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Originally Posted by Doctor Cruces
Goodness knows why the same designation with just a different letter at the end,
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Originally Posted by Doctor Cruces
(Post 7604135)
Was confused about the "updating" bit until I flicked to the article. That's a TU-22M Backfire, not a Blinder in the picture. Makes sense now. Goodness knows why the same designation with just a different letter at the end, unless it was developed from the Blinder.
Doc C |
I thought the (non) change in designation was really to save face in Russia - the original aircraft looked great but was a bit of a pig, a complete redesign a turned it into a decent bomber but no-one wanted to admit they'd got it wrong to start with
See B-1A & B1B lancer for a similar story |
Was the Tu-22M not called so by Tupolev to make it initially appear that it was an upgraded design rather than a new aircraft (so that it was more acceptable to the powers in charge, rather than an entirely new design)?
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The Tu22M entered service in 1972 already, 370 were build. First flight 1969. So a Concorde generation aircraft. A remarkable technological achievement by the Tupolev engineers IMO. Non were exported in the USSR tradition of keeping the best equipment for themselves..
Oekraine destroyed theirs as negotiated (11 Tu-160s too).. http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2849/253sv.gif Must have hurt the eyes of the Chinese.. |
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