The Tupolev Tu-4 (Russian: Туполев Ту-4; NATO reporting name: Bull) is a piston-engined Soviet strategic bomber that served the Soviet Air Force from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. The aircraft was a copy of the American Boeing B-29 Superfortress, having been reverse-engineered from seized aircraft that had made emergency landings in the USSR.

The Tu-4 enabled the Soviets to project power credibly on the front side of the Cold War, at a time when the worsening relations with the United States and the advent of nuclear weapons posed...

Feb 15, 2022 · Powering this Soviet leviathan were four Shvetsov ASh-73 18 cylinder radial twin-row engines. A decent counterpart to the famed Wright 3350 Duplex Cyclone radial units present on the...

Jul 28, 2016 · Page details technical specifications, development, and operational history of the Tupolev Tu-4 (Bull) Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft including pictures.

Jan 30, 2023 · The Tupolev Tu-4 was a strategic bomber utilized by the Soviet Air Force during the late 1940s to mid-1960s. This aircraft, powered by piston engines, was a replica of the famed Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

May 28, 2023 · The Soviet Tupolev Tu-4 strategic bomber was an unlicensed, reverse-engineered copy of the US WWII Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber. The Soviets used it in their first air dropped Atomic bomb tests and for launching anti-shipping missiles.

Jun 19, 2023 · The Tupolev Tu-4, affectionately dubbed the “Bull” by NATO, is a marvel of aviation history that stands as a testament to the innovative spirit and ingenuity of Soviet engineering. Born from ‘borrowed’ B-29s, the Tu-4 is almost identical to Boeing’s creation but had a distinctly different story.

Sep 7, 2019 · From 1944 onwards the USAAF units equipped with the latest B-29 bombers began to systematically raid territories occupied by Japan, followed by bombing raids against the Japanese Islands themselves. In the course of these raids several damaged aircraft made forced landings in the Soviet Far East.

Oct 5, 2024 · By 1947, the Tu-4 was flying over Soviet skies, undetected by American intelligence. Every design change required Stalin’s approval. The plane was powered by four Shvetsov ASh-73 18-cylinder radial engines, similar to the B-29’s Wright 3350 Duplex Cyclone.

The Tupolev Tu-4 and Boeing B-29. A specially modified Tupolev Tu-4A piston-engined strategic bomber was the first Soviet aircraft to drop an atomic bomb – the 41.2-kiloton RDS-3. The standard Tu-4 (reverse-engineered from the American Boeing B-29) was not capable of carrying nuclear weapons.