Abandoned planes around the world. What story they hide?

Over the years, many airplanes have been abandoned all over the world for various interesting reasons. Let’s take a look at 7 abandoned aircraft together, to see the story behind them and how time has left its mark on these planes.

1. C-121 Lockheed Constellation abandoned in Antarctica

In October 1970, this Lockheed Constellation C-121 named “Pegasus” took off from New Zealand for a 10-hour flight to Antarctica. The plane had 80 people on board, 12 crew members and 68 passengers. According to simpleflying, this plane was caught in a severe thunderstorm. As a result, visibility dropped drastically and the pilots had to crash land the plane in the snow. Surprisingly no one was injured and the survivors stayed in the plane because of the storm until they were rescued. Therefore, due to extreme conditions, the plane could not be recovered and was abandoned.

2. Bartini Beriev VVA-14

The Bartini Beriev VVA-14 was an aircraft built in the 1970s by the Soviet Union. It could take off from the water, it could fly at high altitudes, but could also fly at high speeds over water using ground effect. However, this machine was never developed beyond the prototype stage. After the death of its designer, the Italian Robert Bartini, the project was abandoned altogether and it was decided to put it on display in a museum in Moscow. Moreover, on the way to the museum the aircraft was seriously damaged. Consequently, the Beriev VVA-14 is currently on display at the Central Air Force museum in Moscow without its wings.

3. Boeing 737 airliner abandoned in Mumbai

This Boeing 737 belonging to Air Sahara became too expensive for the company to repair and was sold in 2005. As a result, major parts of the interior of the plane were bought by an American company and the rest of the plane was bought by an Indian company in New Delhi. However, in 2007 during the transport to Delhi, the driver of the truck got stuck on the road and was unable to get in or out because of the large size of the plane. So the plane was abandoned and today can be seen in Nishiland Water Park, Mumbai.

4. Abandoned Migs in Hungary

On a farmer’s field in Hungary, at the side of a road that is no longer used, there are multiple abandoned military planes. They have been sitting there since the 1980s for lack of funds to repair them. According to obsidianurbexphotography these aircraft are still owned by the Hungarian Air Force and there are dozens of them.

5. Curtiss c-46 commando abandoned in Bahamas

A wreck of a Curtiss C-46 sits on the island of Norman’s Cay in the Bahamas as evidence of the supremacy of drug transport between the 1970s and 1980s. Pilot Carlos Lehder was in charge of transport operations in the area. He was known to have a drinking problem and often flew drunk. Consequently, an accident was inevitable. In November 1980, during an exercise flight, the pilot miscalculated the approach for landing. He damaged the landing gear and one of the plane’s engines but managed to clear the runway, landing directly in the water. No one was injured, and the aircraft is still sitting there eroding to this day.

6. Lockheed P-38 Lightning abandoned in Wales

An American World War II fighter plane sits a few feet underwater on a beach in Wales. It has been nicknamed the Maid of Harlech and has earned the title of protected monument by the Welsh state. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning hides the story of pilot Robert F Elliott who during training flights in September 1942 encountered difficulties with the aircraft. As a result he was forced to crash land the plane on the North Wales coast. According to TheGuardian, the pilot left the scene unharmed and the plane can still be seen today if the water is clear and the weather conditions are good.

7. US Navy Douglas C-117D abandoned in Iceland

The last plane on the list of abandoned planes around the world is a Douglas C-117D aircraft belonging to the US Navy that crashed in 1973 in Sólheimasandur, Iceland. The plane was carrying 7 people on board, whose mission was to transport supplies to a radar station located in Stokksnes. During the flight the crew encountered icing problems and were forced to land the plane. No one was injured, the salvageable parts of the plane were recovered and the rest remained in place until today. The wreckage of the plane can still be visited today and is becoming increasingly popular with tourists.

Which abandoned planes do you think has the most interesting story? You can write your opinion below in the comments.