Tupolev Design Bureau
On the 22nd of October, 2002 all world aviation community celebrated the glorious eightieth anniversary of the oldest Russian and world’s aircraft Design Bureau which was founded and headed for a long time by Andrey N.Tupolev – a prominent aircraft designer of the XX-th century.
The process of formation and development of Design Bureau named after A.N.Tupolev differs from that of other native aircraft Design Bureaus. First of all Tupolev Design Bureau became fundamental continuation and realization of all advanced trends being in Russian aviation science and technology at the beginning of the XX-th century. The Design Bureau foundation was preceded by rapid growth of interest in aeronautics and aviation in Russia. Works of N. E. Zhukovskiy became a striking confirmation for it. In 1909 N.E.Zhukovskiy started giving lectures on “Aeronautics” and teaching in students’ aeronautical study group at Emperor Technical School. Among them there was a student of great inellectual capabilites and huge interest in anything new in aviation – it was A.N.Tupolev.
Nine years later in 1919 Tupolev brilliantly defended his diploma project on “Experience of seaplane development on the basis of wind tunnel test data” having by this moment a substantial experience in aerodynamic investigations and in study of real Russian and foreign aircraft designs.
On the 1st of December, 1918 TsAGI (Central Aerodynamic State Institute) starts its activity. N.E.Zhukovskiy was elected as a Chairman of Board in TsAGI. A.N.Tupolev headed Aviation Division including sea aviation sub-Division. A.Tupolev believed that his most important task was to design reliable aircraft for our country that would be maximally prepared for serial production. It was possible to realize this task by intensive introduction of all-metal structures into practice of native aircraft industry.
In Autumn, 1922 a Committee on building metal aircraft was established at TsAGI. A.Tupolev was elected as its Chairman. Employees of TsAGI Aviation Division were included into said Committee. Thus a team was formed having completely defined goal – to create advanced aircraft for Russia. The team headed by A.Tupolev turned soon into one of the most powerful in the world Design Bureaus. After the Great Patriotic war A.Tupolev suggested that the date of 22 October 1922 was adopted as the date of the Design Bureau foundation.
During post-war period the Design Bureau worked on development of long-range bomber TU-4 - the first native nuclear weapon carrier aircraft which mostly defined a revolutionary rebuilding of native aircraft industry. After introduction of jet engines into aviation the Design Bureau undertook building of heavy jet high-speed aircraft for native Air Force and civil air fleet.
Of obvious success of the Design Bureau and the whole military aviation was appearance in the 50s of TU-16 and TU-95 heavy jet bombers and missile carriers family which mostly defined USSR – USA parity during “cold war” period. The first native passenger aircraft TU-104 built on the basis of combat and jet machines opened the era of regular passenger flights by jet-powered aircraft.
In 1952, the first prototype Tu-95 ["95/1"], equipped with 8 2TV-2F engines, was built at Plant Nr. 156. The experimental factory ZOK was based at TsAGI from 28 August 1931. It was separated 05 June 1936 and received number 116 on 30 December 1936. In 1940 Zavod 290 was split off for OKB Kamov. It merged with Zavod 81 on 17 July 1941 (GKO), and on 19 July 1941 it was numbered Zavod 81-156. It evacuated as Zavod 81-156 in July 1941 to Zavod 166, in Omsk. The Moscow site repaired aircraft until it was restored as Zavod 156 in 1942 and ordered to produce wings for Il-2 . The Tupolev OKB returned 1943, and Zavod 225 split off in 1943. From from 30 April 1966 it was known as MMZ 'Opyt', while from 30 August 1989 it was known as ANTK im. Tupoleva. From 26 August 1997 it became known as AO 'Aviatsionyi nauchno-tekhnicheskii kompleks (ANTK) im. A.N.Tupoleva'
In late 50s - early 60s the Design Bureau worked hard on mastering of technique of supersonic flight. At this time long-range supersonic bomber and missile carrier TU-22 and supersonic loitering interceptor-fighter TU-128 were tested and delivered to Air Force.
In the 60s the Design Bureau was busy with design and development of new mid-range passenger aircraft TU-154 which in the 70s replaced the first generation passenger jets and with creation of the first in the world supersonic passenger aircraft TU-144.
A mid-range TU-154 a/c which replaced our first passenger jets TU-104, Il-18 and An-10, became a turning point for our Design Bureau in development of advanced passenger aircraft. For the first time in the Design Bureau a passenger aircraft was designed which was not based on military prototype completely. This made it possible to build high-efficient passenger aircraft which economic and operational characteristics combined with good performance were at level of the best world analogues. TU-154 performed its first flight in 1968, and already in early 70s said machines were intensively operated on routes of our country and beyond the USSR. Till the end of the XX-th century more than 900 TU-154 a/c were produced in several key versions. TU-154M was the most perfect version of the TU-154 aircraft which economic efficiency was significantly increased due installation of advanced and more efficient engines and improved aerodynamics. Different versions of TU-154 a/c are still operated in Russia and abroad.
Creation of the first in the world supersonic passenger aircraft TU-144 is a separate glorious chapter of the Design Bureau history. In the course of TU-144 development a number of most complicated scientific and technical problems of supersonic passenger aviation was solved. It allowed to be optimistic about future progress of this aspect of passenger air transportation and especially about creation of supersonic passenger aircraft of the second generation.
In late 60s the Design Bureau worked on design of multi-mode long-range missile-carrying bomber with variable sweep TU-22M which became a basis of native long-range and Navy aviation. These aircraft gradually replaced subsonic TU-16 and supersonic TU-22.
In the 70s after A.Tupolev’s death the company (from 1966 Moscow it was called Plant “Opyt”) was headed by his son, Alexei A.Tupolev. Next decades the Design Bureau was busy with designing multi-mode intercontinental missile carrier TU-160, worked on unmanned reconnaissance complexes of new generation “Reis” and “Strizh”, deployed research and development works on passenger aircraft of new generation that resulted in building mid-range TU-204 a/c and short-range TU-334 a/c which had to define the face of native civil aviation on boundary of the XX-th and XXI centuries.
The 1990s of course did not spare the Design Bureau. Average age of employees increased, intelligible and active persons left for “business’. But the Design Bureau has not died. In now days it put into the world a family of mid-range aircraft TU-204/214. TU-334-100 a/c - baseline aircraft of family of short-range aircraft - is currently under certification process. Work on regional TU-324 aircraft is in full swing. Military ’Tupolev” complexes are now being upgraded.
Despite of all subjective and objective difficulties in life of the Design Bureau and its personnel in the 90s several versions of mid-range TU-204 a/c entered serial production and operation; the newest short-range TU-334 a/c was built, its tests began. It was intended to replace obsolete airplanes of similar ones of previous generation.
For 80 years the Design Bureau designed and developed more than 300 projects of air vehicles of different types, small aircraft and airsledges. Almost 90 projects were embodied in metal and about 40 projects were realized in serial production. More than 18 thousands aircraft with “TU” logo were lifted in to the skies of our country in the XX-th century. Hundreds of “TU” aircraft were exported and showed excellent operational characteristics. To-day a substantial portion of aircraft passengers in Russia and in CIS are transported by Tupolev’s aircraft. In Russian Air Force aviation component of nuclear defense triad is defined by Tupolev’s long-range and intercontinental carriers.
At the turn of the century the Design Bureau was incorporated in to a new structure – “TUPOLEV” PSC comprising besides the Design Bureau test facility and serial aircraft manufacturing plant “AVIASTAR” in Ulianovsk. Integration with Kazan Aviation Manufacturing Corporation is currently under process.
The Design Bureau has got long-term projects. In the nearest future family of TU-204/214 aircraft will be developed. TU-204-300 aircraft with shortened fuselage designed for a range of up to 9000 m will come. Further it is going to be equipped with high-speed wing which will incorporate up-to-date aerodynamics and advanced integrated digital avionics and control complex that will convert the aircraft into a single information system. This version will be designated as TU-204-500. TU-204-100 which is already in operation now will be equipped with new avionics, crew size will be decreased to two members - TU-204-400 version. TU-334 aircraft powered by BMW Rolls-Royce engines will be designated as TU-334-120. Family of regional aircraft will be made on basis of TU-324 machine.
