Tupolev ANT-58

Tupolev · Soviet Union · first flew 1940 · bomber

The Tupolev ANT-58 was the prototype that led directly to the Tu-2, one of the most capable Soviet twin-engine bombers of World War II. It first flew in 1940 under the internal designation ANT-58.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.8 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Soviet WWII-era prototype twin-engine bomber
Predecessor to the production Tu-2
Mid-wing monoplane with prominent glazed nose

A mid-wing twin-engine monoplane with a heavily glazed nose, dorsal turret, and twin-fin tail arrangement typical of Tupolev bomber designs of the era.

Specifications

The Tupolev ANT-58 has a length of 13.8 m (45 ft).
It has a wingspan of 18.86 m (62 ft).
Its maximum speed is 635 km/h (395 mph).
Typical crew: 4.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed by Andrei Tupolev's bureau while he was imprisoned during Stalin's purges, the ANT-58 was evaluated by the Soviet Air Force and found to have outstanding performance. State trials in 1940–1941 led to the production Tu-2, which became a mainstay of Soviet bomber aviation. The ANT-58 prototype itself was a single aircraft used solely for development.

Variants

The ANT-58 led to the ANT-59 and ANT-60 development aircraft before the definitive Tu-2 entered production. No separate variants of the ANT-58 itself existed.

Where you'll see it

The ANT-58 was a pure prototype and did not enter operational service; its lineage produced the combat-proven Tu-2 that served extensively on the Eastern Front from 1942 onwards.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.