Red Star Volume 35
Tupolev Tu-104

Aeroflot's First Jet

by Yefim Gordon and Vladimir Rigmant

Reviewed by Ken Bowes

Red Star's "Tu-104" will be available online from Squadron
 

Red Star Series Number 35 by Yefim Gordon and Vladimir Rigmant follows on from their earlier volume on the Tupelov Tu-114. In this volume we are treated to a comprehensive examination of the TU-104, which become the Soviet Union’s first jet airliner.

The Tu-104 was designed to replace the Tu-70, itself based on the B-29. The Tu-104 was the result of mating the wings and tail of the Tu-16 Badger bomber with a newly designed fuselage designed to eventually carry 70 passengers plus crew.

A number of other variants were also proposed including a military transport, but aircraft such as the An-12 saw the end of those diversions.

As with other early Soviet airliners, the eventual 61 Tu-104s saw both civil and military but had little to no export success.

This volume covers initial concept, development of the type, in-service history and an in-detail section.

Unsurprising for a book authored by Yefim Gordon among others, this book is a comprehensive examination of the subject matter.

In summary, this volume presents a good history and is essential for completionists collecting the Red Star series or that have read earlier volumes on the Tu-114 or Tu-154 airliners.

Recommended for fans of the more exotic Russian aviation types.

Thanks to DLS Australia for the review sample

The Red Star series may be purchased from www.midlandcountiessuperstore.com

Review Copyright © 2008 by Ken Bowes
This Page Created on 2 April, 2008
Last updated 2 April, 2008

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