The Aeroflot Red Flag/Blue stripe scheme suited this magnificent bird. My 'nose-up' shot at Paris.

First flew in 1981 as a Tu-144D. Modified to Tu-144LL testbed in 1996. Flew a joint series of test flights for NASA ending on 11.02.98, when it was retired.

This 144 was the last built and accumulated only 82 h flight time before being modified to LL (Flying laboratory) specifications. These mods included the installation of sophiticated instrumentation, upgraded engines and a crew emergency escape system that enabled the airframe to participate in a joint supersonic flight research program involving TupolevANTK and NASA.

A gold tint to the magnificent TU-144 just before the Paris show closed on the Saturday

CCCP-77102 was the first series-production aircraft and made its first flight 29-Mar-1972. It was displayed at the Paris Air Show 1973 where it crashed 03-Jun-1973 on a demonstration flight. It is seen here retracting its wheels on its last take-off with the foreplanes fully extended. A few minutes later the aircraft came down in Goussainville after taking evasive action for a Mirage chase plane that was unknown to the pilots. The aircraft broke up in mid-air because of overstressing the foreplanes and the airframe during the recovery from the dive.

Photographed in the last few minutes before total darkness descended.

Displaying energetically to the Paris Air Show crowd on the day before it crashed. This view shows the aircraft's planform and canard control surfaces.

Stairway to Heaven? Well for those of us who are tremendously interested in classic airliners and our aviation heritage it is a pretty close thing!

As I admire the aircraft in these photos I am left cringeing and wondering what might have been if I had been taking colour !

Statically displayed before performing for the Paris Air Show crowds.

First flew 13.4.81 as a Tu-144D and set several records in 1983. After fitment of new engines, made 32 flights under the NASA High Speed Research Program, the last on 11.2.98. Reportedly sold to a Texas businessman for $11m but remains wfu at Zhukovsky

Access granted to the interior via a ladder placed at the wingtip!

The prototype Tupolev Tu-144 making the type's first visit to the West for the 1971 Paris Air Show.

First reported 1979 and still in use at the time of this photo for ozone research. Cannibalised for RA-77114 and broken up 2001

Civilian, but another Cold War relic nonetheless. Monino is a most impressive place to visit.