In the 1950s, amid the race for dominance in the commercial aviation sector, the Soviet Union sought to outpace Western nations by achieving groundbreaking milestones in aviation. Among their goals was to outshine the British in developing the first jet-powered commercial aircraft, and they aimed to achieve this by repurposing military aircraft for civilian use. Two such planes were the Tupolev Tu-114, based on the Tu-95 Bear bomber, and the Tu-104, derived from the Tu-16 strategic bomber.
A Bomber Turned Airliner
The Tupolev Tu-104 was a twinjet, medium-range, narrow-body turbojet-powered Soviet airliner. As the second jetliner to enter regular service after the British de Havilland Comet, it was the only jetliner operating globally between 1956 and 1958 when the British counterpart was grounded due to safety concerns.
During the early 1950s, the Soviet Union’s Aeroflot airline needed a modern airliner with better capacity and performance than the existing piston-engined aircraft. Tupolev OKB took on the challenge and designed the Tu-104 based on the Tu-16 “Badger” strategic bomber. The new design retained the wings, engines, and tail surfaces of the Tu-16, but incorporated a wider, pressurized fuselage to accommodate 50 passengers. After a successful prototype flight on June 17, 1955, the first serial Tu-104 took off on November 5, 1955.
Design Highlights
The Tu-104 was powered by two Mikulin AM-3 turbojets placed in the wing roots, resembling the configuration of the de Havilland Comet. The lavish “Victorian” interior, featuring materials like mahogany, copper, and lace, garnered attention from the Western Hemisphere.
- Based on the Tu-16 “Badger” strategic bomber
- Retained wings, engines, and tail surfaces from the bomber design
- Wider, pressurized fuselage designed to accommodate 50 passengers
- Fitted with a drag parachute to shorten landing distance
- Two Mikulin AM-3 turbojets placed in the wing roots, resembling the de Havilland Comet configuration
- Crew included a navigator seated in the glazed “bomber” nose, a flight engineer, and a radio operator (later eliminated)
- Lavish “Victorian” interior with materials such as mahogany, copper, and lace
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Crew | 7 |
| Capacity | 50–115 passengers |
| Length | 40.06 m (131 ft 5 in) |
| Wingspan | 34.54 m (113 ft 4 in) |
| Height | 11.9 m (39 ft 1 in) |
| Wing area | 183 m² (1,970 sq ft) less LERX |
| Empty weight | 43,800 kg (96,562 lb) |
| Gross weight | 78,100 kg (172,181 lb) |
| Fuel capacity | 21,000 kg (46,297 lb) normal; 26,500 kg (58,422 lb) maximum |
| Powerplant | 2 × Mikulin AM-3M-500 turbojet engines, 95 kN (21,400 lbf) thrust each |
| Maximum speed | 950 km/h (590 mph, 510 kn) |
| Cruising speed | 750–850 km/h (470–530 mph; 400–460 kn) at 10,000–12,000 m (32,808–39,370 ft) |
| Range | 2,120 km (1,320 mi, 1,140 nmi) with 12,000 kg (26,455 lb) payload and 5,650 kg (12,456 lb) fuel reserve |
| 2,750 km (1,709 mi) with 8,150 kg (17,968 lb) payload and 5,650 kg (12,456 lb) fuel reserve | |
| Service ceiling | 12,000 m (39,000 ft) |
| Rate of climb | 10 m/s (2,000 ft/min) |
| Take-off run at MTOW | 2,200 m (7,218 ft) |
| Landing run at normal landing weight | 1,450–1,850 m (4,757–6,070 ft) without brake parachute |
Pilots trained on the Il-28 bomber and Tu-16 bomber before transitioning to the Tu-104, which was known to be challenging to fly due to its heavy controls, fast final approach, and tendency to stall at low speeds. This experience led the Tupolev Design Bureau to develop the world’s first turbofan series-built airliner, the Tupolev Tu-124, followed by the more commercially successful Tu-134.
Operational History and Legacy
On September 15, 1956, the Tupolev Tu-104 began revenue service on Aeroflot’s Moscow-Omsk-Irkutsk route, reducing flight time from 13 hours and 50 minutes to just 7 hours and 40 minutes. By 1957, Aeroflot had placed the Tu-104 on international routes, and in the same year, ČSA Czechoslovak Airlines became its only export customer.
The Tu-104, despite its groundbreaking role in Soviet passenger aviation, eventually became the most dangerous Soviet passenger aircraft in history. With 37 out of 201 aircraft lost in air crashes, nearly a fifth of the fleet was involved in catastrophes, resulting in the deaths of 1,137 people.
The Trouble with the Tu-104
As flights continued, it became apparent that the Tu-104 had numerous issues. The aircraft was unreliable and difficult to control during flight, often suffering from Dutch roll, where it would roll in one direction and yaw in the other. The Tu-104 was also highly susceptible to stalling at low speeds, and its onboard electronics were far from satisfactory.
Pilots frequently complained about the plane’s characteristics, but the designers at the Tupolev bureau were initially resistant to accepting that there was something wrong with the aircraft, instead blaming the pilots for their lack of professionalism.
Lessons Learned from a Tragic Crash
The situation changed after a 1958 crash during a Beijing-Moscow flight. The plane encountered a powerful updraft and entered a deep, unstoppable spin. Captain Harold Kuznetsov calmly relayed the crew’s actions and the events unfolding with the aircraft to air traffic control as it fell. His invaluable input helped address many of the plane’s technical flaws, but the number of air crashes and incidents remained high.
Some Tu-104s were repurposed for scientific laboratories and cosmonaut training, including for Yuri Gagarin and the first spacewalker, Alexey Leonov. Despite efforts to keep information about the catastrophes classified, the Tu-104 developed a negative reputation among the public. This was further emphasized by a 1960s folk song called “The Tu-104 is the best aircraft,” which sarcastically praised the plane while its lyrics suggested otherwise.
The End of the Tu-104 Era
Production of the Tu-104 ceased in 1960, just five years after its launch, as newer generations of jet airliners rendered it obsolete. However, the Soviet leadership continued to use the dangerous aircraft for another 19 years. It was only banned from civil transportation after a major crash in 1979.
While the military typically continued to use aircraft long after they had left the civil sector, the Tu-104’s military use was short-lived. In 1981, a crash in the Leningrad Region killed the entire leadership of the Soviet Pacific Fleet, including 16 admirals, and the aircraft was promptly removed from military use.
The Tu-104’s Lasting Impact
Despite its numerous issues, the introduction of the Tupolev Tu-104 had some positive effects. The dawn of jet passenger aviation in the Soviet Union necessitated improvements in airport infrastructure and flight comfort. Airports were upgraded and expanded, and passengers began to enjoy comfortable seating and hot meals with fresh drinks for the first time.
Although far from perfect, the Tu-104’s pioneering role in civil jet aviation laid the foundation for future generations of jet aircraft, such as the much more successful Tu-154.
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