Tu-126 Moss / A-50 Mainstay – PDF

The Tupolev Tu-126 “Moss” was the Soviet Union’s first operational airborne early warning aircraft. Developed from the Tu-114 turboprop airliner, the Tu-126 was created during the late 1950s and early 1960s to improve detection of aircraft approaching Soviet territory, particularly across regions where ground-based radar coverage was limited. Its most distinctive feature was the large rotating radome mounted above the fuselage, housing the Liana radar system used to detect and track airborne targets at extended ranges.

Entering service during the 1960s, the Tu-126 provided the Soviet air-defense system with a mobile long-range radar platform capable of patrolling areas beyond the effective reach of fixed radar stations. Moss aircraft operated particularly in support of Soviet northern and maritime approaches, where detecting low-flying or distant Western aircraft presented a significant challenge. Although produced in very small numbers, the Tu-126 established the operational foundation for Soviet airborne early warning operations.

By the 1970s, advances in aircraft, cruise missiles, electronic warfare, and radar technology created the need for a substantially more capable successor. The Beriev A-50 “Mainstay”, developed from the Ilyushin Il-76 Candid transport, provided greater performance and a new generation of surveillance and command systems. Entering Soviet service during the 1980s, the A-50 could detect and track numerous airborne targets while helping coordinate fighter and interceptor operations across a large area.

Together, the Tu-126 and A-50 illustrate the evolution of Soviet airborne early warning and control during the Cold War. The Tu-126 introduced an operational airborne radar capability during the era of strategic bombers and early cruise missiles, while the A-50 expanded that mission into a more sophisticated airborne command-and-control system capable of supporting modern fighter operations. The transition from the turboprop Moss to the jet-powered Mainstay mirrors the broader development of Soviet air-defense technology from the early Cold War into its final decade.

Tupolev Tu-126 “Moss”
Service Branch: Soviet Air Defense Forces
Soviet Service: 1965–1984
Number Built: 9

Beriev A-50 “Mainstay”
Service Branch: Soviet Air Defense Forces / Russian Aerospace Forces
Soviet/Russian Service: 1985–Present
Number Built: 40+

What’s Included:

For both aircraft.

• 6 1.5” square counter images
• 12 1” square counter images
• 17 .75” square counter images
• 20 .625” square counter images
• Numbered Images to assist with game organization and tracking
• Printable PDF format for personal gaming use

Each image size is contained on a ½ sheet.

• Enables users to save paper and print 2 types of aircraft on the same page.
• Print one set of aircraft images then reverse the page in the printer and print a second type of your choice on the same page.