A preliminary archaeological survey of a Tupolev TB-3 (ANT-6) aircraft on Ostrov Rudol'fa, Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa, Russia

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Author: Capelotti, P.J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2007
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Arctic; North Pole; Franz Josef Land; Polar Record; Rudolf Island
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247407256177; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247407256177

The partially snow-covered wreck of specially-modified Arctic variant of the Tupolev TB-3 four-engine bomber was located at Buhkta Teplits [Teplits Bay], Ostrov Rudol'fa [Rudolf Island] in Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa [Franz Josef Land]. From data gathered, the wreck was subsequently identified as TB-3 (ANT-6) No. 210. This aircraft was piloted by Boris Chukhnovsky during a failed search for another TB-3 (ANT-6), No. 209, which had been lost in August 1937 during an attempt to fly from Moscow over the north pole to the United States. The Teplits TB-3 (ANT-6) wreck represents both the primary aeronautical archaeology of the triumphs and disasters of the Soviet Union's air expeditions to the pole in 1937–1938 and, at 81°47.5'N, is the northernmost aircraft wreck yet identified.