Tupolev Tu-91
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The Tupolev Tu-91 (NATO reporting name Boot) was a Soviet naval attack bomber. It was only built in prototype form, and cancelled after Stalin's death.
Tu-91.jpg
Stalin ordered an aggressive naval expansion to counter the US naval superiority. It called for building extra warships and a fleet of aircraft carriers. A fleet of bombers to effectively attack and destroy the US naval flotilla was required, the basis of Tu-91 a carrier-borne bomber. It was practically a flying tank, heavily armed and armoured. However after the death of Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev cancelled such plans, concentrating instead of ICBMs and strategic nuclear forces.
Specifications (Tu-91)
General Characteristics
- Length: 17.70 m (58 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 16.40 m (53 ft 10 in)
- Height: 5.06 m (16 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 47.5 m² (511 ft²)
- Empty: kg ( lb)
- Loaded: 12,850 kg (28,270 lb)
- Maximum takeoff: 14,400 kg (31,680 lb)
- Powerplant: 1x Izotov TV-2m turboprop, 5,709 kW (7,650 shp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 800 km/h (500 mph)
- Range: 2,350 km (1,469 miles)
- Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,240 ft)
- Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
- Wing loading: 265 kg/m² (55 lb/ft²)
- Power/Mass: 0.44 kW/kg (0.27 hp/lb)
Armament
- 3x 23 mm cannon in wings and tail barbette
- 6x 100 kg (220 lb) bombs or
- anti-submarine bomb or
- 3x RAT-52 torpedoes or
- assortment of naval mines or
- 120x APS-85 unguided rockets
Related content
Related development:
Comparable aircraft:
Designation sequence: Tu-88 - Tu-89 - Tu-90 - Tu-91 - Tu-95 - Tu-96 - Tu-98
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