Interflug Tupolev Tu-134A DM-SCU arrives at the stand at London Gatwick on charter flight IF7200

Soviet aviation memories from a collection of some 80 slides of Soviet-built aircraft that I've had scanned from my archives. Hope they will provide some enjoyment and nostalgia from a bygone age.

Interflug Tupolev Tu-134A DM-SCU makes a fine sight arriving at the stand at London Gatwick on the weekly charter that operated at the time 😎 :)
My trusty log book gives the flight number as IF7200. Fortunately for me and my camera, the aircraft taxied to a stand right under the viewing terrace :)

Interflug at Gatwick Back in the early 1980s, I remember well waiting each Saturday afternoon (and often into the evening!) for the Interflug Tu-134A charter flight to arrive. Eventually we worked out there was an old computer terminal (green screen :) down on one of the airline desks that had the registrations appear around an hour before arrival was due - and often traipsed down there to see if the reg was up to save waiting around if not a 'cop'!

Checking the calendar, this was in fact a Wednesday

Interflug I only bagged a handful registered as country prefix DM in the summer of 1980, and when the 1981 season started they had all been re-registered as DDR-
This was a bit of a surprise, as nearly all airlines at the time either had single or double letter prefixes.
DDR of course stood for Deutsche Demokratische Republik )(otherwise known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR)

DM-SCU c/n 09070 - delivered new to Interflug in May 1974 and flew with them until the demise of the airline in 1990 - became DDR-SCU in 7/81, then D-AOBI in 10/90. The aircraft was then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65605 in 12/90, then became EW-65605 with Belair (Belarus) in 9/93, back to Russia as RA-65605 with Chernomorsk Avia in 8/95, then with Krasnoyarsk Airlines by 2002. Transferred to Zapolyarye, then finally flew with SIAT Sibaviatrans - wfu 2005, presume scrapped.

Interflug Tu-134(A)s - the airline operated one of the largest fleets of Tupolev Tu-134s and the larger Tu-134As in Europe, around 30 aircraft between 1968 and German unification in 1990. Here is a list of the fleet:

Tu-134
DM-SCA 1968-1972 - damaged on landing at Dresden 30/5/72 and sold to Aeroflot - since scrapped.

DM-SCB 1968-1986 - wfu and used as a restaurant cafe at Oschersleben, Germany until 2004 - since preserved at Flughafen Magdeburg.

DM-SCD 1969-1975 - w/o on landing at Leipzig - Halle 1/9/75

DM-SCE 1969-1985 - 175 East German Air Force, then Interflug 3/74, DDR-SCE in 4/81, wfu 5/85, presume scrapped

DM-SCF 1969-1986 - 178 East German Air Force, then Interflug 6/74, DDR-SCF in 7/81, wfu 6/86, and used as fire fighting trainer at at Leipzig, scrapped 5/13

DM-SCG 1969-1985 - 179 East German Air Force, then Interflug 2/74, DDR-SCG in 7/81, wfu 8/85, and used as fire fighting trainer at at Erfurt , since scrapped

DM-SCH 1969-1984 - DDR-SCH in 7/81, wfu 1/84, preserved on display Latuftfahrthistorische Sammlung, Finow

DM-SCZ 1969-1986 - 177 East German Air Force, then Interflug 12/75, DDR-SCZ in 7/81, wfu 6/86, preserved since 6/01 at Luftfahrt und Technik Museum, Merseburg

Tu-134A
DM-SCI 1973-1990 - DDR-SCI in 4/81, became D-AOBA 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65611 2/92, then RA-65611 - wfu by 2012, presume scrapped

DM-SCK 1971-1990 - East German Air Force, then Interflug 11/79, DDR-SCK in 7/81 - wfu 9/90, moved by 6/94 to Hermeskeil Museum and preserved

DM-SCL 1971-1990 - 182 East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/77, DDR-SCL in 5/81 - wfu 3/90, purchased and preserved by HYDRO Gerätebau GmbH at Biberach, Germany

DM-SCM 1973-1977 - damaged on landing at Berlin Schönefeld 22/11/77 - broken up for parts

DM-SCN 1973-1990 - 170 East German Air Force, then Interflug 7/77, DDR-SCN in 4/81, became D-AOBC 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65612 9/91, then RA-65612 - wfu 9/04 at Berlin Schönefeld, used for firefighting practice, broken up 8/10

DM-SCO 1973-1990 - 171 East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/79, DDR-SCO in 4/81, became D-AOBD 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65613 10/91, then RA-65613 - wfu 2006, presume scrapped

DM-SCP 1974-1990 - East German Air Force, then Interflug 10/78, DDR-SCP in 7/81, became D-AOBE 10/90, then sold to Komiinteravia as CCCP-65615 10/91, then RA-65615 - wfu 2008, presume scrapped

DM-SCR 1974-1990 - 176 East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/77, DDR-SCR in 4/81, became D-AOBF 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as RA-65616 10/91 - wfu 2008, presume scrapped

DM-SCS 1974-1990 - East German Air Force, then Interflug 5/79, DDR-SCS in 4/81, became D-AOBG 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65614 10/91, then RA-65614 - wfu 2008, presume scrapped

DM-SCT 1974-1990 - DDR-SCT in 5/81, became D-AOBH 10/90, then sold to Komiaviatrans 8/91 as RA-65617 10/91, damaged 24/6/95 landing at Kaduna, Nigeria and broken up

DM-SCU 1974-1990 - DDR-SCU in 7/81, became D-AOBI 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65605 12/90, then EW-65605 Belair (Belarus), then RA-65605 - wfu 2005, presume scrapped

DM-SCV 1974-1990 - DDR-SCV in 4/81, became D-AOBJ 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65618 10/91, then RA-65618 - wfu 2005, presume scrapped

DM-SCW 1975-1990 - East German Air Force, DDR-SCW in 10/81, then Interflug 5/82, became D-AOBK 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65619 10/91, then RA-65619, then UN-65619 with Atyrau Airways, Kazakhstan, then UP-T3406 with Kazakhstan Air Force - seen stored in 2018

DM-SCX 1976-1990 - DDR-SCX in 5/81, became D-AOBL 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65621 10/91, then RA-65621 - wfu by 2012 and broken up 2014

DM-SCY 1978-1990 - DDR-SCY in 4/81, became D-AOBM 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65622 10/90, then RA-65622 - wfu by 2012 and broken up 2013

DM-SDC 1974-1990 - 181 East German Air Force, then Interflug 3/82 as DDR-SDC, became D-AOBN 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65620 10/91, then RA-65620 - wfu by 2014 and broken up at Syktyvkar, Russia 11/14

DM-SDE 1975-1990 - 183 East German Air Force, then Interflug 3/85 as DDR-SDE, became D-AOBO 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65608 9/91, then RA-65608 - wfu by 2014 and broken up at Syktyvkar, Russia 1/15

DM-SDF 1975-1990 - 185 East German Air Force, then Interflug 7/84 as DDR-SDF, became D-AOBP 10/90, then sold to Syktyvkar Avia as CCCP-65610 9/91, then RA-65610, then UN-65610 with Atyrau Airways, Kazakhstan, then UP-T3406 with Kazakhstan Air Force - seen stored in 2018

DM-SDG 1976-1990 - 186 East German Air Force, then Interflug 2/88 as DDR-SDG, became D-AOBQ 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65609 9/91, then RA-65609, then UN-65610 with UTAir Express, wfu 2014 and broken up

DM-SDH 1976-1990 - DDR-SDH in 6/81, became D-AOBR 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65606 10/90, then RA-65606 - wfu by 2004 and transferred to Tupolev Design Bureau - converted to Tu-134A-3 - still current!

DM-SDI 1976-1990 - DDR-SDI in 4/81, became D-AOBS 10/90, then sold to Aeroflot as CCCP-65607 10/90, then RA-65607 - wfu by 2014 and broken up 2016

DM-SDO 1979-1990 118 East German Air Force, DDR-SDO in 8/81, then Interflug 8/81, then sold to Vietnam Airlines as VN-A130 6/90 - wfu 1997 and broken up at Hanoi, Noibai International airport around 2004

Taken with a Soviet made Zenith E camera and 300mm lens. From an original slide, scanned with minimal restoration.

You can see a random selection of my aviation memories here: www.flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

Taken in: UK / England / Mole Valley / Gatwick (show map)

Taken on: July 23, 1980

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