Tupolev A-3 Aerosledge

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.^[1]

N007 in July 2013
Class overview
Name	A-3 Aerosledge
Builders	Tupolev Design Bureau
Operators	Soviet Union
Completed	Over 800
General characteristics
Type	Aerosled
Tonnage	1,779 lbs
Length	13 feet 2 inches
Beam	7 feet
Height	4 feet 5 inches (cabin)
Draft	2 inches
Propulsion	1 AI-14R five-cylinder radial engine producing 260 horsepower and driving a single 6 foot 2 inch twin-bladed propeller
Speed	74.6 mph (snow), 40.4 mph (water)
Capacity	1,433 lbs (snow) 661 lbs (water)
Troops	4
Crew	1

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.^[2] The craft had a non-standard nine-cylinder engine, and two counter-rotating propellers. This A-3 was sold at Barrett-Jackson's 2015 Scottsdale auction for $220,000^[3] and again at the 2020 edition of the same auction for $143,000.^[4]

See also

• Aerosani
• Airboat
• KRISTI snowcat