Tupolev Tu-28

The Tupolev Tu-28, known to NATO as Fiddler and officially redesignated Tu-128 in 1963, was a long-range interceptor built for the Soviet Air Defence Forces. It answered a 1955 requirement for a large aircraft that could cover the vast Soviet northern border from sparse airfields, using big fuel tanks, a powerful radar and the largest air-to-air missiles then available. Iosif Nezval led the design from 1958, building on the single Tu-98 supersonic bomber prototype. Two Lyulka AL-7F-2 afterburning turbojets powered the airframe, a two-man crew sat in tandem, and four Bisnovat R-4 missiles were carried on underwing pylons. At up to 43 tonnes it was the heaviest fighter ever to enter serial production, and it was meant to meet bombers such as the B-52, not to dogfight. Production ended in 1970 after 198 aircraft, and the type served until 1990 as the MiG-31 took over.