Shipbucket

That's the point - I wanted to make sure You will all stay interested.

@Portsmouth Bill
Yes, a descendant of late-war Junkers bomber design indeed - although that particular plane (EF-150) was completed already in Soviet Union.

Lots of interesting information (although in German) can be found here (browse whole website, it's worth of it):

http://www.flugzeug-lorenz.de/index.php?id=87

I actually BTW drew that particular bomber lifetime ago, cant recall at all did I post it or not... but here it is for reference sake:

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Shipbucket mainsite, aka "The Archive"
New AU project "Aravala"

A really great topic that I enjoy greatly. Especially with the focus on all the smaller machines.

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My worklist
Any help and source material is always welcome.

So much amazing stuff on this thread. The agricultural aircraft just blew my mind. The Ka-26 remains one of the coolest looking helicopters ever (IMHO).

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Thank You! You're spoiling me with these comments!

@Gollevainen
I don't think You've posted it, but it's great to see it now.

And now back to the story...

Interflug Gesellschaft für internationalen Flugverkehr m.b.H. (part IV - Industrial Services Aviation)

Agrarflug was not the only part of the East German airlines dedicated to supplying direct services to national economy. In the DLH (DDR) within the Wirtschaftsflugabteilung a separate sub-unit, the Spezialflug (Special Fligth) was created, that in the Interflug has grown to a service branch of its own, called Betriebsteil Fernerkundungs-, Industrie- und Forschungsflug - (BT FIF - Operational Division for Long-range survey, Industry and Research Flight). Its tasks included aerial survey, helicopter crane services, supplying aircraft for certain types of industrial research as well as taxi/service flights and some types of charters (for industries).

First airplanes of the Spezialflug/FIF were venerable An-2's, taken from the pool of 23 used by DLH (DDR) and Interflug. It seems that some of these were equipped for aerial photographic survey.

For the crane services 7 Mi-4 helicopters were purchased in 1957. In due time they were passed from DLH (DDR) to Interflug. In 1965 one of them crashed while remaining ones were used until 1972.
Take note on the Howa word written on DM-SPF which is a relatively rare example of the advertising in the socialist economy (advertising back then did exist but on a scale incomparably smaller than in capitalism - not least because there was no real competition in the state-owned economy and therefore task of advertising was basically about informing of existence of certain types of goods and services rather than enticing consumer to choose particular brand). Howa was short of HO-Warenhaus - chain of the (state owned) department stores (HO is short for Handelsorganization - Trade Organization - entity operating such services in the GDR).

Many thanks to Golelvainen for his Mi-4. I allowed myself to make certain changes to it, though.


Mi-4's were replaced in service by larger Mi-8 helicopters, 7 of which were purchased in 1968 and kept in use until the reunification (and beyond).

Many thanks to Golelvainen for his Mi-8 and to Glorfindel for his renditions..


In the 1970s East Germany bought a certain number of Polish PZL-104 Wilga (Golden Oriole) planes for use by various institutions and organizations. 5 of them were taken by Interflug, specifically BT FIF. One of them (DM-WBI) was tested by Agrarflug for a role of a crop-duster but finally more dedicated planes were purchased. PZL-104's were used for aerial photography, survey and high-voltage lines checks.



In the 1982 BT FIF obtained 6 Czechoslovak turboprops of the Let L-410UVP Turbolet type (DM-SXA to -SXF) as a replacement for An-2's. They were used for aerial survey, research and service/taxi/charter flights.



General note: various (internet) sources differed significantly regarding the quantity of airplanes operated by the East German airlines, therefore I decided to follow the source that was giving most details - if it was wrong - then I'm sorry.

Note on registration markings: initially German Democratic Republic was using DDR- registrations, in 1956 they were changed to DM- and in 1981 again to DDR-.

To be continued...

Seems that previous post didn't met with much interest.

Transportfliegergeschwader 44 "Arthur Pieck"

Technically speaking not an airline, but certainly a major user of airliners.

Like most of the Air Forces, the Luftsttreitkräfte / Luftverteidigung der Nationalen Volksarmee (der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) (LuSK/LVD NVA (der DDR) - Air Force / Air Defence of the National People's Army (of the German Democratic Republic) maintained a unit dedicated to special (VIP) transport. It was formed in 1957 as Regierungsfliegerstaffel (RFS - Government Aviation Squadron) ,initially based at Berlin-Schönefeld. In 1962 it was moved to Marxwalde (currently: Neuhardenberg) and renamed Selbständige Transportfliegerstaffel (STS, Autonomous Transport Aviation Squadron. It was further renamed in 1965 to Transportfliegerstaffel 29 (TFS-29, 29th Transport Aviation Squadron) and in 1971 Transportfliegerstaffel 44 (TFS-44, 44th Transport Aviation Squadron), before being shortly thereafter renamed into Transportfliegergeschwader 44 (TFG-44, 44th Transport Aviation Wing, shorter form Transportgeschwader 44, TG-44 was also used). In 1976 it was additionaly given "patron": Arthur Pieck (1899-1970), son of the Wilhelm Pieck (1876-1960) - first president of the German Democratic Republic and himself a long time general director of Deutsche Lufthansa der DDR and Interflug. After the reunification and incorporation of the NVA into the Bundeswehr, the TFG-44 was disbanded and it's aircraft taken over by the Lufttransportgeschwader 65 of the Bundesluftwaffe.

It should be noted that majority of the aircraft from that unit wore false Interflug livery and civilian registration marks, despite being for all purposes military aircraft. That practice mirrored standards of the Soviet Air Force where many transport (as well as reconnaissance and special) aircraft wore Aeroflot livery.

First airplanes of the RFS/STS were Ilyushin 14's - initially two, later four planes were used between 1957 and 1964.

Image updated February 2020


Between 1960 and 1974 unit was using up to 6 Ilyushin 18 turboprops, with four of them carrying (at least at some periods) Interflug markings: DM-STE, -STH, -STI, -STM.



In 1964 unit acquired three Tupolev 124 jets, becoming first regular East German user of jetliners. Two of them were carrying Interflug markings: DM-SDA, -SDB. In 1975 they were re-sold to Soviet Union.



Year 1969 bring the purchase of the unit's first helicopters. Total of 6 Mi-8S were used until 1990.



In the same, 1969 year further jets were added to unit's inventory, this time in form of 3 Tu-134's. At times they were carrying Interflug markings: DM-SCE, -SCF, -SCG and in 1974 were all transferred to that airline.
From the 1971 larger Tu-134A's begun to enter service, with some of them being in Tu-134AK version (with radar in place of the navigator's seat). Total of 20 were used by TFG-44, 12 of them being later transferred to Interflug. During the military service some they were often carrying airline markings: DM-SCK, -SCL, -SCN, -SCO, -SCP, -SCR, -SCS, -SCW, -SDE, -SDF, -SDG, -SDK, -SDL, -SDM, -SDN, -SDO, -SDP, -SDR, -SDT, -SDU.
Additionaly, between 1976 and 1990 two more Tu-134A's (DM-SDH and -SDI) were operated by the TFG-44 in Interflug colors on behalf of the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS, Ministry of State Security, commonly known as Stasi).




From 1978 to 1987 5 Ilyushin 62M long-range jets were purchased. They all carried Interflug's markings: DDR-SEK, -SEL, -SEN, -SEP, -SEV. Because of their size and requirements regarding lenght of the landing strip these planes were based at Berlin-Schönefeld. First two of them were later transferred to Interflug.



Final addition to the TFG-44's inventory were Tupolev 154M tri-jets. Two were delivered in 1988 and both carried Interflug markings - DDR-SFA, -SFB (note that no Tu-154's were actually used by that airline).



On the eve of reunification TFG-44's inventory consisted of 3 Tu-134A, 2 Tu-154M, 3 Il-62M and 6 Mi-8S.

General note: various (internet) sources differed significantly regarding the quantity of airplanes operated by the East German airlines, therefore I decided to follow the source that was giving most details - if it was wrong - then I'm sorry.

Note on registration markings: initially German Democratic Republic was using DDR- registrations, in 1956 they were changed to DM- and in 1981 again to DDR-.

To be continued...

P.S. Like with some other Soviet airliners, I would like to ask You all from abstain from making any (real-life) liveries or other versions of Tu-124.

Another superlative thread that I've not paid much attention to. Wonderful illustrations as ever!

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AU Projects: | Banbha et al. | New England: The Divided States
Blood and Fire

These are amazing! keep them coming!!

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Second that

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Work in progress:
DD County Class PNS Babur (1982)(PAK)
FF Type 21 Class D182 PNS Babur (2000)(PAK)
All relevant Coat of Arms

Thank You all very much!

This thread is nearing to it's end, though - just two parts left (will be posted on wednesday and next sunday).