Tupolev Tu-114 "Cleat"

Tupolev · Soviet Union · first flew 1957 · airliner

The Tupolev Tu-114 was the world's largest and fastest propeller-driven airliner, adapted from the Tu-95 Bear strategic bomber and operated by Aeroflot on prestigious long-range routes from 1961.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	4 × turboprop, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Deep-bellied double-deck fuselage on a low undercarriage relative to its massive size
T — Tail	Conventional

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Largest turboprop airliner ever built, derived from the Tu-95 Bear bomber
Four contra-rotating propeller pairs giving eight propeller discs in a distinctive sound
Deep-bellied double-deck fuselage on a low undercarriage relative to its massive size

Enormous swept-wing turboprop airliner with four contra-rotating propeller assemblies, a deep oval fuselage substantially larger than contemporary Western airliners, and a tall conventional tail.

Specifications

The Tupolev Tu-114 has a length of 54.1 m (177 ft).
It has a wingspan of 51.4 m (169 ft).
Its maximum speed is 870 km/h (541 mph).
Typical crew: 5 + up to 220 passengers.

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

History

First flown in 1957 and entering commercial service in 1961, the Tu-114 used the wings, engines, and tail of the Tu-95 mated to an entirely new wide-body fuselage. It inaugurated the Moscow–Havana route and famously carried Nikita Khrushchev to New York in 1960.

Variants

The Tu-114 was produced in a single principal variant; a maritime patrol derivative known as the Tu-142 used the airframe concept but with significant changes and is considered a separate design.

Where you'll see it

Operated exclusively by Aeroflot from 1961 until retirement in 1976; a small number served on Japan Air Lines routes in collaboration with Aeroflot during the 1960s.

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