Tupolev Tu-144

The Tupolev Tu-144 (NATO reporting name: Charger) was a supersonic airliner constructed under management of the Soviet Tupolev design bureau headed by Alexei Tupolev (1925?2001).

Related Topics:
NATO reporting name - Supersonic - Airliner - Soviet - Tupolev - Alexei Tupolev

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Western media nicknamed the plane Concordski (sometimes Konkordski), sounding like a Russian surname yet still very close to Concorde, to which Tu-144 was visually similar. A prototype first flew on December 31, 1968 near Moscow, two months before the Concorde.

Related Topics:
Concorde - Prototype - December 31 - 1968 - Moscow

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The Tu-144 first broke the sound barrier on June 5, 1969, and on July 15, 1969, it became the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2.

Related Topics:
Sound barrier - June 5 - 1969 - July 15 - Mach

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