Tupolev Tu-114: Difference between revisions
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==Incidents== |
==Incidents== |
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During its service life the plane gained an enviable safety record, there being only one operational accident when a Tu-114 veered off the runway whilst trying to take-off in bad weather and poor visibility. The plane's wing struck a large snow mound that had not been cleared from the runway (takeoff had already been delayed several times due to deteriorating weather). |
During its service life the plane gained an enviable safety record, there being only one operational accident when a Tu-114 veered off the runway on 17 February 1966 whilst trying to take-off from Moscow's International Airport in bad weather and poor visibility. The plane's wing struck a large snow mound that had not been cleared from the runway (takeoff had already been delayed several times due to deteriorating weather). Soviet sources said 48 of 70 persons on board were killed. The aircraft was bound for [[Brazzaville, Congo]] with a number of Africans and a Soviet trade delegation on board. <ref>Associated Press, "''Airline Crash Probeds By Reds''", Playground Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday, 18 February 1966, Volume 20, Number 10, page 1.</ref> |
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Another non-operational example was written off with fuselage damage after an undercarriage nosegear collapsed during servicing. |
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==Specifications (Tu-114)== |
==Specifications (Tu-114)== |
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Revision as of 03:38, 29 December 2010
| Tu-114 Rossiya | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Airliner |
| Manufacturer | Tupolev OKB |
| First flight | 15 November 1957Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
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| Introduction | 24 April 1961Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
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| Retired | 1991Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
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| Primary users | Aeroflot Japan Airlines (in association with Aeroflot), VVSCite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
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| Number built | 32 |
| Developed from | Tupolev Tu-95Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
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| Variants | Tupolev Tu-126Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
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The Tupolev Tu-114 Rossiya (Russian: Tyполев Тy-114 Poccия) (NATO reporting name Cleat) is a turboprop powered long-range airliner designed by the Tupolev design bureau and built in the USSR from May 1955.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
The aircraft was the largest and fastest passenger plane at that time (until the advent of the Vickers VC10) and also had the longest range (10,900 km). It remains one of the fastest turboprop passenger planes of any era.
Due to its wing and powerplant design, the Tu-114 was able to travel at speeds typical of modern jetliners (880 km/h). Able to accommodate 224 passengers, a more usual number in Aeroflot service was 170 provided with sleeping berths and a dining lounge. In 14 years of civilian service, the Tu-114 was noted for its very high level of safety and reliability, and carried over six million passengers before being replaced by the jet-powered Il-62.
Development
In response to a directive No.1561-868 from the Council of Ministers and Ministry of Aircraft Production order No.571, issued in August 1955, the Tupolev Design Bureau was to create an airliner that had a range of 8,000 km (4,971 mi), based on the Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber, powered by 4 powerful Kuznetsov NK-12 engines driving massive contra-rotating propellers.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
The Tu-114 used the basic wing, empennage, landing gear, and powerplants of the Tu-95 bomber, mated to a totally new pressurized fuselage of much larger diameter. To cope with the increased weight, increased landing flap surface area was required, and the flap chord was increased compared to the bomber's flaps. The wing was mounted low on the fuselage, giving the Tu-114 a much higher stance on its landing gear than the bomber. As a result a new nose landing gear strut was required, although the main landing gear remained unchanged.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
The Tu-114 was able to reach speeds typical of modern jetliners (880 km/h), carrying up to 224 passengers in maximum carriage configuration, although a more usual number for long-distance trans-continental flights was 170 passenegers who were provided with the luxuries of sleeping berths and a dining lounge for the upper class cabin.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
Design
This airliner has several unique technological features for its time such as:-
- Wings swept back at 35 degrees – the same angle as for the Boeing 707 and several other jet airliners
- Powerful Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprops, the most powerful turboprop engines ever produced, each driving two AV-60H contra-rotating four-bladed reversible-pitch propellers.
- Lower deck galleys.
- Lower deck aircrew rest area.
- Long landing gear (the nose gear is 3 m high) due to its large propeller diameter. During a test flight to Washington prior to Nikita Khrushchev's first visit to the United States, the destination airport did not have steps tall enough to reach the Tu-114's cabin door because of this feature (the same problem befell London and Paris when the plane first arrived at those airports).
Operational history
The Tu-114 had a fairly short commercial service life compared to other Soviet airliners, being operated on regular flights from 1962 to 1976. Whilst in service the plane was known for its reliability, speed and fuel economy, as it used less fuel than the Ilyushin Il-62 that replaced it.
In regular service with Aeroflot, the plane was first used for flights to international destinations like Copenhagen, Havana, Montreal, New Delhi, Paris, Belgrade and Tokyo (in co-operation with JAL). After being replaced by the Il-62 on these routes, the Tu-114 was frequently used on long range domestic flights. The end of the commercial use was set at around 14 thousand flying hours.
The Tu-114 had an excellent safety record rarely matched by any other airliner (there was only one incident involving fatalities but the plane was not airborne at the time) and was only withdrawn from service after the introduction of the Il-62 jet, carrying over six million passengers with Aeroflot and Japan Airlines during civilian service. After the end of commercial service, it was used by the Soviet Army and Air Force until 1991.
The prototype Tu-114, CCCP-л5611, ferried Nikita Khrushchev to the United States on his first visit in 1959. When it arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, the ground crew found that the aircraft's landing gear was so high that they had no passenger steps tall enough to reach the forward hatch. The end result was that Khrushchev and his party were obliged to use the aircraft's own emergency escape ladder.[1]
JAL service
For operating the Moscow - Tokyo route, Japan Air Lines made an agreement with Aeroflot to use the Tu-114 on that route. For these flights, the flight crew included one JAL member, and the cabin crew consisted of five each from Aeroflot and JAL. The seating arrangement was changed to a two-class layout with 105 seats, and the aircraft livery included a small JAL logo and lettering on the forward fuselage. In 1969 the Moscow - Tokyo Tu-114 flights were stopped, and the four involved planes converted back to the 200 seat domestic layout.
World Records
The Tu-114 holds a number of aviation records. In June 1959 the Aviation Sports committee of the Central Air Club named after Valeriy P. Chkalov approached the Tupolev OKB suggesting that various aviation records could be taken by Tupolev designed aircraft. The Tupolev OKB prepared a detailed plan for record attempts on the Tu-16, Tu-104, Tu-104B, Tu-95M and Tu-114. The second pre-production Tu-114 (CCCP-76459) was prepared and clearance obtained to fly with the 60 tonne payload required for some of the record attempts. In a series of flight beginning on 24 March 1960 the Tu-114 achieved the following records in Sub-class : C-1 (Landplanes) Group 2 : turboprop :-
- 24 March 1960
- Maximum speed on a 1,000 km (620 mi) closed circuit with payloads of 0 to 25,000 kg (0 to 55,116 lb)
- Pilot : Ivan Sukhomlin (USSR)
- Captain : B. Timochuk + 4 other crew
- Course/place : Sternberg-Point Observatory (USSR)
- 871.38 km/h (541.45 mph)
- 1 April 1960
- Maximum speed on a 2,000 km (1,200 mi) closed circuit with payloads of 0 to 25,000 kg (0 to 55,116 lb)
- Pilot : Ivan Sukhomlin (USSR)
- 2nd pilot : N. Kharitonov + 3 other crew
- Course/place : Sternberg-Point Observatory (USSR)
- Tu-114 '76459'
- 857.277 km/h (532.687 mph)
- 9 April 1960
- Maximum speed on a 5,000 km (3,100 mi) closed circuit with payloads of 0 to 25,000 kg (0 to 55,116 lb)
- Pilot : Ivan Sukhomlin (USSR)
- 2nd pilot : Konstantin Sapelkin (2nd pilot)
- Course/place : Sternberg-Point Observatory (USSR)
- Tu-114 '76459'
- 857.212 km/h (532.647 mph)
- 12 July 1961
- Altitude with payloads of 25,000 to 30,000 kg (55,000 to 66,000 lb)
- Pilot : Ivan Sukhomlin (USSR)
- 2nd pilot : Piotr Soldatov
- Course/place : Vnukovo (USSR)
- 12,073 m (39,610 ft)
- 21 April 1962
- Maximum speed on a 10,000 km (6,200 mi) with payload of 1,000 to 10,000 kg (2,200 to 22,000 lb)
- Pilot : Ivan Sukhomlin (USSR)
- 2nd pilot : P. Soldatov
- Course/place : Sternberg-Point Observatory (USSR)
- Tu-114 '76467'
- 737.352 km/h (458.169 mph)
All these records stand but the category was discontinued when the category was split into take-off weight sub groups. Similar records have been set in the new sub-groups by Tu-95 and Tu-142 aircraft at faster speeds.
Variants
Tu-114A Prototype
The first produced Tu-114, registration SSSR-L5611 was first shown to the west in 1958 at the Brussels World Exhibition. It later carried Nikita Khrushchev to on his first trip to the United States, and the first visit to the U.S. by any Soviet leader. The last flight of this plane was in 1968, and it is now on display at the Monino museum.
Tu-114D variant
Long range version of the Tu-114, specially adapted for non-stop flights to Cuba. After US policy helped persuade West African countries like Senegal from granting refueling rights to Aeroflot, the Cuba flights had to be operated non-stop from the Soviet Union. To make these flights possible, the seating of the plane was reduced from 170 to 60, and 15 extra fuel tanks were added. The flights operated from Moscow through Murmansk, in the far north of the Soviet Union, and then entirely across the ocean to Havana. The flights stopped at Murmansk in the reverse direction as well. In most cases, this fuel load was enough to make it to the intended destinations, but in case of strong headwinds, a refuelling stop in Nassau on the Bahamas was necessary. All planes operating this route were converted back to the normal specifications after the Ilyushin Il-62 began flying the Moscow - Havana route.
Tu-114PLO variant
This was a maritime strike variant of the Tu-114 armed with anti-ship missiles and naval radar.
Related developments
Tu-116
The Tu-116 was a Tu-95 bomber fitted with passenger cabins.
Tu-126
The Tu-126 (NATO reporting name Moss) was used by the Soviet Air Force in the AEW role until being replaced by the Beriev A-50.
Operators
Civil
- Japan Airlines - In association with Aeroflot.
Military
- Soviet Air Force (Tu-114, Tu-116)
Incidents
During its service life the plane gained an enviable safety record, there being only one operational accident when a Tu-114 veered off the runway on 17 February 1966 whilst trying to take-off from Moscow's International Airport in bad weather and poor visibility. The plane's wing struck a large snow mound that had not been cleared from the runway (takeoff had already been delayed several times due to deteriorating weather). Soviet sources said 48 of 70 persons on board were killed. The aircraft was bound for Brazzaville, Congo with a number of Africans and a Soviet trade delegation on board. [2]
Another non-operational example was written off with fuselage damage after an undercarriage nosegear collapsed during servicing.
Specifications (Tu-114)
General characteristics
- Crew: 5
- Capacity: 120-220 passengers
Performance
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References
- ^ Fursenko, Alexandr (2006). Khrushchev's Cold War: The Inside Story of an American Adversary. Norton. p. 334. ISBN 0393058093.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Associated Press, "Airline Crash Probeds By Reds", Playground Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday, 18 February 1966, Volume 20, Number 10, page 1.
- Gordon,Yefim & Rigmant, Vladimir. “Tupolev Tu-114”. Midland. Hinkley. 2007. ISBN(10) 1 85780 246 2 ISBN(13) 978 1 85780 246 7
- Gunston, Bill. “The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 – 1995”. London, Osprey. 1995. ISBN 1 85532 405 9
- Alexander, Jean. “Russian Aircraft since 1940”. Putnam. London. ISBN 0-370-10025-5
External links
