Originally Posted by
Rutan16
Do I not recall they stopped in Moscow on route to Tokyo many many years ago prior to the formal opening of the Trans Siberian corridor?
Yes the first NRT flights in 1989 from LGW VS901 was on a Classic 747 G-VIRG or VGIN and had to stop at SVO for fuel - No traffic rights on that sector.
2 more 747's were soon added obtained from SQ 747-212B's with PW -7Q engines that could do the flight non-stop so the SVO stop could be dropped. G-TKYO and G-VRGN