Tupolev Tu-16

what is it?

The Tupolev Tu-16 (DoD: Type 39; NATO: Badger) is a twin-engined jet strategic heavy bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has been flown for almost 70 years. While many aircraft in Soviet service were retired after the Cold War ended, a Chinese license-built version, the Xi'an H-6, remains in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 jet engines · 33 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 1,050 km/htop speed
• range 7,200 kmwithout refuelling
• size 79 tmax take-off weight
• built 1,509made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 74 years ago, in 1952.
• 🏎️Top speed is 8.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 33 m: about 7 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 13 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 🌍Range of 7,200 km: Amsterdam to New York (≈5,850 km) without stopping.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.4× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1952-04-27

introduced

1954

retired

1993

status

still flying

number built

1,509

role

strategic bomber

origin

🇷🇺 Soviet Union

makers

Voronezh Aircraft Production Association, Kazan Aircraft Production Association, Tupolev

engines

2× Mikulin AM-3 M-500 / Mikulin AM-3

crew

6

length

34.8 m

wingspan

33 m

height

10.4 m

max take-off weight

79 t

top speed

1,050 km/h

range

7,200 km

ceiling

12,800 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family