Archived footage has appeared online showing the start of the first NK-12 engine of a Tu-95MS strategic bomber at the air base in Dyagilevo. Such footage had never previously been published in the public domain.
The cameraman managed to capture how the bomber's first engine is started and spun up. The crew then calmly moved the Tu-95MS out of its regular parking position and headed for the runway.
It is worth noting that the missile carrier demonstrated specifically the start of the first engine. The particular feature of the NK-12's operation lies in the enormous load on the onboard systems.
Spinning up the huge contra-rotating propellers requires enormous power. Therefore, each subsequent engine is started only after the previous one has reached stable RPM and begun supplying the onboard electrical network.
Aviation analyst Nikolai Bodrikhin noted that Russia is actively carrying out the modernization of the "Bears" to the Tu-95MSM version. Thanks to this, the bombers may receive hypersonic missiles.
Earlier, "Pervyi Tekhnicheskii" explained in a major feature why restarting serial production of the "Bears" is impossible in Russia.
Read more materials on the topic:
- "Bear," knowing no barriers: the Tu-95 strategic bomber
- The secret weapon of the Cold War: how the Tu-95 bomber frightened the West with a single flight
- Russia's strategic aviation: the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 await modernization, while the Tu-22M3 is keeping pace
