The Ridiculous Crash of the Soviet Giant | The PS-124 Story

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The story of the once-largest aircraft in the world, the PS-124 (ANT-20bis), the lesser-known twin brother of the infamous ANT-20 "Maxim Gorky”
Chapters:
00:00 - PS-124
02:22 - Silly Nuances
07:54 - Unwanted Giant
13:52 - Let Me Steer
Paper Skies - amazing stories about famous airplanes, historical events, or exceptional people that have changed the world of aviation or turned out to be unfairly forgotten.
All content on Paper Skies is presented in historical context for educational purposes.
Select imagery/video supplied by:
Getty Images: www.gettyimages.com/
AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/
Tupolev ANT-20 3D model (altered) by helijah sketchfab.com/helijah
Music: www.epidemicsound.com
#aviation #history #skies

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

Get Nebula using my link for *40% off an annual subscription* : go.nebula.tv/paperskies

[@mycolebrown4719]

Is there a way I can get access to the source material?

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

@@mycolebrown4719 The main source is the book "Maxim Gorky - The Story of the Giant Aircraft" by Maximilian Saukke (the son of the engineer Boris Saukke mentioned in the video). The last third of the book, starting from page 122, covers the story of the PS-124. I'm not sure if you can find the book in English, though. search for Максимилиан Саукке: "Максим Горький". История самолета-гигантa

[@tavshedfjols]

Can you start posting your sources for these videos?

[@hodaka1000]

​@@PaperSkiesAviation Have you heard about the airshow or aircraft contest in Russia in 1913 when a plane lost it's engine and it has fallen through a 4 engine Sikorsky flying below it causing the Sikorsky to crash killing everyone aboard ?

[@preethishraj8944]

Hi bro, I'm Preethish from upwork. I really want a side income right now due to my education loan. I'm currently 17 years old. I can do $2/ thumbnail and i can do 100 thumbnails atleast in three months. Pls do response bro 🙏.

[@alternativewalls4988]

Putting a button, that would trim the stabilizer all the way and plunge the aircraft straight down, on the arm rest is also an ingenious soviet idea

[@johndododoe1411]

Only outdone by a mechanism doing the same uncommanded and mentioned only in a training manual footnote for the MD-737-MAX.

[@alternativewalls4988]

@@johndododoe1411MCAS had a differnet story. The problem was that it had only a single sensor, that when faultily detecting a stall, would signal to pitch the aircraft down to gain speed. The problem wasnt the design of how it handled the situation, but how it relied on a single component not breaking. Of course it should had been told to the crews that this system was instaled though

[@ALVIEDZANE]

The Soviet Union would not be The Soviet Union without it!

[@SnakebitSTI]

@@alternativewalls4988A single sensor, despite two being on the plane, with no software to sanity check the inputs, and no pilot training for the new system. It was more than just one bad decision.

[@johndododoe1411]

@@alternativewalls4988 The faulty sensor was just the common trigger in 2 crashes . The fundamental problem was that MCAS could not and would not stop overcorrecting until everybody was dead . Every means of stopping it by pilot action was removed or made too difficult for typical human pilots: The dedicated switch to disconnect all automatic trim sources was combined with the switch disconnecting pilot control of trim . The mechanical override was geared to maximize difficulty and given an ambiguous name resulting in at least one pilot dying while pushing the disconnected button with the same name .

[@octaviovaladaoferreirinhad2689]

I remember reading about an accident with a Tu-134 in the 1980's where the crew, out of sheer boredom, attempted to land the jet blindfolded, with obviously catastrophic consequences. It would be great to hear you tell us more about this event. No one tells stories about Soviet antics like you do. You definitely found an unexplored niche.

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

To be honest, I seriously considered making a Nebula Plus video about the Aeroflot Flight 6502 accident to accompany this video about the PS-124 crash. I believe that this type of video may not be tolerated on KZbin, which is why I wanted to make it on Nebula. Unfortunately, I was short on time to create both videos. However, I have gathered all the necessary material, so there is a high possibility that I will make that video in the near future.

[@octaviovaladaoferreirinhad2689]

@@PaperSkiesAviation Amazing! You never disappoint!

[@borfer9366]

there was a bit betting the commander of the ship and the co-pilot. The commander claimed that he could land the plane only according to the reading of the instruments, without looking outside

[@anthonyvenegas8299]

Had have to much vodka, only would someone attempt something like that

[@belgianfried]

Gigachad

[@legoeasycompany]

That Navigator position must have been very interesting sitting right in first class

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

I wonder how often he had to answer the question, "Are we there yet?" :)

[@neshirst-ashuach1881]

@@PaperSkiesAviation "Ask me that one more time and I will turn this plane around Mr!" (I know Navigators are not actually flying the plane)

[@GodPikachu]

im guessing the navigator had to either be a really tolerant person, or never get bored of having to say "fuck off im busy"

[@CAP198462]

@@GodPikachu Is simple comrade, either we arrive when schedule says or your watch is wrong. Please reset.

[@thekinginyellow1744]

@@neshirst-ashuach1881 But if you've seen some of his other videos, you would know that the navigator *can* turn the plane around. All he has to do is send a bad course to the pilot. :) Or at least not correct the pilot's erroneous course.

[@oj8868]

It's a shame that black boxes and CCTV didn't exist back then because the data from those would probably be morbidly hilarious

[@alexturnbackthearmy1907]

Well nothing that new. Stuff like that happened in early 2000`s, but cpt was present in cabine at least, with his son as pilot flying. Just amazing.

[@johndododoe1411]

I'm guessing the uniform was transferred with the seat position . So the captain was in the relief pilot seat waiting to get his uniform back.

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

Haha

[@nektulosnewbie]

My first thought was if there was the body of a naked lady by him.

[@xxxuselesspricksxxx1481]

or went on to have fun with a lady who's body was never recovered

[@johndododoe1411]

@@xxxuselesspricksxxx1481 I noticed the wording quoted didn't say "naked", just without his (official) clothes, which the other pilot was clearly wearing .

[@Jehty_]

@@johndododoe1411 erm, 15:30 "completely naked without any clothes. "..

[@notthatcreativewithnames]

A Russian captain let a passenger who have no idea how the plane control mechanism work into the cockpit AND play with the control mechanism. I have heard this story from another case and totally did not expect to hear from this case at all.

[@jdreyes3745]

Seems they never learn...

[@JonBowe]

The one I know is when the captain allowed his children sit in the cockpit of his passenger plane and his son managed to get the autopilot disengaged.

[@CAP198462]

In Soviet Russia everyone is pilot!

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

That’s just how Russians recruit trainee pilots “Hey look Ivan! This one isn’t crashing! Sign him up to the academy!”

[@johndough111]

it was the captains son and daughter. not a random passenger

[@sixstringedthing]

Love the detailed history from the Soviet perspective that this channel provides, quite unique on youtube and always fascinating. Thanks for your work Paper Skies!

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

Glad you like it!

[@cedric3973]

Same here, the Soviets made several historic planes and rockets. That and the narrator's understanding the Soviet union. "The Soviet Union would not be the Soviet Union if they stopped here" or " the Soviet Union would not be the Soviet Union if they let it not working stop them, so they went to fill production"

[@Rabarbarzynca]

This have become my favourite air history channel, right in par with Mustard. Keep going mate, you got something special here.

[@MrBsbotto]

Absolutely brilliant, my friend!! Your work is so witty and so unique I watch your videos several times. Thanks!

[@Grimmwoldds]

@@cedric3973 It's not exactly "soviet" really. Russian's have some sort of "stupid" field that emits from them, making them build really cool but ultimately "stupid" things, like the giant round boats that they forgot to... you know... make special drydocks for. Because they wanted round yachts, who cares if it has problems pulling in to dock and can NEVER be maintained.

[@connoissuer_of_class]

1. I find evidence of paid (and free) vacations to Siberia is hilarious 2. The conversion of rubles to buckets and shovels should be carried over to your other videos whenever possible. It is very helpful. 😂

[@paulluce2557]

The current value of the Ruble can only be measured in the bucketfull....

[@comradewindowsill4253]

there's an old soviet joke, which is a bit meta in its way, as you will see. the joke goes that the NKVD organizes a stand up comedy contest in the name of Lenin's 75th birthday or some such. the second-runner-up gets a 6 month all-expenses-paid trip to, ah, 'Leninist Locations', I think is the best translation, in Altai. Po Leninskim mestam, koroche. the runner-up gets a 12 month all-expenses-paid trip to the Altai. The winner gets the opportunity to meet the man himself in person.

[@gillesguillaumin6603]

And also in liters of vodka ! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dyingearth]

Reminds me of Aeroflot Flight 593 in 1994 in which the pilot father was giving his son flying lesson. They crashed and everyone died.

[@axeavier]

that's completely different because competent pilots didn't understand their own auto pilot, if they knew then there wouldnt have been issues even with the boy ruining everything

[@williamnot8934]

Saw this on Air Crash Investigation. Hilarious. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

YES! Russian tradition, let kids fly plane as well as passengers.

[@Zadir09]

That’s not true, he was just bringing his kid into the cockpit and let him sit in his lap and turn the TRK HDG knob (which in EVERY aircraft I know of just turns the plane very slightly to the degree chosen) the issue was switching between radial and inertial navigation which the pilots weren’t trained properly on the then new FBW airbus design. It’s more nuanced then “the soviets are all dumb”

[@randomdeadpool]

In the US they measure the distance in school buses and football fields. In soviet Russia they count the money in showels and metal buckets.

[@Paulftate]

Let's go Brandon. LMAO 🤣

[@beeble2003]

In Soviet Russia, money counts you!

[@ALVIEDZANE]

Also measure melons by comparing them to artillery shells!

[@Bialy_1]

It was actualy a smart move to use items that you can buy also today and production methods for them did not changed too mich...

[@Paulftate]

@@beeble2003 that a whole lot of buckets

[@dclark142002]

I would argue that the ANT-20 bis program was incredibly profitable. After all, it made nearly 50 million rubles prior to being even started! 😂

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

Haha. Nice observation. By the way, would you like to visit Altai?

[@dclark142002]

...on my way to Shambhala? Hmm. Tempting, but I suspect I wouldn't make it and would end up somewhere less pleasant.

[@MlTGLIED]

​@@PaperSkiesAviationAltai? I am native German but I was born there, no kidding 😁

[@me6096-]

Xaxaxa really funny ...now straight to gulag you go.

[@KrotowX]

Not a problem in USSR, especially in Stalin era. You either volunteered to pay some sum for next megalomaniacal propaganda project. Or went into free trip to Altai, but more often to Norilsk or Magadan to do open air physical activities in places behind barbed wire.

[@huy1k995]

The pilot was definetly coming and going at the same time.

[@MM22966]

I am sure the donations to fund these aircraft were completely voluntary and not all the result of party pressure.Thank you for doing these vids, PS. The stories are always fascinating, and a window into not just aircraft, but to a lost age.

[@HauntedXXXPancake]

"You don't want to make patriotic donation ? No problem, I just write note on that next to your name"

[@EpemaKlapkin]

And Soviet people absolutely voluntarily went to the Gulag and to be shot

[@hamletodua]

Most people are pretty stupid. The r@ssians are more successful in this

[@cdjxwubcyex]

Donations collector was the same man who assigned extended vacations in Altai...

[@MM22966]

@@cdjxwubcyex Like, a ski vacation surrounded by nubile college students, or a vacation to count trees and dig gold I don't come back from for 20 years? If it's the first one, Communism is way better than Capitalism!

[@ZGryphon]

That navigator position makes total sense. As we've seen on this very channel, it's not really very important at all for that crew member to be able to concentrate.

[@lucascousins6934]

Especially when his protests will just be ignored by the captain

[@entropyachieved750]

One of the best channels on youtube for military history

[@fabovondestory]

Yes *.*

[@Free-Bodge79]

Agreed!💛

[@shize9ine]

I’ve literally unsubscribed from ‘dark skies’ and the other dark blah blah channels and replaced it with paper skies because the B roll and historic footage actually supports the story and history. That and it’s not a content machine pumping out terrible quality and writing. Always impressed with paper skies and it’s quality over quantity approach ❤

[@anderspedersen7488]

One of the best channels on KZbin for military history - one of the best channels on KZbin for history - one of the best channels on KZbin!

[@watergames8449]

@@shize9ine To be fair thier aren't too much historic footage you can find that is related to the story.

[@fightertales]

Thank you for your bucket conversion. It unironically put it into perspective better than any arbitrary dollar conversion.

[@oohhboy-funhouse]

It was non-convertible, ie, not on the foreign exchange. No one wanted it, you couldn't buy it, or sell it, it's the divide by zero of money, the price is undefined. Between modern monetary theory and the Soviet economics being ????! barter was the only option. However, the economics is secondary to damn good jokes, I freaking died.

[@alexturnbackthearmy1907]

@@oohhboy-funhouse Well that why USSR received dollars for selling stuff.

[@mattl3729]

I'm going to start measuring everything in Soviet Buckets.

[@oohhboy-funhouse]

@@alexturnbackthearmy1907 Even dollar to dollar is difficult with the move from gold standard to MMT and World reserve currency, different measures for inflation and technological progress vastly changing the costs and value/utility. Even the bucket is unconvertible, as not one would import a Soviet bucket. hmm, it just dawned on me that Russia has been a gas station since forever as no one buys finished goods other than weapons. The other joke would measuring by the bill sent to your family for the bullet they shot you with.

[@HauntedXXXPancake]

@@oohhboy-funhouse You're pretty much describing the Chinese Yuan today. Well, You can buy it. Getting rid of it however ...

[@thehobo00]

Absolutely LOVE the hand-drawn animation of the plane taking off at 13:55!

[@not2hot99]

But its not hand drawn?

[@paulh4943]

I was expecting aha to pop out any second..

[@scorchone2310]

I love how I was watching an aviation video YESTERDAY and, as a joke, I said, “I need Paper Skies to make a video on the Maxim Gorky right now. I need it now.” And well, I didn’t think you were listening! (Sure, it’s not technically about the original ANT-20 but who’s counting :3)

[@josephschultz3301]

Your steadfast determination to continue converting the ruble to buckets and Siberian "vacations" throughout the video is both very helpful and absolutely hilarious. Thank you for making me smile, Paper Skies

[@jdreyes3745]

I always love going back into your videos due to my weird fascination of Soviet/Russian, let's say "eccentricities", whether of old or more...recent developments. I wonder how much of "Smekalka" and "Imitation of restless activity" was present during the whole saga of the Maxim Gorky and its derivatives. (Also seriously, would the Russians not learn from this accident with Aeroflot 593?) Really also love the humor in your presentation of the "silly nuances" as only true communists can experience, such as that thing with the building of the ANTs in the unfinished Kazan factory, as well as the "Twitter posts" of the ANT-20's exhibitions. And how questioning said nuances had a pretty decent chance of an all-expense-paid trip to Altai, paid for by the State (I mean, hey, it's 590 rubles saved, that's a good thing, right?). I guess that's the charm of videos like yours; I clicked to learn about some obscure aircraft accident from the mid-20th century in the middle of nowhere, and stayed for all the above-mentioned "eccentricities" that made the event possible. As always, can't wait for the next one!

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

There's a strong perception in Russia today that, yeah, maybe the USSR was not the best during certain time periods, but it was perfect during Stalin's time. However, the nepotism, corruption, and inefficiency during that period were among the worst.

[@gerhardris]

Great video. Yet, a naked captain in the pasanger compartment? Were their other naked pasangers? An not Gorky but the Tupolev Orgy most likely I guess.😅

[@alexturnbackthearmy1907]

@@PaperSkiesAviation Well, its one of those things that are always present in russia. But stalin times are sure not best, schools were not free, repression were on their rise and communist party always knew what was the best, despite warnings from their own people. Maybe they think about 50`s, when stalin was mostly chilling on background before dying to heart attack?

[@lostalone9320]

I think the thing is that almost no-one who was an adult during Stalin's life is left, and Stalin himself is bound up very tightly with the victory against Germany. In the period following the war was the only time when the USSR could credibly claim to be the preeminent global power, and that counts for a lot. Yes, Stalin was awful but the USSR had beaten the Germans and was in the ascendancy. Compare to anyone else who followed - They were less terrible but they didn't have victories. Their reigns are remembered for economic policies, nothing else. There were still shortages all the time, but no existential war against the fascists.

[@Moonstone-Redux]

@@lostalone9320 I guess it's not for nothing that Russia keeps trying to ride that high of winning the Great Patriotic War and centres its national fictions and propaganda around that one moment.

[@LUNATIC75]

Passenger: "Comrade Captain! The plane is nose diving out of the sky and why aren't you in the cockpit!? Do something!" Captain: "Let's get naked!" (Jackass Party Boy music intensfies)

[@HereticalKitsune]

Never a Soviet story without copious amounts of corruption.

[@lostalone9320]

Hey, there are reasons you can be naked without money changing hands, even in Soviet Russia.

[@mattl3729]

And mind-boggling incompetence. Not to say that nobody else is saddled with their own pile of incompetents, but Russia seems to take to the level of art...

[@ih302]

Little has changed there unfortunately.

[@mikevaughan7681]

America becomes more like every day

[@ifuckedurmom]

I mean they were just much fucking worse at covering it up in the long run and their propaganda doesn't rlly work on us or these days all that well anymore.

[@North_West1]

The picture with people under wings really shows how big the aircraft was. Perspective is everything.

[@hungryhedgehog4201]

A Rex's Hanger AND Paper Skies upload at the same time? What a nice weekend.

[@martinivanov6538]

Love the style and atmosphere of your videos, the interesting stories, forgotten by the few people that knew them. The POV of someone born and raised in the USSR is something you don't see every day and its interesting to see the world from russian eyes. Continue with your great work!

[@raven4k998]

some how the downfall of the soviet union sounds about right if the pilot is naked🤣

[@alexturnbackthearmy1907]

@@raven4k998 As a variant, he left cabine to get some drinks and get a little carried away in a good company?

[@hellomoto2084]

​@@alexturnbackthearmy1907and now they are together, forever

[@serhiy-serhiiv]

4:24 the reference hit me like a truck

[@ChristopherGriffin-ee2ol]

"Captain was in the passenger cabin" KX-3: oookay, what can't a pilot in the passenger cabin can possibly negatively affect the- 1:25 "Completely naked" KX-3: 😳

[@patton333]

I just want to say that you're easily my favorite content creator on KZbin. The subjects and unique artstyle combined with your knowledge of Soviet inner workings gives us some awesome content.

[@odairbonfim]

I don't know how you can mantain a high level of sarcasm while conveying information in such an entertaining way. I wish I had found your channel sooner.

[@effluviah7544]

The animations are so well done and engaging-- Shout out to your animation work! :)

[@whyjnot420]

I'll never get over the similarities between the Maxim Gorky crash and what happened with the XB-70. Its almost like grandkids killing themselves while reenacting how their grandparents accidently killed themselves back in the day.

[@ShreddySteve]

Guys, the quality of these videos is amazing! You're really stepping it up every time!

[@Chilly_Billy]

Your animations really add a great deal to already interesting subject matter. I eagerly look forward to every new presentation.

[@rebeccamorris1546]

Amazing video! Loved the animation as always. I have to say though this incident really encapsulates the phrase “The Soviet Union would not be the Soviet Union-“ Hope you are doing well! :)

[@marcusott2973]

Much awaited, much appreciated excellent insights as always from you.

[@jaws666]

Thank god its not another channel with a robot voice

[@petergray7576]

1:16 Calling it the most ridiculous is invidious. Russian civil aviation history is full of common sense defying accidents: - The managing director of the Magadan (Russian Far East) civil airport got drunk one day, commandeered the ATC, and tried to direct a civil flight to a landing with horrific yet unsurprising results. -An anti-aircraft missile regiment conducting training drills accidentally shot down a Tu-114 with a SAM in 1961. It had never occurred to anyone that civil aircraft should be barred from the airspace over a military live fire exercise - Countless entries in the late 1940s/early 1950s involving Aeroflot planes flying in Central Asia SSR's over high mountains that begin with "the crew took an unauthorized detour" and ends with "wreckage found X weeks or months later. - The crew of Il-14 in 1967 ignored a warning from one regional ATC that their navigation system was malfunctioning, failed to share this with another ATC, and then proceeded to land in a dense forest 20 km away from their intended destination.

[@mattjohnson5585]

There’s one Aeroflot crash where the pilot let some kids in the cockpit and they crashed the plane. Can’t remember which

[@johncallaghan4926]

@@mattjohnson5585 Aeroflot Flight 593

[@sonomacalendar9949]

it is a well-known fact that Western aircraft never ever had accidents. Zero. And no space shuttles crashed either. Everything worked swimmingly. Especially Challenger and Columbia. It was just perfect

[@biohazard8295]

@@sonomacalendar9949 well if the soviets would've been more efficient and less delusional then the cold war could have ended very differently, so it's better to joke about it.

[@biohazard8295]

@@mattjohnson5585 i can imagine a russian pilot with a huge belly wanting to impress the air hostess saying "Tell kids come inside, uncle Ivan give gift" and then they proceed to press the weirdest buttons and pull random levers. LOL RIP to all that died...

[@KF99]

Excellent video, but you had shown the stabiliser moved in a wrong direction - to the climb, not for a dive.

[@SAUBER_KH7]

Facts.

[@solartaire1]

I always look forward to these videos. Being educated and entertained at the same time is guaranteed to keep bringing me back for more.

[@arctan4547]

thank you, It's great to get to hear these stories

[@paolovolante]

Great video, as always. I would like to suggest that you investigate the "vintage" crash of the airplane carrying the Torino soccer team, known as the Great Torino, which occurred when they were at the height of their success. Additionally, a majority of the Italian national soccer team at the time was comprised of players from the Turin team. This event was a national shock and is still commemorated to this day. Reports indicate that the plane crashed into a steep hillside, and the length of the wreckage was approximately 2 meters... Briefly, the Fiat G.212 trimotor aircraft, registered as I-ELCE and operated by Avio Linee Italiane (ALI), took off from Lisbon Airport at 9:40 AM on Wednesday, May 4, 1949. At 5:03 PM, while the plane was executing a left turn, transitioning into horizontal flight and aligning for landing, it instead crashed into the rear embankment of the Superga Basilica. The pilot, who believed he had the Superga hill to his right, suddenly saw it emerge in front of him (at a speed of 180 km/h and with visibility of 40 meters) and didn't have time to react. The wreckage indicates no signs of attempts to go around or turn. The only part of the aircraft partially remaining intact was the tail section. 31 people killed.

[@beeble2003]

"the date of the disaster is celebrated still now" I think you mean "commemorated". Celebrations are, by definition, joyful.

[@paolovolante]

@@beeble2003 correction applied. Thanks.

[@kavemanthewoodbutcher]

Russian aircraft captain naked in the passenger compartment, passenger fly the plane. Sounds like it was one wild party.

[@pf6797]

Fantastic work man, really good.

[@mattl3729]

Your videos are just excellent- I love hearing these rather 'interesting' stories that I'd never know of otherwise. Thanks!

[@dmanbiker]

I'm more perplexed on why they designed a trim-able stabilizer that can be trimmed so far, while in flight, the aircraft dives straight into the ground.

[@somerandombloke69]

always a good day when paper skies uploads

[@petar.stoyanov]

I've already watched this on nebula, just came here to say that I really love your content! Please keep it up!

[@padagrad64]

Unique content. Thanks for this channel!

[@shurmurray]

Makes me wonder if the captain managed to finish all his doings (:

[@williamlouie569]

That was one way to go while doing what he loved.

[@kitlundin8833]

They didn't mention if anybody else was found naked, maybe he was just doing a single exhibition,

[@awhatnow9861]

according to my very terrible calculations, today, the fundraising campaign for the 16 bombers would have collected 2.3 *billion* dollars (according to the average price of a shovel today, 40-50 dollars, assuming soviet shovels were of average quality).

[@Pillow_Cat]

Its seems some shovel crisis is going in western world, since in russia average shovel cost today 360 rubles or 4,5$ nothere near 40-50...

[@origami83]

Thank you for the video, i loved every second of it!

[@MoonWeasel23]

Another great video. Love learning about Soviet aviation history and all the differences and similarities to western aviation. Keep up the good work

[@seargesoren9391]

3:40 "unfortunately"

[@karm42yn]

Excellent presentation as always.

[@revengefullobster4524]

Your videos are amazing. Great detail and an amazing perspective. I love this aircraft. such a feat of engineering but a tragic end. Excellent video, thanks!

[@Rom3_29]

5:11 - 1936 ruble was worth less then USA ‘36 dollar. If using shovel prices as a sample. Sears mail order catalogue shovel was $1.25. Shipping extra. R1.45. One ruble was $1.16 or $0.86… 68million rubles is $58,480,000.00. PS-124 = Prisoner of State 124

[@KrotowX]

Pretty much like that. If we put the fact that Soviet Rouble was unconvertible aside and compare only purchasing power per money unit in bare numbers, this trend remained till eighties.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Clearly the pilot was in the sauna

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

lol

[@declanoleary1]

Great episode, about an often unheard of tragic incident.

[@Outerwebs]

16:28 Is that animation of the stabiliser correct - with the leading edge lowering like a slat, rather than the trailing edge? Also looks like that would actually cause a pitch up instead...

[@UguysRnuts]

Definitely incorrect. The artist doesn't fly.

[@GodPikachu]

so.....did they not figure out why the guy was naked?

[@vanpenguin22]

Love your story telling Subbed Nice artwork too

[@0v3rwh3lm3d]

4:24 "РОИССЯ ВПЕРДЕ". gotta love those details from Paper Skies lol

[@JBRAI22]

I was going to sleep but then I see paper skies uploaded, I can spare 20 minutes. Ooooh a vid about a lost tu 224 in Iran!

[@Seph491]

Great video, love your insights into Russian aviation throughout history!

[@stananders474]

Excellent podcast. I really enjoyed it. Thank you.

[@brucermarino]

Wonderful presentation! I'm subscribing!

[@KarriKoivusalo]

Another great, crazy story of USSR aviation, I just love the acerbic sarcasm. Using a bucket as an indicator of cost is very fitting; if back in the days of bartered bilateral trade between the USSR and [probably any country, but in this case Finland] the Russian quota didn't meet the offer, the shortfall was balanced by bulking up with galvanized buckets.

[@trinne]

I think in the animation the vertical stabilizer goes the wrong way. By doing what it did in the animation, it would have induced quick climb and eventual stall.

[@billyponsonby]

The images and footage are remarkable. An excellent story.

[@Adoginthenight]

Love the documentary. Just found you and subscribed, 👍.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

At 14:26, when the aircraft is said to begin to descend, the animated tail surfaces move incorrectly. Instead of the elevator pitching down, causing the tail to rise and the nose to fall, the horizontal stabilizer pitches down. This is not how the control surfaces work and even if they did, would move the tail down and the nose up, putting the aircraft into a climb. This error is repeated again in a close up at 16:28.

[@TruthNerds]

beat me to it 😁🤓

[@OGPatriot03]

Since the elevator is reversed I don't think you're correct.

[@TruthNerds]

@@OGPatriot03 ​ Look at the video, the narration is about the horizontal stabilizer and the horizontal stabilizer is shown to be deflected "down". I don't know how the system actually worked but what's depicted is indeed wrong and contradicts the Newton's laws of motion. EDIT: I got some things mixed up, too (lol), but think about the forces. As shown, there'd be a downward push on the stabilizer and therefore the nose would go up.

[@TruthNerds]

@@OGPatriot03 If the elevator (located at the *rear* of the hor. stabilizer) was deflected down, the tail would be raised, dropping the nose, that was my point. Then that part of the video would make sense.

[@UguysRnuts]

Not sure what effect a hinged horizontal stab might have as it has never been done, though whatever it might have been would not have been good! I'm thinking it might increase lift as a deeply cambered chord would do.

[@Ciborium]

But what was the Captain doing in the passenger cabin while nekkid? Is that on the Nebula version of this video?

[@greengoblin876]

Probably lots and I mean LOTS of vodka

[@hoilst265]

Paper Skies drop! Always a good day!

[@vinnymorrissey7357]

I really enjoy your vodeos! Fantastic as usual. Thanks!

[@tria380]

Excellent video, thank you for telling the story with so much detail. To make it better, I would suggest to change at 16:23 "...electronic..." to "electric". Also, the graphic animation of the dive starting at 16:29 shows the THS (trimmable horizontal stabilizer) changing the position to "nose-up", not "nose-down" angle.

[@UguysRnuts]

You're mistaken about the stab. The artist reversed the fixed surface forward with the "trimmable" sic, elevator surface aft. Only the most rearward section of the horizontal stabilizer is moveable. The motion was in the right direction(downward) but it should have been the rearmost section.

[@davidjb3671]

@@UguysRnuts @tria380 is correct. The forward section of the horizontal stabilizer is trimmed by an electrically operated jack-screw which moves the leading edge, and tilting it downwards would cause the plane to climb, so the action shown in the animation is incorrect. I think you're referring to the elevators which make up the rear section of stabilizer, and indeed tilting those down would cause the plane to dive. I suggest you watch the recent Mentour Pilot video on the fate of Alaskan Airlines flight 261 for a detailed understanding of how this works.

[@UguysRnuts]

@@davidjb3671 Yeah...nah. Trimming is done by a moveable tab on the trailing edge of the elevator. The horizontal stabilizer on the PS-124 was fixed. I suggest you pick up a copy of 'Stick & Rudder'.

[@UguysRnuts]

@@davidjb3671 I guarantee you this plane wasn't equipped with an "electrically operated jack screw" moving the "leading edge". Nor were ANY aircraft yet so configured at this point in history.

[@davidjb3671]

@@UguysRnuts No, you're still wrong, and FYI I learned to fly over 50 years ago. On a light aircraft the trimming is indeed accomplished by trim tabs on the rear of the elevators, but in larger military or civil transport aircraft with widely varying load distribution those tabs would be insufficient, and instead the entire stabilizer can be tilted by the use of an electrically operated jack-screw which raises or lowers the front section of the stabilizer, which is hinged in the middle. Again I recommend you to watch the Mentour Pilot video on exactly how this works and how a mechanical failure which RAISED this caused an uncontrollable dive.

[@matthewcoleman1919]

"Extended trip to Alkai" had me rolling. Your stuff is the best. There should be a Capitalist Pig version of your channel, because God knows we've made our share of horrible boondoggles, as well.

[@VictoriaAlfredSmythe]

fascinating & well-researched. Thank you from Manhattan

[@DavidFromOuterSpace]

great video as always!! i also love the pencil animations but there are some whites shapes flashing in for a frame or so that can be really straining on the eye when watching in the dark. :)

[@parrotraiser6541]

Strange things happen to clothing in violent crashes. The captain might have been engaged in a spot of nooky, or he might have been undressed by the impact. Of course, I'm speculating in the absence of (almost all) data, "a capital mistake". We can also speculate about the engineer who designed the workshop that collapsed under the weight of snow, a totally unexpected phenomenon in the Soviet Union.

[@jjock3239]

The captain might have just wanted to leave this world the same way he arrived.

[@comradewindowsill4253]

but no one else was undressed tho

[@KrotowX]

Liked your note about converting civilian planes for military use. In fact many automotive and aviation products made in USSR, had dual purpose. They shared components and sometimes was made in same factories on same or nearby conveyor belts. This particular fact was one of noticeable factors why Soviet consumer products was often pretty crappy and uncomfortable for civilian use. Money collecting from people for huge propaganda projects in USSR was simple. It was voluntary mass action without a possibility to refuse. Or else.

[@marmactwins]

I love your sense of humor! Had to subscribe just because of that!

[@siechamontillado]

I'm glad to have stumbled across this channel, this is a great docu and channel and should def be getting at least 1m subscribers!

[@gpaull2]

I see why Russia recently passed a law that any accident deemed to be terrorism would not be investigated. Easier to call something terrorism and save the world from knowing their incompetence.

[@oohhboy-funhouse]

That law does is make smoking accidents more common. Calling everything terrorism mean you never know actual 'Terrorism'. To be fair, the Russia is one big terrorist, everything is already terrorism.

[@alexturnbackthearmy1907]

Oh yes, 8y/o terrorist crashes boeing-737 after taking capitan and his father hostage! Even childrens are west spies now, damned capitalist pigs.

[@UguysRnuts]

Unless we're talking about a certain triple seven they claim not to be able to find. In that case it was better for the powers that be to declare it a mystery rather than admit to a hijacking/interdiction.

[@alexturnbackthearmy1907]

@@UguysRnuts How so? Didnt doing it other way around is more beneficial?

[@UguysRnuts]

@@alexturnbackthearmy1907 Because MH370 was exhibiting the same characteristics as the WTC airliners as it was detected on radar crossing back into Malaysia towards the twin Petronas towers in downtown KL, it was despatched over the sea and the wreckage collected rather than the pilot/hijacker creating publicity for his cause. Or at least, that was the excuse. Truth is, he was trying to force the corrupt dictator to release the leader of the opposition party from the prison term he was sentenced to earlier that same day.

[@esmenhamaire6398]

I absolutely love this channel! As well as covering aircraft and incidents I hadn't heard of before, I also often get insights into Soviet culture, for which, thank you! I soooo hope that Russia's next government is a decent one that actually cares abut the population it governs!

[@sparkling925]

thanks for these storys

[@minskhanly1988]

Another great video, I'd love to see Paper Seas

[@notthatcreativewithnames]

It might be a coincidence that the new name of that aircraft is also the same as your channel name initials.

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

haha

[@JunkPhuJP]

Good God! Look at that wingspan!!! It really was a product of its time eh? Soviet ambitious size, 1930’s-1940’s technology. Hope you’re doing well PS, as well as your family. I finally subbed to Nebula btw! So I’m looking forward to more stuff! Slava Ukraini.

[@Disappointing925]

Favorite channel about planes keep it up dude ❤

[@skullcowboy9609]

Recently found your channel, great stuff!

[@washingtonradio]

Your humor about "silly capitalist" problems will not stop "a true communist" is great

[@doomey22a]

Russian aviation is truly the gag gift that keeps on giving

[@mattl3729]

Just imagine what stories there must be about their ground forces and Navy...

[@purpleldv966]

You should see their nuclear submarines programs and conducts at least in the 50's! :D Subbrief has some very good videos on them! Only one spoiler, some random cleaning rag ended up in THE PRIMARY LOOP of a nuclear reactor in a soviet submarine, for god's sake!

[@comradewindowsill4253]

@@mattl3729 oh, the navy has been hilarious since the death of Peter the Great

[@marvwatkins7029]

An excellent and often humorous channel.

[@prinzchen17]

i really appreciate your animation style👏

[@MoatenGat]

Your videos are fantastic, you blend the facts and humor so well, I sometimes wonder if the greatest contribution the USSR gave to the world were these funny stories. Job well done!

[@twflanker]

8:35 Service ceiling 6000km? That's proper communist propaganda 🤣

[@PaperSkiesAviation]

I didn't know anyone would read that :) p.s. it's a typo, should be 6000m

[@tomonabudget]

Man, that was quite the captain then. Not only did he fly the first space shuttle, he also has beaten Gagarin into space, all while flying naked!

[@KrotowX]

@@tomonabudget He was true brutalsky, who survived open space flight and reentry being naked. Still curious why he died from simple fall to ground.

[@YXUHUNTER]

Never heard about this plane. Great video! Fantastic graphics! Thank you!

[@burtbacarach5034]

Another very intersting wll made video!Thanks!

[@North_West1]

But why was the Captain nekkid???

[@RobbieHatley]

I'm guessing he was sweaty so decided to wash-up in the restroom and perhaps then change into a fresh uniform. The only other thing I can think of was that he found one of the passengers to be sexually desirable and persuaded that person to engage in some form of sexual intercourse with him. Well, either those, or perhaps the captain was drunk, on-drugs, or experiencing an acute psychotic break. But I think the "washing-up and changing clothes" would be the more-likely reason.

[@techtinkerin]

Use your imagination 😂