Soviet bomber Sotka: about the T-4 project

One of the brainchild of the Soviet aircraft industry is a “titanium” aircraft. We are talking about the development of Naum Chernyakova - missile-carrying bomber, known as the "weaving". He is the T-4. You can see this aircraft, almost completely made of titanium and steel, in Monino near Moscow. In Western literature, the definition "Soviet Valkyrie" is often used for T-4.

The “Sotka” was planned to be used to destroy enemy aircraft carrier strike groups, as well as for reconnaissance. At the same time, the cruising speed of the T-4 was almost three times faster than the speed of sound.

For the first time, this Soviet car took off in 1972. The first test phase consisted of 8 test flights. During these flights, the Sukhoi Design Bureau bomber prototype rose to a height of 12100 m and developed a maximum speed of Mach 1,3.

But this aircraft was not destined to be in service with the USSR Air Force. Already in January 1974, tests of a supersonic missile-carrying bomber were curtailed. One of the reasons for curtailing the program could be funding. The fact is that, if implemented, the program took enormous budget funds, not even tens, but hundreds of millions of Soviet rubles — at least according to open source estimates.

The Soviet “Hundreds” project is described in the video clip of the “Air View” channel:

Comments

[Ross xnumx]

But this aircraft was not destined to be in service with the USSR Air Force.

A pipe dream, don't tear your soul in vain
And do not be sad that it did not come true.
Let's sing my friend, sing better with you
That had to survive in life.

Loss of the USSR in comparison with "weaving" ...

Lose more sometimes ...

[Sergey Valov]

Nobody really knows what T 4 is, for he did not pass the full cycle of flight tests (namely tests, not tests), which is possible and good, because there is such a thing as reasonable sufficiency, and our “wise” Soviet leadership all the time it bore either the mirror response to the adversary, or, even worse, the desire to be ahead of the rest. The result, alas, is known.

[Barmaleyka]

Quote: Sergey Valov

The result, alas, is known.

and which?

[knn54]

The Yankees also closed a similar project, however.

[xomaNN]

All the same, it was the "access to high offices" of the MAP and the Central Committee of Tupolev that covered the "hundred square meters". But the Sukhoi Design Bureau then took its fighter niche firmly, displacing the MiG.

[Sergey Valov]

Maybe you are right. But a no less interesting question arises - how did Sukhoi, with his specialization, manage to get an order for the "hundred"?