Russian aviation. Supersonic aircraft The first Soviet supersonic aircraft

The end of the 50s, the arms race during the Cold War pushed the development of technology, and military aircraft successfully broke the sound barrier. The world rejoices: this period of time is characterized by the introduction of advanced technologies into all spheres of life. It is logical that the next step that world aviation is trying to take is the creation of supersonic passenger aircraft. They are called the future of civil aviation, and airlines are rushing to keep up with the times and placing orders for new aircraft. It was believed that the time of subsonic aircraft had passed.

The Birth of Concorde

Concorde, which translates as “concord,” is a joint “brainchild” of France and Great Britain. Initially, these countries conducted independent research in the field of creating a supersonic passenger aircraft, but it soon became obvious that for a number of reasons it was easier to join forces, which is what happened in 1961. Work on the project was coordinated and divided: part of the development was carried out by France, part by Great Britain, and the production and final assembly of the aircraft were also carried out.

Concorde's first flight took place on March 2, 1969. By that time, more than 70 pre-orders had been placed by various airlines for the supersonic aircraft. Concorde's commercial prospects looked very attractive and success was predicted for it.

Around the same time, in 1969, Boeing was introducing its new long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 747, to the market. Boeing management was quite depressed by rumors about the Concordes: they seemed to be serious competitors to the Jumbo, and they even planned to transfer the 747 to cargo flights after the launch of the Concordes on line.

The Concorde's advertising campaign was impressive: the periodical press of that time gave supersonic aircraft a leading role in passenger transportation, parties were held in honor of the Concorde, and they participated in promotional tours. Ordinary citizens dreamed of being the first to board the Concorde as passengers.

Supersonic in the USSR

In parallel with the creation of Concorde, development of a supersonic passenger airliner was carried out in the USSR. It was developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau and made its first flight on December 31, 1968. The Tu-144 had some design features that distinguished it from the Concorde, such as the front horizontal tail, which gave it an advantage during descent and landing. 18 airports in the Soviet Union could serve the Tu-144.

However, difficulties arose with the operation of the aircraft. The Tu-144 made its first flight on December 26, 1975 along the Moscow-Alma-Ata route with postal cargo on board. Tu-144 began serving passenger flights on November 1, 1977 on the same route. There were no trained crews to service it - the role of commander was always performed by test pilots from the Tupolev Design Bureau, and Aeroflot pilots acted as co-pilots. High operating costs, including increased fuel consumption, were reflected in ticket prices. The cost of a ticket for a Tu-144 on the Moscow-Alma-Ata route was almost one and a half times higher than the regular price.

The Tu-144 ceased passenger transportation in 1978 due to low profitability; later they were used for transporting goods from Moscow to the Far East of the country, flight tests, or as a “flying laboratory”.

The end of the era of supersonic passenger aircraft

Concordes were the newest aircraft of the time, which required new design solutions and innovations that greatly increased the cost of its production and, as a result, the final cost of the aircraft. The cost of maintaining the aircraft and fuel consumption, which was significantly higher than that of subsonic passenger airliners, were greatly underestimated.

As a result of the 1973 oil crisis, world prices for oil and aviation fuel increased. In addition, since 1970, the economical and promising Jumbo Boeing 747 has been on the route. Having assessed operating costs, airlines began to recall previously placed orders for Concordes.

By that time, 14 production aircraft had been produced, 9 of which were purchased by Air France and British Airways, and then more in order to maintain the reputation of the countries that developed the Concorde. The remaining five aircraft were sold at a symbolic price of one pound sterling (or one franc for the French). The main condition for purchasing Concordes at such prices is the commercial operation of the aircraft. They were also purchased by English and French airlines.

Against all odds, the Concords go on line. Almost immediately it becomes clear that their operation is unprofitable - Concordes cannot even reach self-sufficiency. They try to compensate for the high cost of tickets with a high level of service. Flights operated by supersonic aircraft are positioned as flights for businessmen and wealthy people who value time rather than money. At least charter flights bring some profit.

The main Concorde routes were flights across the Atlantic: Paris-New York (Air France), London-New York and London-Barbados (British Airways).

This is how Concordes maintained the prestige of their airlines until 2000.

Concorde disaster near Paris

On July 25, 2000, at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, an Air France Concorde was preparing to take off. It was scheduled to fly from Paris to New York with one hundred passengers and nine crew members on board.

While taking off on the runway, the Concorde hit a titanium piece of the engine of a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 that had previously taken off, the tire of one of the landing gear burst, and a piece of rubber hit the wing of the plane. The impact damaged the fuel tank and began leaking kerosene, which immediately ignited.

Despite the fire, the crew could no longer stop the plane from taking off. The commander decided to take off; he expected to make an emergency landing at Le Bourget airport on three engines, but soon another one of them failed. The plane began to disintegrate in mid-air, and Concorde lost control.

It crashed three kilometers from the airport, in the suburbs of Paris. There was a small hotel in the affected area. Everyone on board the Concorde was killed, four people on the ground were killed, and several were injured.

This tragedy entailed irreversible consequences. Concorde flights were grounded for more than a year and their popularity plummeted. After the resumption of flights, Concorde no longer enjoyed the former loyalty of the few loyal passengers. Supersonic passenger aircraft began to cause more and more losses, and the question of removing Concordes from service was raised.

Goodbye Concorde!

In 2003, two airlines, the main operators of the Concorde, announced the cessation of its commercial operation. Concorde made its last flight on November 26, 2003. His fans, aviation enthusiasts from different countries, came to the airport to see off the plane. Since then, Concordes have been permanently parked in various museums. They can be seen in Le Bourget at the Aerospace Museum, at Heathrow Airport in the UK, and other exhibitions.

The Soviet supersonic passenger plane Tu-144 also earned its place in the museum. Tu-144 are permanently parked in Monino, in the Air Force Museum; at the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation Museum, etc.

Concorde and Tu-144 are the only supersonic passenger aircraft that have been operated on commercial flights. With their departure, the era of supersonic civil aviation of the last century ended.

Tu-144 is a Soviet supersonic aircraft developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s. Along with Concorde, it is one of only two supersonic airliners ever used by airlines for commercial travel.

In the 60s, projects to create a passenger supersonic aircraft with a maximum speed of 2500-3000 km/h and a flight range of at least 6-8 thousand km were actively discussed in aviation circles in the USA, Great Britain, France and the USSR. In November 1962, France and Great Britain signed an agreement on the joint development and construction of Concorde (Concord).

Creators of a supersonic aircraft

In the Soviet Union, the design bureau of academician Andrei Tupolev was involved in the creation of a supersonic aircraft. At a preliminary meeting of the Design Bureau in January 1963, Tupolev stated:

“Reflecting on the future of air transportation of people from one continent to another, you come to a clear conclusion: supersonic airliners are undoubtedly needed, and I have no doubt that they will come into practice...”

The academician's son, Alexey Tupolev, was appointed as the lead designer of the project. More than a thousand specialists from other organizations worked closely with his design bureau. The creation was preceded by extensive theoretical and experimental work, which included numerous tests in wind tunnels and natural conditions during analogue flights.

Concorde and Tu-144

The developers had to rack their brains to find the optimal design for the machine. The speed of the designed airliner is fundamentally important - 2500 or 3000 km/h. The Americans, having learned that the Concorde is designed for 2500 km/h, announced that just six months later they would release their passenger Boeing 2707, made of steel and titanium. Only these materials could withstand the heating of the structure when in contact with air flow at speeds of 3000 km/h and above without destructive consequences. However, solid steel and titanium structures still have to undergo serious technological and operational testing. This will take a lot of time, and Tupolev decides to build a supersonic aircraft from duralumin, designed for a speed of 2500 km/h. The American Boeing project was subsequently completely closed.

In June 1965, the model was shown at the annual Paris Air Show. Concorde and Tu-144 turned out to be strikingly similar to each other. Soviet designers said - nothing surprising: the general shape is determined by the laws of aerodynamics and the requirements for a certain type of machine.

Supersonic aircraft wing shape

But what should the wing shape be? We settled on a thin delta wing with the front edge shaped like the letter “8”. The tailless design - inevitable with such a design of the load-bearing plane - made the supersonic airliner stable and well controllable in all flight modes. Four engines were located under the fuselage, closer to the axis. The fuel is placed in coffered wing tanks. The trim tanks, located in the rear fuselage and wing swells, are designed to change the position of the center of gravity during the transition from subsonic to supersonic flight speeds. The nose was made sharp and smooth. But how can pilots have forward visibility in this case? They found a solution - the “bowing nose.” The fuselage had a circular cross-section and had a cockpit nose cone that tilted downward at an angle of 12 degrees during takeoff and 17 degrees during landing.

A supersonic plane takes to the skies

The first supersonic aircraft took to the skies on the last day of 1968. The car was flown by test pilot E. Elyan. As a passenger aircraft, it was the first in the world to overcome the speed of sound in early June 1969, at an altitude of 11 kilometers. The supersonic aircraft reached the second speed of sound (2M) in mid-1970, at an altitude of 16.3 kilometers. The supersonic aircraft incorporates many design and technical innovations. Here I would like to note such a solution as the front horizontal tail. When using PGO, flight maneuverability was improved and speed was reduced during landing. The domestic supersonic aircraft could be operated from two dozen airports, while the French-English Concorde, having a high landing speed, could land only at a certified airport. The designers of the Tupolev Design Bureau did a colossal job. Take, for example, full-scale tests of a wing. They took place on a flying laboratory - the MiG-21I, modified specifically for testing the design and equipment of the wing of the future supersonic aircraft.

Development and modification

Work on the development of the basic “044” design went in two directions: the creation of a new economical afterburning turbojet engine of the RD-36-51 type and a significant improvement in the aerodynamics and design of the supersonic aircraft. The result of this was to meet the requirements for supersonic flight range. The decision of the commission of the USSR Council of Ministers on the version of the supersonic aircraft with the RD-36-51 was made in 1969. At the same time, at the proposal of the MAP - MGA, a decision is made, before the creation of the RD-36-51 and their installation on a supersonic aircraft, on the construction of six supersonic aircraft with NK-144A with reduced specific fuel consumption. The design of serial supersonic aircraft with the NK-144A was supposed to be significantly modernized, significant changes in aerodynamics would be carried out, obtaining a Kmax of more than 8 in supersonic cruising mode. This modernization was supposed to ensure the fulfillment of the requirements of the first stage in terms of range (4000-4500 km), in the future it was planned to transition to series on RD-36-51.

Construction of a modernized supersonic aircraft

Construction of the pre-production modernized Tu-144 (“004”) began at MMZ “Experience” in 1968. According to calculated data with NK-144 engines (Cp = 2.01), the estimated supersonic range should have been 3275 km, and with NK-144A (Cp = 1.91) it should have exceeded 3500 km. In order to improve the aerodynamic characteristics in cruising mode M = 2.2, the wing planform was changed (the sweep of the floating part along the leading edge was reduced to 76°, and the base part was increased to 57°), the shape of the wing became closer to “Gothic”. Compared to "044", the wing area has increased, and a more intense conical twist of the wing ends has been introduced. However, the most important innovation in wing aerodynamics was the change in the middle part of the wing, which ensured self-balancing in cruising mode with minimal loss of quality, taking into account optimization of flight deformations of the wing in this mode. The length of the fuselage was increased to accommodate 150 passengers, and the shape of the nose was improved, which also had a positive effect on aerodynamics.

Unlike “044”, each pair of engines in paired engine nacelles with air intakes was moved apart, freeing the lower part of the fuselage from them, unloading it from increased temperature and vibration loads, while changing the lower surface of the wing in the place of the calculated area of ​​flow compression, increasing the gap between the lower surface wing and the upper surface of the air intake - all this made it possible to more intensively use the effect of compressing the flow at the entrance to the air intakes on the Kmax than was possible to achieve on the “044”. The new layout of the engine nacelles required changes to the chassis: the main landing gear was placed under the engine nacelles, with them retracted inside between the air ducts of the engines, they switched to an eight-wheeled trolley, and the scheme for retracting the nose landing gear also changed. An important difference between the “004” and the “044” was the introduction of a front multi-section destabilizer wing retractable in flight, which extended from the fuselage during takeoff and landing modes, and made it possible to provide the required balancing when the elevons-flaps were deflected. Improvements to the design, an increase in payload and fuel reserves led to an increase in take-off weight, which exceeded 190 tons (for “044” - 150 tons).

Pre-production Tu-144

Construction of pre-production supersonic aircraft No. 01-1 (tail No. 77101) was completed at the beginning of 1971, and made its first flight on June 1, 1971. According to the factory test program, the vehicle completed 231 flights, lasting 338 hours, of which 55 hours flew at supersonic speed. This machine was used to work out complex issues regarding the interaction of the power plant in various flight modes. On September 20, 1972, the car flew along the Moscow-Tashkent highway, while the route was covered in 1 hour 50 minutes, the cruising speed during the flight reached 2500 km/h. The pre-production vehicle became the basis for the deployment of serial production at the Voronezh Aviation Plant (VAZ), which, by decision of the government, was entrusted with the development of a supersonic aircraft in a series.

First flight of the production Tu-144

The first flight of serial supersonic aircraft No. 01-2 (tail No. 77102) with NK-144A engines took place on March 20, 1972. In the series, based on the results of tests of the pre-production vehicle, the aerodynamics of the wing were adjusted and its area was once again slightly increased. The take-off weight in the series reached 195 tons. By the time of operational testing of production vehicles, the specific fuel consumption of the NK-144A was intended to be increased to 1.65-1.67 kg/kgf/hour by optimizing the engine nozzle, and subsequently to 1.57 kg/kgf/hour, while the flight range should was increased to 3855-4250 km and 4550 km, respectively. In reality, they were able to achieve by 1977, during testing and development of the Tu-144 and NK-144A series, Average = 1.81 kg/kgf hour in cruising supersonic thrust mode 5000 kgf, Average = 1.65 kg/kgf hour in takeoff afterburner thrust mode 20,000 kgf, Av = 0.92 kg/kgf per hour in the cruising subsonic mode of thrust 3000 kgf and in the maximum afterburning mode in the transonic mode we received 11,800 kgf. A fragment of a supersonic aircraft.

Flights and tests of a supersonic aircraft

First stage of testing

In a short period of time, in strict accordance with the program, 395 flights were completed with a total flight time of 739 hours, including more than 430 hours in supersonic modes.

Second stage of testing

At the second stage of operational testing, in accordance with the joint order of the ministers of aviation industry and civil aviation dated September 13, 1977 No. 149-223, a more active connection of civil aviation facilities and services took place. A new testing commission was formed, headed by Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation B.D. Rude. By decision of the commission, then confirmed by a joint order dated September 30 - October 5, 1977, crews were appointed to conduct operational tests:

1. First crew: pilots B.F. Kuznetsov (Moscow State Transport Administration), S.T. Agapov (ZhLIiDB), navigator S.P. Khramov (MTU GA), flight engineers Yu.N. Avaev (MTU GA), Yu.T. Seliverstov (ZhLIiDB), leading engineer S.P. Avakimov (ZhLIiDB).
2. Second crew: pilots V.P. Voronin (MSU GA), I.K. Vedernikov (ZhLIiDB), navigator A.A. Senyuk (MTU GA), flight engineers E.A. Trebuntsov (MTU GA) and V.V. Solomatin (ZhLIiDB), leading engineer V.V. Isaev (GosNIIGA).
3. Third crew: pilots M.S. Kuznetsov (GosNIIGA), G.V. Voronchenko (ZhLIiDB), navigator V.V. Vyazigin (GosNIIGA), flight engineers M.P. Isaev (MTU GA), V.V. Solomatin (ZhLIiDB), leading engineer V.N. Poklad (ZhLIiDB).
4. Fourth crew: pilots N.I. Yurskov (GosNIIGA), V.A. Sevankaev (ZhLIiDB), navigator Yu.A. Vasiliev (GosNIIGA), flight engineer V.L. Venediktov (GosNIIGA), leading engineer I.S. Mayboroda (GosNIIGA).

Before the start of testing, a lot of work was done to review all the materials received in order to use them “for credit” for meeting specific requirements. However, despite this, some civil aviation specialists insisted on implementing the “Operational Test Program for Supersonic Aircraft,” developed at GosNIIGA back in 1975 under the leadership of leading engineer A.M. Teteryukov. This program essentially required the repetition of previously completed flights in the amount of 750 flights (1200 flight hours) on MGA routes.

The total volume of operational flights and tests for both stages will be 445 flights with 835 flight hours, of which 475 hours are in supersonic modes. 128 paired flights were performed on the Moscow-Alma-Ata route.

The final stage

The final stage of testing was not stressful from a technical point of view. Rhythmic work according to schedule was ensured without serious failures or major defects. The engineering and technical crews “had fun” by assessing household equipment in preparation for passenger transportation. Flight attendants and relevant specialists from GosNIIGA, who were involved in the tests, began to conduct ground training to develop the technology for servicing passengers in flight. The so-called “pranks” and two technical flights with passengers. The “raffle” was held on October 16, 1977 with a complete simulation of the cycle of ticket check-in, baggage check-in, passenger boarding, flight of actual duration, passenger disembarkation, baggage check-in at the destination airport. There was no end to the “passengers” (the best workers of OKB, ZhLIiDB, GosNIIGA and other organizations). The diet during the “flight” was at the highest level, since it was based on the first class menu, everyone enjoyed it very much. The “raffle” made it possible to clarify many important elements and details of passenger service. On October 20 and 21, 1977, two technical flights were carried out along the Moscow-Alma-Ata highway with passengers. The first passengers were employees of many organizations that were directly involved in the creation and testing of the supersonic aircraft. Today it is even difficult to imagine the atmosphere on board: there was a feeling of joy and pride, great hope for development against the backdrop of first-class service, to which technical people are absolutely not accustomed. On the first flights, all the heads of the parent institutes and organizations were on board.

The road is open for passenger traffic

The technical flights went off without any serious problems and showed that the supersonic aircraft and all ground services were fully prepared for regular transportation. On October 25, 1977, the Minister of Civil Aviation of the USSR B.P. Bugaev and the Minister of Aviation Industry of the USSR V.A. Kazakov approved the main document: “Act on the results of operational tests of a supersonic aircraft with NK-144 engines” with a positive conclusion and conclusions.

Based on the presented tables of compliance of the Tu-144 with the requirements of the Temporary Airworthiness Standards for Civilian Tu-144 of the USSR, the full volume of submitted evidentiary documentation, including acts on state and operational tests, on October 29, 1977, Chairman of the State Aviation Register of the USSR I.K. Mulkijanov approved the conclusion and signed the first airworthiness certificate in the USSR, type No. 03-144, for a supersonic aircraft with NK-144A engines.

The road was open for passenger traffic.

The supersonic aircraft could land and take off at 18 airports in the USSR, while Concorde, whose takeoff and landing speed was 15% higher, required a separate landing certificate for each airport. According to some experts, if the Concorde engines had been placed in the same way as the Tu-144, the accident on July 25, 2000 would not have occurred.

According to experts, the design of the Tu-144 airframe was ideal, but the shortcomings concerned the engines and various systems.

The second production copy of a supersonic aircraft

In June 1973, the 30th International Paris Air Show took place in France. The interest generated by the Soviet Tu-144 airliner, the world's first supersonic aircraft, was enormous. On June 2, thousands of visitors to the air show in the Paris suburb of Le Bourget watched the second production copy of a supersonic aircraft take to the runway. The roar of four engines, a powerful take-off - and now the car is in the air. The sharp nose of the airliner straightened and aimed at the sky. The supersonic Tu, led by Captain Kozlov, made its first demonstration flight over Paris: having gained the required altitude, the car went beyond the horizon, then returned and circled over the airfield. The flight proceeded normally, no technical problems were noted.

The next day, the Soviet crew decided to show everything that the new one was capable of.

Disaster during demonstration

The sunny morning of June 3 did not seem to foretell trouble. At first everything went according to plan - the audience raised their heads and applauded in unison. The supersonic aircraft, showing the “top class”, began to descend. At that moment, a French Mirage fighter appeared in the air (as it later turned out, it was filming an air show). A collision seemed inevitable. In order not to crash into the airfield and spectators, the crew commander decided to rise higher and pulled the steering wheel towards himself. However, the height had already been lost, creating large loads on the structure; As a result, the right wing cracked and fell off. A fire started there, and a few seconds later the flaming supersonic plane rushed to the ground. A terrible landing occurred on one of the streets of the Parisian suburb of Goussainville. The giant machine, destroying everything in its path, crashed to the ground and exploded. The entire crew - six people - and eight Frenchmen on the ground were killed. Goosenville also suffered - several buildings were destroyed. What led to the tragedy? According to most experts, the cause of the disaster was the attempt of the crew of a supersonic aircraft to avoid a collision with the Mirage. During landing, the Tu was caught in a wake from the French Mirage fighter.

Video: Tu-144 crash in 1973: how it happened

This version is given in Gene Alexander’s book “Russian Airplanes Since 1944” and in an article in Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine for June 11, 1973, written on fresh tracks. The authors believe that pilot Mikhail Kozlov landed on the wrong runway - either due to a mistake by the flight director, or due to the carelessness of the pilots. The controller noticed the error in time and warned the Soviet pilots. But instead of going around, Kozlov made a sharp turn - and found himself right in front of the French Air Force fighter. At that time, the co-pilot was filming a story about the Tu crew for French television with a movie camera and therefore was not wearing a seatbelt. During the maneuver, he fell onto the center console, and while he was returning to his place, he had already lost altitude. Kozlov sharply pulled the steering wheel towards himself - overload: the right wing could not stand it. Here is another explanation for the terrible tragedy. Kozlov received orders to get the most out of the car. Even during takeoff, at low speed, he took an almost vertical angle. For a liner with such a configuration, this is fraught with enormous overloads. As a result, one of the external nodes could not stand it and fell off.

According to the employees of the A.N. Tupolev Design Bureau, the cause of the disaster was the connection of an undebugged analog block of the control system, which led to a destructive overload.

The spy version belongs to writer James Alberg. Briefly it is like this. The Soviets tried to “furnish” the Concorde. Group N.D. Kuznetsova created good engines, but they could not operate at low temperatures, unlike the Concorde engines. Then Soviet intelligence officers got involved. Penkovsky, through his agent Greville Wine, obtained part of the Concorde drawings and sent them to Moscow through an East German trade representative. British counterintelligence thus identified the leak, but instead of arresting the spy, it decided to let disinformation into Moscow through his own channels. As a result, the Tu-144 was born, very similar to the Concorde. It is difficult to establish the truth, since the “black boxes” did not clarify anything. One was found in Bourges, at the crash site, but, judging by reports, damaged. The second one was never discovered. It is believed that the “black box” of a supersonic aircraft has become a point of contention between the KGB and the GRU.

According to the pilots, emergency situations occurred on almost every flight. On May 23, 1978, the second supersonic plane crashed. An improved experimental version of the airliner, Tu-144D (No. 77111), after a fuel fire in the engine nacelle area of ​​the 3rd power plant due to the destruction of the fuel line, smoke in the cabin and the crew turning off two engines, made an emergency landing on a field near the village of Ilyinsky Pogost, not far from the city Yegoryevsk.

After landing, crew commander V.D. Popov, co-pilot E.V. Elyan and navigator V.V. Vyazigin left the plane through the cockpit window. Engineers V.M. Kulesh, V.A. Isaev, V.N. Stolpovsky, who were in the cabin, left the aircraft through the front entrance door. Flight engineers O. A. Nikolaev and V. L. Venediktov found themselves trapped in their workplace by structures that were deformed during landing and died. (The deflected nose cone touched the ground first, worked like a bulldozer blade, picking up soil, and rotated under its belly, entering the fuselage.) On June 1, 1978, Aeroflot stopped supersonic passenger flights forever.

Improving supersonic aircraft

Work on improving the supersonic aircraft continued for several more years. Five production aircraft were produced; another five were under construction. A new modification has been developed - Tu-144D (long-range). However, the choice of a new engine (more economical), RD-36-51, required significant redesign of the aircraft, especially the power plant. Serious design gaps in this area led to a delay in the release of the new airliner. Only in November 1974, the serial Tu-144D (tail number 77105) took off, and nine (!) years after its first flight, on November 1, 1977, the supersonic aircraft received a certificate of airworthiness. Passenger flights opened on the same day. During their short operation, the liners carried 3,194 passengers. On May 31, 1978, flights were stopped: a fire broke out on one of the production Tu-144Ds, and the airliner suffered a disaster, crashing during an emergency landing.

The disasters in Paris and Yegoryevsk led to the fact that interest in the project on the part of the state decreased. From 1977 to 1978, 600 problems were identified. As a result, already in the 80s, it was decided to remove the supersonic aircraft, explaining this with “a bad effect on people’s health when crossing the sound barrier.” Nevertheless, four out of five Tu-144Ds in production were still completed. Subsequently, they were based in Zhukovsky and took to the air as flying laboratories. A total of 16 supersonic aircraft were built (including long-range modifications), which made a total of 2,556 sorties. By the mid-90s, ten of them had survived: four in museums (Monino, Kazan, Kuibyshev, Ulyanovsk); one remained at the plant in Voronezh, where it was built; another one was in Zhukovsky along with four Tu-144Ds.

Subsequently, the Tu-144D was used only for cargo transportation between Moscow and Khabarovsk. In total, the supersonic aircraft made 102 flights under the Aeroflot flag, of which 55 were passenger flights (3,194 passengers were carried).

Later, supersonic aircraft made only test flights and a few flights to set world records.

The Tu-144LL was equipped with NK-32 engines due to the lack of serviceable NK-144 or RD-36-51, similar to those used on the Tu-160, various sensors and test monitoring and recording equipment.

A total of 16 Tu-144 airliners were built, which made a total of 2,556 sorties and flew 4,110 hours (among them, aircraft 77144 flew the most, 432 hours). The construction of four more airliners was never completed.

What happened to the planes

A total of 16 were built - sides 68001, 77101, 77102, 77105, 77106, 77107, 77108, 77109, 77110, 77111, 77112, 77113, 77114, 77115, 77116 and 77144.

Those remaining in flying condition do not currently exist. The sides of Tu-144LL No. 77114 and TU-144D No. 77115 are almost completely complete with parts and can be restored to flight condition.

In repairable condition, TU-144LL No. 77114, which was used for NASA tests, is stored at the airfield in Zhukovsky.

TU-144D No. 77115 is also stored at the airfield in Zhukovsky. In 2007, both airliners were repainted and exhibited for public viewing at the MAKS-2007 air show.

No. 77114 and No. 77115 will most likely be installed as monuments or displayed at the airfield in Zhukovsky. In 2004-2005, some transactions were made with them to sell them for scrap metal, but protests from the aviation community led to their preservation. The danger of selling them for scrap metal has not been completely eliminated. The questions of whose ownership they will become have not been finally resolved.

The photograph contains the signature of the first cosmonaut who landed on the moon, Neil Armstrong, pilot cosmonaut Georgiy Timofeevich Beregovoy and all the dead crew members. Supersonic aircraft No. 77102 crashed during a demonstration flight at the Le Bourget air show. All 6 crew members (Honored test pilot Hero of the Soviet Union M.V. Kozlov, test pilot V.M. Molchanov, navigator G.N. Bazhenov, deputy chief designer, engineer Major General V.N. Benderov, leading engineer B.A. Pervukhin and flight engineer A.I. Dralin) died.

From left to right. Six crew members on board supersonic aircraft No. 77102: Honored Test Pilot Hero of the Soviet Union M.V. Kozlov, Test Pilot V.M. Molchanov, Navigator G.N. Bazhenov, Deputy Chief Designer, Engineer Major General V.N. Benderov, leading engineer B.A. Pervukhin and flight engineer A.I. Dralin (unfortunately, she did not specify who is in order). Next is the pilot-cosmonaut twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Beregovoy Georgy Timofeevich, behind him on the left is Lavrov Vladimir Aleksandrovich, then the first American cosmonaut to land on the moon Neil Armstrong, then (standing behind Neil) - Stepan Gavrilovich Korneev (head of the Internal Affairs Directorate from the Department of External Relations Presidium of the Academy of Sciences), in the center Andrey Nikolaevich Tupolev - Soviet aircraft designer, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Colonel General, three times Hero of Socialist Labor, Hero of Labor of the RSFSR, then Alexander Alexandrovich Arkhangelsky, chief designer of the plant, Soviet aircraft designer, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honored Scientist and technicians of the RSFSR, Hero of Socialist Labor. Far right is Tupolev Alexey Andreevich (son of A.N. Tupolev) - Russian aircraft designer, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences since 1984, Hero of Socialist Labor. The photo was taken in 1970. Captions on the photo of G.T. Beregovoy and Neil Armstrong.

Concord

Concorde accident.

Currently, the liner is not in operation due to the disaster on July 25, 2000. On April 10, 2003, British Airways and Air France announced their decision to cease commercial operations of their Concorde fleet. The last flights took place on October 24. Concorde's final flight took place on November 26, 2003, with G-BOAF (the last aircraft built) departing Heathrow, flying over the Bay of Biscay, passing over Bristol, and landing at Filton Airport.

Why are supersonic aircraft no longer in use?

Tupolev's supersonic aircraft is often called the "lost generation." Intercontinental flights are recognized as uneconomical: per hour of flight, a supersonic plane burns eight times more fuel than a regular passenger plane. For the same reason, long-distance flights to Khabarovsk and Vladivostok were not justified. It is not advisable to use the supersonic Tu as a transport airliner due to its small carrying capacity. True, passenger transportation on it nevertheless became a prestigious and profitable business for Aeroflot, although tickets were considered very expensive at that time. Even after the official closure of the project, in August 1984, the head of the Zhukovsky flight test base Klimov, the head of the design department Pukhov and deputy chief designer Popov, with the support of supersonic flight enthusiasts, restored and commissioned two airliners, and in 1985 they obtained permission to fly for setting world records. The crews of Aganov and Veremey set more than 18 world records in the class of supersonic aircraft - in speed, climb rate and flight range with cargo.

On March 16, 1996, a series of research flights of the Tu-144LL began in Zhukovsky, which marked the beginning of the development of the second generation of supersonic passenger airliners.

95-99 years. The supersonic aircraft with tail number 77114 was used by the American NASA as a flying laboratory. Received the name Tu-144LL. The main purpose is research and testing of American developments to create our own modern supersonic aircraft for passenger transportation.

On February 6, 1950, during another test, the Soviet jet fighter MiG-17 exceeded the speed of sound in horizontal flight, accelerating to almost 1070 km/h. This turned it into the first mass-produced supersonic aircraft. The developers Mikoyan and Gurevich were clearly proud of their brainchild.

For combat flights, the MiG-17 was considered transonic, since its cruising speed did not exceed 861 km/h. But this did not stop the fighter from becoming one of the most common in the world. At various times it was in service with Germany, China, Korea, Poland, Pakistan and dozens of other countries. This monster even took part in the fighting in the Vietnam War.

The MiG-17 is far from the only representative of the supersonic aircraft genre. We will tell you about a dozen more airliners that also outpaced the sound wave and became famous throughout the world.

Bell X-1

The US Air Force specially equipped the Bell X-1 with a rocket engine because they wanted to use it to study the problems of supersonic flight. On October 14, 1947, the device accelerated to 1541 km/h (Mach number 1.26), overcame a given barrier and turned into a star in the sky. Today, the record-breaking model rests in the Smithsonian Museum in the States.

Source: NASA

North American X-15

The North American X-15 is also equipped with rocket engines. But, unlike its American counterpart Bell X-1, this aircraft reached a speed of 6167 km/h (Mach number 5.58), becoming the first and for 40 years the only manned hypersonic aircraft in human history (since 1959). who performed suborbital manned space flights. With its help, they even studied the reaction of the atmosphere to the entry of winged bodies into it. A total of three units of X-15 type rocket planes were produced.

Source: NASA

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

It would be a sin not to use supersonic aircraft for military purposes. Therefore, the US Air Force designed the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a strategic reconnaissance aircraft with a maximum speed of 3,700 km/h (Mach number 3.5). The main advantages are fast acceleration and high maneuverability, which allowed it to evade missiles. The SR-71 was also the first aircraft to be equipped with radar signature reduction technologies.

Only 32 units were built, 12 of which crashed. In 1998 it was withdrawn from service.

Source: af.mil

MiG-25

We cannot help but recall the domestic MiG-25 - a 3rd generation supersonic high-altitude fighter-interceptor with a maximum speed of 3000 km/h (Mach number 2.83). The plane was so cool that even the Japanese coveted it. Therefore, on September 6, 1976, Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko had to hijack a MiG-25. After this, for many years in many parts of the Union, aircraft began to be incompletely refueled. The goal is to prevent them from flying to the nearest foreign airport.

Source: Alexey Beltyukov

MiG-31

Soviet scientists did not stop working for the aerial benefit of the fatherland. Therefore, in 1968, the design of the MiG-31 began. And on September 16, 1975, he was in the sky for the first time. This two-seat supersonic all-weather long-range fighter-interceptor accelerated to a speed of 2500 km/h (Mach number 2.35) and became the first Soviet fourth-generation combat aircraft.

The MiG-31 is designed to intercept and destroy air targets at extremely low, low, medium and high altitudes, day and night, in simple and adverse weather conditions, with active and passive radar interference, as well as false thermal targets. Four MiG-31s ​​can control airspace up to 900 kilometers long. This is not an airplane, but the pride of the Union, which is still in service with Russia and Kazakhstan.

Source: Vitaly Kuzmin

Lockheed/Boeing F-22 Raptor

The most expensive supersonic aircraft were built by the Americans. They modeled a fifth-generation multirole fighter, which became the most expensive among their colleagues. The Lockheed/Boeing F-22 Raptor is currently the only fifth-generation fighter in service and the first production fighter with a supersonic cruising speed of 1,890 km/h (Mach 1.78). Top speed 2570 km/h (Mach 2.42). No one has ever surpassed him in the air.

Source: af.mil

Su-100/T-4

The Su-100/T-4 (“weaving”) was developed as an aircraft carrier fighter. But the engineers of the Sukhoi Design Bureau managed not only to achieve their goal, but to model a cool strike and reconnaissance bomber-missile carrier, which they later even wanted to use as a passenger aircraft and booster for the Spiral aerospace system. The maximum speed of the T-4 is 3200 km/h (Mach 3).

Many Western experts saw Tu 144 only a copy of the English-French Concorde, but the Soviet airliner is heavier, much more powerful and faster. The aircraft, manufactured in the Soviet Union, was superior in a number of technical aspects to similar developments that were still at the design stage in the West.

The history of the creation of the Tu 144 aircraft

It was not commercial considerations or the experience of international airlines, but the vast expanses of the Soviet Union that became the rationale for the emergence of Tu 144. It has been calculated that each flight creates an average time savings of 24.9 hours, which is important for passengers such as doctors, scientists and military officers. Only supersonic airliners could increase this savings to 36 hours. This provided the basis for the production of 75 aircraft.

The order was entrusted to the OKB department, which was headed by A.A. Tupolev in July 1963. At OKB N.D. Kuznetsov developed a new NK-144 engine, made of high-strength materials that can withstand high temperatures and equipped with an afterburner chamber with an adjustable nozzle.

At the Mikoyan Design Bureau at the base MiG-21 built A-144- flying analogue Tu-144, the wing of which is a smaller copy of the wing of a supersonic airliner. Test flights on an analogue confirmed that the new vehicle can do without horizontal tail surfaces.

On the last day of 1968, accompanied by an analogue aircraft A-144 the first prototype flew for the first time Tu-144- much earlier than Concorde. The crew is test pilot E. Elyan and right pilot M. Kozlov, engineer Yu. Seliverstov and head of flight tests V. Benderov.

On June 5, 1969, the speed M=1 was exceeded. At the end of May 1970, they reached speed M=2 at an altitude of 16,300 m.

Finally, the car reached a speed of M=2.4 at a calculated cruising speed of M=2.35 (2500 km/h). Of course, this prototype is far from a passenger car, since the interior of the cabin was filled with testing equipment, and the crew members sat in ejection seats under shootable hatches.

After the demonstration Tu-144 at Sheremetyevo on May 21, 1970, nothing was heard about this project until the appearance of the first production aircraft in 1973. To the surprise of many, the plane was almost completely rebuilt.

Description of the design of the Tu 144 aircraft

Aerodynamic design Tu-144- this is a low-wing aircraft without horizontal tail, the fin with a rudder was located along the axis of the aircraft, engines were installed below the wing, the landing gear was two main struts with four wheels and one two-wheeled front one.

The new wing had leading edges formed by two straight lines, with trapezoidal tips, in addition, it received a pronounced twist and curvature with curved leading and trailing edges, especially at the tips. Wing area expanded to 438 m 2 . The elevons with a redesigned control system were extended to the tips and modified.

Titanium alloys were used in large quantities in the wing design, the areas of honeycomb cladding and stiffening elements were increased, and there were more welds instead of rivets. The fuselage was lengthened by 6.3 m.

The power plant was completely reconstructed, the left and right engine nacelles (two engines each) were moved apart. The air intakes were redone, changing their profile. The engines were moved to the rear of the vehicle, so that the nozzles protruded beyond the wing edge.

The front landing gear was lengthened and moved 9.6 m to the nose, retracting forward into an unpressurized niche. The main landing gear was converted into eight-wheeled trolleys, attached to trusses in the engine nacelles and retracted forward with a rotation of 90 0 between the air intake ducts.

A completely new and most noticeable element was the addition of a retractable high-lift front horizontal tail unit. This folding wing was attached to the top of the fuselage behind the cockpit.

The main volume of fuel is located in the wing caissons, and in the rear part of the hull there is a balancing tank, used to pump fuel into it from other tanks to eliminate a strong alignment shift during the transition from subsonic speed to supersonic and vice versa.

U Tu-144 a characteristic difference is the glazed lowered nose of the body, providing pilots with visibility at high angles of attack during the takeoff and landing regime, which is typical for a low aspect ratio wing. This lowering part does not in any way violate the tightness of the crew compartment, but the interface with the fuselage skin is made in such a way that the smoothness of the joint is preserved.

The cockpit accommodated three crew members, two pilots in front, and a flight engineer slightly behind them. The on-board computer and autopilot maintained the specified flight parameters, the display showed the location of the aircraft and the rest of the route to the arrival point. Automation brought the plane onto the landing glide path in difficult weather conditions, day and night.

The three cabins of the liner could easily accommodate 150 passengers. There was a luggage compartment at the tail of the plane, the passage between the seats was free, and was 1.93 meters high.

Flight characteristics of the Tu 144 aircraft

• Wing span – 28.8 m.
• The length of the aircraft is 64.45 m.
• The height of the aircraft is 12.5 m.
• Wing area – 506.35 m 2 .
• The empty weight of the aircraft (150 pax version) is 99.2 tons.
• Maximum take-off weight – 207 tons.
• Supersonic cruising speed is 2120 km/h.
• Range with commercial load: 7 tons (70 passengers) – 6200 km.

11 – 13 t. (110 – 130 passengers) – 5500 – 5700 km.

15 tons (150 passengers) – 5330 km.

Interesting facts about the Tu 144 aircraft

An interesting solution for Tu-144– this is the use of the front horizontal tail in takeoff and landing modes. The release of the PGO and the part of the hull deflected in front made it possible to reduce the landing speed to normal.

At engines Tu144 there was no reverse - this was compensated for by powerful chassis cooling fans and a braking parachute.

Two sad facts: on June 3, 1973, at an air show in France, there was a dangerous collision between a plane and a Mirage fighter. Having performed a collision avoidance maneuver too quickly, Tu-144 fell on residential areas. The crew members were killed and 8 people in the city with them, 25 residents were injured.

During the next tests on May 23, 1978, a fire occurred in the fuel supply system. The pilots had to land on the first available field, two crew members were pinched by fragments of the aircraft structure and could not be saved, the remaining six people remained alive, the plane was completely burned out.

Tu-144 became the first passenger airliner to reach supersonic speed.

Fatal flaw Tu-144 There was a constant noise in the passenger compartment while the air conditioning system was cooling at supersonic speed.

High top speed Tu-144 Unlike "Concord", was a compelling factor for its use as NASA's flying laboratory.

Video: Tu 144 take off

At OKB im. AN. Tupolev, development is underway on a second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft (SPS), which is named Tu-244.

Work on SPS-2 was and is being carried out at the A.N. Design Bureau. Tupolev for 30 years. Over the years, several different Tu-244 projects were prepared (Tu-244-400, Tu-244A-200, Tu-244B-200 and others), differing in aerodynamic layout, specific design solutions for the airframe, power plant and flight performance data .

The chief designer on the SPS-2 theme is AL. Pukhov, technical supervision of work on the Tu-244 is provided by M.I. Kazakov.

The Tu-244 aircraft embodies the “tailless” design, with the absence of horizontal tail, the aircraft will have four turbojet engines. placed one at a time in separate engine nacelles.

The layout of the Tu-244 is aimed at ensuring high aerodynamic quality both at supersonic cruising and at takeoff and landing modes to reduce noise levels, as well as creating increased comfort for passengers.

The wing of the Tu-244 is trapezoidal in plan with a sloping shape. vom has a complex deformation of the middle surface and a variable profile along the span.

The wing contains fuel caisson tanks and niches for cleaning the main landing gear.

The fuselage consists of a pressurized cabin, nose and tail compartments. The choice of the optimal fuselage diameter depends on passenger capacity. For a number of passengers of 250-320, the optimal fuselage is 3.9 m wide and 4.1 m high.

The plane does not have a fixed nose, like the Tu-144. There is no ordinary cockpit “canopy” either. The glazing of the cockpit provides the necessary visibility in flight, and during takeoff, landing and movement on the ground, the required visibility of the runway is provided by an optical-electronic vision system, operating in all weather conditions.

The landing gear consists of a front strut and three main ones, of which the outer ones have three-axle bogies and are retractable into the wing, and the middle strut has a two-axle bogie and retractable

fits into the fuselage. The prototype of the nose support is the strut of the Tu-144 aircraft.

The SPS-2 Tu-244 project has been worked out quite deeply and, in principle, can be implemented. But we need money, and a lot of it.

BASIC DATA OF THE TU-244A-200 AIRCRAFT

Take-off weight, kg Empty aircraft weight, kg Commercial load, kg Fuel weight, kg Gas capacity, persons. Cruising speed, km/h Flight altitude, m Flight range, km Aircraft length, m Aircraft height, m ​​Wing span, m Wing area, m Fuselage diameter, m Required runway length, m

325,000 172,000 25,000 160,000 268 M=2 18,000-20,000 9200 88 15 45,965

Supersonic aviation will find its place on passenger routes. Supersonic aircraft of the new generation will already differ significantly from their older brothers (Tu-144, Concorde) in speed, altitude, design, and materials.

The birth of a passenger “supersonic” aircraft that meets all modern international standards and norms is not only a structurally complex task, but also a very expensive one.

March 17, 1996 at the flight test base of the Design Bureau named after. A.N. Tupolev in Zhukovsky a ceremonial rollout of the modified Tu-144LL took place. And on November 29, 1996, the first flight of the Tu-144LL took place. He was lifted into the sky by the leading test pilot, chief pilot of the Tupolev company S.G. Borisov and the second pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR B.I.

Veremey.

Russia’s significant contribution to the development of SPS-2 was the creation of the Tu-144LL “Moscow” flying laboratory on the basis of the serial Tu-144D. Work on the Tu-144LL was carried out within the framework of international cooperation with the United States, with active funding from the Americans. For conversion into a flying laboratory, a serial Tu-144D was chosen, on which the RD-36-51A engines were replaced with NK-321 engines (modifications of the NK-32 of the Tu-160 strategic supersonic bomber). Maximum take-off thrust - 4 x 2100 kg. New engine nacelles with modified air intakes were installed on the plane, the wing was strengthened, the fuel and other systems were modified, and a large amount of monitoring and recording equipment was installed on board.

According to the program, it was planned to carry out two ground-based and six-year experiments on the supersonic Tu-144LL. A total of 32 flights and all on Russian territory.

After completing the planned research program as part of the creation of the second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-244, the Tu-144LL aircraft turned out to be unclaimed, and in 2001 it was sold through an Internet auction to an anonymous resident of Texas (USA) for $11 million. This is not the first time that the Tu-144 has been sold abroad. In October 2000, one such aircraft was bought by a German museum for half a million dollars.

BASIC DATA OF THE TU-144LL AIRCRAFT

Take-off weight, kg Empty weight, kg Flight range, km Flight altitude, m Cruising speed, km/h Maximum speed, km/h Lift-off speed, km/h Approach speed, km/h Fuel capacity, kg

Crew (in experimental version), people.

Aircraft length, m

Wingspan, m

Wing area, m2

Aircraft height, m

Run length, m

Run length, m

M = 2.37 370 280 102 000

96810 6500 18 800 M = 2

In the second half of the 90s at the Design Bureau named after A.N. Tupolev on his own initiative, chief designer of SPS (supersonic passenger aircraft) A.L. Pukhov prepared a technical proposal for the conversion of the serial missile carrier-bomber Tu-22M3 into the administrative supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-344. They were offered several options for reworking the basic design of the Tu-22M3. It was planned to place 10-12 and 24-30 passenger seats in the fuselage for business flights. The expected flight range of the Tu-344 in subsonic mode is 7,700 km.

The project of the supersonic administrative aircraft Tu-444 seems to be the most promising. This is essentially the SPS-2 concept on a scaled down scale.

JSC Tupolev has created the appearance of the supersonic administrative aircraft Tu-444, which will be able to carry 6-10 passengers over a distance of 7500 km.

The Tu-444 aircraft is made according to the aerodynamic design with a low-mounted cantilever wing with developed root overhangs. The vertical tail is single-fin, all-moving.

On the serial Tu-444 it is planned to use the AL-32M afterburning turbojet engine from NPO Saturn.

The aircraft will be equipped with a full range of systems and life support equipment for passengers and crew in flight and emergency rescue equipment.

There are great difficulties on the way to creating such an aircraft, the main of which are related to the environment. If an aircraft does not meet ICAO noise requirements, the market for it will be extremely small. The fact is that in this case the plane will be allowed to fly at supersonic speed only over the ocean. Over land, a supersonic executive aircraft will be forced to fly at subsonic speeds, no different from modern business class aircraft.

Serial production of the Tu-444 will begin after the necessary funds have been found.

Aircraft designers believe that supersonic business jets have a bright future, even despite their high cost.

Undoubtedly, the implementation of this program will become a real link between the Tu-144 and promising supersonic civil aviation.

BASIC DATA OF SUPERSONIC ADMINISTRATIVE AIRCRAFT TU-444

Maximum take-off weight. kg Empty weight, kg Maximum payload, kg Maximum fuel weight, kg Cruising speed:

Supersonic, km/h

Subsonic, km/h Practical flight range with fuel reserve, km Number of passengers, persons. Crew (pilots + flight attendants), persons. Number of engines Engine starting thrust, kg Aircraft length, m

Wing span, m Wing area, Aircraft height, m ​​Runway length, m

7500 6-10 2+ 1 2