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zulumike — Exclusion Zone
Published: 2012-07-06 00:24:20 +0000 UTC; Views: 4949; Favourites: 95; Downloads: 149
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Description
An Mi-6 russian helicopter used during the ’86 Chernobyl nuclear powerplant disaster was just one of many aircrafts used to "bomb" the still-burning reactor core immediately after the accident. Irradiated and now useless, this proud helo has been dumped in the Chernobyl vehicle graveyard to await a final burial.Note the large "cruise-lift" wings on the Mi-6 "Hook" were removed on its succesor, the huge 8-bladed Mi-26. The Mi-6 could not hover and had to drop its load flying over the burning power plant. The Mi-26 could hover and drop sand, lead, boron, and cement in efforts to seal the exposed radioactive core.
This was one of the most dangerous and challenging operation ever encounterd by helo's and their pilots & crews. Heavy radiation, smoke, heat, and the reactor's chimney posed hazards never encountered before. Great sacrifices were made by these hand-picked heroic pilots.
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Thanks for Looking.
Cheers, Mike
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Comments: 22
Yes, Chernobyl was a late 20th century nuclear disaster along with Three Mile and Fukushima of this century.
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Wonderful pic. Its a shame that old bird cant be deradiated and made to fly again.
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This is still is one of my favorites it conveys emotion of sadness,heroes and a time of history that we should not forget. Also it has a big bad russian helo.
Best Mike
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That's unbelievable...the way this picture shows that hopeless ambient that resulted from this horrible tragedy.
Everything looks so perfect. Incredible work.
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Thank You, It certainly is a tragic story. There were many heroes also that gave their lives to stop the meltdown and cover the radiation.
Mike
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Excellent image, conveys a real sense of melancholy and regret.
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Thanks Graham, the colors helped set the mood and the old automobile helped. If you noticed I did not beat up the AC too bad. It speaks for itself, all alone and awaits its fate.
Cheers, Mike
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Thank You.
This subject has always interested me since it happened. I have read and researched many articles and films about this catastrophe.
It is an amazing story and I wanted a certain feel for this artwork. I worked on this for two weeks off and on until I got what I liked.
Cheers, Mike
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Wow, u did a amazing job and it alway has interested me to
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Thanks you, appreciate the feedback.
Cheers, Mike
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Thanks Antonis, glad you like it.
Cheers, Mike
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I'll second Spartan' ...haunting. I was listening to Adiemus when this one came up.
That urban explorer better not stay long or take a seat in that Chopper.
And I remember seeing that steam explosion on the news from Fukushima a year or so back and thinking "please, not again"
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I like your choice of music.
It's amazing to me that people still venture into these contaminated areas to steal metal for scrap. As I have read these areas still give off 30R/Hr. and 500R/hr. is fatal. Reference from various readings.
The plan is to bury all contaminated eqiuiment in clay caverns. Evidently it is not on a top priority list.
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Thank You.
I can remember when this happened, I was working at General Dynamics, Electric Boat Div. on the "Nevada" nuclear Trident submaine and our manufacturing group dilligently followed this ordeal on how they were going to subdue this nuclear explosion and the overall damage that it would bring to the world.
This is a story of 80,000 people that bravely fought and finally stopped a very difficult situation.
I
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Oh wow man! So you were in the Navy when this happened, I take it.. Because radiation was being spread all over the place...
But unfortunately, some died because of radiation sickness, some developed cancer, etc... some bad things happened to some of those who helped contain the radiation...
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I believe it is considered the worst nuclear accident ever to happen. The winds carried the radiation particles northwest, even effecting the scandanavian countries. Radiation is very potent and takes hundreds of years to be disolved.
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I believe you are right. The worst nuclear accident in the US happened near where I live at Three Mile Island; where there was a partial meltdown in one of the reactors. Some radiation was released, but it was not a full meltdown. Thank God! If it was, I probably would not exist! 
Yeah, the half lives take hundreds, if not, thousands of years to dissolve. I believe Chernobyl and Pripiyat (or however you spell it) is uninhabitable for at least 100 years or so even though they sealed off the reactor with a concrete sarcophagus.
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