Tupolev Tu-155

The Tupolev Tu-155 is a modified Tupolev Tu-154 (СССР-85035) which was used as an alternative fuel testbed. This is the first experimental aircraft in the world operating on liquid hydrogen. The similar Tu-156 was never built.

Design and development

The Tu-155 first flew on 15 April 1988. It used hydrogen fuel and later liquified natural gas (LNG). It flew until the fall of the Soviet Union and it is currently stored at Ramenskoye Airport near Zhukovskiy. The Tu-156 was intended to fly around 1997, but was cancelled also due to the fall of the Soviet Union. The aircraft used cryogenics to store fuel. 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. The Tu-155 flew around 100 flights until it was placed in storage.

See also

References

External links

 Tu-155 hydrogen-powered aircraft details
 20 Years from the first flight of Tu-155

Category:Hydrogen-powered aircraft
Category:1980s Soviet experimental aircraft
Tu-0154
Category:Trijets
Category:T-tail aircraft
Category:Low-wing aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1988