Up here on the Arctic Circle it doesn't get dark in summer till very late. Aircraft operated by the Soviet/Russian government from new in 8.83 until a year before this late evening view, apart from a period with Greenair as TC-GRD 1990-92. Broken up at Tyumen in 2012

Looking similar to UN-65551 but without the big national titles, this Tu-134 is rather older having been completed in 9.79, but has followed a similar career path. However by 5.08 she had been acquired from SAT by Jet Airlines and was re-registered UP-T3403 next month

Manufactured 3.94 and initially used by the Soviet government in Aeroflot colours, this Tu-134 had been transferred to the Kazakh government by the time she visited LHR in 11.91. Noted at ZRH in 12.04 with Euro-Asia Air but reverted to KazTransAir with big Kazakstan titles by 9.05. Since seen twice at DXB in SAT Airlines colours and noted stored at Astana as UP-T3404 mostly white without titles in 2015

I've shot a pretty wide range of interesting subjects in that spot over the years, before or after attention in the hangar, but this must be one of the most unusual, rating as Southend's only ever Tupolev visitor. Originally Balkan's LZ-TUS in 9.78 and converted to corporate configuration around 1995; sometimes used as personal transport of the famous chess champion Gary Kasparov. To RusLine 8.06 and Kosmos 6.09; broken up at Nizhniy Novgorod in 3.16

Acquired from the Czech government in 1983, this 134 was one of the last active with Balkan and was derelict at Sofia from 1998, but now used for anti-terrorist training

Manufactured 2.79 and transferred to Air Kazakstan 9.96 after a period with Kazair; stored in the maintenance area (out of hours) by the time of this shot

Of all my trips to Russia & the CIS, this has to be one of the very best, with superb photo opportunities of great subjects - as a huge fan of Russian types, it was perfection. Although I'd already shot this colourful 134 in Moscow, it was good to catch it with this interesting backdrop, with parts of the old and new terminals visible. Built 7.77, from Aeroflot to Komiavia 4.95 and Atyrau 12.98; seen at Atyrau airport in 2013 with registration painted out