Aleksey Tupolev

Aleksey Andreevich Tupolev
Born	(1925-05-20) May 20, 1925 Moscow, Soviet Union
Died	May 12, 2001(2001-05-12) (aged 75)
Occupation	Aircraft engineer
Known for	Leading creation of the first supersonic passenger aircraft, Tupolev Tu-144; contributions to Buran space shuttle and Tu-2000 bomber

Aleksey Andreevich Tupolev (Russian: Алексе́й Андре́евич Ту́полев; 20 May 1925 – 12 May 2001) was a prominent Soviet and Russian aircraft engineer renowned for leading the creation of the first supersonic passenger aircraft, the Tupolev Tu-144. He also contributed to the design of the Buran space shuttle and the strategic long-range bomber Tu-2000, projects that were ultimately halted due to financial constraints.

Biography

Born in Moscow on 20 May 1925, Aleksey Andreevich Tupolev was the son of the distinguished Soviet aviation pioneer Andrei Tupolev.

From 1942 until 1949, he served as a factory designer at the Tupolev Design Bureau. He completed his studies at the Moscow Aviation Institute in 1949.

During Soviet Premier Khrushchev's 1959 visit to the United States, he insisted on traveling aboard the Tu-114, despite its inaugural long-range flight having taken place only a few months earlier in May. To ensure the aircraft's reliability, Aleksey Tupolev was dispatched by his father, Andrei Tupolev, as a demonstration of confidence in the plane. Khrushchev later remarked that they did not publicize Aleksey's presence on board because "doing so would have required explanations that might have harmed our image."

Aleksey's son, Andrey Alekseevich Tupolev, was born in 1961.

He was appointed chief designer of the Tupolev Design Bureau in 1963 and elevated to general designer in 1973.

Aleksey Tupolev passed away on 12 May 2001 and was laid to rest in Moscow.

Projects

• The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engine jet airliner developed in the Soviet Union, intended for short to medium-distance flights, produced between 1966 and 1989.
• The Tupolev Tu-144 represents a Soviet supersonic passenger airliner.
• Designed in the mid-1960s, the Tupolev Tu-154 is a three-engine, medium-range airliner.
• The Tupolev Tu-160 is a supersonic heavy-duty strategic bomber aircraft.
• Featuring twin engines, the Tupolev Tu-204 is a medium-range, narrow-body jet airliner.
• The "Buran" was the inaugural spaceplane created under the Soviet/Russian Buran programme.
• Among the earliest Soviet reconnaissance drones was the Tupolev Tu-123 Yastreb, an unmanned aerial vehicle.
• The Tupolev Tu-142 serves as a Soviet/Russian platform for maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions.