This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:16 pm
Lifted from Wiki:
Shavrov Sh-2 was a 1930s amphibian design and the first Soviet mass produced hydroplane. The small, wooden aircraft was a further development of the Sh-1, with a more powerful engine and increased size.
The Sh-2 could carry two crew members as well as two passengers and during wintertime, the aircraft could be equipped with skis. The small lower wing served as attachment for the stabilizing floats. It was a light, simple and reliable design.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shavrov_Sh-2
I'm looking for interior / walkaround shots of a Shavrov for a 1/72 scale kit I picked up - particularly cockpit shots. I'd not be very optimistic, except there's an example not far from a couple of WIX members, at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum, Creve Coeur. Any chance one of the locals could help us out?
http://www.historicaircraftrestorationmuseum.org/
I'm also interested in knowing why the Shavrov is a 'scary' aircraft to fly, according to museum sources...
After all, it 'looks right' or is that just me and 'boats?
TIA
Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:48 am
James,
I exported this plane from the from Russia to our museum in St. Louis back in 1992. I'll pull some photos from my files on Friday and put together a Photobucket page. I'll take some digital photos of the plane this weekend for you. The Aeroflot guys said the last Sh-2 was retired in 1964 so they had a pretty good run. In some ways, the Sh-2 was the amphibian counterpart of the Po-2. There are only estimates of how many were built, nobody really knows for sure. The story behind this particular plane is too long for this post. Let's just say it involves all kinds of strange people and events including an Aeroflot helicopter crew who spotted it in a marsh in the mid 1980s, a P-61 deal, an absurd amount of Vodka, some typical late 1980s-early 1990s Aeroflot insanity (both on the ground and in the air), and some fun with what used to be called Botflot, yes "boat fleet" a sister company to Aeroflot "air fleet".
Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:28 am
Hey, Albert,
That's great! Appreciate it. Like the book cover blub too... we want to know more now.
Did you ever fly it at CC?
Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:06 am
Yo man
there is one issue of SAFO magazine where is article about this plane with details of Polish service. Also I have to take a look but somewhere in Soviet magazines was very good drawings about.
Cheers
Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:38 am
The tail end looks like most DH products of the same area.
Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:34 am
Here a few scans of the Sh-2 when it was in the USSR. These photos were given to me by the head of the Aeroflot tech school where it was restored. I'm not sure who took them or the date but I would guess mid to late 1980s. The Sh-2 was used in military service by the Soviets and this one apparently went down during the Great Patriotic War but since Aeroflot restored it, they put their logo on it.
More later. The scanner on this computer wakes up the baby and that make mommy very cross. My wife could have been a test pilot at a broom factory so I need to stop for now.
Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:36 pm
Michel,
I'd not noticed that, good point.
Albert,
Great, thanks!
Don't get killed, just get the rest of the pics... Are you making high res scans first? I'd be interested in copies - you have a PM.
Many thanks again...
Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:56 pm
Cockpit shot taken while the plane was still at the Yegorievsk Aeroflot tech school.
Well built "custom" shipping crate arrives at Creve Coeur Airport
Shipping crate with top removed. Very well packed for the trip from Yegorievsk to St. Louis. They guys that restored the Sh-2 wanted to make sure it arrived in good shape.
Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:09 pm
Cool! Looks almost like a homebuilt!
Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:31 pm
I've always thought it'd be neat to have one-o-them. Do ya'll fly it Albert? The retract setup looks nifty, but kind of
ergonomically odd in the way the crank is approached...is that the case in practice?
Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:57 pm
Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:16 pm
Ahh..thanks Al!
Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:46 pm
Thanks for all of the images Al! I remember stopping by the airport with the container out on the ramp and thinking someone was keeping a sabre-toothed tiger on the grounds

That was one stout (and crude!) looking container!
Enjoy the Day! Mark
Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:03 am
Great stuff, Albert! Much appreciated.
Have you managed to get any interior (and exterior) piccies of your beast as is at the moment?
Thanks for the input so far.
It sure looks a cool beastie to me; wouldn't it be neat as a lake-fishing trip-plane? You'd also get a few "The Russians are coming, The Russians are coming!" reports as you puttered over the SUV driving masses...
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