OK, it is now into 2016 with over 500 views and no right answers. Here are the answers to my 65th Forum Quiz.
The Russian Tupolev TU-22M BACKFIRE supersonic bomber posed a true role mission question to western intelligence agents and NATO who assigned the code name BACKFIRE. (Another much earlier reference calls the TU-22 BLINDER). There were -A, -B, and -C versions of BACKFIREs.
After quite some time the substantial mission threat to convoy routes between the United States and Europe by anti-ship missiles such as the devastating dual impact on a vessel by the Kh-22 (NATO code name)-KITCHEN missile was revealed. This missile after a steep Mach 2.5 dive can tear a 215 square foot hole in a ship hull and THEN subsequently burn its way 39 feet into the hull tearing up structural bulkhead members. The standard Kh-22 has a 2,205 lb high-explosive warhead while the Kh-22P/N variant carries a 3.5 kiloton nuclear warhead with a range of 340 miles after high-altitude launch from the BACKFIRE.
Remarkably, over 400 TU-22M aircraft were built, with 240 being M2s/M3s.
The Tupolev BACKFIRE crews are trained in the Tupolev TU-134UBL which seats 12 trainees fitted with identical TU-22M instrument panel consoles. Here are the quiz answers.
1. Russia
2a. Tupolev., 2b. TU-134UBL crew trainer.
3a. Tuplolev., 2b. TU-122M BACKFIRE bomber.
4. Kh-22 high-explosive warhead, Kh-22P/N nuclear warhead, Gsh-23 single twin-barrelled cannon defensive armament in the tail with 1,200 rounds of PIKS infra-red decoy and PRLS anti-radar chaff. This gun aimed by a PRS-4 Krypton or supplemental TP-1 TV sight.
Specifications: for TU-22M3 BACKFIRE-C Bomber/maritime strike fighter. References vary-this from my later reference believed more accurate. But, please don't ask.
Power
Two 44,200 lb thrust each Kuznetsov NK-144 turbofans
Performance
Max speed: 1,321 mph at altitude
Service ceiling: 59,055 ft
Range: 2,485 miles
Dimensions
Wing span: 112ft, 6.5in spread, 76ft, 9.25in variable-geometry swept
Length: 121ft, 1in.
Height: 35 ft, 5.67in.
Weights
117,967 lbs empty, max takeoff 286,650 lbs-one big mother!
Armament
Up to 26,455 lb munitions, one 23mm twin-barrel cannon
I thank all who viewed this tough quiz. Do you want more aircraft quizzes?