Tupolev Tu-160 - Туполев Ту-160

[No.1]

Very interesting strategic bomber designed in Soviet Union

[Nico Braas]

Small photo update! Black & white image is from a small batch of photos I unofficially purchased at the entrance of the Central Aviation Museum 'Frunze' in Moscow.
The other shots were taken at the Zhukovsky Airshow 1992. We can see the machine giving the flight display has lost a fillet of its vertical tail spine during flight. The last image shows a Tu-160 already been cannibalized.
It seems a number of Tu-160's were refurbished and modernized around 2005.
It's an interesting type and it is BIGGER than the Rockwell B-1B.

[No.1]

Nice images Nico  And more work from my side

[No.1]

All panels done, next step- shadows

[No.1]

More advance in last hour

[No.1]

Start work on others details

[No.1]

First color profile

[No.1]

Ukrainian machine

[No.1]

Prototype 70-01

[mfg495]

Now that's one large aircraft. 

[No.1]

Really big even in 1/72 scale

[Second Air Force]

An awesome machine!

When I view these advanced airplanes from so many years ago it is really looking at the peak of combat aircraft design. No designers have really "pushed the envelope" in many years, but I reckon "stealth" is more effective than sheer speed. Nevertheless, these Cold War airplanes are so interesting!

[No.1]

Interesting machine but wonder how it could be effective in combat, I guess this more depend from other parameters.

[Second Air Force]

I think, when the Tu-160 first began service, that it would have been at least somewhat effective in penetrating the defenses of the U.S. A friend of mine who was a crew chief on F-106s said they were training to intercept these when he was in uniform and the best option was the Genie nuclear-tipped missile. Of course the F-106 was being retired as the Blackjack was coming into service so it was left to newer ideas to counter the big bomber....

[No.1]

Return with this nice update, Tu-160 based at Priluki, Ukraine.