Tupolev Tu-8
type of aircraft
The Tupolev Tu-8, OKB designation '69', was a long-range variant of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-2 medium bomber that first flew after the end of World War II. It was canceled when it proved to be unstable, structurally unsound and its generators were not strong enough to fully power its gun turrets. With the advent of jet-powered bombers, Soviet military planners decided that it simply was not worth devoting the necessary resources to fix its numerous problems.
Development
After the end of World War II the Tupolev OKB decided to continue its development of long-range variants of the Tu-2 which had begun with the unsuccessful Tu-2D during the war. Internally designated as the ANT-69, it was originally planned to use the new Shvetsov M-93 radial engines, but this was changed to the Shvetsov ASh-82M when the M-93 engine was delayed. It was to be armed with 20 mm (0.79 in) Berezin B-20 cannon on the existing mounts. The fuselage nose was completely revised in response to complaints by the VVS about the Tu-2. The navigator was given a seat and the nose was extensively glazed to improve his view. The cockpit was revised to seat the pilots side by side rather than in tandem and the ventral gunner was also given a seat. The revision of the nose caused the twin tails to be enlarged to offset the greater area ahead of the aircraft's center of gravity.
The defensive armament's gun turrets were electrically powered and the ventral gunner was given a remotely-controlled turret.
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