Web Content Display Web Content Display

Aircraft Designer, Three Times Hero of Socialist Labor, Lenin Prize Laureate (1957), USSR State Prize Laureate (1943, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1972).

Andrei N. Tupolev was born in 1888 in the Tver Governorate. In 1908, he entered the Imperial Moscow Technical School. In 1910, he made his first glider flight (he was directly involved in the construction of this aircraft).

In 1916-1918, Andrei Tupolev participated in the first wind tunnels design. In 1918, Tupolev graduated with honors from the Moscow Higher Technical School (MHTS) and, together with N. Zhukovsky, became the leaders of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI). In 1918-1936, Tupolev was the Member of the Board of TsAGI.

Since 1922, he had been the Chairman of the Commission of the All-Metal Aircraft Construction at TsAGI. Since then, at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute the Experimental Design Bureau was established. A. Tupolev was assigned to develop heavy land-based, combat and civil aircrafts, mosquito crafts and propeller-driven sledges. A. Tupolev was the chief designer of this design bureau.

In 1922-1936, Andrei N. Tupolev was one of the founders of the research and technological base of TsAGI, the developer of laboratory projects, wind tunnels, an experimental water channel, the country's first pilot plant for the construction of all-metal aircraft.

In 1923, Andrei N. Tupolev participated in the creation of the light composite structure aircraft (ANT-1), in 1924 – the first Soviet all-metal aircraft (ANT-2), in 1925 – the first all-metal war-plane (ANT-3), as well as the first all-metal monoplane bomber ANT-4 (1925).

 

Since 1930, Andrei N. Tupolev had been the Chief Designer of TsAGI. Since 1931 – Deputy Head of the Central Design Bureau of TsAGI, since 1932 – Head of the Design Department of the Experimental Construction Sector of TsAGI, since 1933 – Deputy Head of TsAGI for the Experimental Construction Sector.

During the Great Patriotic War, Andrei N. Tupolev was evacuated to Omsk and appointed chief designer of the Aviation Plant No. 166. He constantly visited the Kazan Aviation Institute to supervise the bleeding of his aircraft models, which led to the creation of new warplanes and their modifications.

In 1943, Andrei N. Tupolev returned to Moscow, he was appointed chief designer and executive officer of the Aviation Plant No. 156, where the design bureau named after A.N. Tupolev was established.

In 1956, he was appointed General Designer of the Aviation Industry of the USSR.

Andrei N. Tupolev developed over 100 types of aircraft, 70 of which were mass-produced. 78 world records were set on those aircrafts, and 28 unique flights were performed, including the rescue operation of the members of the steamship Chelyuskin.

A large number of bomber aircrafts, torpedo planes, drone reconnaissance aircrafts designed by Tupolev (TB-1, TB-3, SB, TB-7, MTB-2, TU-2) and motor torpedo boats G-4, G-5 were used during the Great Patriotic War.

Under the leadership of A.N. Tupolev military and civilian aircraft – the heavy bomber TU-4, the first Soviet jet bomber TU-12, the turbo-propeller heavy bomber TU-95, the long-range missile carrier-bomber TU-16, the supersonic bomber TU-22; the first jetliner TU-104, the first turbo-propeller intercontinental passenger airliner TU-114, the short and medium-distance aircraft TU-124, TU-134, TU-154, as well as the supersonic passenger aircraft TU-144 were designed. Subsequently, Tupolev's aircraft became the basis of the Aeroflot Company’s aviation fleet, and were operated in many other countries around the world.

Andrei N. Tupolev was awarded Orders of Lenin, Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, Orders of the October Revolution, 2nd degree Orders of Suvorov, Patriotic War of the 1st degree, Red Star, Badge of Honor, medals, as well as foreign orders, such as Honorary Citizen of Paris (France), New York (USA) and the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow Region.

In 1973, Kazan Aviation Institute (KNRTU-KAI nowadays) and the Joint Stock Company Tupolev were named after A.N. Tupolev. On June 4, 2014, a monument to Andrei N. Tupolev was unveiled in Kazan.