Designed to bring the Soviet Union into the jet era, the story of the Tupolev Tu-104 is a story of what could’ve been. A story of how the Soviet Union could’ve proven the virtues of communism over capitalism, all whilst embarrassing the West on the international stage!

Although it was the only operational jet airliner between 1956 and 1958, it was only the second jet airliner to enter service, after Britain’s de Havilland Comet, which entered service in 1952 (and was later grounded between 1956 and 1958 due to structural defects). //

Given the requirements that this jet airliner had to be capable of 25,000 to 30,000 flight hours, cruise at 750 km/h (470 mph; 400 kn) and carry 50 passengers, Tupolev began designing Aeroflot’s dream airliner.

Wary of history repeating itself – the de Havilland Comet had been grounded for two years due to structural defects – Tupolev eventually decided against designing an airliner from scratch and instead used their famed Tu-16 bomber as a start point.

Keeping the wing, control surfaces and engines (the Mikulin AM-3) of the Tu-16, the primary obstacle facing Tupolev engineers was a complete redesign of the Tu-16’s fuselage. //

Completing this by early 1955, Tupolev had the first prototype completed by June that year and was first flown on June 17, piloted by Tupolev test pilot Captain Y. T. Alasheev and First Officer B. M. Timoshok.