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Tupolev Tu-12 (Tu-77)

1947 COLD WAR X-PLANE

History of Tupolev Tu-12 (Tu-77)

With the end of World War II (1939-1945), the victorious nations were convinced that the jet age had come. Various tests and developments related to military aircraft have been carried out by all parties - especially the UK, US and USSR.

The prospect of a jet bomber was first realized in the Luftwaffe Arado Ar 234 "Blitzkrieg" (detailed elsewhere on this page) as it was a holistic glimpse of the future battlefield.

When the Soviets sensed this "wind change", they pushed to get jets into the sky as soon as possible, and the jet arms race with the West officially began. The classic twin-engine piston-powered Tupolev Tu-2 ("Bat") medium bomber was chosen for its jet-powered form, which will help aspiring pilots and concerned bomber crews understand the nuances of jet-powered flight.

An engine platform larger than a fighter jet. The plane became more or less a "trainer", sending pilots into the Soviet Air Force's new bomber system, which soon included several competing jet-bomber designs (the Ilyushin Il-28 "Small" Hound" is a product of this period) .

Work continued until the summer of 1947, and the first flight was recorded on July 27. The following month, two more airframes were unveiled at Aviation Day (Tishino), and state trials were conducted from October to early 1948. Power: The original electrical system was not up to the task, and the powerful 23mm cannon caused damage to the more sensitive parts of the aircraft when fired.

Fuel consumption on thirsty jets is also a known issue, but despite this, the Tu-12 gains performance beyond its original performance - increased speed, rate of climb and service ceilings are well known and the aircraft is proven Useful in introducing a completely new defense system to the weapon doctrine of future Soviet bombers.

When finished, the Tu-12 had a crew of five. Structurally, it has an overall length of 54 feet, a wingspan of 62 feet, and an unladen weight of 20,000 pounds for a gross weight of 35,000 pounds.

In terms of performance, the Tu-12 has a top speed of nearly 490 mph, a top speed of 1,370 mph, and a service ceiling of 37,305 feet.

Including the prototype, a total of six aircraft were used to complete the Tu-12 jet bomber program. The examples were planned for crew training, but also affected other testing efforts.

Additionally, the short-lived series was eventually abandoned in pursuit of more advanced programs to further help establish the Soviet bomber force as a force to be reckoned with in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.