Tu-134

Tu-134
Leonid Faerberg (transport-photo.com) · GFDL 1.2 · source
Name	Tupolev Tu-134
Caption	Tu-134 at Chkalovsky Airport
Type	Twin-engined jet airliner
Manufacturer	Tupolev
First flight	29 July 1963
Introduced	1967
Produced	1963–1989
Number built	854

Tu-134 The Tupolev Tu-134 was a Soviet short-range, narrow-body jet airliner developed by Tupolev Design Bureau and produced by Voronezh Aircraft Production Association and Tupolev. The type entered service with Aeroflot and saw widespread use across the Soviet Union, Eastern Bloc, Africa, and Asia, operating alongside types such as the Ilyushin Il-18, Yak-42, Antonov An-24, and Il-62. The aircraft's design lineage links to the Tupolev Tu-124 and influenced later projects like the Tupolev Tu-154 and Ilyushin Il-86.

Development and Design

Designed in the early 1960s at OKB-156, the Tu-134 emerged from requirements set by the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union and the Ministerstvo Aviatsionnoy Promyshlennosti. The design team led by Andrei Tupolev and engineers from Tupolev Design Bureau created a low-wing, T-tail layout with twin rear-mounted turbojet engines similar to arrangements on the Sud Aviation Caravelle and BAC One-Eleven. To meet Aeroflot's needs for short-haul operations across the Soviet Union and remote aerodromes such as Sheremetyevo International Airport and Koltsovo Airport, the Tu-134 incorporated a strengthened undercarriage, built-in airstairs, and a two-man flight crew with a navigator station influenced by long-range designs like the Tupolev Tu-104. Aerodynamic refinements and systems engineering drew upon studies from TsAGI and test pilots from Gromov Flight Research Institute.

Operational History

The Tu-134 entered scheduled service with Aeroflot in 1967 and rapidly became a backbone of domestic networks serving hubs including Moscow, Leningrad, Kyiv, Tashkent, and Almaty. Export customers included carriers such as Interflug, CSA Czech Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Bulgaria Air, and national airlines of East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Romania, while international operations extended to EgyptAir, Cubana, North Korea's Air Koryo, and various African carriers like EgyptAir and Ethiopian Airlines. The type participated in state visits, humanitarian missions, and VIP transport for delegations from institutions such as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and delegations to events like the Moscow Olympics. Over decades, the Tu-134 served secondary routes, feeder services, and military transport tasks for organizations including the Soviet Air Force and later successor air arms.

Variants

Numerous production and modification variants were developed, reflecting roles and equipment suites used by operators such as Aeroflot, Interflug, and military customers. Major civil variants included the initial Tu-134A with increased capacity and avionics changes, the Tu-134B with improved engines and systems, and the Tu-134AK VIP transport used by state delegations including visits connected to Brezhnev-era diplomacy. Specialized conversions included maritime patrol and reconnaissance versions for the Soviet Navy and aerodynamic testbeds at Gromov Flight Research Institute, while export-specific models served Czechoslovakia and East Germany with customized interiors and radio suites.

Technical Specifications

Typical technical characteristics reflected contemporary jetliner practice: twin rear-mounted turbojet engines (initially Klimov RD-9 derivatives), low-mounted swept wings, T-tail empennage, and a two-crew flight deck with a navigator position derived from designs such as the Tupolev Tu-16. Dimensions, weights, and performance placed it between designs like the BAC One-Eleven and the Douglas DC-9: cruise speeds near transonic regimes, range suited to domestic sectors, and seating capacities adapted to airline layouts from short-haul routes in Soviet Central Asia to European sectors serving Prague and Warsaw. Avionics evolved through service life with inputs from institutes such as NPO Vega and systems suppliers linked to the Soviet aerospace industry.

Accidents and Incidents

Throughout its service career the type was involved in accidents and incidents across theaters including the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Africa; investigations were handled by agencies such as the Ministry of Civil Aviation (USSR) and successor bodies in Russia and Ukraine. Notable events involved runway excursions, controlled flight into terrain, and midair collisions during periods of dense operational tempo in regions including Moscow Oblast and Central Asia, with inquiries citing factors examined by institutions like Gosavianadzor and accident analysis units at MAK-equivalent commissions.

Operators

Primary operators included state and flag carriers such as Aeroflot, Interflug, CSA Czech Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Bulgaria Air, and airlines of Hungary and Romania, plus international customers like EgyptAir, Cubana, Air Koryo, and several African national carriers. Military and government operators encompassed the Soviet Air Force, various successor air forces of post-Soviet states, and VIP squadrons transporting delegations for organizations like the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and heads of state in the Warsaw Pact.

Preservation and Survivors

Several examples have been preserved in aviation museums and as gate guardians at sites including the Central Air Force Museum near Monino, the Ulyanovsk Aircraft Museum, and displays in Prague and Sofia, with restoration efforts undertaken by heritage groups and aerospace museums such as those affiliated with MAKS-era exhibitors and regional preservation societies. A number of airframes remain in storage or as instructional airframes at aerodromes including Chkalovsky Airport and museum parks in former Soviet Republics.

Category:Soviet airliners Category:Tupolev aircraft