Tupolev Tu-80

The Tupolev Tu‑80 was a Soviet long‑range strategic bomber prototype developed in the late 1940s as an evolution of the Tu‑4, itself a reverse‑engineered copy of the American B‑29 Superfortress. Conceived by the Tupolev design bureau to extend range, payload and performance, the Tu‑80 incorporated a larger wing, more powerful engines and an improved pressurised cabin. Two prototypes, designated Tu‑80/1 and Tu‑80/2, flew for the first time in 1949, demonstrating a maximum speed of about 620 km/h and a service ceiling exceeding 12,000 meters. The aircraft could carry up to 12 000 kg of bombs or a mixed load of missiles and fuel, giving it a theoretical intercontinental reach of over 10,000 km. Although its performance surpassed the Tu‑4, rapid advances in jet propulsion and the emergence of the Tu‑95 “Bear” rendered the piston‑engine Tu‑80 obsolete before entering production. Nevertheless, the program provided valuable experience in large‑aircraft aerodynamics, fuel‑management systems and strategic bomber concepts that influenced later Soviet designs, marking an important transitional step in Cold‑War aviation development. The Tu‑80's legacy endures in museum displays and historical studies, illustrating the Soviet Union's rapid post‑war adaptation of foreign technology to meet emerging strategic needs.

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