Fall Florida AutoFest Welcomes a Unique Boat Originally Built by the Russian Military

LAKELAND, Fla. - June 15, 2015 - PRLog -- Carlisle Events of Pennsylvania returns to the Sunshine State to present an all-new event, Fall Florida AutoFest, November 12-15 at the SUN ‘n FUN complex in Lakeland Florida and this first-time event will be unlike anything Carlisle Events has done previously in Florida.  Gone are cow pastures and fire ants (most of them anyway) and in are acres of paved lots and well groomed facilities.  The show offers a swap meet, car corral, car show and two-day collector car auction powered by Carlisle Auctions.  There are also some special guests and displays being planned, the first of which has been announced.  This fall, guests can see a boat, but not just any boat.  This particular boat was part of the early space race...and not just any space race, the Russian space program.  The boat will be on full display and fired throughout the event in Lakeland.

The history of the boat is unique in and of itself.  In 1961 the Russian military ordered the Tupolev Aircraft Company to design and build an amphibious craft to be used for the recovery of Russian Cosmonauts downed in Siberia after completion of their spaceflights.  The craft had to be capable of crossing lakes, swampy tundra and hostile terrain.  In addition, it had to be able to operate at temperatures well below freezing all while traveling speeds of at least of 100 km/h.  While the exact number of these crafts produced remains a secret, it is believed to be less than 10.  The boat on display is numbered N007 and is 1 of only 2 known to exist in the U.S.A.

The Tupolev was acquired in 1999 and was restored by a collection of international craftsmen under the direction of its owner, Jerry Schulte.  Schulte will also be onsite and not too far from his boat throughout event weekend.  Enthusiasts and media alike are encouraged to swing by the boat to see this amazing piece of history as well as speak to its owner.

In addition to the Russian boat, Fall Florida AutoFest welcomes an amazing array of collector cars and merchandise - all available for purchase.  Onsite, thousands of vending spaces host an eclectic mix of original restoration pieces and parts, new and old stock items, aftermarket upgrades, merchandise, literature and collectibles.  There are also cars for sale by owner within the car corral.  Additional cars are on display and available via the collector car auction.  The auction, which runs Friday and Saturday, November 13-14, welcomes nearly 400+ collector cars which are available to the highest bidder.  In fact, auction consignments are taken through the Carlisle Auctions’ FREE UNLESS SOLD guarantee and continue to draw high quality bidders and cars for the auction.

Full details about event weekend are available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.