Tupolev Tu-1
| Company type | Experimental aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Headquarters | Soviet Union |
| Products | Night fighter aircraft |
The Tupolev Tu-1 was an experimental Soviet night fighter derived from the Tupolev Tu-2 medium bomber, which took to the skies for the first time following the conclusion of World War II. Its development was discontinued when the prototype Mikulin AM-43V engines reached the end of their operational lifespan.
Development
Inspired by the capabilities demonstrated by the de Havilland Mosquito, Soviet authorities commissioned Tupolev to adapt a Tu-2 into a high-speed day bomber with a streamlined crew configuration, designated ANT-63. In February 1946, the project's second prototype was ordered to be transformed into a three-seat, long-range interceptor equipped to carry airborne radar, internally known as ANT-63P and officially named Tu-1. This version was powered by prototype Mikulin AM-43V engines paired with four-bladed propellers and upgraded with advanced radio systems. The undercarriage reverted to that of the standard Tu-2S model. Armament included two 45 mm (1.8 in) Nudelman-Suranov NS-45 cannons mounted beneath the nose, each supplied with 50 rounds; two 23 mm (0.91 in) cannons—either Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23 or Nudelman-Suranov NS-23—installed in the wing roots with 130 rounds per gun; a dorsal gunner equipped with a 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Berezin UB#UBT machine gun carrying 200 rounds; and a ventral gunner armed with a UBT machine gun loaded with 350 rounds. The aircraft retained its internal bomb bay, capable of carrying up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of ordnance.
The maiden flight of the Tu-1 occurred on 22 March 1947, followed by manufacturer's trials that extended until either 3 October or 3 November of that year, according to varying sources. There is disagreement regarding whether radar equipment was installed during these evaluations: aviation historian Bill Gunston claims that a Soviet adaptation of the German FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar was tested; however, Yefim Gordon contends that no radar was fitted at all. The limited operational duration of the AM-43V engines ultimately curtailed further testing and development efforts. Consequently, the Tu-1 did not advance to production due to the AM-43V powerplants being unsuitable for mass manufacture.
Specifications
See also
References
Bibliography
- Gordon, Yefim & Rigamant, Vladimir (2005). OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-214-4.
- Gunston, Bill (1995). Tupolev Aircraft since 1922. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-882-8.