Tupolev Tu-91
| Company type | Military aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1950s |
| Headquarters | Soviet Union |
| Products | Attack aircraft |
The Tupolev Tu-91 (known by NATO as Boot) was a Soviet two-seat attack aircraft developed in the 1950s. Originally conceived for carrier operations, the design was adapted to a land-based role following the cancellation of Soviet aircraft carrier projects after Joseph Stalin's death in 1953. Two prototypes were constructed, and production received preliminary approval from the Soviet Navy. However, during an inspection in 1956 by General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev, he dismissed the aircraft’s appearance as absurd, leading to the termination of the program.
Development
In the aftermath of World War II, Stalin initiated a significant naval buildup aimed at challenging American maritime dominance. This expansion prioritized battleships and other large vessels, relegating aircraft carriers to a subordinate role despite Admiral Nikolai Kuznetsov’s advocacy for their importance. Kuznetsov, reinstated as Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Navy in 1951 after a previous demotion, pressed Stalin in 1952 to reconsider carrier development. Stalin deferred any decision until his death in 1953.
Before Stalin’s passing, Kuznetsov had commissioned initial design work on Project 85, a light aircraft carrier concept, along with its intended aircraft; however, this ship remained a theoretical project. This situation allowed Tupolev Design Bureau to pursue a single-engine turboprop aircraft tailored to Soviet Naval Aviation’s demands for a long-range strike platform capable of delivering bombs and torpedoes. Following the new leadership’s rejection of carrier proposals, the Council of Ministers issued specifications on 29 April 1953 for a land-based bomber powered by a Kuznetsov TV-2 turboprop engine. The aircraft was required to perform level and dive bombing missions employing bombs, torpedoes, rockets, gunfire, and naval mines, as well as undertake coastal reconnaissance tasks. Consequently, Tupolev revised the design by removing carrier-specific features such as wing-folding mechanisms and arresting gear for the second prototype.
The maiden flight of the Tu-91 took place on 17 May 1955, marking the start of manufacturer-led flight testing which concluded successfully around September. Test pilots praised its agility but advised against performing barrel rolls. The aircraft also passed subsequent state evaluations, prompting preparations for production at Factory No. 31 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Historians Yefim Gordon and Vladimir Rigmant note an alternative timeline with a first flight on 2 September 1954 and completion of manufacturer testing by 21 January 1955.
In mid-1956, the Tu-91 was showcased among other advanced military aircraft for Soviet leadership, standing out as one of the few propeller-driven types present. When Khrushchev questioned its capabilities, an officer mistakenly claimed it matched the firepower of a heavy cruiser instead of fulfilling its intended role. Khrushchev responded dismissively that heavy cruisers were obsolete and criticized the plane’s appearance as ridiculous. This remark led directly to cancellation of the project.
Description
The Tu-91 featured a low-wing monoplane design constructed primarily from duralumin, with wings exhibiting dihedral angles and supported by three spars. Its wing was divided into three parts: a central section housing four fuel tanks along with the tricycle landing gear, flanked by two outer panels. These outer wing panels incorporated manually adjustable ailerons and slotted flaps for control. The tail assembly was conventional, comprising vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Positioned mid-fuselage above the wing spars, the engine powered a six-bladed contra-rotating propeller at the nose via an extended shaft running through the cockpit. Ensuring adequate airflow to the engine demanded significant development efforts, including modifying a Tupolev Tu-4 flying testbed by replacing its engine with a mockup of the Tu-91's nose equipped with a functional TV-2 engine installation. The final air intake system consisted of three inlets: one chin inlet and two cheek inlets beneath the cockpit, all converging into a plenum chamber located ahead of the engine. Exhaust gases were expelled through a split exhaust duct exiting on either side of the fuselage behind the wing.
The aircraft accommodated two crew members seated side-by-side within an armored "bathtub" cockpit constructed from 8 to 18 mm thick ANBA-1 light alloy armor. Except for the overhead canopy panels, all canopy glazing was bullet-resistant. In addition to the forward fuel tanks, two more self-sealing tanks filled with inert gases were positioned between the exhaust ducts. Armament included a pair of 23 mm NR-23 autocannons mounted in the wing roots and another two NR-23s housed in a DK-15 powered tail turret. This turret was remotely operated by the navigator via an externally mounted periscopic gunsight above the cockpit. The Tu-91 could be equipped with five pylons—one beneath the fuselage and four under the wings—capable of carrying either a single torpedo or various combinations of bombs, rockets, and mines totaling up to 1,500 kg. Two of the wing pylons were also configured to carry drop tanks alongside armaments. For reconnaissance purposes, a camera was installed in the rear fuselage.
Specifications (Tu-91)
See also
Notes
Footnotes
Bibliography
- Duffy, Paul & Kandalov, Andrei (1996). Tupolev: The Man and His Aircraft. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-728-X.
- Gordon, Yefim & Rigmant, Vladimir (2005). OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-214-4.
- Gunston, Bill (1995a). Tupolev Aircraft since 1922. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-882-8.
- Gunston, Bill (1995b). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
- Rohwer, Jürgen & Monakov, Mikhail S. (2001). Stalin's Ocean-Going Fleet: Soviet Naval Strategy and Shipbuilding Programs 1935–1953. London: Frank Cass. ISBN 0-7146-4895-7.