Tupolev Tu-80

Tupolev Tu-80

Role: Heavy bomber
National origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Tupolev
First flight: 1 December 1949
Status: canceled
Number built: 1

The Tupolev Tu-80 was a Soviet prototype for a longer-ranged version of the Tupolev Tu-4 bomber built after World War II. It was canceled in 1949 in favor of the Tupolev Tu-85 program which offered even more range. The sole prototype was used in various test programs before ending its days as a target.

Development

The Tu-80 was designed as a modernized and enlarged Tu-4 with greater range. This was to be achieved by the use of more fuel-efficient engines, better aerodynamics and adding fuel capacity. It was intended to have a range of 7,000-8,000 kilometres (4,300-5,000 mi), carry a maximum bomb load of 12,000 kg (26,000 lb), and a top speed of 620 km/h (390 mph). Work began on the design in February 1948 and this was confirmed by a Council of Ministers order of 12 June that required the prototype be ready for State acceptance trials in July 1949.

The forward portion of the fuselage was redesigned with an airliner-style stepped windscreen and the fuselage was lengthened by almost 4 m (13 ft) which allowed the bomb bays and their doors to be lengthened. The radar and its operator were moved into the forward pressurized compartment and the radar itself was located in the "chin" position in a new streamlined fairing. The wings were enlarged to a total of 173 square metres (1,860 sq ft) and the rubber deicing boots were replaced by more efficient and aerodynamic bleed air deicers. The engine nacelles were redesigned with smaller cross-sections with less drag. Originally Shvetsov ASh-2TK or Dobrynin VD-3TK engines were considered, but neither engine was ready so the Shvetsov ASh-73TKFN was used. Fully-feathering propellers were also used. All of these changes increased the lift/drag ratio to 18 from the 17.0 of the Tu-4.

Construction of the Tu-80 began in November 1948, using as many Tu-4 components as possible to speed up construction, but the first flight wasn't until 1 December 1949, after the Council of Ministers had canceled the program on 16 September 1949 in favor of the Tu-85 which was expected to have much better performance. The Tu-80 became a research aircraft, testing reversible-pitch propellers and structural deformation in heavy aircraft. It eventually became a target on a bombing and gunnery range.

Specifications

Data from The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1975-1995

General characteristics

Length: 34.32 m (112 ft 7¼ in)
Wingspan: 43.45 m (142 ft 6ā…¯ in)
Height: 8.91 m (29ft 3 in)
Wing area: 167.0 m² (1,798 ft²)
Empty weight: 37,850 kg (83,444 lb)
Loaded weight: 51,500 kg (113,536 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 60,600 kg (133,598lb)
Powerplant: 4x— Shvetsov ASh-73FN 18-cylinder two-row radial engine, 1,977 kW (2,650 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 545 km/h (295 kn, 339 mph)
Range: 8,214 km (4,436 nmi, 5,104 mi)
Service ceiling: 11,180 m (36,680 ft)
Wing loading: 363 kg/m² (74.3 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.13 kW/kg (0.079hp/lb)

Armament

Bombs: 12,000 kg (26,500 lb) bombs

Related development

Tupolev Tu-4
Tupolev Tu-70
Tupolev Tu-75
Tupolev Tu-85

Comparable aircraft

B-29 Superfortress

Gordon, Yefim; Rigamant, Vladimir (2005). OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-214-4.
Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
Gunston, Bill (1995). Tupolev Aircraft since 1922. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-882-8.

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Source: WikiPedia