The Tu-4 was a direct copy of the B-29s that landed in Siberia and were never returned.

Thus, they did have radials.

Were there ever ones fitted with turboprops? Anyone?

The Tu-4 was a ‘reverse-engineered’ B-29 – not a direct copy.

Thus it was actually lighter than the original, used Soviet ASh-73TK radials and was armed with 20mm cannon.

Despite all the urban myths about the Soviets copying it piece for piece – including the bullet holes 😮 it was actually a remarkable piece of engineering to copy such a complex machine in just 12 months – it certainly surprised the western ‘experts’ who had doubted that it could possibly be done at all!

The Tu-4 was also used as an engine testbed at various times – with a turbojet under the belly, a 2TV-2F turboprop (as fitted to the prototype Tu-95 Bear) in the No 3 nacelle, an Ivchenko AI-20 turboprop on the port wing and an NK-4 in the starboard wing (Il-18 & An-10 engines respectively), another had TWO AI-20’s in the No 1 & 4 positions.

The Chinese also re-engined their Tu-4’s with FOUR copies of the AI-20 turboprop – and developed it even further to become the AWACS testbed and a drone launcher (using captured copies of the Ryan Firebee).

Ken

PS – and before anyone criticises those dastardly Soviets for ‘copying’ the top secret US Bomber, just bear the following in mind……

1. They were our allies at the time – whatever you may think of them.
2. They had been asking for the supply of B-29’s under Lend-Lease – but had been denied.
3. They were obliged, under the terms of a Japanese-Soviet non-agression pact, to inter ANY US equipment AND CREW that landed on Soviet territory.
4. That same pact therebye released thousands of Soviet troops to fight on the western front, when they would otherwise have been fighting the Japanese.
5. They duly interred the three B-29’s that landed in the Soviet Far East – but allowed the crews to ‘escape’ back to the west via Iran.
6. Tupolev, who was tasked with ‘reverse-engineering’ the B-29, did not want to do so – he had what he reckoned was a better design on the drawing boards. He was ‘forced’ into doing so by Stalin.