By: low'n'slow
- 16th April 2011 at 16:31Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
As the post above, the prime reason for the glass nose on airliners was to aid visual navigation as electronic navaids were pretty nearly non-existent in Russia in the 1960s and 1970s.
In most Russian airliners of the period such as the Tu-104, the navigator sat at a desk in the nose, just ahead of the pilots.
While I am sure that when the aircraft were overseas, reconnaissance was done, it should be remembered that the vast majority of Aeroflot flights were internal flights within Russia.
It should also be remembered that the navigators on flights in Russia were effectively in command of the aircraft. it was they who directed the pilots course, and no doubt were they the first to become salt miners if the flight was late or lost!
Could make an interesting "aircrew" article James? ;)
By: pagen01
- 16th April 2011 at 18:26Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Well the question is Russian transports, and out of that little selection the 76 is more a transport than the others which are mainly airliners.
I'm not sure I'm fully persuaded by the radar issue being the sole reason for the glazing and positioning the nav in the front, I thought the USSR had good ground radar cover, and most of the types we are discussing were equiped with radar aswel as glazing.
By: Rigga
- 16th April 2011 at 20:40Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
According to a book I read many moons ago about the History of the Red Air Force (as opposed to the White Air Force) ever since the civil war and especially after WW2 there was a political directive that ALL aircraft designs had to fulfil at least TWO roles in order to maximise the use of aircraft in a crisis.
This show in civil aircraft designs as the Bomb-Aimers/Gunners windows and in helicopters such as the Hind that carries troops as well as being a gunship (Why else would you design a gunship - that needs to be manoeuverable - and then add 8 to 10 troops?)
The Policy was dropped when the wall came down and Russia realised that few of their aircraft were western-world compliant and therefore not commerciallly viable.
By: J Boyle
- 16th April 2011 at 21:19Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Going back to JDK's original question; all of the above doesn't really explain why various Soviet jet transports particularly the Tu-104, Tu-124 and Tu-134A had glazed noses.
Gee, I thought I gave two reasons in the post before yours.:D
Posts: 1,433
By: low'n'slow - 16th April 2011 at 16:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
As the post above, the prime reason for the glass nose on airliners was to aid visual navigation as electronic navaids were pretty nearly non-existent in Russia in the 1960s and 1970s.
In most Russian airliners of the period such as the Tu-104, the navigator sat at a desk in the nose, just ahead of the pilots.
While I am sure that when the aircraft were overseas, reconnaissance was done, it should be remembered that the vast majority of Aeroflot flights were internal flights within Russia.
It should also be remembered that the navigators on flights in Russia were effectively in command of the aircraft. it was they who directed the pilots course, and no doubt were they the first to become salt miners if the flight was late or lost!
Could make an interesting "aircrew" article James? ;)
Posts: 92
By: Fatcivvy - 16th April 2011 at 17:38 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'll bite just to make you feel better :p With the obvious exception of the Il-76. I was thinking of the Il-12, Il-14, Il-18, Il-62 etc.
Jeesh, there's always one :rolleyes:
FC
Posts: 10,647
By: pagen01 - 16th April 2011 at 18:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Well the question is Russian transports, and out of that little selection the 76 is more a transport than the others which are mainly airliners.
I'm not sure I'm fully persuaded by the radar issue being the sole reason for the glazing and positioning the nav in the front, I thought the USSR had good ground radar cover, and most of the types we are discussing were equiped with radar aswel as glazing.
Posts: 88
By: Rigga - 16th April 2011 at 20:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
According to a book I read many moons ago about the History of the Red Air Force (as opposed to the White Air Force) ever since the civil war and especially after WW2 there was a political directive that ALL aircraft designs had to fulfil at least TWO roles in order to maximise the use of aircraft in a crisis.
This show in civil aircraft designs as the Bomb-Aimers/Gunners windows and in helicopters such as the Hind that carries troops as well as being a gunship (Why else would you design a gunship - that needs to be manoeuverable - and then add 8 to 10 troops?)
The Policy was dropped when the wall came down and Russia realised that few of their aircraft were western-world compliant and therefore not commerciallly viable.
Posts: 9,836
By: J Boyle - 16th April 2011 at 21:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Gee, I thought I gave two reasons in the post before yours.:D
Posts: 8,195
By: JDK - 17th April 2011 at 08:11 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Certainly could, I agree, but that's not why I'm asking. I'll add it to the list though!
So... no one actually has any data (rather than conjecture) then? :dev2:
Regards,
Posts: 10,647
By: pagen01 - 17th April 2011 at 10:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Definitely the case from here, hopefully Flanker_man will be along soon...