Tupolev Tu-155
{{Short description|Soviet experimental aircraft}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = Tu-155
|image = File:CCCP-85035 Tupolev Tu.155 (7286104458).jpg
|caption = СССР-85035
|type = Alternative fuel testbed aeroplane
|national_origin= Soviet Union
|manufacturer = Aviakor
|designer =
|first_flight = 15 April 1988
|introduction =
|produced =
|status =
|primary_user = Flight Testing Base of the Tupolev Design Bureau
|more_users =
|number_built = 1
|unit cost =
|developed_from = Tupolev Tu-154
}}
The Tupolev Tu-155 is a modified Tupolev Tu-154 (СССР-85035) which was used as an alternative fuel testbed, and was the world's first experimental aircraft operating on hydrogen and later liquid natural gas.{{cite journal |author1 = Graham E. Dorrington |author2=Glenn Baxter |author3=Cees Bil |author4=Aleksandar Subic |author5=Pavel M. Trivailo |url= https://researchrepository.rmit.edu.au/esploro/outputs/9921859017601341 |title= Prospects for Liquefied Natural Gas and other Alternative Fuels for Future Civil Air Transportation |journal= Proceedings of the 15th Australian International Aerospace Congress (AIAC15) |location= Melbourne, Australia |year=2013 |publisher= Royal Aeornautical Society, Australia Division |pages = 116–125 |language= en }} The similar Tu-156 was never built.
Design and development
The Tu-155 first flew on 15 April 1988. It used first liquid hydrogen and later liquified natural gas (LNG). It flew until the demise of the Soviet Union and it is currently stored at Ramenskoye Airport near Zhukovskiy. The Tu-156 was intended to fly circa 1997, but was cancelled due to the end of the Soviet Union.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} The aircraft used cryogenics to store fuel. The Tu-155 was a hybrid, only one of its three Kuznetsov NK-8 engines (they are now called NK-88) was actually powered by hydrogen.{{cite web | url=http://blog.privatejetfinder.com/tu-155-hydrogen/ | title=The Tupolev which flew on hydrogen 32 years ago | date=27 September 2020 }} The fuel tank was located in the air-blown (or nitrogen) rear compartment. A distinctive feature of the aircraft is that the protrusion of the ventilation system is visible on the tail (near the no. 2 engine). The Tu-155 used Kuznetsov NK-88 engines. The Tu-156 was intended to use Kuznetsov NK-89 engines.Dmitriy Komissarov, Tupolev Tu-154, the USSR's Medium-Range Jet Airliner, (Hinckley, UK, 2007), 48–50. {{ISBN|1-85780-241-1}} The Tu-155 flew approximately 100 flights before it was placed in storage. However, only some flights were performed with hydrogen. From January 1989, Tupolev was mainly testing natural gas as a substitute for kerosene.
See also
{{Portal|Aviation}}
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References
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External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130218231656/http://www.tupolev.ru/English/Show.asp?SectionID=82 Tu-155 hydrogen-powered aircraft details]
- [http://www.avia.ru/pr/?id=11633 20 Years from the first flight of Tu-155]
- [https://aviatia.net/tupolev-tu-155/ Tu-155 aircraft details]
- [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/tu-155.htm Tu-155 / Tu-156]
{{Tupolev aircraft}}
Category:Hydrogen-powered aircraft
Category:1980s Soviet experimental aircraft