Tupolev Tu-404

[frank]

Back in the '90s, wasn't there supposed to be a Soviet flying wing stealth bomber from Tupolev, the Tu-202 or Tu-404 or something?

 

[Antonio]

Tu-404:

Active project, under the design leadership of Yuri Vorobjov, for a 600-850 seat giant airliner. Various configurations under study, including huge flying wings

Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/97, Pg 241


More detailed info + 3 view sketch + model from unknown airshow at "The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995" by Bill Gunston, pg447-448

 

[Antonio]

Another Tu-404 model

(Source: Flug Revue 8/1993)

 

[Triton]

Work on the Tupolev Tu-404 began in 1991 along with another large passenger aircraft project designated the Tu-304. The Tu-404 was designed to carry more than 1,200 passengers to destinations 12,000 to 13,000 km away. The Tupolev Design Bureau developed several configurations of this heavy passenger transport.

One of the configurations for this aircraft was a blended wing body. The aircraft's powerplant consisted of six pusher turboprop engines each producing 18,000 kg of thrust during take-off and consuming only 0.644 kg/kgf-h of fuel in cruise mode. The engines are located in the tail section of the flying wing fuselage between two large V-shaped vertical stabilizers.

The central fuselage contains six passenger compartments accommodating up to 1,214 passengers. The leading edge of the central fuselage has a sweep of 45 degrees. Two large wings containing fuel tanks have a leading-edge sweep of 35 degrees and are attached to the central fuselage. The wings hold most of the aircraft's fuel.

General Characteristcs

Length (m): 59.7
Wingspan (m): 110
Overall height (m): 110
Wing leading edge sweep: 35°
Passenger capacity: 1,214 in economy class
Number of engines: 6
Engine type: turboprop
Thrust on take-off per engine, kgs: 18,000
Fuel consumption in cruise Mode, kg/kgf h: 0.644
Cruise speed, km/h (M=): 900
Cruise altitude (m): 11,000
Practical range with payload, (km) normal: 13,500 with maximum payload (km): 9,200
Required runway type: Class "A"
Take-off run (m): 3,200

Model (top) of Tupolev Tu-404.

Three view drawing (bottom) of Tupolev Tu-404.

Source: http://www.sergib.agava.ru/russia/tupolev/404/404_e.htm

 

[Triton]

Another version of the Tu-404 is of a more conventional design: a two-level passenger aircraft capable of transporting 1,200 people to destinations of up to 10,000 km. The lower level of the fuselage is designed as a multi-section cargo compartment for transporting cargo in standard aviation containers. Two sub-variants of this design have been developed: a mixed passenger-cargo aircraft with the enlarge cargo section and a dedicated cargo model.

The massive low-level wing with a leading-edge sweep of 35 degrees and vertical wingtips has massive control surfaces: multi-section leading-edge control surfaces, low-speed control areas, multi-section flaps. Each half of the altitude control surface is made of two sections.

The aircraft is designed to be powered by four Kuznetsov NK-44 or Rolls-Royce "Trent" engines installed on underwing pylons. The aircraft's undercarriage consists of several carts with multiple wheels in each cart. It is retracted into the central fuselage section of the aircraft.

General Characteristics

Length (m): 86.6
Wing Span (m): 77
Overall height( m): 27.3
Wing leading edge sweep: 35°
Max. take-off weight (kg): 605,000
Max. payload (kg): 126,000
Passenger capacity: 1,200
Number of engines: 4
Engine type: Kuznetsov NK-44 turbofan or equivalent
Thrust on take-off per engine (kgs): 40,000
Fuel consumption in cruise Mode kg/kgf h: 0.54
Cruise altitude (m): 11,000
Practical range with payload, (km) normal: 13,500 with maximum payload (km): 9,200
Required runway type: Class "A"
Take-off run (m): 3,200

Source: http://www.sergib.agava.ru/russia/tupolev/404/404_e.htm

 

[Matej]

Back in the '90s, wasn't there supposed to be a Soviet flying wing stealth bomber from Tupolev, the Tu-202 or Tu-404 or something?

I think you mean this: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2832.3.html As I understand it, designation Tu-202 is purely hypothetical.

 

[borovik]

... and more - drawing from the "Bastion" tom1
"alleged variant transformation of TU-404 in a heavy bomber." -with reference to P. Butovsky

 

[flateric]

As I understand it, designation Tu-202 is purely hypothetical.

no

 

[Matej]

Real?

 

[flateric]

bomber and long-range ASW/ABM aircraft as variant, hunting for Ohio and her missiles as option

 

[Triton]

Model of Tupolev Tu-404 from the USSR-Russian Aviation and Space Collectibles web site..

Source: http://www.ussr-airspace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=28_39_109&products_id=1311

 

[Triton]

Model of Tupolev Tu-404.

Source: http://n1l3m.narod.ru/voyna/Strateg.htm

 

[redstar72]

General Characteristcs

Engine type: turboprop

It would be more correct to say "propfan".

As I understand it, designation Tu-202 is purely hypothetical.

The Tu-202 project existed, but it had no common with mythical stealth bomber. This designation was used already in early 1970s, for studies of new ASW aircraft. Unfortunately I have no details of them.

Source: "Aviatsiya i Kosmonavtika" magazine, year 2000, No.10, 11 (Cycle of articles "Under "ANT" & "Tu" marks" by Vladimir Rigmant).

 

[flateric]

alternative Tu-404 configuration ('vertical oval tandem wing') (EDITED)

 

[Triton]

Very interesting! Thank you flateric! ;D

 

[Grey Havoc]

[The Tu-202 project existed, but it had no common with mythical stealth bomber. This designation was used already in early 1970s, for studies of new ASW aircraft. Unfortunately I have no details of them.

Source: "Aviatsiya i Kosmonavtika" magazine, year 2000, No.10, 11 (Cycle of articles "Under "ANT" & "Tu" marks" by Vladimir Rigmant).

bomber and long-range ASW/ABM aircraft as variant, hunting for Ohio and her missiles as option

So, the Tu-404 concept was developed from the Tu-202 concept (Maritime Strike/ASW/ABM) that was under study during the late '80's/ early '90's? With the Tu-202 designation being previously used in the early 1970's for studies into new ASW aircraft designs. Land based ASW platforms I'm assuming?

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Does "Aircraft 202" have any relation to the B-90? Was there even a B-90 project?

 

[flateric]

B-90 was a 'bomber of 90s' program (like I-90 (fighter of 90s) and Sh-90 (attack aircraft of 90s))
program name mentioned, for example, in Oleg Samoilovich memoirs

'202' was a family of ASW aircrafts developed since early _70s_
we shouldn't forget about possibility of re-using designation for totally different projects though

we only can guess if this WT model has anything to do with 202 and its derivatives. you surely won't go for readily visible RCS reduction efforts and put intakes and engines such way if you are building pax carrier (well, after seeing Northrop Environmentally Friendly Troop Carrier I wouldn't be so sure now)

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Thank you. SSP: Bombers gave just a general description of the project so my curiousity was piqued ("Northrop Environmentally Friendly Troop Carrier" LOL; I like that).

 

[fightingirish]

Image source: AeroTime News - Tupolev Tu-404: the biggest airliner ever designed

 

[trexslee]

Another version of the Tu-404 is of a more conventional design: a two-level passenger aircraft capable of transporting 1,200 people to destinations of up to 10,000 km. The lower level of the fuselage is designed as a multi-section cargo compartment for transporting cargo in standard aviation containers. Two sub-variants of this design have been developed: a mixed passenger-cargo aircraft with the enlarge cargo section and a dedicated cargo model.

The massive low-level wing with a leading-edge sweep of 35 degrees and vertical wingtips has massive control surfaces: multi-section leading-edge control surfaces, low-speed control areas, multi-section flaps. Each half of the altitude control surface is made of two sections.

The aircraft is designed to be powered by four Kuznetsov NK-44 or Rolls-Royce "Trent" engines installed on underwing pylons. The aircraft's undercarriage consists of several carts with multiple wheels in each cart. It is retracted into the central fuselage section of the aircraft.

General Characteristics

Length (m): 86.6
Wing Span (m): 77
Overall height( m): 27.3
Wing leading edge sweep: 35°
Max. take-off weight (kg): 605,000
Max. payload (kg): 126,000
Passenger capacity: 1,200
Number of engines: 4
Engine type: Kuznetsov NK-44 turbofan or equivalent
Thrust on take-off per engine (kgs): 40,000
Fuel consumption in cruise Mode kg/kgf h: 0.54
Cruise altitude (m): 11,000
Practical range with payload, (km) normal: 13,500 with maximum payload (km): 9,200
Required runway type: Class "A"
Take-off run (m): 3,200

Source: http://www.sergib.agava.ru/russia/tupolev/404/404_e.htm

That link is no longer available, and we, and especially I, have very little idea what the conventional version of the Tu-404 actually would have looked like even with the characteristics we have of the design. So see if you could find any pictures of the conventional design of the Tu-404 if you can. And let me know if you find anything and show it to me. Thank you.

 

[Antonio]

Actually, a few different configurations were studied under the Tu-404 project design. The most conventional wasn't very different from Boeing/McDD/Airbus large double decker airliner studies form the 90's.

Other Tu-404 variations were unique and weird in their configurations.

Source: Unflown Wings. Soviet Russian unrealized aircraft projects 1925-2010 by Yefim Gordon and Sergey Komissarov. Ian Allan Publishing

 

[Antonio]

alternative Tu-304 configuration ('vertical oval tandem wing')

Found the same drawing identified as Tu-404 study

Source: Unflown Wings. Soviet Russian unrealized aircraft projects 1925-2010 by Yefim Gordon and Sergey Komissarov. Ian Allan Publishing Page 93

 

[trexslee]

Actually, a few different configurations were studied under the Tu-404 project design. The most conventional wasn't very different from Boeing/McDD/Airbus large double decker airliner studies form the 90's.

Other Tu-404 variations were unique and weird in their configurations.

Source: Unflown Wings. Soviet Russian unrealized aircraft projects 1925-2010 by Yefim Gordon and Sergey Komissarov. Ian Allan Publishing

I was in fact talking about the most conventional one. I just haven't seen any pictures of what that particular design actually looked like. But you're right about it not being very different from other projects from the 90s such as the Boeing NLA, MD-12, and A3XX.

 

[flateric]

Early 'tube & wings' 404 fuselage mockup

 

[trexslee]

Early 'tube & wings' 404 fuselage mockup

Now we're starting to get somewhere.

 

[Resister1976]

Tu-404……Error 404-Not Found?Hum……If Tu-404 had served in the Russian Air Force for some years,We could dubbed it "Not Found"!
(0v0)

 

[Rhinocrates]

Tu-404……Error 404-Not Found?Hum……If Tu-404 had served in the Russian Air Force for some years,We could dubbed it "Not Found"!
(0v0)

They should have reserved that designation for PAK-DA (stealth...).