March 18, 1961

[Martin Antonenko]

The largest fighter plane ever built
flies for the first time...


The Soviet long-range interceptor of the "Tupolov 128" type made its maiden flight on March 18, 1961 - at that time still under the production name "Isdelije 1" ("Product 1")...:


The construction of the prototype began in 1959. The first rolling tests took place on February 27, 1961...:







On March 18, the pilots M. Koslow...



... and K. Malchassjan...



...on the maiden flight and on July 9th the prototype was shown to the public for the first time at the Tuschino air parade....




...on the maiden flight and on July 9th the prototype was shown to the public for the first time at the Tuschino air parade.

The machine will only receive the designation "Tu-128" on December 12, 1963.

It is the largest mass-produced fighter aircraft in the world - more than two and a half times the size of a FU8 "Corsair".

Today, this first machine ekes out a sad existence in an open-air museum in Monino...:

https://figure-mad.com/smf2/index.php?action=reporttm;topic=899.6;msg=109413

 

[Airkid]

Impressive in its day, but typical of the Soviet obsession with "bigger is better". The F-4 Phantom could do everything this monster could do at less than half the size.

Phil

 

[Nap]

Massive ....just goes to show size isn't everything ....lol

Bet it was noisy !

Cheers Martin

Nap

 

[Martin Antonenko]

New Impressive in its day, but typical of the Soviet obsession with "bigger is better".

They had to build so large because the engines cannot be built smaller for the required performance due to the availability of material!


Cheers