Tupolev Tu-144

The Tupolev Tu‑144, often called the “Concordski,” was the world’s first supersonic transport to roll out of a production line. Developed by the Soviet design bureau Tupolev in the early 1970s, the Tu‑144 made its maiden flight on 31 December 1968 and entered limited commercial service with Aeroflot in 1977. Although it was overtaken in passenger operations by the Anglo‑French Concorde, the Tu‑144 pioneered many technologies: an ultra‑thin four‑wing configuration, variable‑geometry intake ramps, and a sophisticated fly‑by‑wire control system for its era. Powered by two Kuznetsov NK‑36 engines, the aircraft could reach Mach 2.15 and cruise at altitudes above 18,000 meters, dramatically cutting trans‑continental travel times. Its short operational life was marred by a fatal crash at the 1973 Paris Air Show and numerous technical challenges, leading to withdrawal from passenger routes by 1978. Nonetheless, the Tu‑144’s experimental program contributed valuable data to Soviet aerospace research, influencing later high‑speed designs and showcasing the technical ambition of the Cold War era. Today the surviving machines stand as iconic symbols of supersonic ambition and engineering daring. It remains a subject of fascination for aviation historians worldwide.

Tupolev

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