# DUGA 3 - Chernobyl



## UrbanX (Jun 6, 2014)

Duga-3 (NATO reporting name Steel Yard) was a Soviet over-the-horizon (OTH) radar system used as part of the Soviet ABM early-warning network. The system operated from July 1976 to December 1989. 

The Duga-3 systems were extremely powerful, over 10 MW in some cases, and broadcast in the shortwave radio bands. They appeared without warning, sounding like a sharp, repetitive tapping noise at 10 Hz, which led to it being nicknamed the Russian Woodpecker.

For More Wiki-ness go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duga-3. 

But I'll leave you with two impressive facts about Duga. 

1) It used 30% of all the power ever produced at the Chernobyl power plant. 
2) It cost TWICE as much as all of the reactors at Chernobyl to build. 

I've seen it every time I've been to Chernobyl. It's hard to miss it - It's 150m High (dwarfing St. Pauls Cathedral, and even taller than  Kings Reach tower) and is nearly a kilometer long…

It was always on maps as a "Childrens activity camp". It made me laugh when we pulled off the main road, all of the bus stops near by were still covered in childish mosaics of teddy bears! In order to maintain this secrecy, all of the vehicles here were kept and maintained in hidden garages, all of the workers were housed in a town built in the woods beneath the array simply known as “Chernobyl 2”. 

I’ll post photos of these other two sites in the threads below. 

I've always seen it as a massive scaffold on the horizon. It's always been 'forbidden' and no amount of money seemed to ever change that. then in October 2013 for whatever reason they decided to throw it open to zone visitors. Although there's still a mean looking man next to some cool gates to go through: 







And a mean guard dog: 


_(This little guy actually got more attention than the actual structure!)_

Approaching the array, it just never seems to get any closer, it's size it hard to describe: 






Looking up:












Mr Dan going up:



Oh Hai:





It's currently under demolition, heres some bits to be taken away:



Notice the bottom two braces have just been cut off at head level!  



Adjacent to Duga were it's control rooms, which were equally as impressive:












Corridor porn: 












View of the array from the control room roof:



Oh, and a version with an UrbanX installed:



Control rooms:



I had to laugh, I was taking this shot when I heard a noise and two guys in Nuclear Clean suits walked in with a soldier. I looked at them like they were dressed over the top - they looked at me in my trousers and T-shirt, rolled their eyes and walked on.


----------



## UrbanX (Jun 6, 2014)

*Part 2 - Duga Secret Garages*

As was a Top Secret location, all of the vehicles had to be stored, and maintained on site. There was even a 'Drivers Ed' area for people to learn to drive them. 

Lads, I've had an idea...



There was a small hut, with this staircase which just seemed to go into the centre of the earth! It was flooded before it got too deep tho.... 



Garage:






Drawing:



I found this illustration just on the floor and wondered if it was of a local room: 



And here it is! The Drivers Ed classroom! 



Vehicles:









I thought this looked like something out of 'The Fly' 






Hai:



Duga over the garages: 



I found this spotlight, so big I reckon I could get in it: 



Yep...












Drivers info on the wall:



Happy to be here:


----------



## UrbanX (Jun 6, 2014)

*Part 3 - Dugas Secret Town - "Chernobyl 2"*

Duga was one of Soviet Ukraines best kept secrets. In order to keep it that way a second town was constructed in the woods to avoid hoards of people coming and going each day. It was simply named "Chernobyl-2" 







I love the funky mosaic tiles on the buildings: 





































Tree on the balcony...












Someone had dated the wall prior to wallpapering! 






Mosaics on the walls, amazing that they have survived like this for 30 years:


----------



## UrbanX (Jun 6, 2014)

*Duga - Part 4 - Video!*

Here's the video - Enjoy! 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e9MXWQ3QIQ[/ame]


----------



## krela (Jun 6, 2014)

Amazing stuff Lee. Thank you.


----------



## billygroat (Jun 6, 2014)

So you're playing the puppy shot? 

Wonderful, thank you!!

You remind me of that guy from "rules of engagement"


----------



## Stealthstar79 (Jun 6, 2014)

That's a post and a half! 
Fascinating stuff, that puppy is adorable! 
Thanks..


----------



## UrbanX (Jun 6, 2014)

billygroat said:


> You remind me of that guy from "rules of engagement"



Lol, I do get told I look like David Spade a lot!


----------



## gingrove (Jun 6, 2014)

Not a word that I normaly use but this is EPIC !:radar:


----------



## oldscrote (Jun 6, 2014)

Incredible,what a place that is.


----------



## flyboys90 (Jun 6, 2014)

superb reports & photos,the wall murals are ace and the video too[love the music]


----------



## Mikeymutt (Jun 6, 2014)

Totally amazing thank you.


----------



## tumble112 (Jun 6, 2014)

This has to be one of the best reports I've seen. Thank you.


----------



## Ninja Kitten (Jun 6, 2014)

om my lord bloody hell lee!!!!!!!! amazing!! i really want to !!!!


----------



## Old No.13 (Jun 7, 2014)

Gingrove nicked my word, EPIC!!!!


----------



## Onmyown (Jun 7, 2014)

Thats brilliant mate.


----------



## King Al (Jun 8, 2014)

Fantastic report UX, I have been anxiously waiting for this place to get the UrbanX treatment for a long time, utterly fascinating!


----------



## DirtyJigsaw (Jun 9, 2014)

STUNNING LEE!! Yes, CAP LOCKS on purpose!  awesome write up as per and great photos as always. Top work Sir


----------

