[ROVERNET - UK] Russian planes (OT, of course)

Geoff Kirkpatrick britcarnut at yahoo.com
Fri May 26 19:07:27 BST 2006


The Russian supersonic airliner was similarly cribbed from the Concorde,
though through industrial espionage rather than confiscation.  I remember
a very interesting TV documentary on this a few years back.  


> 
> Did you ever hear the story of how Stalin copied the American B-29 at
> the end 
> of WWII? Three of them were impounded when they landed in the USSR
> following 
> a raid on Japanese territory. I'm not sure whether he ever gave them
> back to 
> the US or not, but he had one taken apart and copied right down to each
> nut 
> and bolt. The foot pedals on the Soviet production planes actually had
> the 
> word "Boeing" molded into the casting. Western powers were shocked to
> see a 
> squadron of modern, pressurized long range bombers identical to the
> state of 
> the art B-29 fly over at a Soviet air show or May Day display.
> 
> Absolutely true story.
> 
> The Russians were no slouches when it came to aircraft design, but this
> was 
> handed to them on a platter.
> 
> Glen



"This is the final test of a gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him."
- William Lyon Phelps

Geoff Kirkpatrick, 382 Riverside Avenue, Ben Lomond, CA 95005, USA

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