Beautiful Pics Of A Rare Tu-128 – The Largest & Heaviest Fighter Ever In Service

 

The Tupolev Tu-28 (NATO reporting name Fiddler) was a long-range interceptor aircraft introduced by the Soviet Union in the 1960s.  It was the largest and heaviest fighter ever in service.
In the 1950s, the Soviet Union sought the means to defend against the nuclear-armed American bombers possibly penetrating its borders. Contemporary interceptors were able to cover a radius of a few hundred kilometers; the newly developed surface-to-air missiles had even shorter range. Considering both, the sheer numbers required to defend a 5,000 km air front were economically impossible to maintain.
This left the Soviet Union able to provide a modern air defense only for selected valuable areas. The PVO decided to cover the entire territory, but with a more loose defense. In 1955 it placed a requirement for a large area-defense interceptor, that would achieve it with sparse airbases.
The work began in 1958, based on an existing single prototype of the unsuccessful Tu-98 supersonic bomber. The military designation of the interceptor was at first Tu-28, but it had been changed in 1963 to Tu-128.
The Tu-128’s only publicly reported combat operation was the destruction of NATO reconnaissance balloons. The aircraft remained in service until 1990. Through the 1980s, units armed with the Tu-128 converted to the Mikoyan MiG-31.
Credit for all photos – Marina Lystseva

In West, more commonly used designation for this aircraft was Tu-28

Especially long nothern border of Russia was vulnerable for possible violations.

First flight was in 18 March 1961.

(By Kaboldy – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Built by Voronezh Aircraft Production Association.

The aircraft remained in service until 1990.

Developed from Tupolev Tu-98 bomber prototype.

Production of the Tu-128 ended in 1970 with total 198 aircraft having been built…

…including 10 trainers.

Western experts, unaware that the bulge on the belly carried testing instruments, mistook it for a large ventral radar for a mixed interceptor/AWACS role.

Development of various projects designated Tu-28A, Tu-28-80, Tu-28-100, Tu-138, and Tu-148 were proposed by the Tupolev Design Bureau but all were abandoned.

The Tu-128’s only publicly reported combat operation was the destruction of NATO reconnaissance balloons.

Through the 1980s, units armed with the Tu-128 converted to the Mikoyan MiG-31.

Now it stands as a remnant of the Cold War…

…in its Motherland – Russia.

General characteristics

• Crew: Two, pilot and radar operator
• Length: 30.06 m (98.62 ft)
• Wingspan: 17.53 m (57.51 ft)
• Height: 7.15 m (23.46 ft)
• Wing area: 96.94 m² (1,043.45 ft²)
• Empty weight: 24,500 kg (54,013 lb)
• Loaded weight: 40,000 kg (88,185 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 43,000–43,700 kg (94,800–96,342 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Lyulka AL-7F-2 afterburning turbojet
  • Dry thrust: 72.8 kN (7,425 kgf; 16,370 lbf) each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 99.1 kN (10,100 kgf; 22,270 lbf) each
• Maximum g-loading: 2.5 g
• Maximum fuel load: est. 13,600 kg (30,000 lb)

Performance

• Maximum speed: when armed 1,665 km/h (1,035 mph; est. 1.5 Ma) when unarmed 1,920 km/h (1,193 mph)
• Range: 2,565 km when armed (1,595 mi)
• Endurance: above 3 hours
• Service ceiling: 15,600 m when armed (51,184 ft)
• Maximum ceiling: 20,000 m (65,617 ft)

Armament

• Hardpoints: 4
• Missiles: 4 × Bisnovat R-4 air-to-air missiles (usually 2 × radar-guided R-4R and 2 × infrared-homing R-4T); other armament or tanks not used

CREDIT for all photos – Marina Lystseva