ArtistsRifles Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 As I'm still stuck indoors I was watching a program on, I think, UK Discovery, on Soviet bombers. Very interesting. Did you know the records for the heaviest aircraft and the most powerful jet engines both belong to the Soviet "BackFire" bomber? No ones yet managed to beat either. It was an interesting program that dealt with the Soviet bombers from the 1930's through to the modern day. Of note was the PE-6 heavy bomber - was also used as a transport for airborne troops and there was an interesting clip of Soviet para's in the Finnish campaign being transported and dropped by one - the poor para's were sat on the wings in flight!!! If you get a chance to see this program I'd thoroughly recommend it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 Now you know why they gave it all up and started buying English football clubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted May 14, 2008 Author Share Posted May 14, 2008 :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: It was a good programme though - even covered the Soviet bomber offensive against Berlin -They did a couple of raids with medium bombers then sent off 14 heavies - to get the range the engines were replaced by diesels... Actually got to Berlin and made their runs although the damage was more psychological than strategic. 4 heavies were shot down out of the 14 and "several others failed to return due to problems with the diesel engines" so only 2 maybe 3 of the contingent made it home - it was the first and last Soviet heavy bomber mission until the Tupolev bureau were given a B-29 to copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 As I'm still stuck indoors I was watching a program on, I think, UK Discovery, on Soviet bombers. Very interesting. Did you know the records for the heaviest aircraft and the most powerful jet engines both belong to the Soviet "BackFire" bomber? No ones yet managed to beat either. Umm, the Backfire C, or more properly the TU-22M3, grossed at 126,400 kg. Many aircraft beat that by miles. The Antonov 225 gross weight is 600,000kg, even the 'Spruce Goose' was 180,000kg. The engines develop 25,000kg of thrust each. The Boeing 777 engines put out 55,000kg each. Don't believe everything you see on the TV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted May 15, 2008 Author Share Posted May 15, 2008 Perhaps I should have said - more accurately - the program said heaviest bomber and military turbines?? The NASA/Tupolev consortium that were looking into designing a next-gen supersonic transport ripped out the Tu-114's original engines and fitted the ones from a BackFire to get the bigeest thrust avaialble. Although you are right - what's on TV sadly can't always be taken as gospel. Unusual though for a US program to play-up the opposition - usually they are the worst offenders at flag waving...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Ahh.... could be. Though I think the B-36 was cleared to a higher gross weight but not usually operated at it. Engine wise, you could be right. It seems odd that the most powerful military jet engines are left way behind by the airliners! You're certainly right about the US programs, they are usually biased. They often seem particularly keen to play down the role of British technology. It's an unfortunate trait that much of British TV sadly seems happy to emulate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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