Style of Leadership

His style of leadership was characterized by high exactingness and sharp rejection of slovinliness. However he trusted his assistants whose honesty and erudition were proved during decades of joint work. In difficult situations he assumed authority and responsibility for everything his assistants were doing.

A.N.Tupolev could not forgive falsehood and meanness, lost confidence to responsible person. He could forgive sometime a ruse, “white lie” if he new exactly that the fault would be eliminated by all means.

He was a leader by his nature. His talent, independence of opinion, high human qualities - as democratism, kindness and sympathy - attracted to him talented enthusiasts of aviation. He supported with pleasure useful employees, gave them possibility to show their capabilities. No one of other Design Bureaus managed to bring together such a brilliant collective of first-class designers and specialists. Among them were: V.M.Petlyakov, P.O.Sukhoi, E.I. and .I.Pogosskys, V.M.Myasitchev, A.A.Arkhangelskiy, A.I.Poutilov, S.M.yeger, A.M.Cheryomoukhin, I.F.Nezval, D.S.Markov, N.A.Sokolov, G.S/Frenkel, L.L.Kerber, L.L.Selyakov, K.V.Minkner, A.V.nadashevich, G.A.Ozerov, A.R.Bonin. N.S.Nekrasov, S.A.Vigdorchik, A.S.Fainshtein, A.E.Sterlin, I.B.Iosilovich, A.V.Metcheryakov, I.L.Golovin, T.P.Soprykin, B.M.Kondorskiy, I.S.Lebedev, B.A.Saukke, E.K.Stoman, B.N.Grozdov, V.A.Chizhevskiy, D.A.Gorskiy, V.P.Sakharov, N.V.Kirsanov, T.S.Koulikov and others. In the 1950s this community gradually involved the next generation: A.A.Tupolev, Y.A.Livshitz, N.T.Kozlov, B.V.Sakharov, V.M.Voul, K.V.Yanvarev, G.A.Cheryomukhin, G.M.Gofbauer, V.A.Andreev,m A.S.Kochergin, V.I.Bliznyuk, A.S,Shengardt, N.N.Seliverstov, A.P.Gannushkin, B.N.Sokolov, I.M.Gofbauer, B.A.Gantzevskiy, B.P.Beloglazov, G.V.Makhotkin, L.M.Rodnyanskiy, L.A.Lanovskiy, A.L.Poukhov, L.T.Koulikov, V.M.Razoumikhin, V.V.Soulimenkov, V.A.Aishnevskiy, V.V.Sadkov and tens of other specialists well known in aviation community.

Technical approaches

Starting realization of a task A.N.Tupolev first of all searched for the main thing - a principle lead providing fulfillment of the task. Foundation of native metallurgy of light alloys when manufacturing first all-metal aircraft; raw materials, chemistry, metallurgy, semi-products,, aircraft equipment during realization of TU-4; powerplant arrangement - TU-16, Type of powerplant - TU-95 etc. He structured his decision upon clear understanding of provisions of fundamental science: via experiment and design - towards structure. Having supported the main task he moved to problems of inferior level, always keeping in his mind importance of the task and dates of its realization.

Serviceability of Design

Feeling of private responsibility for technology of aircraft manufacturing was very characterizing for A.N.Tupolev. He took active part in its optimization at serial production plants. He showed a very fine understanding in which case a design should be developed for technology already existed, and when technology should be changed for the sake of progress of aircraft industry.

At our design Bureau a very powerful technological team was arranged for mastering the most advanced technologies both at its research plant and in serial production. At serial production plants A.N.Tupolev was the first to begin foundation of subsidiaries of the Design Bureau at the end of the 1940s. One of the tasks of said subsidiaries was improvement of serviceability of structure in the course of production and building of new modifications of the aircraft.

Progress in Equipment

A.N.Tupolev was always involved into progress in related industries - metallurgy, manufacturing of equipment, engines and other industries which could influence a successful building of aircraft. If Tupolev decided to apply some non-standard design approach he using all his authority and insistence arranged intensive development and adaptation of this novelty. It often used to result in intensive development of suitable science and research directions. It happened like this when using duralumin alloy for the first time, powerful turboprops and propellers, radar, cryogenic equipment and computers, etc.

Large-scale viewing did not prevent from observing that every service could acquire and collect even the tiniest improvements which he called "“positive zeros"”.

Preliminary test under full-scale conditions

It was exactly such a procedure that Tupolev established for comprehensive investigation of critical novelties before they were introduced in main aircraft. Thus duralumin first was utilized in design of airsledge, hydroplane and in some components of experimental aircraft ANT-1, and after that it was used in the first all-metal aircraft ANT-2.

Influence of heavy aircraft wing sweep upon entire package of its characteristics was studied on experimental aircraft “82” and after this it was successfully used in mass TU-16. Wing for supersonic passenger aircraft TU-144 first was tested in aircraft-analogue built for this purpose at Mykoian Design Bureau and after this was installed on TU-144.

He valued himself quite high and never cared for maintenance of his authority. A famous test pilot M.L.Gallay told about it:” I never met in my life a person who cared so little about the impression he made upon people. In might be the reason for the fact that he always made the most sharp impression”.

Unfortunately A.N.Tupolev did not leave any memorial book. He used to joke in reply to the question why he did not write about his life so rich with events and great affairs. And once he said: ”I am not writing - I am doing”. He obviously felt necessity till the end of his life to create something new but not remember about the things done. Andrey N.Tupolev died on the 23-d of December, 1972

ALEXEY A. TUPOLEV

Alexey A.Tupolev was born on the 20-th of May, 1925 in Moscow. His parents - Andrey N.Tupolev and Julia N. Tupoleva. Having not finished his school he was evacuated with his parents to Omsk. After school in 1942 he entered Design Bureau named after A.N.Tupolev as a designer. The first work he fulfilled as a designer was a wooden rear fuselage for TU-2 that was accepted in to production because of shortage of metal during the war.

In 1943 having returned to Moscow he entered Moscow Aviation Institute named after S.Ordgenikidze. Having graduated from the Institute he came to the Design Bureau to join the team headed by B.M. Kondorskiy. Alexey Tupolev participated in development of aircraft “88” (TU-16) layout with two turboprops and suggested his own approach of engines arrangement at fuselage side behind the second wing spar and with one leg undercarriage. Upon consideration of the proposed arrangement by General Designer it was accepted by the team of technical projects headed by S.M.Yeger to be further developed.