11 and 3/4 inches wing span hand made model of 1948 Tupolev-489 project bomber.
The need to be able to deliver a nuclear weapon to the North America prompted some more studies for a successor to the Tu-4, powered either by piston or jet engines.The initial designs were given numbers in the 480-series, the first being Project-485 on which work started summer of 1948.Variants were considered with 4 or 6 engines, either ASh-2TK or M-251TK (VD-3TK) power units, and they were to be armed with guided bombs or cruise missiles up to 15,432 lb (7000 kg) in weight.Ten or twelve crew would be carried, a Kobalt radar was fitted, maximum range was 3,729 miles (6000 km) and ceilling 49,213 ft (15000 km).
The work progressed onto Project-489, a derivative of the `485` initiated in mid-1948.
Comparative studies were made, jointly between Tupolev OKB and TSAGI, of 6 and 8 engines designs for a long-range strategic bomber, the objective being to find the optimum size, wing area and powerplant arrangement.
The Tu-489 never progressed beyond paper studies and few models made at Tupolev bureau.
Please check availability of model prior ordering.
This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 13 October, 2005.