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Cold War & Beyond: Tupolev 16 Badger

Tupolev 16, NATO reporting name Badger.

Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).

The prototype of the Soviet Tu-16 was the Tu-88, which first flew in Spring 1952, production of the Tu-16 began in December 1952. China still produces its own version.

Silent Soviet films, from 1957, showing-off their new Tupolev 16:

On 25MAY1968, the U.S. Navy (USN) carrier group led by USS Essex CVS-9 was ‘badgered’ by several Soviet aircraft, including variants of the Tu-16, while sailing through the Norwegian Sea.  It ended badly for one hot-shot Badger.

Silent USN film of Tu-16 Badger C:

Silent USN film of Badger C and Badger G:

A Badger gets danger-close to the USS Essex, while other Badgers fly at sea level:

The USN claimed one of the hot-shot Badgers crashed while sea skimming, and USN Sea Kings were dispatched to rescue the Soviet Tu-16 crew.  The silent, and faded, film shows a Tu-16 buzzing USS Essex, then on the horizon can barely be seen the smoke plume of the crashed Badger, other Tu-16s continue to overfly CVS-9:

Unfortunately the Badger crew did not survive, what was recovered by the USN was handed over to a Soviet Kotlin class destroyer with the hull number of 311, which had pulled along side the USS Essex:

After taking on the bodies of the Badger crew, hull number 311 gives a salute with its main guns, and sails away:

Photo released by U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), 15MAR1974.

A seemingly neglected Egyptian Tu-16 Badger, December 1981. Photo by Staff Sergeant Bill Thompson.

A derelict Egyptian Tu-16 sits behind two USAF C-130s during wargame Bright Star 82.

Egyptian Tu-16s. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sergeant Donald Sutherland, dated 01NOV1980 (which is probably incorrect as the info also says it was during Bright Star 90).

This U.S. DoD released photo says it is a Badger C, sometime in 1981, however it is unknown who made the photo, or where the photo was recorded.

Somewhere over the north of the United Kingdom, September 1982.

Tu-16 Badger ‘C’ approaching the United Kingdom, September 1982.

Same incident, different Badger, September 1982.

Badger belly over the United Kingdom, September 1982.

Badgering a USN destroyer somewhere over the Indian Ocean, June 1983.

Tu-16 Badger C. Photo dated 1984, original source unknown.

Badger C, photo dated October 1985.

Badgering the USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63), somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, January 1986.

Badger D spying on NATO naval wargames in September 1986. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate First Class Jeff Hilton.

Somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea, 11AUG1986.

A VF-1 Wolfpack F-14 Tomcat badgers two Badger ‘F’s, 14JUL1987.

The U.S. DoD released this photo in May 1989, without any other information.

In 1958 China received its first Tu-16, then in 1959, the first Xian Aircraft Corporation license built Tu-16 took flight, under the designation H-6.

PLA Eastern Theater Command video, edited by Lin Congyi, of Tu-16s (H-6), and the new H-6K, conducting night training, 02JUN2022:

PLA Southern Command photo by Gao Hongwei, 05JAN2022.

PLA video, edited by Chen Zhuo, Tu-16s (H-6), and the new H-6K, practice low level bombing, 29NOV2021:

Preparing for a night flight. PLA Eastern Command photo by Wang Jun, 16APR2021.

PLA Eastern Command photo by Li Bingxuan, 16APR2021.

PLA Eastern Command photo by Li Bingxuan, 16APR2021.

PLA Navy photo by Yang Ling, 09AUG2021.

PLA Navy photo by Yang Ling, 09AUG2021.

PLA Navy photo by Gao Hongwei, 06AUG2020.

PLA Navy photo by Gao Hongwei, 06AUG2020.

China is also using their new home grown version of the Tu-16, the H-6K.

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