The USSR designed and built some 36 of these bombers, which are now operated exclusively by the Russian air force (after they bought a number from Ukraine in exchange for writing off gas bills).
The aircraft first flew in 1981 and entered service in 1987. The type has been used in combat, striking targets in Syria in the past few years. All remaining in-service aircraft are based at Engels Air Force Base in Engels, Saratov Oblast, Russia.
The aircraft shown here is the short-lived Ukrainian Air Force version then sold to Russia in about 1998.
I bought the kit in Leningrad in 2003 and started it ten years ago. It took me as long to build as the factory took to produce the last three airframes.
UPDATE: Winner of the 2019 ANTONOV AWARD for best Ukrainian subject at Heritagcon-13, Sunday 24 March 2019 at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton Canada
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| Winner of the 2019 ANTONOV AWARD for best Ukrainian subject at Heritagcon-13, Sunday 24 March 2019 at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton Canada |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
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| Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan (Ukraine Air Force) |
