In pictures: Take a flight out of Kolkata’s new naval aircraft museum in New Town

The entrance to the new naval aircraft museum in New Town. The museum, built on a plot adjacent to the New Town police station, is expected to welcome visitors soon

A decommissioned Tupolev Tu-142M maritime aircraft parked on a runway-like structure built solely for showcasing the aircraft at the New Town museum. The fighter jet weighs around 90,000kg and was brought to Kolkata in 2020. Visitors will be allowed inside the aircraft and have a look at the cockpit

The Tupolev Tu-142M was decommissioned in 2017. Earlier, it had been in the employ of the Indian Navy’s air wing for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare. The huge aerodyne is capable of staying afloat in the air for 16 hours at a stretch. It has given the Indian Navy 29,000 hours of service without any mishap

The museum’s biggest exhibit, the Tupolev Tu-142M, was donated by the Indian Navy. This fighter jet is also known as the ‘Albatross’ because of its huge wingspan and size. Built in erstwhile Soviet Union, it was inducted in the Indian Navy in 1988

The museum has been built by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority at an estimated cost of around Rs 10 crore though the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation will run its operations

A children’s park has also been set up on the museum ground with rides modelled after fighter aeroplanes

The naval museum is expected to become an exciting addition to the city’s tourist spots