11/15/1957: First flight of the Tupolev Tu-114

DALLAS — The Tupolev Tu-114 Rossiya (Russian: Tyполев Тy-114 Poccия; NATO reporting name Cleat) performed its maiden flight today in 1957.

The Tu-114, the now retired large turboprop-powered long-range airliner, was designed and built in the Soviet Union from May 1955. At the time, it was the largest, fastest, and had the longest range of any passenger plane, with a range of 10,900 km (6,800 mi). It held the official title of the fastest propeller-driven aircraft until 1960.

The Tu-114’s swept wing and powerful engine design allowed it to travel at speeds comparable to modern jetliners, reaching 880 km/h (550 mph). While it could seat 224 passengers, Aeroflot typically operated it with 170 passengers, including sleeping berths and a dining lounge.

Before being replaced by the jet-powered Ilyushin Il-62, the Tu-114 carried over six million passengers. Thirty-two aircraft were produced at the Kuibyshev aviation plant in the early 1960s.

Tu-114 Development

In response to a directive from the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Aircraft Production, issued in August 1955, the Tupolev Design Bureau was tasked with designing an airliner capable of a range of 8,000 km (4,971 mi). This airliner, the Tu-114, was based on the Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber, powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines driving contra-rotating propellers.

The Tu-114 utilized the basic wing, empennage, landing gear, and powerplants of the Tu-95 bomber, but it featured a completely new pressurized fuselage with a significantly larger diameter. To accommodate the increased weight, the landing flap surface area required a substantial increase, and the flap chord was also extended compared to the bomber’s flaps.

The wing was positioned low on the fuselage, giving the Tu-114 a significantly higher stance on its landing gear compared to the Tu-95 bomber. Consequently, a new nose landing gear strut was necessary, while the main landing gear remained unchanged.

The Tu-114 achieved speeds comparable to modern jetliners, reaching a maximum speed of 880 km/h. However, its cruising speed, equivalent to Mach 0.71, was notably lower than that of comparable jet airliners such as the Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8, and Vickers VC10, which typically cruised at Mach 0.83.

In its maximum configuration, the Tu-114 could accommodate up to 224 passengers. However, a more common configuration for long-distance transcontinental flights carried 170 passengers, which allowed for the installation of sleeping berths and even a dining lounge for the upper-class cabin.

Tu-114 Operarions

The inaugural Tu-114, designated СССР-Л5611, made its debut to Western audiences at the Brussels World Exhibition in 1958. Notably, it subsequently transported Nikita Khrushchev on his inaugural visit to the United States in September 1959, marking the first such journey undertaken by a Soviet leader.

The Tu-114 commenced regular service with Aeroflot (SU) on flights departing from Vnukovo Airport in Moscow to Khabarovsk on April 24, 1961.

Subsequently, it expanded its operational repertoire to include SU flights to various international destinations, such as Copenhagen, Havana, Montreal, New Delhi, Paris, Belgrade, and Tokyo (in collaboration with Japan Airlines [JL]).

Featured image: The Tu-114 was once the world's largest aircraft. Date of photo: May 29, 1964. Location: North Holland, Schiphol Airport.