Following a decision by the State government to convert the soon-to-be decommissioned TU-142 anti-submarine aircraft into a museum, a la Kursura submarine, a search is on for a suitable site.
The aircraft will be decommissioned at the Naval Air Station INS Rajali at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu on March 29. TU-142, made in Russia, is still the heaviest and fastest turbo-propelled craft in the world that will fly till it is decommissioned on March 29. The 54-metre-long craft with 50 metres of wing span will have served the Navy for 30 years when it is decommissioned. PI-8 is the replacement for TU-142.
District Collector Pravin Kumar, VUDA Vice-Chairman T. Baburao Naidu and the Navy officials inspected the site opposite the submarine museum and another one next to the helipad at the VUDA Park on Tuesday.
The Collector said setting up of the museum would be jointly done by the Navy and VUDA. The maintenance of the museum will be done by VUDA. Commander Sujit Reddy of the Navy and Lt. N.R. Kumar and Commander R.J. Singh, who piloted it, accompanied the officials.
According to sources, the cost of turning TU-142 into a museum is around ₹5 crore.
With the dates of decommissioning decided, the Navy offered the flight for conversion as museum and the State government decided to take it up, according to official sources.
A team comprising Executive Director (Projects) Markandeylu and Executive Director, APTDC, B. Sriramulu Naidu visited Arakkonam in the last week of February.
Expression of Interest (EoI) has already been called for converting the craft into a museum and March 26 is the last date.
