This 1970 Soviet art postcard captures the apron of Kyiv’s Boryspil Airport with passenger aircraft parked in front of the main terminal.
What is shown on the postcard
In the foreground, two Tu-104A passenger jet airliners bearing registration numbers USSR-42400 and USSR-42490 are depicted in the traditional Aeroflot livery. A yellow airfield service truck is visible near the aircraft. In the background stands the main passenger terminal building (now Terminal B) featuring its distinctive curved glazed gallery and suspended canopy. Several shuttle buses are also visible on the apron.
Historical note
Construction of the new airport terminal complex at Boryspil began in the early 1960s. The new terminal, which became a prominent landmark of Soviet modernist architecture, was officially opened in 1965. Designed by a team of architects led by A. Dobrovolsky, the building featured an innovative cable-suspended roof and glass facade. The Tu-104, designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau, was the first Soviet passenger jet airliner and was heavily operated on domestic and international routes from Kyiv.
Present day
In the following decades, the terminal underwent several renovations and was designated as “Terminal B”. Following the opening of the modern Terminal D in 2012, the old terminal lost its primary role, was used for charter flights, and was eventually mothballed. Due to the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the airport has completely suspended all civilian flights since February 24, 2022.
Location (map)
Address: Boryspil International Airport, Terminal B, Boryspil, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine
Coordinates: 50.342500, 30.894800
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of passenger Terminal B of Boryspil Airport.
Questions and answers
- What airplanes are shown on the postcard? The postcard depicts Soviet Tu-104 passenger jet airliners in the livery of Aeroflot.
- When was the depicted terminal building opened? The main passenger terminal building (later known as Terminal B) was officially opened in 1965.
- What is the current status of this terminal? Terminal B is decommissioned and mothballed, while the airport itself has been closed to civilian aviation since February 2022.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Kyiv from 1970.
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