Tupolev ANT-14

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The Tupolev ANT-14 Pravda was a Soviet aircraft, which served as the flagship of the Soviet propaganda squadron. It has been credited as Russia's first all-metal aircraft, with a corrosion-resistant-steel structure.[1]

The ANT-14 was a larger version of the ANT-9, with a 40.40m wingspan, compared to the 23.80m of the ANT-9. Powered by five 358 kW (480 hp) Gnome-Rhône Jupiter 9AKX radial engines, it was capable of carrying a crew of three, as well as 36 passengers, at a maximum speed of 236 km/h (147 mph). However cruise speed was only 195 km/h (121 mph). Empty weight was 10,650 kg (23,480 lb) and maximum take-off weight was 17,146 kg (37,800 lb). The ANT-14 had a range of 900 km (559 mi), and an operational ceiling of 4,220 m (13,845 ft). It used a non-retractable tailwheel undercarriage whose main members consisted of dual (fore-aft) wheels.

Operational history

The ANT-14 was tested by Aeroflot in 1932. While these tests revealed no problems with the aircraft, it was far larger than any other aircraft in its fleet, and it had no requirement for an aircraft with a 36 passenger capacity, so no production followed.[2][3]

On 17 March 1933, the Soviet Union set up an aerial propaganda squadron, named after Maxim Gorky, and the ANT-14 was assigned to it as its flagship, being named Pravda (Truth) after the Soviet newspaper.[2] It was mainly used for sightseeing flights over Moscow,[4] but did carry out occasional tourist flights to Kharkov and Leningrad, while it visited Bucharest in 1935 to help celebrate a festival being held there at the time. The ANT-14 carried over 40,000 passengers before being grounded in 1941.[3][5]

Operators

 Soviet Union

Specifications

Data from Illustrated Encyclopedia of Propeller Airliners[6]

General characteristics

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 236 km (147 mpg)
  • Cruise speed: 195 km/h (121 mph)
  • Range: 900 km (559 mi)
  • Service ceiling: 4,220 m (13,845 ft)

See also

Related development


Related lists
  • List of airliners

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tupolev ANT-14.
  1. ↑ The Soviet Union's First All-Metal Airplane, globalspec.com
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Duffy and Kandalov 1996, p. 57
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gunston 1995, p. 392
  4. ↑ the ANT-14 was part of an 18 May 1935 four-airplane flight over Moscow which ended in disaster when an accompanying fighter aircraft maneuvered too close to the Maxim Gorky and struck the airliner's wing, causing it to crash, with 45 fatalities. globalspec.com
  5. ↑ Duffy and Kandalov 1996, p. 58
  6. ↑ Gunston, Bill (editor-in-chief); Dennis Baldry, Chris Chant, John Stroud (1980). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Propeller Airliners. New York: Exeter Books. p. 69. ISBN 0-89673-078-6. 
  • Duffy, Paul; Andrei Kandalov (1996). Tuplolev:The Man and His Aircraft. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-728-X. 
  • Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft from 1875 – 1995. London: Osprey Aerospace. ISBN 1-85532-405-9. 
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