C-47 crashed on takeoff from

Dudinka Dudinka (russian: Дуди́нка; Nenets: Тут'ын, ''Tutꜧyn'') is a town on the Yenisei River and the administrative center of Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. It used to be the administrative center of Tay ...

due to an in-flight fire, killing all 10 on board. ;30 March 1946: S-2 CCCP-N356 crashed near Kazantsevo after the cargo shifted and jammed the controls; both pilots survived. ;8 October 1946:

Lisunov Li-2 The Lisunov Li-2 (NATO reporting name: Cab), originally designated PS-84, was a license-built Soviet-version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by Factory #84 in Khimki, Moscow-Khimki and, after evacuation in 1941, at Tashkent Aviation Pro ...

CCCP-N394 was written off after it was damaged in a flood at Amderma Airport. ;13 December 1946: Focke-Wulf Fw 200C-3 CCCP-N400 force-landed on the ice off Ostrov Litne, Yamalsky District due to engine problems; all 21 on board survived, but the aircraft, operating an Igarka-Arkhangelsk passenger service, was written off. ;7 March 1948:

CCCP-N444 disappeared while operating a Dudinka-Anderma passenger service; the aircraft was found on 17 September 1950 on the slope of Netem-Pe mountain in the Urals; all 20 on board died. The aircraft had struck the mountain while in flight due to possible crew fatigue. ;16 March 1948: Lisunov Li-2 CCCP-N456 crashed on takeoff from Vorkuta Airport due to snow on the runway; all six crew on board survived, but the aircraft was written off. The aircraft was involved in a search for missing Li-2 CCCP-N444. ;16 September 1948: Lisunov Li-2 CCCP-N464 disappeared while on an ice reconnaissance flight with seven on board; debris was found in the Barents Sea on 20 and 24 September; the aircraft had ditched at sea at night and the crew were probably knocked into the sea by a wave and drowned. ;19 March 1949: Ilyushin Il-12 CCCP-N441 crashed during a forced landing following engine failure; no casualties. ;23 April 1950: Focke-Wulf Fw 200C-4 CCCP-N500 overran the runway while landing at

Yakutsk Airport Platon Oyunsky Yakutsk International Airport ( sah, Платон Ойуунускай аатынан аан дойдутааҕы Дьокуускай аэропорт, ''Platon Ojuunuskaj aatynan aan dojdutaaghy'' ''Coquusqay Aeroport'' ; russian ...

in a crosswind, causing the left landing gear to collapse and damaging the left wing and both left side engines; there were no casualties, but the aircraft was written off. ;26 June 1950: KM-2 (a Land-Lease PBN Nomad powered by ASh-82 engines) CCCP-N488 crashed on landing in the Khimki Reservoir, Moscow due to crew error, killing two of six on board. ;7 November 1950: Lisunov PS-84 CCCP-N359 struck ice hummocks and crashed while attempting to take off from Polar Station SP-2. ;30 April 1952:

Antonov An-2 The Antonov An-2 ("kukuruznik"—corn crop duster; USAF/DoD reporting name Type 22, NATO reporting name Colt) is a Soviet mass-produced single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bure ...

CCCP-N568 crashed, probably in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, following engine failure; there were no casualties, but due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the crash site, the aircraft was written off. ;1954: Douglas R4D-5 CCCP-N417 crashed on landing at Polar Station SP-3, Antarctica after the landing gear struck an ice ridge and landed on its belly; the fuselage was used as a sauna and eventually sank. The aircraft was originally used by the US Navy for Operation Ski Jump, carrying out landings on drifting ice; the aircraft was abandoned after the landing gear collapsed on one of these flights and was found and repaired by the Soviets in May 1954. ;4 March 1955:

Ilyushin Il-12 The Ilyushin Il-12 (NATO reporting name: Coach) was a Soviet twin-engine cargo aircraft, developed in the mid-1940s for small and medium-haul airline routes and as a military transport. Design and development The Il-12 was developed as a priva ...

CCCP-N479 force-landed near Kepino, Arkhangelsk Region due to an engine fire; killing four of 25 on board. ;2 April 1955: Lisunov Li-2 CCCP-N497 broke through the ice while landing at Mys Zhelaniya; all ten on board survived. Four days later the aircraft was swept out to sea by a storm where it sank. ;26 May 1955: Lisunov Li-2 CCCP-N535 crashed on a drifting ice floe in the central Arctic Basin; all 10 passengers and crew on board survived and were evacuated; but the aircraft was set on fire and abandoned. The wreck was later spotted on 11 December 1959 by the Icelandic Coast Guard. ;11 September 1956: Lisunov Li-2 CCCP-N584 crashed near

Cherepovets Airport Cherepovets Airport is an international airport in Botovo village, Cherepovetsky District, Vologda Oblast, Russia,Mil Mi-4 The Mil Mi-4 (USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 36", NATO reporting name "Hound") is a Soviet transport helicopter that served in both military and civilian roles. Design and development The Mi-4 was designed in response to the American H-19 Chick ...

CCCP-N42 was being ferried from Kazan to Khatanga when it broke apart in mid-air and crashed near Pletnikha, Arzamas Oblast due to a design flaw, killing the four crew. ;7 August 1957:

Beriev Be-6 The Beriev Be-6 (USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 34", NATO reporting name "Madge") was a flying boat produced by the Soviet Union, Soviet Beriev Aircraft Company, Beriev OKB. It was capable of accomplishing a wide variety of missions, such as long- ...

CCCP-N662 crashed 35 km from Mys Kamenny Airport after an in-flight fire caused by engine failure, killing the six crew. ;February 1958: Lisunov Li-2V CCCP-N496 stalled and crashed on takeoff from Mirny Ice Station, Antarctica; the aircraft participated in the 3rd Soviet Antarctic expedition in 1958. ;2 May 1958: Antonov An-2 CCCP-N588 crashed 38 mi from

Igarka Igarka (russian: Ига́рка) is a town in Turukhansky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located north of the Arctic Circle. Igarka is a monotown established around a sawmill which processed timber logged in the basin of the Yenisei River ...

, killing the three crew. ;30 December 1958:

Ilyushin Il-14 The Ilyushin Il-14 (NATO reporting name: Crate) was a Soviet twin-engine commercial and military personnel and cargo transport aircraft that first flew in 1950 in aviation, 1950, and entered service in 1954. The Il-14 was also manufactured in Eas ...

CCCP-04196 crashed from Hatanga, Krasnoyarsk region, killing 16 of 17 on board. ;10 August 1959: Lisunov Li-2 CCCP-04210 crashed at Chukotka

Cape Shelagsky Cape Shelagsky or Cape Shelag (russian: Мыс Шелагский; ckt, Ытрин, translit=Ytrin), also known as Erri by the Siberian Yupik, is a headland situated in eastern Siberia, Russia on the shores of the East Siberian Sea.Google Earth ...

, killing seven of 10 on board.

References

* "Aeroflot: An Airline and its Aircraft", from Paladwr Press, Oct 1992 by R.E.G. Davies, (Curator of Air Transport at the Smithsonian), , * "Aeroflot: Soviet air transport since 1923" Putnam (1975) Hugh MacDonald, ,

External links

Soviet Arctic Aerial Exploration

Rossica Journal Number 128-129 dated October 1997
{{Polar exploration, state=collapsed Airlines established in 1930 Airlines of the Soviet Union Former Aeroflot divisions Soviet brands