Tupolev Tu-134
Tupolev · Soviet Union · first flew 1963 · airliner
The Soviet bloc's short-haul workhorse jet of the 1970s-80s, instantly known by its whistling engines and glass nose.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 37.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Rear twin engines and T-tail, DC-9 layout
- Sharply swept wing for its class
- Glazed navigator's nose on many examples
A DC-9-style rear-engined T-tail jet, but with a more sharply swept wing, main-gear fairing pods on the trailing edge, and — the giveaway — a glazed bomber-style nose cone on most airframes.
Specifications
- The Tupolev Tu-134 has a length of 37.1 m (122 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 29 m (95 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 950 km/h (590 mph).
- Typical crew: 3-4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from the Tu-124 with the fashionable rear-engine T-tail layout, the Tu-134 first flew in 1963 and became standard equipment across Aeroflot and every Warsaw Pact airline. Over 850 were built.
Variants
The stretched Tu-134A and 134B carried up to 84 passengers; many retained a glazed nose for a navigator, while later aircraft substituted radar. Military and calibration versions lingered for decades.
Where you'll see it
A regular at Heathrow and Gatwick in Cold War years on Aeroflot, LOT, CSA and Interflug services — its shrill engines were unmistakable. Retired from passenger service; museum examples survive across Eastern Europe.
Related aircraft
- Tu-128 Fiddler
- Tupolev Tu-123
- Tupolev Tu-128P
- Tupolev Tu-124
- BAC One-Eleven
- BAC One-Eleven 200
- Boeing 727
- Boeing 727-100
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.