Tu-95/1

The Tupolev Tu-95/1 and Tu-95/2 were the initial prototype aircraft developed as part of the Soviet Union's effort to create a long-range strategic bomber capable of intercontinental missions during the early 1950s. These prototypes laid the foundation for the Tu-95 series, which evolved into numerous variants.

The Tu-95/1 was the initial design from Tupolev OKB, derived from studies following the Tu-85 and incorporating advanced swept-wing and turboprop technology.

It was powered by four Kuznetsov 2TV-2F coupled turboprop engines, each producing approximately 12,000 shaft horsepower (shp). These were essentially two TV-2 engines paired through a reduction gearbox in a pusher-tractor tandem configuration, a stopgap solution due to delays in the development of the more powerful TV-12 (later NK-12) engines.

The fuselage was smaller than later production models, with a limited payload capacity. It achieved a maximum speed exceeding 900 km/h (559 mph) during state tests and had a range of approximately 15,000 km with a 5,000 kg payload.

Testing was completed by September 1952, the Tu-95/1 was transported by road to Zhukovsky for reassembly. Ground trials began in early November 1952, with the first flight on November 12, 1952, piloted by Aleksei Pereliot. The aircraft demonstrated exceptional performance for a turboprop, attributed to the design of Konstantin Zhdanov’s propeller and gearbox.

The prototype crashed in 1953 due to an engine fire that caused one engine to detach, resulting in the deaths of three crew members (Pereliot, a flight engineer, and a research scientist). Nine others escaped by parachute. The crash highlighted issues with the 2TV-2F engine configuration, prompting a shift to the more reliable TV-12 (NK-12) engines for subsequent designs.

More information:

• Global Security - Tu-95
• War History - Tu-95 Bear