The Tupolev A-3 Aerosledge is an all-metal amphibious aerosledge, designed to transport passengers and light freight in remote areas of the Soviet Union. Officially known as the A-3 "Hope" ("Nadezhda" in Russian), it uses a single pusher propeller mounted behind the enclosed cabin to propel the craft over snow or water.McLeavy, Roy, (1982). "Jane's Surface Skimmers", London, England: Jane's Publishing Company Limited, pp 65–67. A prototype was constructed in 1961, and the A-3 entered into production in 1964.
Survivors A 1978 A-3, registered N007 (possibly the only one imported to the U.S.), was offered at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2007. This specific A-3 was upgraded to a 9-cylinder Vedeneyev M14P engine, which drove the standard twin parallel-rotating propellers. This A-3 was sold at Barrett-Jackson's 2015 Scottsdale auction for $220,000 and again at the 2020 edition of the same auction for $143,000.
See also Aerosani Airboat KRISTI snowcat
Notes
References McLeavy, Roy, (1982) "Jane's Surface Skimmers", London, England: Jane's Publishing Company Limited, pp 65–67. Walter Lorch, (1977) "Geschichte des Verkehrs auf Schnee und Eis" Orell Düssli Verkag Zürich, page 143.
External links
N007 Tupolev, aerosled with ground effect 'The remarkable part boat, part sled, part ground-effect Tupelov(sic) aerosled' gizmag.com/newatlas.com Aerosani-amfibiya AS-2, a modern amphibious recreational vehicle from aircraft manufacturer Tupolev (Russian language) "REPÜLŐMÚZEUM SZOLNOK Tupoljev A-3 "Aeroszan" amfíbia" (Hungarian -tr. MUSEUM OF FLIGHT Szolnok: Tupolev A-3 "Aerosan" amphibian) a page of the Museum of Hungarian Aviation in Szolnok, with some pictures of the aerosledges, showing them in Budaörs, and in their new location Kamov AEROSLED K30 (VINTAGE SLEDS IN RUSSIA)