Model range of Tupolev aircraft. Unknown facts about Tupolev aircraft

Andrey Nikolaevich Tupolev 1888 - 1972 years of life.
Russian and Soviet aircraft designer, Colonel General-Engineer, Doctor of Technical Sciences.
Under the leadership of Tupolev, over 100 types of aircraft were designed,
70 of which were mass-produced.
78 world records were set on Tupolev aircraft, and about 30 outstanding flights were completed.
Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev trained a galaxy of prominent aviation designers and scientists.

The first Tupolev ANT-1 aircraft

Single-seat sports aircraft, first flight October 21, 1923.
ANT-1 is the first development of the Design Bureau named after. Tupolev.
Designed by A. N. Tupolev based on the experience of creating snowmobiles and ships.
The aircraft was a cantilever monoplane of mixed design.


During testing, the aircraft showed good flight qualities.
In one of the flights, a height of 600 m and a speed of 125 km/h were reached.
But it soon became clear that the old Anzani engine quickly overheats and loses power.
The engine was sent to be rebuilt.
But engineer B.S. Stechkin determined that the worn-out engine could not be repaired, but there was no other one, and the flight life of the ANT-1 was over.
After the construction of the Experimental Design Plant (ZOK) in 1932.
ANT-1 took pride of place in the space of the huge assembly shop of plant No. 156.
In 1937, after the arrest of Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev, the further fate of his first aircraft is unknown.

Civil and military aircraft designed by Tupolev

Passenger aircraft designed by Tupolev

Tu-204SM
Medium-haul passenger plane.
Tu-204SM is a continuation of the development of the Tu-204/Tu-214 family of aircraft.
Tu-204SM is a deeply modernized version of the Tu-204-100E aircraft, using new engine PS-90A2 s increased performance resource and reliability.

TU-204-300
Trunk twin-engine aircraft with high fuel efficiency and level of comfort.
TU-204-300 is the first modern domestic aircraft capable of making long flights without intermediate stops for refueling.

October 22, 1922 is considered to be the founding day of the Tupolev Design Bureau. It is difficult to list all the merits of the legendary design bureau, which later became the largest developer of aircraft. Therefore, we have simply selected for you the most interesting and unusual facts about Andrei Tupolev and his works.

Over the years of its existence, the design bureau has developed more than 300 projects of various aircraft, the factories produced more than 18 thousand aircraft created in the design bureau.

78 world records were set on A.N. Tupolev’s planes, 28 unique flights were completed, including Chkalov’s flight across the North Pole.

V.P. Chkalov, G.F. Baidukov (co-pilot), A.V. Belyakov (navigator) and the ANT-25 aircraft

Tupolev’s wife can be considered the first designer of the design bureau. Andrei Nikolaevich often involved her in the design passenger aircraft Tu-70 and Tu-104. Yulia Nikolaevna chose the fabrics and colors of the material for the interior and chairs.

On May 26, 1924, the first all-metal aircraft ANT-2 took off. A.N. Tupolev himself wrote about it this way: “The day of May 26, 1924 should be rightly noted in the history of Soviet aviation. On this day, the first Soviet all-metal aircraft made its first flight at the Central Aerodrome.”

Tupolev's first passenger aircraft was the three-engine ANT-9, which was designed to carry nine passengers. On one of the production ANT-9, called “Wings of the Soviets”, a flight was made with eight passengers on the route Moscow-Berlin-Paris-Rome-Marseille-London-Paris-Berlin-Moscow.

One of best bombers Great Patriotic War- Tu-2 aircraft - was created by Andrei Tupolev after his arrest. Initially, the designer was faced with the task of designing a heavy aircraft with four engines, but Tupolev believed that the army needed a twin-engine dive bomber more. Production of the Tu-2 continued until 1952. A total of 2,649 vehicles were produced.

Tu-95 has become one of the symbols of " cold war" In 1952, Andrei Tupolev created a turboprop strategic bomber, which became the first production intercontinental strike aircraft of the USSR. He could cover a distance of 12 thousand kilometers, and this was enough to fly to America, drop bombs and return back.

Photo: Greg Bishop

In Russia it is called the “White Swan” for its beauty and elegance. Tu-160 is the world's largest supersonic strategic bomber with variable wing geometry. The flight range without refueling is almost 14 thousand kilometers, maximum speed reaches 2 thousand kilometers per hour. It can carry 24 nuclear missiles or 40 tons of various bombs. No aircraft in the world can still boast of such characteristics. Now in service Russian Air Force there are 13 Tu-160. All of them are concentrated at the military base in Engels, and each aircraft has its own name.

Photo: cryogenic666

With the advent of the Tu-104, the era of jet aircraft began in civil aviation of the USSR. On September 15, 1956, the Tu-104 set off on its first flight from Moscow to Irkutsk and flew there three times faster than previous generation aircraft. From 1956 to 1958, the Tu-104 was the world's only jet airliner.

Andrei Tupolev made a Tu-104 passenger plane from a bomber. The Tu-16 was taken as a basis. The designer enlarged the fuselage and took the wings from a military vehicle. In different modifications, the Tu-104 could carry from 50 to 114 passengers.

Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev devoted more than half a century to creating aircraft, the very sight of which aroused pride among his compatriots and instilled terror in his enemies.

Today, on the birthday of our brilliant aircraft designer (he was born on November 10, 1888 in the Tver village of Pustomazovo), we will tell you about the most popular of his aircraft.

"White Swan" - the very best

In Syria, ISIS members felt the power and strength strategic bomber TU-160 " White Swan" This supersonic strategic bomber-missile carrier with variable sweep wings was developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the seventies of the last century, but still has no analogues in the world.

This was the answer Soviet industry American intercontinental bomber B1 Lancer. Is the largest and most powerful in history military aviation: a) supersonic aircraft; b) an aircraft with variable wing geometry. In addition, the White Swan is to this day the heaviest and fastest serial bomber in the world. In June 2010, two such aircraft set a range record of 18,000 km. The crew covered this distance in 23 hours with one refueling.

The bomber was first used in combat conditions two years ago in the Syrian operation. Currently, fifteen formidable “White Swans” are ready to instantly take off into the Russian skies to protect our country from any enemy.

Winged "Russian bear"

Americans love horror stories - they come up with them themselves, they get scared themselves. So with our Tu-95 turboprop strategic bomber (carrier of cruise missiles), they were clearly too clever, calling it a “bear”. And it turned out to be the fastest propeller-powered bomber in the world. The "Bear" was a symbol of the strength and superiority of the Soviet country during the Cold War. It was characterized by low fuel consumption, which allowed it to remain invisible to satellite thermal imagers, plus it was able to operate outside the coverage area of ​​any air defense. For more than half a century, this bomber has been in service with our Air Force and is not going to retire! Until now, the bomber can actually be used in solving strategic problems

Several funny incidents were associated with the Tu-95. One day a British fighter tried to intercept him, but the “bear” rocked his opponent so much that the Briton lost control and crashed. Another time, over the Atlantic, three Phantoms decided to play with the Bear. Let's play. As a result, the American's tail was completely blown off, the pilot ejected, the F4 crashed, and the Bear returned home as if nothing had happened.

You can't erase a word from a song

In the 60s of the last century, the Tupolev Design Bureau created an aircraft unprecedented at that time - a supersonic airliner. The creation time was as short as possible: the party set the task of overtaking the British, who were about to release their Concorde. And the USSR won - the first flight of the Tu-144 took place two months earlier than the British. The Tu-144 set many records, but it was not a perfect machine - there were plenty of tragic incidents. Yes, it was 150 km/h faster than its competitor, many technical innovations were used in its design, but at the same time the plane suffered from some “incurable diseases”, which largely predetermined its tragic fate. The very first foreign appearance of the Tu-144 in Le Bourget, France, ended with the plane crashing. Then there were several more tragic incidents on domestic airlines. Unreliability and high cost of operation forced the Soviet government to close this project in the year of the Moscow Olympics. But the main blame here lies not with the design bureau, but with the party officials who organized the “reactor race”, which was necessary only for abstract prestige.

May 20, 2015 marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of Alexei Tupolev, a famous Soviet aircraft designer who continued the work of his father Andrei Tupolev, founder of the design bureau of the same name. The creation of a world-famous design bureau was preceded by a rapid growth of interest in aviation and aeronautics in our country. In total, more than 100 different aircraft were designed under the leadership of Andrei Tupolev. At the same time, 78 world records were set on Tupolev aircraft and approximately 30 outstanding flights were completed.

His son also worked shoulder to shoulder with his father. In 1942, after finishing the evacuation high school in Omsk, Alexey began working in the design bureau (TsKB-29 NKVD USSR) under the leadership of his father. In 1943, Tupolev Jr. entered the Moscow Aviation Institute named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze (today it is the Moscow Aviation Institute - national research university), which he graduated in 1949. After that, he returned to Andrei Tupolev's design bureau as a designer. Over more than 90 years of existence, more than 300 different aircraft, snowmobiles and small craft have been developed within the walls of this design bureau. Approximately 100 designs were then built in metal, and more than 50 were mass-produced. In total, more than 18 thousand aircraft under the Tu brand were produced. Below are the 5 most outstanding aircraft of the design bureau, three combat and two civilian. All five models are still in service.

Tu-22M3

In the early 1960s, the Tupolev Design Bureau and the entire aviation industry of the country were faced with the question of which development path should be taken when creating a long-range bomber. The dilemma was as follows: it was necessary to create a single-mode ultra-high-speed aircraft, which, of course, would be very expensive; or make a multi-mode vehicle that would have a moderate cruising speed and a moderate price, but at the same time have the ability to break through enemy air defenses at high supersonic speeds. After a detailed study of several projects, the Tupolev Design Bureau decided that, based on a number of technical and economic indicators, it was rational to create a multi-mode aircraft that would take into account the latest technical achievements in the field of aircraft construction, in particular, it was planned to use a variable-sweep wing in flight and powerful and economical bypass turbofan engines. So in the mid-1960s, the design bureau came up with the “145” aircraft project, which eventually became the Tu-22M and was initially a deep modernization of the mass-produced Tu-22K missile carrier.

In the course of further work on the project, it was possible to talk about any modernization very conditionally. By the time of the first flight, the created bomber was a fundamentally new machine, which had little in common with the prototype and the original project. After a period of modifications that took 5 years, this most complex aircraft-missile system at that time in the Tu-22M2 version was adopted by the Soviet Air Force. And after another 5 years, the first Tu-22MZ missile carriers entered combat units. At the same time, the flight-tactical characteristics of the Tu-22M3 significantly exceeded the characteristics of the first versions of the Tu-22M.

It is worth noting that the Tu-22M series bombers became advanced aircraft for their time; technical developments on these aircraft in the future were used to create both passenger and combat vehicles in all aviation design bureaus of the Soviet Union (4th generation aircraft). For the first time in the Soviet Union, an aircraft received a complex and quite effective set of interconnected both analog and digital decision systems of aviation and radio-electronic equipment.

Aircraft of the Tu-22M series were built according to a normal aerodynamic design and had a low-mounted wing that varied in flight. When creating the aircraft, aluminum alloys were widely used, as well as heat-resistant and high-strength steels, magnesium and titanium alloys. The aircraft wing consisted of a fixed part and rotating consoles. The sweep angle of the rotary consoles implemented in the wing was in the range from 20° to 65°. The fuselage of the aircraft was made as a semi-monocoque; the aircraft had a three-legged retractable landing gear with a nose strut. The vehicle's power plant consisted of two NK-25 turbojet engines with afterburners. The TA-6A auxiliary power unit was mounted in the fork of the aircraft.

The aircraft, designated Tu-22M0, made its first flight on August 30, 1969. The car was lifted into the sky by test pilot V.P. Borisov. The first prototype of the Tu-22M3 missile carrier first took to the skies on June 20, 1977. After completing an extensive flight testing program, the Tu-22M3 was put into serial production in 1978, but the final form of the aircraft was adopted by the Soviet Air Force only in March 1989.

Tu-22M aircraft took an active part in combat operations in Afghanistan, as well as at the initial stage of the anti-terrorist operation in the Chechen Republic. Currently, Tu-22M3 aircraft continue to successfully serve as part of the Russian Air Force aviation units. Tupolev Design Bureau is working on further options for modernizing this bomber in accordance with the new requirements that are being put forward today for this aircraft strike complex. In total, for the entire production period at Kazan Aviation production association approximately 500 Tu-22M aircraft of various modifications were produced.

Flight characteristics of Tu-22M3:
Overall dimensions: aircraft length - 42.46 m, aircraft height - 11.05 meters; wing span with a sweep of 20° is 34.28 m (wing area 183.57 m2), with a sweep of 65° - 27.7 m (wing area 175.8 m2).
Maximum take-off weight - 124 tons.
Power plant - 2xTRDDF NK-25, power 2x14500 kgf (without afterburner), 2x25000 kgf (afterburner).
Maximum flight speed is 2000 km/h.
Tactical range - 2200 km.

The practical ceiling is 14,000 km.
Crew - 4 people.
Armament - one 23-mm GSh-23L cannon, combat load - up to 24,000 kg (maximum) and 12,000 kg (normal).

Tu-95MS

Already in the 1950s, it was clear that the future belonged to aircraft with turbojet or turboprop engines. In the first half of the 50s, while working in this direction, the Tupolev Design Bureau created a strategic intercontinental bomber and cruise missile carrier - the Tu-95, which is still in service with the Russian Air Force. Equipped with four of the most powerful turboprop engines in the world, the Tu-95 technical solutions still has no analogues in the world. Since 1955, this aircraft has been mass-produced and remains in service with the country's long-range aviation. Along with the “Myasishchevsky” M-4 and 3M, the Tu-95, until the first Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles were adopted into service, remained a real deterrent in the nuclear confrontation between Moscow and Washington.

The aircraft was produced in the following options- Tu-95 bomber, Tu-95K missile carrier, Tu-95MR strategic reconnaissance aircraft and Tu-95RTs reconnaissance and target designation aircraft for the Navy. At the end of the 1960s, a long-range aircraft was developed through a deep modernization of the machine. anti-submarine defense Tu-142, which has gone through a difficult development path and is currently still in service with aviation Russian fleet. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Tupolev Design Bureau, based on the design of the Tu-142M aircraft, designed a strategic missile-carrying bomber - a carrier of long-range cruise missiles, designated Tu-95MS. On this moment It is this aircraft that forms the basis of the nuclear deterrent aviation of the Russian Federation. In total, until the beginning of the 90s of the last century, approximately 400 Tu-95 and Tu-142 aircraft were produced in our country.

It is worth noting that the design of the Tu-95 became the basis for the first domestic passenger plane, capable of intercontinental flights - Tu-114. Also, on the basis of this machine, the Tupolev team created a specialized AWACS complex - Tu-126, which had unique characteristics. This aircraft successfully flew in the domestic air defense system for almost 20 years.

The Tu-95MS missile-carrying aircraft is an all-metal monoplane with a mid-swept wing and single-fin empennage. The use of this aerodynamic configuration makes it possible to achieve high aerodynamic characteristics at high speeds car flight. Improvement in performance characteristics was also achieved due to the large elongation of the wing, as well as the appropriate choice of its sweep angle and the set of profiles used along its span. Tu-95MS aircraft are equipped with a powerful power plant consisting of four NK-12MP theater engines with coaxial four-blade propellers. The fuel supply is stored in 8 sealed compartments of the wing caisson (the so-called caisson tanks), as well as in three soft tanks located in the center section and rear of the aircraft fuselage. The plane has a “boom” that allows the vehicle to be refueled in the air.

At this point in time, Tu-95MS remain one of the significant elements of Russian strategic forces. The aircraft has great modernization potential, which allows the aviation and missile complex to remain in service to this day. This mainly concerns the installation of new equipment and adaptation to the use of more effective missiles.

Flight characteristics of Tu-95MS:
Overall dimensions: length - 49.13 m, height - 13.3 m, wingspan - 50.4 m, wing area - 295 sq. m.
Maximum take-off weight - 185 tons.
Power plant - 4xNK-12MP, 15,000 hp. every.
Maximum flight speed is 830 km/h.
Combat range - 6500 km.
The practical ceiling is 10,500 km.
Crew - 7 people.
Armament - two 23-mm GSh-23 or GSh-23L cannons, normal combat load - 9000 kg, maximum - 20 000 kg.

Tu-160

As in the case of long-range supersonic bombers Tu-22M, the overall speed design work and analysis of foreign and domestic experience led the design bureau to the idea of ​​​​creating a multi-mode intercontinental “strategist”. The designers chose the path to create a four-engine strategic bomber equipped with a variable-sweep wing with a fuselage and wing layout made according to an integrated circuit. When creating the new Tu-160 aircraft, the Tupolev team made maximum use of all the accumulated experience that the design bureau had by the 1970s and was gained during the creation of the Tu-22M and the supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-144. In particular in the field of power plants, aerodynamics, weapons and equipment. A prototype of the new aircraft began flying in 1981, and in 1987 the first Tu-160s began to arrive in combat units. In total, more than 30 such aircraft were built, 15 of which are currently in service with the Russian Air Force.

The Tu-160 strategic bomber, armed with long-range cruise missiles, is a system that is capable of delivering powerful strikes against enemy targets located at intercontinental ranges from the bomber’s home base. At the same time, the aircraft has great development potential. In particular, the Tupolev Design Bureau, together with other enterprises and organizations, is working to develop an aerospace system based on the Tu-160, as well as to expand the tactical capabilities of the strategic bomber. In the 1980s, the Tupolev Design Bureau considered the possibility of developing several targeted modifications of the aircraft for various purposes.

The bomber was designed according to the integral low-wing design with a variable-sweep wing. The aircraft is equipped with an all-moving stabilizer and fin and a tricycle landing gear. The wing mechanization of the Tu-160 consists of slats, double-slotted flaps, and flaperons and spoilers are used for roll control. The four engines were mounted in pairs in engine nacelles located at the bottom of the fuselage. The TA-12 APU is used as an autonomous power unit on the aircraft.

The aircraft has two payload compartments, which are located in tandem (one after the other). The main materials of airframe construction are titanium, heat-treated aluminum alloys, steel alloys, and composite materials. Given the flight range, the bomber received a toilet, a kitchen and a sleeping place. To refuel the Tu-160 in the air, a hose-cone refueling system was mounted on it. When organizing mass production of the aircraft, the fuselage, center section and wing rotation units were produced by the Kazan Aviation Plant, the tail and air intakes were produced by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, the wings and engine compartments were produced by the Voronezh Aviation Plant, and the chassis was produced by the Kuibyshev Aggregate Plant.

In the design of the aircraft wing, monoblock caissons were widely used, which were assembled from monolithic profiles and panels 20 meters long. The aircraft fuselage was assembled from large sheets, stampings and profiles using special riveting. The wing mechanization and control units (fin, stabilizer, flaps, flaperons, etc.) were made with extensive use of composite and metal glued panels with honeycomb core. According to the official website of the Tupolev Design Bureau, the Tu-160 is the largest supersonic aircraft in military aviation, as well as an aircraft with variable wing geometry. In addition, it is the heaviest combat aircraft in the world, with the highest maximum take-off weight among all bombers.

Flight characteristics of Tu-160:
Overall dimensions: length - 54.1 m, height - 13.2 m, wingspan (sweep 20°) - 55.7 m, wingspan (sweep 65°) - 13.6 m, wing area - 360 sq. m.
Maximum take-off weight - 275 tons.
Power plant - 4 turbofan engines NK-32, power 4x18000 kgf, 4x25000 kgf (afterburner).
Maximum flight speed is 1800 km/h.
Practical flight range with a normal bomb load is 14,000 km.
Practical ceiling - 15,000 m.
Crew - 4 people.
Armament: various target loads with a total mass of standard - 22,500 kg, maximum - 40,000 kg (strategic and tactical cruise missiles, short-range missile defense with nuclear and non-nuclear warheads, various types of KAB and conventional bombs).

Tu-154

The Tu-154 aircraft, along with the Tu-134, have become one of the most successful projects Tupolev Design Bureau in the field of creating passenger airliners. Work on the creation of this medium-haul passenger aircraft began back in 1963. The design was aimed at creating the most economical and efficient machine in its class. The passenger airliner made its first flight on October 3, 1968. The car was lifted into the sky by test pilot Yu. V. Sukhov. The first production aircraft took to the skies in 1970.

Soon the regular Tu-154 was followed by the Tu-154A, featuring more powerful engines and an increased flight range. The maximum take-off weight of this machine was 94 tons. The first regular flight with passengers on board the Tu-154 took place on February 9, 1972. At the end of 1975, the Tupolev Design Bureau created a new version of the Tu-154B, which had a maximum take-off weight of 98 tons. The Tu-154B received a reinforced airframe structure, a modified control system and fuel system, as well as improved equipment. Under this program, in addition to the basic model, the Tu-154B-1 and Tu-154B-2 aircraft were created, designed for 160 and 180 passengers, respectively. In the 1980s, a cargo version of the Tu-154S aircraft was produced in a small series; “salon” versions of the airliner and flying laboratories created for work on the Buran project were also produced.

The most advanced and widespread among all Tu-154 variants was the Tu-154M aircraft, in which the designers managed to significantly increase the economic indicators machines, as well as increase the competitiveness of the aircraft in the global civil aviation market. The manufacturer of the Tu-154 aircraft was Kuibyshevsky aircraft factory, currently called Aviakor-Aviation Plant OJSC (Samara). A total of 930 Tu-154 aircraft were assembled here various types, of which 166 aircraft were sold abroad, mainly the Tu-154M modification. Currently, hundreds of aircraft of this type are still in use in civil aviation in Russia and other countries.

Taking this into account, Tupolev continues to pay attention to this aircraft, working to maintain the Tu-154 fleet, as well as possible ways aircraft modernization. These works are more than justified today. In the modern realities of Russia and the state aviation industry, The Tu-154 will remain in active operation in one form or another for at least another ten years until it is finally replaced by new machines.

In general, the flight system installed on the Tu-154M satisfies not only all current, but also future requirements of ICAO and EUROCONTROL. The complex includes a TCAS mid-air collision warning system, a satellite navigation system coupled with ABSU, a TAWS ground approach early warning system and other modern equipment.

Flight characteristics of the Tu-154M:
Overall dimensions: length - 47.9 m, height - 11.4 m, wingspan - 37.55 m, wing area - 202 sq. m.
Maximum take-off weight - 104 tons.
Power plant - 3xD-30KU-154, thrust 3x11000 kgf.
Cruising flight speed is 900 km/h.
Practical flight range - 3900 km.

Crew - 3 people.
The number of passengers is 164-175.

Tu-214PU

Back in the first half of the 70s of the last century, the Tupolev Design Bureau thought about promising comprehensive program development of passenger aviation. As part of this program, it was planned to create an open unified basic design of a mainline aircraft, on the basis of which, over time, it would be possible to obtain the entire line of mainline passenger airliners: from short-haul to long-haul from relatively small-capacity aircraft to giant airbuses designed to transport hundreds of people. After several years research work In this direction, the Tupolev team decided to focus on creating the basic concept of the modern medium-range Tu-204 aircraft. This aircraft had to meet all the requirements for passenger aircraft of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Currently, the Tu-214 (Tu-204-200) model is presented on the market, which is further development the Tu-204-100 aircraft, with a take-off weight increased to 110 tons and new PS-90A engines, as well as a reinforced fuselage and wing structure. This airliner is designed for operation on medium and long-distance trunk lines. The aircraft was certified in 2001, and is currently in operation and in mass production. Tu-214 is a modern, efficient narrow-body long-haul aircraft with two engines. They differ high levels comfort and fuel efficiency indicators. The aircraft, as well as the PS-90A engine, were certified by the IAC AR and are fully compliant international requirements on noise in the area, as well as the emission of harmful substances into the earth’s atmosphere.

Of particular interest is the Tu-214PU model - a flying command post. It is this special modification of the machine that today holds the title of “personal aircraft.” Russian President" This model differs significantly from the serial one: special equipment was installed on the plane, and the interior was created according to the original design. The Tu-214PU aviation control center is suitable for organizing telephone, telecode and documentary communication channels, as well as providing the most comfortable conditions for rest and work of passengers and crew members throughout the flight.

The Tu-214PU made its first flight on May 11, 2010. Currently, the special flight squad "Russia" has two such aircraft that can be used to transport the country's president. The aircraft is used for medium-range flights throughout Russia and during foreign visits of the President and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. For long-distance visits, Il-96-300PU(M1) aircraft are used.

Flight characteristics of Tu-214:
Overall dimensions: length - 46.2 m, height - 13.9 m, wingspan - 42 m, wing area - 182.4 sq. m.
Maximum take-off weight - 110.75 tons.
Power plant - 2 turbofan engines PS-90A, thrust 2x16140 kgf.
Cruising speed - 810-850 km/h.
Practical flight range - 6500 km.
Practical ceiling - 12,100 m.
Crew - 3 people.
Maximum commercial load - 25,200 kg.
Passenger capacity - 210 people.

Information sources:
http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk
http://www.airwar.ru
http://www.tupolev.ru
Materials from free sources

Ctrl Enter

Noticed osh Y bku Select text and click Ctrl+Enter

The Tupolev design bureau can rightfully be considered one of the most famous not only in Russia, but also in the world. Over 90 years, more than 18 thousand aircraft were produced here and more than 300 projects of various aircraft were developed. If it were not for Tupolev's bureau, the history of civil aviation in Russia would have been completely different.

Now Tupolev is preparing to release a new aircraft - Tu -204 SM.

Unlike the recent development of the Sukhoi Superjet, the creation of which Russia involved different countries(due to the industrial crisis of the 90s, we ourselves could not produce many components of the new airliner), this will be a much more “Russian” aircraft. The electronic filling for it will be produced by the included"Rostec" Concern "Radioelectronic Technologies".

You can read more about the new aircraft and the history of Tupolev below.

The story began on November 27, 1946, when the passenger Tu-70, a modification of the Tu-4 bomber, made its first flight. Despite the fact that the tests were successful, the aircraft did not enter production. Aeroflot did not need such an aircraft, and the Tupolevs themselves were busy with military orders. As a result, in 1954 the Tu-70 was written off and scrapped.

A year later, on July 17, 1955, the first Soviet and fourth jet passenger aircraft in the world, the Tu-104, made its debut flight.

In 1956 Soviet Union managed to amaze the Western world when, during the visit of the First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Nikita Khrushchev to London, a Soviet-made jet plane flew there. And already in September, Tu-104 began making regular flights on the route Moscow – Omsk – Irkutsk.

During Khrushchev's “thaw,” enormous interest in the Soviet Union appeared from the whole world, and international ties expanded and strengthened. In addition, the World Festival of Youth and Students held in Moscow in 1957 stimulated the solution to the issue of creating a developed system of international air services in the country, including transcontinental ones.

Tu-104 and Il-18 were only partially suitable for this. They could not fly across the ocean, were not suitable for long-distance non-stop flights and had a relatively small passenger capacity (89-100). Therefore, the government issued an urgent task to create a long-range passenger aircraft.

The Tupolev team turned out to be pioneers, having experience in converting a military aircraft into a civilian one, they took the Tu-95 bomber as a basis and built the new Tu-114.

They did it very quickly - in just two years. The first flight took place on November 15, 1957. And already in 1958, the Tu-114 flew to New York. It was produced until 1965, with a total of 31 production units produced.
By the way, in case of an unforeseen delay with the Tu-114, the design bureau played it safe and built two copies of the Tu-116, accommodating 20 people. Today, only one such aircraft has survived. It can be seen in the aviation museum in Ulyanovsk.


The next airliner is the Tu-124 (according to NATO codification: Cookpot - “Casserole”) - an aircraft for short-haul airlines, accommodating up to 56 passengers. In fact, it is a smaller copy of the Tu-104. A total of 165 copies were produced between 1960 and 1965. There are no surviving ones flying today.


One of the legends of the Soviet aviation industry can rightfully be considered the Tu-134 (according to NATO codification: Crusty - “Hard”) - designed for short and medium-haul airlines. Over 23 years (1965-1984), 852 aircraft were produced. By the time mass production ended, the Tu-134 became the third Soviet aircraft in terms of the number of copies produced (second to the Yak-40 and Tu-154) and the most popular long-haul aircraft.

For its time, the Tu-134 was very reliable and economical; by 1990, the 134s carried about 500 million passengers. But it is considered one of the “loudest” in the world, and in 2002 its operation in the EU was banned. Currently used only on domestic flights in Russia and the CIS countries, 130 aircraft are in operation.

Particularly noteworthy is the first passenger airliner in history to fly sound barrier- Tu-144. It happened on July 5, 1969 at an altitude of 11,000 meters.

On June 3, 1973, Tu-144 No. 77102 crashed during a demonstration flight at the Le Bourget air show. However, it began to make regular flights on the Moscow – Alma-Ata route. But on June 1, 1978, just seven months after the start of commercial operation, Aeroflot stopped supersonic passenger flights. The immediate reason for the cessation of passenger flights was the crash of a prototype Tu-144D that occurred a week earlier. In total, the Tu-144 made 102 flights under the Aeroflot flag, of which 55 were passenger flights (3,194 passengers were carried). A total of 16 vehicles were produced.

A truly legendary representative of the Soviet aviation industry is the three-engine jet Tu-154 (according to NATO codification: Careless - “Careless”, in the slang of Soviet pilots - “Fifty dollars”, “Tupol”, “Big Tushka”, or “Aurora”). It was mass-produced from 1970 to 1998, having undergone several modernizations. This is the most popular Soviet aircraft (1026 units).

Since the mid-2000s, airlines began gradually withdrawing the Tu-154 from service. The main reason for abandoning this type of aircraft is not only the exhaustion of its service life, but also the low fuel efficiency of the engines. In total, as of January 2013, only 98 aircraft remain in operation in the world.

In the late 1980s - early 1990s, the Tu-204 aircraft was developed to replace the outdated Tu-154. Based on the basic version of the Tu-204, about 20 modifications have been created, differing in purpose, flight performance, engine type and on-board equipment.

The latest modification of this aircraft was the Tu-204SM. It is equipped with a new pilot-navigation complex PNK-204, created by the Radioelectronic Technologies (KRET) concern, which makes the Tu-204SM the most modern Russian-made airliner. PNK-204 eliminates the need for a flight engineer in the crew. In addition, thanks to the development, the operating costs of air carriers are reduced. The aircraft is also equipped with more economical PS-90A2 engines. In total, the aircraft received more than 20 new systems and units. Most of they were produced at the enterprises of Radioelectronic Technologies.

Most recently, the Tu-204SM received a certificate from the Interstate Aviation Committee, which allows it to operate under the most stringent European and American aviation regulations. According to the manufacturers, the new aircraft should be a real competitor to the world bestsellers A320 and Boeing 737. There is every reason to believe that the aircraft will be truly successful and will eclipse its predecessors.