Tupolev Tu-124
Encyclopedia
The Tupolev
Tu-124 (NATO reporting name
: Cookpot) was a 56 passenger short range twinjet airliner built in the Soviet Union
. It was the world's first turbofan
-powered airliner.
, the Tu-124 was meant to meet Aeroflot
's requirement for a regional airliner to supersede the Ilyushin Il-14
on the airline’s domestic routes. Resembling a 75% scaled-down version, the two were hard to tell apart when seen at a distance. However, it was not a complete copy of the Tu-104. The Tu-124 included a number of refinements, including double-slotted flaps, a large centre-section airbrake and automatic spoilers. Unlike the Tu-104, the wing trailing edge inboard of the undercarriage was unswept.
The Tu-124 retained a drogue parachute
to be used in the event of an emergency landing or landing on a slippery surface and had low pressure tires to aid operation from unpaved airfields. As with the Tu-104, the engines were integrated into the wings, but it enjoyed much better fuel efficiency, due to the use of turbofan engines. However, the non-optimal placement of the engines amplified vibrations, which affected the comfort of the passenger cabin, and also the fatigue
lifetime of the wing asembly.
The standard seating of the basic version was 44 seats. The first of two prototype, SSSR-45000 (C/N 0350101) made its first flight from Zhukovsky
airfield on 24 March 1960. The second prototype, SSSR-45001 (C/N 0350102), followed in June 1960. Two other airframes served as a static test cells. Testing was successful, and the aircraft entered production at Factory 135 at Kharkov, Ukraine
, replacing the Tu-104 in production. Deliveries to Aeroflot began in August 1962, with the type operating its first scheduled passenger service, between Moscow
and Tallinn
in Estonia
, on 2 October 1962.
The improved Tu-124V, which could seat 56 passengers instead of the 44 of the original model, and which had increased range and maximum take-off weight, came into service in 1964. Despite the aircraft's low purchase price (stated as $1.45 millon in 1965) and low operating costs, few were exported, with Československé Státní Aerolinie
(ČSA) and the East German airline Interflug
being the only airlines other than Aeroflot that brought the Tu-124 new, although ČSA sold its surviving Tu-124s to Iraqi Airways
for use on VIP flights in 1973. Interflug used its three Tu-124s as an alternative to the Ilyushin Il-62
, when the Il-62s were grounded due to mechanical issues. All three were sold back to the Soviet Union in 1975.
Three airframes were completed in 1966 in a VIP configuration, and designated Tu-124K. However, Aeroflot never placed them into service, and they were purchased by the Indian Air Force
.
A number were also sold to military users, including the Soviet Air Force
, which used them as navigational trainers, and to the Chinese Air Force
.
A total of 164 Tu-124s were built. Issues with the safety of the Tu-104 had an impact on the fate of the Tu-124, although the reliability of the Tu-124 was slightly better. In 1965, the aircraft was withdrawn from production. In the USSR, Aeroflot decommissioned its last twelve Tu-124s on 21 January 1980. The Tu-124 continued in operation for some years with the Soviet Air Force and in Iraq, but all aircraft were withdrawn before 1990.
Several Tu-124s have been preserved. One is in the museum of Kharkov State Aircraft Manufacturing Company (formerly the Tu-124 manufacturer Factory 135), another is in China's Datangshan aviation museum in Beijing
and a third is at the Central Air Force Museum
at Monino
outside Moscow. A Tu-124K is on display at New Delhi Airport.
trading bloc with its own four-engined design called the Baade B-152
. The design was unsuccessful, leading Interflug to buy a rear-engined development of the Tu-124, the Tupolev Tu-134
, instead.
Tu-124B
Tu-124K/Tu-124K2
Tu-124Sh-1
Tu-124Sh-2
Iraq
Iraq
Tupolev
Tupolev is a Russian aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Basmanny District, Central Administrative Okrug, Moscow. Known officially as Public Stock Company Tupolev, it is the successor of the Tupolev OKB or Tupolev Design Bureau headed by the Soviet aerospace engineer A.N. Tupolev...
Tu-124 (NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
: Cookpot) was a 56 passenger short range twinjet airliner built in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. It was the world's first turbofan
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
-powered airliner.
Design and development
Developed from the medium-range Tupolev Tu-104Tupolev Tu-104
The Tupolev Tu-104 was a twin-engined medium-range turbojet-powered Soviet airliner and the world's first successful jet airliner...
, the Tu-124 was meant to meet Aeroflot
Aeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
's requirement for a regional airliner to supersede the Ilyushin Il-14
Ilyushin Il-14
The Ilyushin Il-14 was a Soviet twin-engine commercial and military personnel and cargo transport aircraft that first flew in 1950, and entered service in 1954. Il-14 was also manufactured in East Germany by VVB Flugzeugbau, in Czechoslovakia as the Avia 14, and in China under the Chinese...
on the airline’s domestic routes. Resembling a 75% scaled-down version, the two were hard to tell apart when seen at a distance. However, it was not a complete copy of the Tu-104. The Tu-124 included a number of refinements, including double-slotted flaps, a large centre-section airbrake and automatic spoilers. Unlike the Tu-104, the wing trailing edge inboard of the undercarriage was unswept.
The Tu-124 retained a drogue parachute
Drogue parachute
A drogue parachute is a parachute designed to be deployed from a rapidly moving object in order to slow the object, or to provide control and stability, or as a pilot parachute to deploy a larger parachute...
to be used in the event of an emergency landing or landing on a slippery surface and had low pressure tires to aid operation from unpaved airfields. As with the Tu-104, the engines were integrated into the wings, but it enjoyed much better fuel efficiency, due to the use of turbofan engines. However, the non-optimal placement of the engines amplified vibrations, which affected the comfort of the passenger cabin, and also the fatigue
Fatigue (material)
'In materials science, fatigue is the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs when a material is subjected to cyclic loading. The nominal maximum stress values are less than the ultimate tensile stress limit, and may be below the yield stress limit of the material.Fatigue occurs...
lifetime of the wing asembly.
The standard seating of the basic version was 44 seats. The first of two prototype, SSSR-45000 (C/N 0350101) made its first flight from Zhukovsky
Ramenskoye Airport
Ramenskoye Airport , also known as Ramenskoye Airfield or Zhukovsky Airfield, is an airport in Moscow Oblast, Russia located 40 km southeast of Moscow and near the town of Ramenskoye. It serves as a major aircraft testing facility since the Cold War years with the majority of the major Russian...
airfield on 24 March 1960. The second prototype, SSSR-45001 (C/N 0350102), followed in June 1960. Two other airframes served as a static test cells. Testing was successful, and the aircraft entered production at Factory 135 at Kharkov, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, replacing the Tu-104 in production. Deliveries to Aeroflot began in August 1962, with the type operating its first scheduled passenger service, between Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, on 2 October 1962.
Operational history
Aeroflot was impressed with the flight performance of the Tu-124, and began placing it into service on domestic routes from the end of 1962.The improved Tu-124V, which could seat 56 passengers instead of the 44 of the original model, and which had increased range and maximum take-off weight, came into service in 1964. Despite the aircraft's low purchase price (stated as $1.45 millon in 1965) and low operating costs, few were exported, with Československé Státní Aerolinie
Czech Airlines
Czech Airlines j.s.c. , trading as Czech Airlines , is the national airline of the Czech Republic and temporary in Slovakia with its head office on the grounds of Ruzyně Airport in Ruzyně, Prague...
(ČSA) and the East German airline Interflug
Interflug
Interflug was the state airline of East Germany from 1963 to 1991, when it ceased operations following German reunification...
being the only airlines other than Aeroflot that brought the Tu-124 new, although ČSA sold its surviving Tu-124s to Iraqi Airways
Iraqi Airways
Iraqi Airways Company, operating as Iraqi Airways , is the national carrier of Iraq, headquartered on the grounds of Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad. One of the oldest airlines in the Middle East, Iraqi Airways operates domestic and regional service...
for use on VIP flights in 1973. Interflug used its three Tu-124s as an alternative to the Ilyushin Il-62
Ilyushin Il-62
The Ilyushin Il-62 is a Soviet long-range jet airliner conceived in 1960 by Ilyushin. As successor to the popular turbo-prop Il-18 and with capacity for almost 200 passengers, the Il-62 was the largest jet airliner when it first flew in 1963. It entered Aeroflot service on 15 September 1967 with...
, when the Il-62s were grounded due to mechanical issues. All three were sold back to the Soviet Union in 1975.
Three airframes were completed in 1966 in a VIP configuration, and designated Tu-124K. However, Aeroflot never placed them into service, and they were purchased by the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
.
A number were also sold to military users, including the Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
, which used them as navigational trainers, and to the Chinese Air Force
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
.
A total of 164 Tu-124s were built. Issues with the safety of the Tu-104 had an impact on the fate of the Tu-124, although the reliability of the Tu-124 was slightly better. In 1965, the aircraft was withdrawn from production. In the USSR, Aeroflot decommissioned its last twelve Tu-124s on 21 January 1980. The Tu-124 continued in operation for some years with the Soviet Air Force and in Iraq, but all aircraft were withdrawn before 1990.
Several Tu-124s have been preserved. One is in the museum of Kharkov State Aircraft Manufacturing Company (formerly the Tu-124 manufacturer Factory 135), another is in China's Datangshan aviation museum in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and a third is at the Central Air Force Museum
Central Air Force Museum
The Central Air Force Museum in Monino at the site of Monino Airfield 40km east of Moscow, Russia, is one of the world's largest aviation museums, and the largest for Russian aircraft...
at Monino
Monino
Monino is an urban locality in Shchyolkovsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated east of Moscow. Population:...
outside Moscow. A Tu-124K is on display at New Delhi Airport.
Competition within the COMECON
The German Democratic Republic attempted to compete within the COMECONComecon
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance , 1949–1991, was an economic organisation under hegemony of Soviet Union comprising the countries of the Eastern Bloc along with a number of communist states elsewhere in the world...
trading bloc with its own four-engined design called the Baade B-152
Baade B-152
|-See also:-External links:* * Air & Space Magazine February/March 1996* Brunolf Baade at Wikipedia Germany* Alexejew / Samoljot 150 at Wikipedia Germany* East German promotion movie ,...
. The design was unsuccessful, leading Interflug to buy a rear-engined development of the Tu-124, the Tupolev Tu-134
Tupolev Tu-134
The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
, instead.
Variants
Tu-124/Tu-124V- The first production variant. International demand was small, as most foreign airlines were waiting to buy the improved Tupolev Tu-134Tupolev Tu-134The Tupolev Tu-134 is a twin-engined airliner, similar to the American Douglas DC-9 and the French Sud Aviation Caravelle, and built in the Soviet Union from 1966–1984. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain other Russian airliners , it can operate from unpaved...
Tu-124B
- Three prototypes with D-20P-125 engines, built in 1963
Tu-124K/Tu-124K2
- VIP configuration operated by the militaries of IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and the Peoples' Republic of China, and by the Indian Air ForceIndian Air ForceThe Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
Tu-124Sh-1
- Military version used as navigator trainer
Tu-124Sh-2
- Military version used as navigator trainer
Operators
Civil operators
- ČSACzech AirlinesCzech Airlines j.s.c. , trading as Czech Airlines , is the national airline of the Czech Republic and temporary in Slovakia with its head office on the grounds of Ruzyně Airport in Ruzyně, Prague...
- InterflugInterflugInterflug was the state airline of East Germany from 1963 to 1991, when it ceased operations following German reunification...
(operated in Interflug colours, but owned by the East German Air Force)
Iraq
- Iraqi AirwaysIraqi AirwaysIraqi Airways Company, operating as Iraqi Airways , is the national carrier of Iraq, headquartered on the grounds of Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad. One of the oldest airlines in the Middle East, Iraqi Airways operates domestic and regional service...
- AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
Military operators
- People's Liberation Army Air ForcePeople's Liberation Army Air ForceThe People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
- Czechoslovakian Air Force
- East German Air Force
- Indian Air ForceIndian Air ForceThe Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
Iraq
- Iraqi Air ForceIraqi Air ForceThe Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the military branch in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial operations...
- Soviet Air ForceSoviet Air ForceThe Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
Accidents and incidents
A total of 13 Tu-124s were written off in crashes during the type's operational career, and two aircraft of Iraqi Airways were destroyed on the ground during the Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
| Date | Tail number | Crash Site | Casualties | Brief description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 August 1963 |  Soviet Union 45021 |
Soviet Union Leningrad Leningrad Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province... |
0/52 | ditched Tupolev 124 ditching in Neva river The Tupolev 124 ditching in Neva River was a notable case of water landing that occurred in the Soviet Union in 1963. A Tupolev Tu-124 of Soviet state airline Aeroflot took off from Tallinn-Ülemiste Airport at 08:55 on August 21, 1963 with 45 passengers and 7 crew on board... in the Neva river Neva River The Neva is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length , it is the third largest river in Europe in terms of average discharge .The Neva is the only river flowing from Lake... in Leningrad Leningrad Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province... after it ran out of fuel. The crew were distracted by problems with the landing gear. All occupants of the aircraft survived the ditching. |
| 8 March 1965 | Soviet Union 45028 |
Soviet Union Kuibyshev Samara, Russia Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast... |
25/25 | crashed shortly after taking off from Kuybyshev Airport Kurumoch International Airport Kurumoch International Airport is the international airport of Samara, Russia located 35 km north of the city. In 2006, it handled 1,218,954 passengers and 4,121 metric tonnes of cargo. The airport was the base of defunct Samara Airlines.... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... on a flight to Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport Sheremetyevo International Airport Sheremetyevo International Airport , is an international airport located in the Moscow Oblast, Russia, north-west of central Moscow. It is a hub for the passenger operations of the Russian international airline Aeroflot, and one of the three major airports serving Moscow along with Domodedovo... , after the pilots lost control of the aircraft. The accident killed all 17 passengers and eight crew on board. |
| 11 November 1965 | Soviet Union 45086 |
Soviet Union Murmansk Murmansk Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland... |
32/NA | failed landing |
| 7 March 1968 | Soviet Union 45019 |
Soviet Union Volgograd Volgograd Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River... |
1/NA | bad weather |
| 29 January 1970 | Soviet Union 45083 |
Soviet Union Murmansk Murmansk Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland... |
11/NA | crashed in mountain while landing: several survivors died of hypothemia while waiting for rescue |
| 18 August 1970 |  Czechoslovakia OK-TEB |
Zurich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... |
0/20 | pilot forgot to lower landing gear |
| 2 September 1970 | Soviet Union 45012 |
Soviet Union Dnepropetrovsk |
37/37 | unknown |
| 9 July 1970 | Soviet Union 45062 |
Soviet Union Kuibyshev Samara, Russia Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast... |
2/61 | lost power on takeoff |
| 21 November 1973 | Soviet Union 45031 |
Soviet Union Kazan Kazan Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the... |
0/NA | overran runway |
| 16 December 1973 | Soviet Union 45061 |
Soviet Union Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... |
51/51 | rudder failure pushed plane into dive |
| 23 December 1973 | Soviet Union }45044 |
Soviet Union Lviv Lviv Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following... |
17/17 | left engine caught fire in flight |
| 3 January 1976 | Soviet Union 45037 |
Soviet Union Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... |
61/61 | instrument failure in clouds; crew lost orientation |
| 5 November 1977 |  India V643 |
India Jorhat Airport Jorhat Airport Jorhat Airport is located in Jorhat City, Assam, India.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:*... |
5/10 | one of the three Tu-124K VIP variants purchased by the Indian Air Force in 1966, named Pushpak Rath (Floral Chariot), crashed in a paddy field near Jorhat Airport Jorhat Airport Jorhat Airport is located in Jorhat City, Assam, India.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:*... , Assam Assam Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country... . The then Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai Morarji Desai Morarji Ranchhodji Desai was an Indian independence activist and the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977–79. He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress... who was on board survived, though five crew members died as a result of the crash. |
| 29 August 1979 | Soviet Union 45038 |
Soviet Union Kirsanov Kirsanov Kirsanov is a town in Tambov Oblast, Russia, located on the Vorona River at its confluence with the Pursovka River east of Tambov. Population:... |
63/63 | flap failure on landing |
| February 1991 |  Iraq YI-AEY |
Iraq Bagdhad |
0/0 | destroyed on ground in Gulf War |
| February 1991 | Iraq YI-AEL |
Iraq Bagdhad |
0/0 | destroyed on ground in Gulf War |