Originally Posted by
ORAC
If you want a Russian aircraft with a bad reputation, take the TU-22 Blinder. We used to respect/fear the Backfire and Blackjack, but not the Blinder. Supersonic dash, but such a fuel guzzler it had no range. Awful performance, and downward firing ejector seats for the 3 man crew. Minimum ejection altitude was 2000mtrs.
I've read that about 20% were lost in accidents and it was regarded by its crews as unflyable...indeed at one point in the 1960s SAF's crews actually refused to fly it..
