Tupolev TB-6

The Tupolev TB‑6, also known as the ANT‑30, was a Soviet heavy‑four‑engine bomber conceived in the early 1930s by the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) under the direction of Andrei Tupolev. Designed to replace the aging Tupolev TB‑3, the TB‑6 aimed to deliver unprecedented payload, range and defensive firepower, reflecting Stalin’s ambition for a strategic bomber capable of striking distant targets. The airframe featured a large, low‑wing monoplane layout with a wingspan of 44.5 meters and a length of 29.6 meters, making it one of the largest aircraft of its era. Five powerful Shvetsov M‑64 radial engines were planned, later substituted by four Klimov VK‑12V V‑12s, to generate over 5,000 horsepower. The aircraft incorporated advanced aerodynamics researched at TsAGI, a reinforced all‑metal stressed‑skin construction, and a spacious bomb bay capable of carrying up to 9 tonnes of ordnance. Although a prototype flew in 1934, structural problems and the shift toward twin‑engine designs halted further development, and the program was cancelled in 1936. The TB‑6 remains a symbol of Soviet ambition, illustrating the limits of 1930s engineering and influencing later heavy bomber concepts such as the Tu‑4 and Tu‑95.

Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute

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Design & Classification