Tragic Sukhoi Collision Kicks Off MAKS-2009




Two Sukhoi-27s of the Russian fighter display team, the Russkiye Vityazi, collided today during a practice session. According to news agencies, the pilot of the lead aircraft of the formation was killed after his he ejected from his doomed jet -- it apparently spun out of control and went down after the collision. Two other pilots who ejected survived. I took these photos at a performance of the same display team at MAKS-2007. Still trying to ascertain if the lead pilot who went down was the same one I met and interviewed two years ago Zhukovsky -- the agencies haven't named him yet. RIP.

Photos Copyright Shiv Aroor

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