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-28Especially 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)
