Fuselage Aircraft Original Skin Tag Keychain Tag IL-18 USSR-75661 S/N: 006-05

Keychain from the IL-18 USSR-75661 S/N: 006-05

The
Il-18 is the first Soviet turboprop airplane. Different sources
indicate different numbers of these aircraft built, but there is a
documented figure of 674 units. Such aircraft are still in operation
today, and as of 2024, according to rough estimates, more than 70 Il-18s
are in active use, mostly military. But a few civilian aircraft are
allegedly still decorating the sky, the most famous of which is in North
Korea, operated by Air Koryo.

These
particular keychains were made from an IL-18B with a unique history.
CCCP-75661 was put into service on December 12, 1958 with the Soviet
Aeroflot Airlines based in Moscow. In 1959, the aircraft was relocated
to the Aeroflot unit in Baku (AzSSR), where it remained in permanent
service until July 20, 1964. But on that day, during a scheduled flight,
the crew was hit by heavy hail, which subsequently led to the plane’s
belly landing, lifting the landing gear. Part of the airplane was
damaged beyond repair, so in May 1966 it was transferred to the Kyiv
Aviation Museum at Zhuliany Airport.

The
IL-18 remained a part of the museum’s educational exhibition until
1996. After that, it was scrapped.  It is still unclear why the decision
to scrap the aircraft was made. However, the museum has another IL-18
on display, and sections of CCCP-75661 are used as a garage and storage
facilities at the airport. Already in 2022, the Fuselage Creations team,
in cooperation with the museum, bought out the sections of the aircraft
to turn them into unique keychains that tell the stories of this
legendary aircraft!

All
keychains have a unique number. There are 1118 pieces in total. They
are divided into two types: Blue and Bicolor (several colors on one
keychain). 

Material: original aircraft skin
Dimensions: 8 x 4 cm