
Fine piece of machinery.
Here’s an interesting footage filmed form inside a Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber like the ones that skirt northern Europe’s airspaces every now and then.
Although it does not show anything special about the plane, the rare video lets you have a close look at the eight-bladed coaxial contra-rotating propellers Kuznetsov NK-12 engines of the Tu-95.
Indeed, the only propeller-powered strategic bomber still in operational use today, features the typical two propellers, arranged one behind the other, which increase efficiency and performance.
An in-flight, engine shutdown and restart cycle can be seen in the clip.
H/T to @Missilito for the heads-up
I do not understand the design rationale behind counter-rotating propellers but it must work for them, they’ve been using it for a seriously long time.
There are some pros and cons. The Cons are the added noise, weight and mechanical complexity. But, buy adding the extra propellers, they can take advantage of more of the engines power. This article hits on it some http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra-rotating_propellers
And it’s FIRST flt was 6 months AFTER the B-52.
That’s NOT noise……The Republic F-84H Thunderstreak – Propeller variant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFhSzReWTgs
That’s NOT noise…..Six turnin and four burnin…..B-36. From the movie Strategic Air Command staring General Jimmy Stewart. If ya haven’t seen it it’s a MUST see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGjyH2ulsCk
Cool. I heard the Bear was so loud that even they were tracked by underwater sonar from US submarines and that intercepting US, NATO, and recently Japanese; fighter pilots said they could hear the Tu-95 over the sound of their own aircraft. CRAZY!!!