Moscow flypast 09 May 2019

[Mr AMARC]

Hi all,

With the season planning in progress, I have in mind seeing the flypast over Moscow 1st time.
Would it be worth going for their practice the day(s) before as well, any experience?

Thanks & regards
Martin

[grunt087]

Yes it is well worth going to the rehearsal. I have been there for three Victory Day Parades. The last fly past I was at was cancelled due to low ceiling. If I was not there on the rehearsal day I wouldn't have gotten any pictures. The best place to see the flypast, military vehicles and troops is just across the river from the back side of the Kremlin. The planes fly just to the right of the Kremlin over the bridge. The tanks will exit Red Square by the church and then turn right along the river. There are hotels within a couple of blocks of the river look on Bookings.com or Hotels.com. Check the web for the rehearsal day. It is usually four days before the real parade but it can change. The Metro is a good way to get around the city. Get a app for your cell phone that tells you the routes and how many stops to go before your stop. Signs are in Russian and English for the most part. Use the time between the rehearsal and the parade to see Victory Park, Patriots Park, Kubinka Airbase and Monino Museum. You can take trains to Kubinka and then taxis. Be careful of taxi drivers in Moscow they will over charge tourists. Make them agree to a price before you get in. Taking pictures around airbases is not a problem just don't get too close to a fence or gate and if they ask you to leave just do it. You can look at Youtube for videos of past parades and see what to expect. The program doesn't seem to change much over the years. Don't forget a Visa it takes about ten days and has a very long application form about your background. Russian crowds are very pushy and will try to shove you out of the way so they can get in front so don't take offense. Just get to the river by 8 am for for the 10:30 start. I would suggest a 150-600 mm lens. The planes are high up and fly in formation so pics of individual fighters can be tricky. You get to see the heavy bombers that don't fly at the Maks Airshow. I highly recommend you going to see it.

[Mr AMARC]

Hi grunt087,

Many thanks, I missed your reply earlier, saw it just now.

Great information, especially that the rehearsal may take place days before! Not sure whether I can spend several days there, so needs to be thought about very well ....
Moscow taxi drivers ... yep, I know them, but mostly I am in Moscow for business, with no time for other things. And no business to do around 9th May ...

I will try finding out about the rehearsal day, otherwise watch weather forecast for a quick decision, maybe. Have a 1 year visa ;o)

Best regards
Martin

[Mr AMARC]

Hi again,

following grunt087's hint I found something about the Victory Day rehearsals for Moscow on wikipedia, see the link below. Based on that May 4 to 6 would give more options to see the aircraft flypast than taking the risk for may 9, plus spending several days before.
Has anybody done the 'multiple practice days'?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Mosc ... Day_Parade

Timeline for preparatory activities in Moscow

26-27 March towards 6 April – beginning of parade practice runs in Alabino, Moscow Oblast
2nd up to the 3rd week of April – General practice run-through in the Alabino training field, including flypast[6]
4th week of April until 2 days before Victory Day - practice runs in Red Square right up to the general practice run
26–30 April, 2–6 May – evening parade practice run-throughs
4–5 May – Air flypast practice runs
6 May – the general practice run at 10 am MST (set to be livestreamed)

[Mr AMARC]

OK I decided t just do it.

02:05 early arrival 5 May, heading towards Bol'shoy bridge Moscow central, and hanging around until hopefully the daily practice run of the planes will happen around 10 / 11 a.m.

Another try on 6 May for the full rehearsal, then back to Domodedovo.

In case that somebody else is doing it, we may coordinate, or exchange information later ;o)

Regards
Martin

[Mr AMARC]

Hi all, just me again, this time from Moscow.
With bad luck. The training days 4./5. May were alternates. As they trained 04.05. they did not fly today. Bad luck pt. 1

Bad luck pt. 2 for me is that, while there is still information in the net, in different sources, about the big rehearsal 06.05., it seems that this date is wrong, it will be 07.05.! See here:
https://www.mos.ru/en/news/item/54457073/

So for anybody out there who is more or less on his way, be aware that likely 06.05. will see no activities.

Wish better luck to others coming!

Regards
Martin

[grunt087]

Sorry to hear you missed out. The only thing you can depend on about Russia is that you can't depend on anything. You might try to get a hold of "Alex Snow" on Facebook. He is a Russian Spotter that is pretty knowledgeable about Russian Military Aviation. He would know better than the internet when the Russian Air Force was doing things. If you like Russian Aviation I would recommend MAKS Airshow and Kubinka Army demo at Patriots Park near Kubinka this summer. Maks has great fighter demos of all the latest types. Spend one day at the airshow and one or more days across the river where the fighters fly right over your head at low altitude with the sun at your back. Kubinka Army has a small airshow but make time to photograph the departures the day or two after the show. You can see a TU95,TU22, AN12's,IL-76 and Mig 29,31's up close and taking off. Last year the Chinese Demo team J-10's and their IL-76's were there also. Make time to see the Patriots Park military vehicle show and firepower demo at the tank ranges. The Tanks and APC's come on to the range and fire live rounds at targets while other units do river crossings and build pontoon bridges across the river with Helicopters flying overhead. There is a small airplane museum on Patriot Park and a Tank Museum a couple of Km away. 4Aviation has good tours of both shows. If you like Russian Aviation and Armor Kubinka is a must see. Good Luck .

[Mr AMARC]

Hi grun087,

Thanks for the reply. The Russian planes is a "should have seen once" thing, and so far I only did MAKS 1995 ..... so it is due, as many of the current types I did not see flying, also not a Tu.95 ;o)

Good thing is I can extend my stay here for a day (nice bosses at home and in the company) but wonder whether because of the Sheremetyevo tragedy yesterday the flying component will simply not happen this time.

Thanks for the Facebook hint, but I not in that club.

Regards
Martin

[100arw]

Martin,
Any chance on an update about what you saw?