Tu-91, A.N.Tupolev "Boot"

Strongly retouched (26k) from "Krylia Rodini" magazine 12/1991. Unknown author;

Naval attack bomber. The operational need for the Tu-91 disappeared after Stalin's death, when the ship-building programme was cut back and the carriers cancelled. Moreover, there were more pure political troubles. There was a competing Ilyushin's project, and Ilyushin's team was considered to be more skilled in this class of aircraft.

Another trouble was that Tu-91 was demonstrated to N.S.Khruschew with rocket armament option, despite it was known that Nikita Sergeevich always was skeptical about efficiency of air-surface rockets... (Damn it, what CPSU leader personal scepticism has to do with such a choice? Is he a military expert of any sort?)

The Tu-91 had a powerful turboprop in the mid fuselage, behind the cockpit, with split exhausts behind the wing roots, driving a big three-bladed contra-rotating propeller. It had straight wings, but slightly swept tail plane and fin.

• Tu-91, Tupolev 'Boot'