Tag Archives: Tupolev Tu-144

31 December 1968

The prototype Tupolev Tu-144, CCCP-68001, during its first flight, 31 December 1968. (Tupolev PJSC, via Kazan National Research Technical University)

31 December 1968: First flight, Tupolev Tu-144.

Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic transport

59,4 meters long; wingspan, 27,65 meters; height, 11,4 meters. MTOW, 160 000 kilograms.

Powered by four Kuznetsov NK-144 engines with a maximum thrust of 171,6 kilonewtons per engine.

Maximum speed, 2443 km/h

Range 2920 kilometers

Service ceiling, 18 500 meters

Tupolev Tu-144 under construction. (Tupolev PJSC, via Kazan National Research Technical University)