Tupolev Tu-98
| Tupolev Tu-98 | |
|---|---|
| Type: | bomber |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
1956 |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
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The Tupolev Tu-98 ( Russian Туполев Ту-98 , NATO code name Backfin ) was the prototype of a jet bomber with swept wings , developed by the Tupolev design office for the Soviet Union Air Force .
history
The Tu-98 arose from a program to develop a fast, tactical supersonic bomber to replace the Tu-16 . The resulting aircraft was powered by two Ljulka AL-7 jet engines with side air inlets high up on the fuselage (above the wing root). The Tu-98 had a glazed bow for the navigator, behind it a little above there was a tandem cockpit for the pilot and weapons officer. The air inlets were on the sides behind the cockpit. The main landing gear, each with four wheels and a narrow gauge, was pulled into the fuselage. The most noticeable feature of the Tu-98 was the argon targeting radar for the rear cannon in a teardrop-shaped casing on the vertical stabilizer.
The Tu-98 was built in 1955 and began testing in early 1956, which also included launches with auxiliary missiles . At the end of the year it became apparent that the pattern did not meet the requirements of the Air Force and the tests were discontinued. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, the Tu-98 was shown to a US delegation under General Twining at the Kubinka military airfield near Moscow in June 1956 and presented by President Khrushchev as the latest Soviet bomber development. The US military was impressed and, since no details were given about the aircraft, assigned the design to the Yakovlev design office . There were also speculations about an alleged series production, which was estimated at 15 pieces per year in 1958, which is why NATO gave the code name Backfin and the (fictitious) designation Jak-42. A commissioning was never planned for the Tu-98. The only prototype was flown only for test purposes and at the air parade in Tushino .
The design of the Tu-98 had a major impact on the prototype of the Tupolev Tu-28 interceptor, officially known as the Tu-128 . In addition to aerodynamic tests for the Tu-128, the Tu-98 was used for tests with the future Tu-128 RP-7 "Smersch" radar, where the glazed bow was replaced by the device, and the Kompleks 80 fire control system . Also, the envisaged as armament for this pattern R-4 - air-to-air missiles have been tried with the Tu-98th The official name of the machine for it was Tu-98LL for letajuschtschaja laboratorija , flying laboratory. After completing these tests, the Tu-98 was parked in Zhukovsky for a while before it was scrapped. The Tu-98 also provided information for the construction of the Tu-22 .
The Tu-98 could have carried four free-fall bombs in the bomb bay as well as two bombs on the wings, alternatively it would have been possible to arm it with three P-15 guided missiles, one under each wing and the third in a semi-recessed position under the central fuselage. This configuration is comparable to that of the Tu-22M . Bombs cannot be carried in the bomb bay in this configuration.
Was designed also a version for an extremely short start (in NATO jargon Zero Length Launch specified), with modified main landing gear and a droppable Start booster should lift off from a launcher.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 3 |
| length | 32.06 m |
| span | 17.27 m |
| height | 8.06 m |
| Wing area | 87.50 m² |
| Arrow | 60 ° (inner wing) 45 ° (outer wing) |
| Takeoff mass | maximum 39,000 kg |
| Wing loading | 445.7 kg / m² |
| drive | 2 × jet engines Ljulka AL-7 F with 93.2 kN thrust each |
| Thrust-to-weight ratio | 0.49 |
| Top speed | 1,238–1,365 km / h at an altitude of 12,000 m |
| Range | 2,440 km with maximum payload |
| Service ceiling | 12,750 m |
| Armament | 3 × 23 mm automatic cannon AM-23 5000 kg launched munitions |
See also
literature
- Rudolf Höfling: Tupolev . Airplanes since 1922. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2012, ISBN 978-3-613-03459-4 , p. 106/107 .
- Jefim Gordon , Wladimir Rigmant: OKB Tupolev . A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. 2005, ISBN 1-85780-214-4 , pp. 161-164 .
Web links
- Tupolev Tu-98 "Backfin". Retrieved on April 8, 2017 (English, information and pictures on alexstoll.com).
- Tupolev Tu-98 (OTAN: Backfin). Retrieved on April 8, 2017 (French, information on the Tu-98 on aviationsmilitaires.net).
- Туполев Ту-98. Retrieved August 4, 2017 (Russian, history, dates and photos on airwar.ru).
Individual evidence
- ^ Tupolev Tu-98 1956 . Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ↑ Alex Stoll: Tupolev Tu-98 "Backfin" . Alex Stoll. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ↑ Staff Writer: Tupolev Tu-98 (Backfin) Strategic Bomber (1956) - Only a single prototype of the Tupolev Tu-98 Backfin bomber was ever completed. . Military Factory 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.