Tu-95 "Bear" & Tu-142 @·AIRCRAFTUBE

  • Tu-95MS Tu-95MS
    Tu-95MS
  • Tu-142MR - 1990 Tu-142MR - 1990
    Tu-142MR - 1990
  • Tu-142M - P-3C Orion - 1986 Tu-142M - P-3C Orion - 1986
    Tu-142M - P-3C Orion - 1986
  • Tupolev Tu-142M Tupolev Tu-142M
    Tupolev Tu-142M
  • An Indian Navy Tu-142 (2007) An Indian Navy Tu-142 (2007)
    An Indian Navy Tu-142 (2007)
  • A Tu-142MK-E (India) and a F-14A of VF-111 A Tu-142MK-E (India) and a F-14A of VF-111
    A Tu-142MK-E (India) and a F-14A of VF-111
  • Tu-142MZ<br>(Ukraine) Tu-142MZ<br>(Ukraine)
    Tu-142MZ
    (Ukraine)
  • Tupolev Tu-95 - Engels Air Base Tupolev Tu-95 - Engels Air Base
    Tupolev Tu-95 - Engels Air Base
  • Tu-95 Bear D Tu-95 Bear D
    Tu-95 Bear D
  • Tu-95 Bear Tu-95 Bear
    Tu-95 Bear
  • Tu-95 and Il-78 - 2008 Victory Day Parade Tu-95 and Il-78 - 2008 Victory Day Parade
    Tu-95 and Il-78 - 2008 Victory Day Parade
  • Tupolev Tu-142M - 1988 Tupolev Tu-142M - 1988
    Tupolev Tu-142M - 1988
  • Tu-95<br><br>National<br>Aviation<br>Museum Tu-95<br><br>National<br>Aviation<br>Museum
    Tu-95

    National
    Aviation
    Museum
  • Tupolev Tu-95 Bear & Tomcat Tupolev Tu-95 Bear & Tomcat
    Tupolev Tu-95 Bear & Tomcat
  • Tu-142M3 Tu-142M3
    Tu-142M3
  • Tupolev Tu-95 Bear Tupolev Tu-95 Bear
    Tupolev Tu-95 Bear
  • Tu-95MC Tu-95MC
    Tu-95MC
  • Tupolev Tu-142M - 1986 Tupolev Tu-142M - 1986
    Tupolev Tu-142M - 1986
  • Tu-95MS Tu-95MS
    Tu-95MS
  • Tu-116 - Ulyanovsk Museum Tu-116 - Ulyanovsk Museum
    Tu-116 - Ulyanovsk Museum
  • Tupolev Tu-142M Tupolev Tu-142M
    Tupolev Tu-142M

Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-142 "Bear"

The Tupolev Tu-95 (NATO reporting name: "Bear") is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the Long-Range Aviation of the Soviet Air Forces in 1956 and was first used in combat in 2015. It is expected to serve the Russian Aerospace Forces until at least 2040. A development of the bomber for maritime patrol is designated the Tu-142, while a passenger airliner derivative was called the Tu-114.

The aircraft has four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines with contra-rotating propellers. It was the only propeller-powered strategic bomber still in operational use in 2022. The Tu-95 is one of the loudest military aircraft, particularly because the tips of the propeller blades move faster than the speed of sound. Its distinctive swept-back wings are set at an angle of 35°. The Tu-95 is unique as a propeller-driven aircraft with swept wings that has been built in large numbers.

Design and development

The design bureau, led by Andrei Tupolev, designed the Soviet Union's first intercontinental bomber, the 1949 Tu-85, a scaled-up version of the Tu-4, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress copy.

A new requirement was issued to both Tupolev and Myasishchev design bureaus in 1950: the proposed bomber had to have an un-refueled range of 8,000 km (5,000 mi), far enough to threaten key targets in the United States. Other goals included the ability to carry an 11,000 kg (24,000 lb) load over the target.

Tupolev was faced with selecting a suitable type of powerplant: the Tu-4 showed that piston engines were not powerful enough for such a large aircraft, and the AM-3 jet engines for the proposed T-4 intercontinental jet bomber used too much fuel to give the required range. Turboprop engines were more powerful than piston engines and gave better range than the turbojets available at the time, and gave a top speed between the two. Turboprops were also initially selected for the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress to meet its long range requirement, and for the British long-range transport aircraft, the Saunders-Roe Princess, the Bristol Brabazon and the Bristol Britannia.

Tupolev proposed a turboprop installation and a Tu-95 design with this configuration was officially approved by the government on 11 July 1951. It used four Kuznetsov coupled turboprops, each fitted with two contra-rotating propellers with four blades each, with a nominal 8,900 kW (12,000 hp) power rating. The engine, advanced for its time, was designed by a German team of ex-Junkers prisoner-engineers under Ferdinand Brandner. The fuselage was conventional with a mid-mounted wing with 35 degrees of sweep, an angle that ensured that the main wing spar passed through the fuselage in front of the bomb bay. Retractable tricycle landing gear was fitted, with all three gear strut units retracting rearwards, with the main gear units retracting rearwards into extensions of the inner engine nacelles.

The Tu-95/I, with 2TV-2F engines, first flew in November 1952 with test pilot Alexey Perelet at the controls. After six months of test flights this aircraft suffered a propeller gearbox failure and crashed, killing Perelet. The second aircraft, Tu-95/II, used four 12,000 eshp Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops which proved more reliable than the coupled 2TV-2F. After a successful flight testing phase, series production of the Tu-95 started in January 1956.

For a long time, the Tu-95 was known to U.S./NATO intelligence as the Tu-20. While this was the original Soviet Air Force designation for the aircraft, by the time it was being supplied to operational units it was already better known under the Tu-95 designation used internally by Tupolev, and the Tu-20 designation quickly fell out of use in the USSR. Since the Tu-20 designation was used on many documents acquired by U.S. intelligence agents, the name continued to be used outside the Soviet Union.

Initially, the United States Department of Defense evaluated the Tu-95 as having a maximum speed of 640 km/h (400 mph) with a range of 12,500 km (7,800 mi). These numbers had to be revised upward numerous times.

Like its American counterpart, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, the Tu-95 has continued to operate in the Russian Air Force while several subsequent iterations of bomber design have come and gone. Part of the reason for this longevity was its suitability, like the B-52, for modification to different missions. Whereas the Tu-95 was originally intended to drop free-falling nuclear weapons, it was subsequently modified to perform a wide range of roles, such as the deployment of cruise missiles, maritime patrol (Tu-142), and even civilian airliner (Tu-114). An AWACS platform (Tu-126) was developed from the Tu-114. An icon of the Cold War, the Tu-95 has served not only as a weapons platform but as a symbol of Soviet and later Russian national prestige. Russia's air force has received the first examples of a number of modernised strategic bombers in Tu-95MSs following upgrade work. Enhancements have been confined to the bomber's electronic weapons and targeting systems. Modernization of the first batch was completed in March 2020.

Tu-116

Designed as a stopgap in case the Tu-114A was not finished on time, two Tu-95 bombers were fitted with passenger compartments. Both aircraft had the same layout: office space, a passenger cabin consisting of 2 sections which could each accommodate 20 people in VIP seating, and the rest of the 70 m³ (2,500 cu ft) cabin configured as a normal airliner. Both aircraft were eventually used as crew ferries by the various Tu-95 squadrons. One of these machines is preserved at Ulyanovsk Central Airport.

Modernization

Starting in the 2000s, the Russian air force started to study different options for the modernisation of its Tu-95MS fleet. Even before the start of the modernisation program, in 2003 the aircraft were made compatible with the Kh-555 missile. Then, the proper modernisation program was initiated. Development officially started when a research and development contract was issued to Tupolev by the Russian Defence Ministry, on 23 December 2009. The modernisations are only applied to the Tu-95MS16s using the K-016 Sprut missile initialisation system, and not to the aircraft using the older K-012 Osina (the K-016 allows the use of longer-ranged Kh-55SM missiles); in other words, only the aircraft manufactured from 1986 onwards are modernised. In total, this represents a fleet of between 30 and 35 aircraft. The program is divided into two steps: the first one consists of making the aircraft compatible with Kh-101/102 cruise missiles. These are too big to fit in the internal missile bay; hence, new external hardpoints are added. A total of eight Kh-101/102s can be carried under four double missile pylons, in addition to six Kh-55/55SM/555s in the internal rotary missile launcher. Several pieces of equipment are also replaced in this first step of the modernisation, including the satellite signal reception system, the instrument landing system, and other navigation systems. The first Tu-95 modernized to carry the Kh-101/102 missiles was the Tu-95MS Saratov, rolled out at the Beriev aircraft plant in Taganrog in early 2015. It was transferred to the Russian Air Force in March 2015. Since 2015, the serial modernisation is carried out also by the Aviakor aircraft plant in Samara at a rate of three aircraft per year. The first Tu-95 modernized by Aviakor was the Tu-95MS Dubna, transferred to the Russian Air Force on 18 November 2015. In the future, Tu-95MSs are to be upgraded with the SVP-24 sighting and computing system from the Russian company Gefest & T.

The second step of the modernisation program is also the most extensive one, and is known as "Tu-95MSM". It includes the installation of the new Novella NV1.021 passive electronically scanned array radar instead of the current Obzor-MS, a new S021 navigation system and the Meteor-NM2 airborne defense complex. In addition, the aircraft modernized to the "MSM" variant will be equipped with upgraded Kuznetsov NK-12MPM turboprop engines, together with new AV-60T propellers, reducing the vibration level by 50%. Lastly, the tail turret is deleted. The first Tu-95MSM made its maiden flight on 22 August 2020. A new contract on upgrading Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers to the Tu-95MSM level was signed in August 2021.

Operational history

The Tu-95RT variant in particular was a veritable icon of the Cold War as it performed a maritime surveillance and targeting mission for other aircraft, surface ships and submarines. It was identifiable by a large bulge under the fuselage, which reportedly housed a radar antenna that was used to search for and detect surface ships.

A series of nuclear surface tests were carried out by the Soviet Union in the early- to mid-1960s. On October 30, 1961, a modified Tu-95 carried and dropped the AN602 device named Tsar Bomba, which was the most powerful thermonuclear device ever detonated. Video footage of that particular test exists since the event was filmed for documentation purposes. The footage shows the specially adapted Tu-95V plane – painted with anti-flash white on its ventral surfaces – taking off carrying the bomb, in-flight scenes of the interior and exterior of the aircraft, and the detonation. The bomb was attached underneath the aircraft, which carried the weapon semi-externally since it could not be carried inside a standard Tu-95's bomb-bay, similar to the way the B.1 Special version of the Avro Lancaster did with the ten-tonne Grand Slam "earthquake bomb". Along with the Tsar Bomba, the Tu-95 proved to be a versatile bomber that would deliver the RDS-4 Tatyana (a fission bomb with a yield of forty-two kilotons), RDS-6S thermonuclear bomb, the RDS-37 2.9-megaton thermonuclear bomb, and the RP-30-32 200-kiloton bomb.

The early versions of this bomber lacked comfort for their crews. They had a dank and dingy interior, and there was neither a toilet nor a galley in the aircraft. Though the living conditions on the bomber were unsatisfactory, the crews would often take two 10-hour mission trips a week to ensure combat readiness. This gave an annual total of around 1,200 flight hours.

The bomber had the best crews available due to the nature of their mission. They would undertake frequent missions into the Arctic to practice transpolar strikes against the United States. Unlike their American counterparts, they never flew their missions carrying nuclear weapons. This hindered their mission readiness due to the fact that live ammunition had to come from special bunkers on the bases and loaded into the aircraft from the servicing trench below the bomb bay, a process that could take two hours.

Russia

In 1992, newly independent Kazakhstan began returning the Tu-95 aircraft of the 79th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division at Dolon air base to the Russian Federation. The bombers joined those already at the Far Eastern Ukrainka air base.

On 17 August 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was resuming the strategic aviation flights stopped in 1991, sending its bombers on long-range patrols.

Fighters from NATO members are often sent to intercept and escort Tu-95s as they perform their missions along the periphery of NATO airspace, often in close proximity to each other.

Russian Tu-95s reportedly took part in a naval exercise off the coasts of France and Spain in January 2008, alongside Tupolev Tu-22M3 "Backfire" strategic bombers and Beriev A-50 "Mainstay" airborne early-warning aircraft.

During the Russian Stability 2008 military exercise in October 2008, Tu-95MS aircraft fired live air-launched cruise missiles for the first time since 1984. The long range of the Kh-55 cruise missile means the Tu-95MS can once again serve as a strategic weapons system.

In July 2010, two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers set a world record for a non-stop flight for an aircraft in the class, when they spent more than 43 hours in the air. The bombers flew through the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific oceans and the Sea of Japan, covering in total more than 30,000 km (19,000 mi) with four mid-air refuelings. The main task was to check the performance of the aircraft during such a long flight, in particular monitoring the engines and other systems.

On 17 November 2015, Tu-95s had their combat debut, being employed for the first time in long-range airstrikes as part of the Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War.

On 17 November 2016, modernized Tu-95MS strategic bombers performed their first combat deployment, launching the Kh-101 cruise missiles on several militant positions in Syria.

On 5 December 2017, two Tu-95MS strategic bombers and two Il-76MD transport aircraft landed for the first time at the Biak Air Base in Indonesia. The bombers covered more than 7,000 km (4,300 mi) with mid-air refueling before landing at the air base. During the course of their visit, the Tu-95's crews conducted their first patrol flights over the southern Pacific, staying airborne for more than eight hours.

Tu-95MS/MSM bombers reportedly took part in the opening assault on Ukraine during the initial phase of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

On 6 March 2022, according to Ukrainian sources, Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers launched eight cruise missiles, presumably the Kh-101, at the Havryshivka Vinnytsia International Airport from the Black Sea area.

On 26 June 2022, spokesman of the Ukrainian Air Force Yurii Ihnat reported four to six Kh-101 cruise missiles were launched by Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers at Kyiv from the Caspian Sea area. The bombers reportedly flew from Astrakhan.

Incidents

In 1968 two planes were lost over the Black Sea during a training flight. Both planes fell into the sea, one of them was to be salvaged later, and only one crew member out of 18 survived. These planes had been operating from AFB Uzyn in Ukraine.

On June 8, 2015 a Tu-95 ran off a runway at the Ukrainka bomber base and caught fire during take-off in the far eastern Amur region. As a result, one crew member was killed.

On July 14, 2015 it was reported that a Tu-95MS had crashed outside Khabarovsk, killing two of seven crew members.

Variants

  • Tu-95/1 :The first prototype powered by Kuznetsov 2TV-2F coupled turboprop engines.
  • Tu-95/2 : The second prototype powered by Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops.
  • Tu-95 : Basic variant of the long-range strategic bomber and the only model of the aircraft never fitted with a nose refuelling probe. Known to NATO as the Bear-A.
  • Tu-95K : Experimental version for air-dropping a MiG-19 SM-20 jet aircraft.
  • Tu-95K22 : Conversions of the older Bear bombers, reconfigured to carry the Raduga Kh-22 missile and incorporating modern avionics. Known to NATO as the Bear-G.
  • Tu-95K/Tu-95KD : Designed to carry the Kh-20 air-to-surface missile. The Tu-95KD aircraft were the first to be outfitted with nose probes. Known to NATO as the Bear-B.
  • Tu-95KM : Modified and upgraded versions of the Tu-95K, most notable for their enhanced reconnaissance systems. These were in turn converted into the Bear-G configuration. Known to NATO as the Bear-C.
  • Tu-95LAL : Experimental nuclear-powered aircraft project.
  • Tu-95M : Modification of the serial Tu-95 with the NK-12M engines. 19 were built.
  • Tu-95M-55 : Missile carrier.
  • Tu-95MR : Bear-A modified for photo-reconnaissance and produced for Soviet Naval Aviation. Known to NATO as the Bear-E.
  • Tu-95MS/Tu-95MS6/Tu-95MS16 : Completely new cruise missile carrier platform based on the Tu-142 airframe. This variant became the launch platform of the Raduga Kh-55 cruise missile and put into serial production in 1981. Known to NATO as the Bear-H and was referred to by the U.S. military as a Tu-142 for some time in the 1980s before its true designation became known. Currently being modernized to carry the Kh-101/102 stealth cruise missiles. 21 aircraft have been modernized as of April 2019. In 2019–2020, 10 modernized Tu-95MS aircraft have joined the fleet. 4 aircraft were delivered in 2021.
  • Tu-95MS6 : Capable of carrying six Kh-55, Kh-55SM or Kh-555 cruise missiles on a rotary launcher in the aircraft's weapons bay. 32 were built.
  • Tu-95MS16 : Fitted with four underwing pylons in addition to the rotary launcher in the fuselage, giving a maximum load of 16 Kh-55s or 14 Kh-55SMs. 56 were built.
  • Tu-95MSM : Modernization of the "Tu-95MS16" bombers, equipped with the new Novella-NV1.021 radar, SOI-021 information display system, Meteor-NM2 airborne defense complex and upgraded Kuznetsov NK-12MPM turboprop engines. First flight scheduled for end of 2019.
  • Tu-95N : Experimental version for air-dropping an RS ramjet powered aircraft.
  • Tu-95RTs : Variant of the basic Bear-A configuration, redesigned for maritime reconnaissance and targeting as well as electronic intelligence for service in the Soviet Naval Aviation. Known to NATO as the Bear-D.
  • Tu-95U : Training variant, modified from surviving Bear-As but now all have been retired. Known to NATO as the Bear-T.
  • Tu-95V : Special carrier aircraft to test-drop the largest thermonuclear weapon ever designed, the Tsar Bomba.
  • Tu-96 : Long-range intercontinental high-altitude strategic bomber prototype, designed to climb up to 16,000–17,000 m (52,000–56,000 ft). It was a high-altitude version of the Tupolev Tu-95 aircraft with high-altitude augmented turboprop TV-16 engines and with a new, enlarged-area wing. Plant tests of the aircraft were performed with non-high altitude TV-12 engines in 1955–1956.

Tu-95 derivatives

  • Tu-114 : Airliner derivative of Tu-95.
  • Tu-116 : Tu-95 fitted with passenger cabins as a stop-gap while the Tu-114 was being developed. 2 were converted.
  • Tu-126 : AEW&C derivative of Tu-114, itself derived from the Tu-95.
  • Tu-142 : Maritime reconnaissance/anti-submarine warfare derivative of Tu-95. Known to NATO as the Bear-F.

    • Several other modifications of the basic Tu-95/Tu-142 airframe have existed, but these were largely unrecognized by Western intelligence or else never reached operational status within the Soviet military.

Operators

    Russia

  • Russian Aerospace Forces
  • Russian Air Force – 55 Tu-95MS are in service as of 2020.
  • 6950th Guards Air Base – Engels-2 (air base), Saratov Oblast
  • 184th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 6952nd Air Base – Ukrainka (air base), Amur Oblast
  • 182nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 79th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 43rd Center for Combat Application and Training of Aircrew for Long Range Aviation – Dyagilevo (air base), Ryazan Oblast
  • 2nd Instructor Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment

Former operators

    Soviet Union

  • Soviet Air Forces – aircraft were transferred to Russian and Ukrainian Air Forces after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
  • 106th Heavy Bomber Air Division – the first Tu-95s division formed in 1956. The division commander was twice-Hero of the Soviet Union A. G. Molodchi.
  • 1006th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Uzyn Air Base, Kiev Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
  • 409th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Uzyn Air Base, Kiev Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
  • 182nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – Mozdok, Severo-Osetinskaya ASSR
  • 79th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division – Dolon (air base), Semipalatinsk Oblast, Kazakh SSR
  • 1223rd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 1226th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • 73rd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division – Ukrainka (air base), Amur Oblast, Russian SFSR
  • 40th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment – united with the 182nd TBAP in 1998 at the Ukrainka Air Base
  • 79th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
  • Soviet Naval Aviation
  • 392nd Separate Long-Range Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment – Kipelovo, Vologda Oblast, Russian SFSR
  • 304th Separate Long-Range Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment – Khorol Airfield, Primorsky Krai, Russian SFSR
  • 169th Independent Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment – Cam Ranh Base, Khánh Hòa Province, Vietnam

    • Ukraine

  • Ukrainian Air Force – inherited 23–29 Tu-95MS aircraft after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and subsequently handed 3 Tu-95MS and 581 Kh-55 cruise missiles to Russia as exchange for gas debt relief in 2000; the remainder were scrapped under the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction agreement led by the US.
  • 106th Heavy Bomber Air Division – Uzyn Air Base, Kyiv Oblast
  • 1006th Heavy Bomber Regiment
  • Mykolaiv Aircraft Repair Plant – 2 Tu-95MS converted to ecological reconnaissance aircraft in storage, before they were sold for scrapping in 2013.
  • Bila Tserkva Aircraft Repair Plant – 5 Russian Tu-95s scrapped at the plant, after an agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of Russia.
  • 1 Tu-95MS in the Museum of Long Range Aviation in Poltava and 1 Tu-95 in Mykolaiv Oblast.

— — — = = — — —

This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Tupolev Tu-95 of Wikipedia ( authors )

Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-142 "Bear"

  • Role : Strategic heavy bomber.
  • National origin : Soviet Union.
  • Manufacturer : Tupolev.
  • First flight : 12 November 1952.
  • Introduction : 1956.
  • Status : In service (2022).
  • Primary users :
    • Russian Aerospace Forces.
    • Soviet Air Forces (historical).
    • Soviet Navy (historical).
    • Ukrainian Air Force (historical).
  • Produced : 1952–1993.
  • Number built : >500.
  • Variants :
    • Tupolev Tu-114.
    • Tupolev Tu-95LAL.
    • Tupolev Tu-116.

    Specifications (Tu-95M 'Bear-A')

  • Crew: 8.
  • Length: 154 ft 2 in (or 47 m).
  • Height: 41 ft (or 12.5 m).
  • Wing span: 164 ft 2 in (or 50.4 m).
  • Wing area: 3,054 sq ft (or 284 m²).
  • Gross weight : 401,243 lb (or 182,000 kg).
  • Empty weight : 155,327 lb (or 70,455 kg).
  • Max Speed : 575 mph (or 500 kts - or 925 km/h).
  • Service ceiling : 39,370 ft (or 12,000 m).
  • Max range : 7,767 mi (6,749 nm - or 12,500 km).
  • Engines : Four Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops.
  • Power : 12,500 hp (or 9,326 kW) per engine.

    • Specifications (Tu-142M 'Bear-F')

  • Length : 162 ft 4 in (or 49.48 m).
  • Height : 40 ft (or 12.19 m).
  • Wing span : 167 ft 7 in (or 51.8 m).
  • Wing area : 3,121 sq ft (or 290 m²).
  • Gross weight : 407,857 lb (or 185,000 kg).
  • Empty weight : 202,385 lb (or 91,800 kg).
  • Max Speed : 575 mph (or 500 kts - or 925 km/h).
  • Service ceiling : 44,300 ft (or 13,500 m).
  • Max range : 7,767 mi (or 6,749 nm - or 12,500 km).
  • Engines : Four KKBM Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprops.
  • Power : 14,800 hp (or 11,041 kW) per engine.
  • Armament : Two 23 mm AM-23 guns (in rear turret). Offensive load : 11.500 kg of bombs, mines or torpedoes.

— — — = = — — —

This text stays momentarily aircraftube.com©´s property, before its full or partial integration to Wikipedia.
Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear" & Tu-142 : Your comments on this subject
Powered by Disqus
Top
Legal Credits FAQ Help Site Map

Terms of use for the services available on this site

By using this Website, Users agree to the following terms of use and rules :

Definitions

  • Webmaster : Head Administrator with all authority over the management and development of the Website.
  • Administrator : Anyone that was given by the Webmaster full or partial access to the Website's structure or with moderation rights on messages posted by Users.
  • User or Visitor : Any person visiting the Website pages.
  • Website : The following provisions apply to a single Website accessible via the www.aircraftube.com, www.aircraftube.org, www.aircraftube.net and www.all-aircraft.com. URL's
  • Service : All free informations and tools contained on the Website.
  • Comments : All text written by users on Blogs and comment pages available on the Website.
  • Media : All media available on or through the Website. One must distinguish the local media (photos, curves, drawings) and the external media (videos) which the Website refers.

    • Purpose of this site

    The purpose of this non-commercial site is purely educational. Reflecting a passion, it is also there to preserve the memory of all those who gave their lives, their health or energy in the name of freedom, aviation safety or simply our passenger comfort.

    Copyright

    Some media may have escaped the vigilance of Administrators with regard to copyrights. If a user reports copyright infringement, he will be asked to prove that he is indeed the rights's owner for the concerned media. If so, his decision on the Administrator's next action will be respected: A total suppression of the Media on the Website, or the addition of some owner's reference. The publication of a media on the internet normally having as a goal to make it visible to many people, the Administrators expect in any case that the second option will be most often chosen.

    Pursuant to the Law on copyright and related rights, the user has the right to download and reproduce information on the Website for personal use and provided that the source is mentionned. They cannot however be used for commercial or advertising purposes.

    Using Blogs and filing comments

  • Moderator : The Administrator reserves the right to prevent the publication of comments that are not directly related to the Service without providing any explanation. Similarly, all insults, out of scope or unethical material will be banned.
  • Identification : Persons wishing to post a comment or use any form of contact are required to provide identification by the means of a valid e-mail address.
  • Responsibilities : Comments are posted on the Website under the unique responsability of their authors and the Administrators may in no case be liable for any statements or claims that the users might have issued.

    • As the comment system is hosted and maintained on servers external to the Website, the Administrators may in no circumstances be held responsible for the use that administrators of these servers or other third parties may have with those comments or filed data.

    Content Liability

    The Administrators carefully check the reliability of the sources used. They cannot, however, guarantee the accuracy of any information contained on the Website, partly because of the multiple sources from which they come.

    JavaScript and cookies - Storing information

    This Website imperatively uses JavaScript and cookies to function properly. Neither of these technologies, or other means shall in no case be used on the Website for the retention or disclosure of personal information about Visitors. Exceptions to this rule will involve storing the Users banned for inappropriate comments they might have given as well as contact information for Users wishing to subscribe to future newsletters.

    When a user accesses the Website, the corresponding servers may automatically collect certain data, such as IP address, date and time of Website access, viewed pages and the type of browser used. This information is kept only for the purpose of measuring the number of visitors to the different sections of the site and make improvements.

    Donations - Advertising

    To continue providing the Service for free, the Webmaster reserves the right to insert advertising or promotional messages on any page of the Site. In the same idea, any donations will only by used to cover the running costs of the site, such as hosting, connection fees, hardware and software necessary for the development and maintenance of the Website.

    Links and other websites

    Administrators shall in no case be liable for the non-availability of websites operated by third parties to which users would access through the Website.

    Administrators assume no liability for any content, advertising, products and/or services available on such third party websites. It is reminded that those sites are governed by their own terms of use.

    Placing a link to third party sites or authorize a third party to include a link on their website refering to this Website does not mean that the Administrators recommend in any way the products or services offered by these websites.

    Modifications

    The Webmaster reserves the right to modify at any time without notification the present terms of use as well as all content or specific functionality that the Website offers.

    The modified terms and conditions immediately apply to the using Visitor when changes come online. Visitors are invited to consult the site regularly on the most current version of the terms and conditions

    Governing Law and Jurisdiction

    These general conditions are governed by Belgian law.

    In case of dispute regarding the interpretation and/or execution of the above terms, the parties agree that the courts of the district of Nivelles, Belgium shall have exclusive jurisdiction power.

    Credits page

    Wikipedia.org

    Wikipedia is a collaboratively edited, multilingual, free Internet encyclopedia.

    Youtube

    YouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, view and share videos.

    Special thanks to all Youtube quality aviation vids providers, specially (Those I forgot, please excuse me or report) :

    Airboyd
    Andys Video
    Aviation videos archives
    Bomberguy
    Classic Aviation TV
    Historical Aviation Film Unit
    Horsemoney
    Jaglavaksoldier
    Joluqa Malta
    Just Planes
    Koksy
    Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture
    Memorial Flight
    Octane130
    Okrajoe
    SDASM archives
    Spottydog4477
    The Aviators TV
    Valentin Izagirre Bengoetxea
    Vexed123
    VonBerlich
    Zenos Warbirds

    Bundesarchiv

    The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv are the National Archives of Germany.

    FAQ

    I don't see my comments any more!

    Please note that each page has it's own comment entry. So, if you enter a comment i.e. on the B-747, you will only see it on that related page.

    General comments are accessed via the "BLOG En" button.

    Comments are moderated, so please allow some delay before they appear, specially if you are outside Europe.

    Menus are developing below the page, because they are too long!

    But they remain accessible, for example by scrolling the mouse wheel, or with your finger (on the menu) on a smartphone or tablet.

    I see adds on all videos.

    Use a good free add remover software.

    The site is loading random pages at startup.

    We think it is a good way to bring back the memory of aircraft, persons or events sometimes quite forgotten.

    HELP PAGE

    Why this site?

    Discovery

    This website is dedicated to one's aeronautical passion (which I hope we share) and was realised mainly as an educationnal tool. Knowing that, you'll notice that each new visit brings random topics for the purpose of making new discoveries, some achievements or characters certainly not deserving the oblivion into which they have sometimes fallen.

    By these pages, we also want to pay tribute to all those who gave at one time or another, their lives or health in the name of freedom, aeronautical security or simply our comfort.

    Centralisation

    Internet is full of websites dedicated to aviation, but most are dedicated to subjects or periods that are very limited in space or time. The purpose of this site is to be as general as possible and thus treats all events as well as characters of all stripes and times while putting much emphasis on the most significant achievements.

    The same years saw birth of technologies like photography and cinema, thus permitting illustration of a large part of important aeronautical events from the start. Countless (and sometimes rare) media recently put online by enthousiasts finally give us access to these treasures, but the huge amount of information often makes things a little messy. A centralization effort is obviously most needed at this level.

    All persons who directly or indirectly contributed to the achievement or posting of such documents are here gratefully acknowledged.

    General

    Fluid website

    This site automatically fits the dimensions of your screen, whether you are on a desktop computer, a tablet or a smartphone.

    Bilingual website

    You can change the language by clicking on the flag in the upper left or via "Options" in the central menu. Of course, the videos remain in the language in which they were posted ...

    Browser compatibility

    The site is not optimized, or even designed to run on older browsers or those deliberately deviating from standards. You will most probably encounter display issues with Internet Explorer. In this case, it is strongly recommended installing a modern (and free!) browser that's respecting the standards, like Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari.

    Cookies and Javascript

    This site uses cookies and JavaScript to function properly. Please ensure that your browser is configured accordingly. Neither of these technologies, or other means shall in no case be used on the Site for the retention or disclosure of personal information about its Visitors. See the "Legal" page for more on this subject.

    Website layout

    Left menus

    Because of the lack of space on smartphones and small tablets, these menus are hidden. Everything is nevertheless accessible via the main menu option, located between the video and photo sections. This menu is placed there for compatibility reasons with some browsers, which play the videos over the menus.

    "Search" and "Latest" :
    The link "In Titles" restricts the search to the titles of different forms. Use this option if you are looking for a plane, a constructor, a pilot or a particular event that could have been treated as a subject.

    The link "In Stories" will bring you to a search in all texts (the "Story" tab) and will take more time. The search term will appear highlighted in green when opening the corresponding story.

    Would you believe, "Timeline" will show all subjects in chronological order.

    "Random" will reload the entire page with a new random topic.

    The bottom section keeps you abreast of the latest five entries. New topics are added regularly. Don't hesitate to come visit us often : add bookmark.

    Blogs and Comments central section

    Under the photos section comes the comments tabs window :

    You can enter general comments in your own language via one of the two buttons on the left (BLOG EN and BLOG FR). Note that these buttons are accessible regardless of the language to allow some participation in the other language.

    All comments are subject to moderation and will be published only if they comply with the basic rules of decorum, while remaining relevant to the purpose of this site.

    The third tab allows you to enter comments on the shown topic and is bilingual. Personal anecdotes, supplements and other information questions will take place here.

    The "Story" tab shows the explanatory texts. They are most often taken from Wikipedia, a site where we participate regularly.

    The "Data" tab is reserved for list of features and specifications.

    Right menus

    On a smartphone, the lack of space is growing and this menu is moved to the bottom of the page to give priority to videos and pictures.

    The top right icons are links to videos posted by third parties (on their own responsabilities) or by ourselves. The link below these icons will take you to the channel of the one who posted the video. Feel free to suggest other videos if you think they are of some interest (Use the BLOG button or the "Contact" link).