The Tu-22 Blinder was the first Soviet supersonic bomber design meant to exchange the Tu-16. The Tu-22 original design was aimed at making a bomber that might avoid modern fighter interceptors utilizing its high speed and altitude. The medium range Tu-22 would strike Anglo-American bomber bases and different NATO key targets as well as US Navy Carriers in Europe and Asia.
The Tu-22 design feautres an extended, slender, tube-like fuselage with a sharp pointing nose and swept-back wings. The aircraft was nicknamed 'Shilo' (awl) by its aircrew for its metallic, pointed shape. the two Dobrinin VD-7M engines are located in pods on top of the most body, one at either aspect of the tailplane. From 1965 onwards these were replaced by the improved Kolesov RD-7M2 engine. The layout improved the airflow into the engines, whereas minimizing the possibility of debris sucked up from the ground. draw back of the design was the troublesome maintenance of the engines at this positions, the specified reinforcement of the tail section and also the forward section had to be longered as a result of the middle of gravity was at the rear of the aircraft. the main landing gear is retracted into seperate nacelles extended beyond the wing.
The Tu-22 design feautres an extended, slender, tube-like fuselage with a sharp pointing nose and swept-back wings. The aircraft was nicknamed 'Shilo' (awl) by its aircrew for its metallic, pointed shape. the two Dobrinin VD-7M engines are located in pods on top of the most body, one at either aspect of the tailplane. From 1965 onwards these were replaced by the improved Kolesov RD-7M2 engine. The layout improved the airflow into the engines, whereas minimizing the possibility of debris sucked up from the ground. draw back of the design was the troublesome maintenance of the engines at this positions, the specified reinforcement of the tail section and also the forward section had to be longered as a result of the middle of gravity was at the rear of the aircraft. the main landing gear is retracted into seperate nacelles extended beyond the wing.
