Tu-4 Tanker / Tu-16N Badger / IL-78 Midas – PDF

The Tupolev Tu-4 “Bull” represented the Soviet Union’s first serious steps toward an operational aerial-refueling capability. During the early 1950s, the piston-powered Tu-4 bomber was adapted for experiments and operational development using a distinctive wing-to-wing refueling system. Modified Tu-4s allowed Soviet crews to develop techniques for transferring fuel in flight and demonstrated how aerial refueling could extend the range of long-range bombers. Although the Tu-4’s tanker career was limited, it established valuable experience that influenced later Soviet refueling systems.

The next major step was the Tupolev Tu-16N “Badger,” developed from the successful Tu-16 jet bomber. Entering the tanker role during the 1960s, the Tu-16N used a hose-and-drogue system and provided refueling support for Soviet long-range aircraft. Along with other tanker variants of the Tu-16 family, the Badger helped make aerial refueling a regular component of Soviet long-range aviation rather than the specialized capability it had been during the Tu-4 era.

During the final decade of the Cold War, the Soviet Union introduced the much larger Ilyushin Il-78 “Midas.” Developed from the Il-76 Candid military transport, the Il-78 was designed specifically for aerial refueling and offered substantially greater fuel capacity and operational flexibility than the earlier bomber-derived tankers. Equipped with multiple hose-and-drogue refueling units, the Midas could support tactical fighters as well as long-range bombers and other large aircraft, significantly expanding the reach of Soviet air operations.

Together, the Tu-4, Tu-16N, and Il-78 illustrate the evolution of Soviet aerial refueling across the Cold War. The piston-powered Bull represents the experimental and developmental beginnings of Soviet in-flight refueling, the jet-powered Badger represents its establishment as an operational long-range aviation capability, and the Midas represents the emergence of a modern, high-capacity tanker force. The Il-78 continued in service after the collapse of the Soviet Union and remains the principal tanker family associated with Russian long-range military aviation.

Tupolev Tu-4 “Bull” Tanker
Service Branch: Soviet Air Forces / Long-Range Aviation
Soviet Tanker Service: 1950s
Number Built: Tankers converted from existing Tu-4 aircraft

Tupolev Tu-16N “Badger” Tanker
Service Branch: Soviet Air Forces / Long-Range Aviation
Soviet Tanker Service: 1960s–1990s
Number Built: Tankers converted from existing Tu-16 aircraft

Ilyushin Il-78 “Midas”
Service Branch: Soviet Air Forces / Russian Aerospace Forces
Soviet/Russian Service: 1984–Present
Number Built: 50+

What’s Included:

For each aircraft:

• 4 1.5” square counter images
• 8 1” square counter images
• 11 .75” square counter images
• 13 .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.