T-4, "100" by P.O.Sukhoj
|
T-4 ("100") was a high-speed bomber with a striking similarity to the B-70 Valkyrie. The T-4 was a big four-engined jet with a double-delta wing and canards. Four engines were fitted under the wing in rectangular housings with sharp rectangular intakes.
It was fitted with a 'droop snoot' that offered good visibility in the landing configuration, but almost none in the high-speed configuration.
The first in the world aircraft to rely fully (see a comment on the flight-by-wire control system (developed in 1967), well ahead of Western counterparts. FBW system was a necessity due to flexibility of huge fuselage (2m wide, 44m long), excluding traditional hydro-mechanical controls. BTW, such a flexibility is quite unusual for Soviet/Russian aviation, relying on rather 'solid' aircraft frame.
It is believed that the 'aircraft 101' that set a Mach 1.89 record over 2000km closed circuit was a T-4.
At least 3 built, not later than 1972.
 |
More links...
- T-4 "Sotka" at the Virtual Aircraft Museum
- T-4, Sukhoi
-
Monino AF Museum near Moscow; (54k) Photo by John Sloan ([email protected]) may be found also at Alexej Gretchihine R.A.P.;
-
One more greyscale (15k) image - small but quite good;
-
Two colorful (33k, 28k), but relatively poor quality photos of T-4;
(128k,84k) two nice Monino photos by Maxim Volkonovsky
| Modified January 25, 1996 |
|
Back to Main Gate |