https://cast.pudmed.ir/videos/watch/fe591a92-3553-4330-98a9-190020e69593 The Iron Curtain did not close the sky. While Soviet citizens needed exit visas, Aeroflot jets flew freely to over 70 countries. These were not just passenger flights – they were instruments of diplomacy, trade, and soft power. This episode traces the wings over continents: the routes, the aircraft, and the crews that represented the USSR far beyond its borders. In this full-length episode: 🌍 The First International Routes – How Aeroflot expanded after WWII. The first international destination: Prague (1945) on Lisunov Li-2s (Soviet DC-3s). By the 1960s, the Tu-104 and Il-18 reached London, Paris, Tokyo, and Delhi. Rare timetables and photos from the golden age of Soviet international travel. ✈️ The Flagship – Il-62 – The long‑hauler that defined Soviet prestige. Non‑stop Moscow to Havana? Not quite – a fuel stop in Murmansk or Gander, Newfoundland. But the Il-62 could fly Moscow to Tokyo, Moscow to Conakry, and Moscow to Santiago. We examine cabin layouts (first class had leather seats, economy had slightly less leather), and interview a former flight attendant who remembers serving caviar over the Atlantic. 🌎 Across the Atlantic – The Moscow–New York Route – Aeroflot began flights to JFK in 1968, using Il-62s. The Cold War in the sky: Soviet crews staying in supervised hotels, American authorities watching every move. We reconstruct a typical flight – 11 hours, a refueling stop in Gander (Canada), and the strange ritual of passport checks mid‑flight. 🌍 Africa and Asia – The Soviet Sphere – Aeroflot served Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Vietnam – aligned nations. The Tu-154 (the Soviet 727) became the workhorse of these routes. We cover the Tu-154 – fast, loud, and thirsty – but reliable enough to handle rough runways and hot climates. Why African nations loved the Tu-154 (and why some still fly it). 🤝 Humanitarian and Diplomatic Missions – The Il-76 (military transport converted for civilian cargo) carried emergency aid to Bangladesh, earthquake relief to Armenia, and food to Cuba during the Special Period. The An-124 Ruslan airlifted a metro train from London to Moscow. Soviet civil aviation was about more than passengers – it was about presence. 🛬 The End of an Era – Post-Soviet Collapse – After 1991, Aeroflot's international network fragmented. Regional airlines emerged. Western Boeings and Airbuses replaced the Tu-134s and Il-86s. But the legacy of Wings Over Continents remains – a time when the Red Star flew everywhere, and the world watched. Sat, 13 Jun 2026 14:31:37 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://cast.pudmed.ir https://cast.pudmed.ir/lazy-static/avatars/eed1cb33-d04c-4158-b000-2f2fb9545c13.png https://cast.pudmed.ir/videos/watch/fe591a92-3553-4330-98a9-190020e69593 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://cast.pudmed.ir/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.