The Tupolev Tu-14 (NATO reporting name: Bosun) (USAF/DOD reporting name: Type 35),
Construction of the prototype began in August 1949, using components from the canceled Tu-73S prototypes, and was completed in October. The manufacturer's tests were conducted between 13 October 1949 and 21 January 1950. Its State acceptance trials lasted from 23 January to 27 May 1950 and it was accepted for production, provided that the problems with the KDU-81 turret were resolved and that ejection seats were provided for the pilot and gunner, a hot air deicing was to be fitted and the gun mount in the nose revised. The first five preproduction aircraft did not incorporate these changes as they were built using Tu-73S components, after the factory in Irkutsk had prematurely begun production of that bomber. One of these was sent to Moscow where it was evaluated by Soviet Naval Aviation for use as a torpedo bomber. The sixth aircraft did incorporate all these changes as well as the navigator's ejection seat requested by Naval Aviation, and it was evaluated in May 1951. It was recommended for production as the Tu-14T and entered service in 1952 with Naval Aviation.
It was alleged by one author that up to 50 used Tu-14Ts were delivered to the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force although quantities and dates cannot be confirmed by said author. However, neither Russian language sources confirm this allegation nor any physical evidence (photographs, documents) exist to confirm this transfer of aircraft. It is possible that the author confused Tu-14 with Tupolev Tu-16 bombers the transfer of which to People’s Republic of China started in 1958.
The second preproduction Tu-14 was converted into a day or night photographic reconnaissance aircraft with the OKB designation of "89". The conversion was fairly minor and involved an unpressurized central cabin that housed two automatic pivoting cameras, two fuel tanks and another camera fitted in the bomb bay and another camera for oblique photography was mounted in the aircraft's tail for the daylight photography role. All cameras and their viewports were electrically heated to prevent misting and icing at altitude. For night photography, the fuel tanks and camera in the bomb bay were removed and a variety of flash bombs were carried to illuminate the targets. In addition, the screen of the PSBN-M navigation radar could be photographed by a special camera and both the pilot and navigator could record their own observations using a voice recorder.
Variants
- Tu-14 – Light bomber version (not accepted for service).
- Tu-14R – Reconnaissance version (prototype only). Also known as Tu-89.
- Tu-14T – Torpedo bomber version.
- '81' - OKB designation of the Tu-14 2 × VK-1 prototype
- '93' – OKB designation of the proposed derivative of the Tu-14T with VK-5 or VK-7 engines; not built.
Operators
;
- Soviet Naval Aviation
;
- People's Liberation Army Air Force (allegedly)
Specifications (Tu-14 / '89T')
thumb|NATO identification model Tu-14
thumb|NATO identification model Tu-14
thumb|NATO identification model Tu-14
See also
- English Electric Canberra
- Ilyushin Il-28
- Tupolev Tu-12