Tupolev Tu-134: The Soviet Workhorse of the Skies (S1E4)
Video from the channel Giving Airplane Facts about Tupolev Tu-134, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 5:36. Language: English. Video type: Documentary.
What it's about
English-language educational piece on the Tupolev Tu-134, nicknamed "Crusty" by NATO, presented as one of the most widely used commercial jets of the Eastern Bloc.
Historical context
The Tupolev design bureau developed it from the Tu-124. The Tu-134 adopted a streamlined fuselage, swept wings, two rear-mounted engines and a T-tail. This layout was then common in the West but new to Soviet aviation, and it reduced cabin noise. Aeroflot was its main operator, and the aircraft served for decades in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Highlighted facts
It was powered by two Soloviev D-30 turbofans. The video credits it with a cruising speed of about 850 km/h, a range of up to 3,100 km and between 72 and 84 seats in 2+2 layout, with large windows. It could operate from shorter runways than larger jets and received avionics, engine and cabin upgrades. Some military and government variants carried advanced radars. Its fuel consumption and noise, higher than those of more modern aircraft, led to its retirement in many countries, and several examples are preserved in museums.