The OKB (experimental construction bureau) considered four-engined version of Tu-104 for safety reasons. This needed major redesign of the wing-center section to house the side-by-side staggered engines. It was claimed that the new model would provide greater economy and range.
The first aircraft, carrying military markings and the s/n 5600, had original Tu-104 wing and fuselage, and flew for the time on March 11, 1957 with D.V. Zyuzin at the controls.
The second aircraft, also carrying military markings but no s/n,flew in April 1959, with the forward fuselage lengthened by 4 ft 1.6 in (1.26 m) and the inboard wing sections extended by 4 ft 1.25 in (1.25 m).
Aeroflot announced that the type would be used on domestic and international routes, one of the two build was briefly used as a VIP transport but never flew outside the Soviet Union. Better handling characteristics and performance were claimed over the Tu-104, but due to standardization and other reasons, no further examples were build.
NATO assigned the identification name Cooker to the aircraft.
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Medium-range commercial transport
Four 14,330 lb (6,500 kg) st Lyul'ka AL-7 turbojets
123 ft 0.4 in (37.5 m)
125 ft 8 in (38.3 m)
39 ft 4.5 in (12 m)
1959 sq.ft (182 sq.m)
97,553 lb (44,250 kg)
174,824 lb (79,300 kg)
622 mph (1,000 km/h) at 32,810 ft (10,000 m)
39,370 ft (12,000 m)
2,144 mls (3,450 km)