Tupolev Heavy Bomber Aircraft TB 1

The Tupolev TB1 (development name ANT4) was a Soviet bomber aircraft, an angular monoplane that served as the backbone of the Soviet bomber force for many years, and was the first large allmetal aircraft built in the Soviet Union. In 1924, the Soviet Air Force instructed TsAGI, (Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute) to design a heavybomber. TsAGI gave the task to the division led by Andrei Tupolev. Tupolev s team designed a twinengined allmetal monoplane with a corrugated Duralumin skin based on Tupolev s earlier work utilizing the allmetal aircraft design techniques first pioneered by Hugo Junkers in 1918 powered by two Napier Lion engines, and named the ANT4. The first prototype was built during 1925 on the second floor of Tupolev s factory in Moscow, it being necessary to knock down a wall to allow the aircraft to be taken out of the building in pieces. After reassembly at Moscow s Khodynka Aerodrome, it was flown on 26 November 1925. Testing was successful, and it was d