1970 Tupolev A-3 Aerosledge N007
The Tupelov Design Bureau is known for designing all manner of Soviet Cold War aircraft — from the military Tu-95 Bear to the Tu-144, the Soviet Union's answer to the Concorde. The A-3 Aerosledge occupies a much more unique place in Soviet history: It was designed to pickup cosmonauts and pilots across the Siberian tundra. The design specs stated that it had to be able to travel over snow, ice, and water. Alexi Tupelov's answer was an aerosledge — a vehicle that utilizes ground effect to skim over the ground on a cushion of air. This A-3 was spirited out of the Soviet Union and received a complete restoration in Germany, making it one of the most interesting and functional relics of the Cold War.
