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Tupolev Tu-144 prototype CCCP-68001 static display Paris Air Show 1971

Colour photograph TU-144 "00-1" CCCP-68001 prototype 1971 Paris Airshow Static exibit

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A historic look at the world’s first supersonic airliner prototype.

This archival photograph captures the Tupolev Tu-144 Prototype (CCCP-68001) during its international debut at the 1971 Paris Air Show. Proudly sporting its official display number (826), this was the first supersonic transport to take flight, beating the Concorde into the air by two months. This image is a rare record of the prototype in its original experimental configuration.

Photographer: Stuart H. Bourne
Historical Note: Original Prototype (Show No. 826)
Format: Archival Single Print (Multiple Sizes Available)

The Dawn of Supersonic Travel: Tu-144 Prototype CCCP-68001

Own a piece of aviation's most ambitious era with this archival photograph of the Tupolev Tu-144 Prototype. Captured at the 1971 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, this image documents airframe CCCP-68001—the very aircraft that made history on December 31, 1968, as the first commercial supersonic transport (SST) to fly.

A Unique Design Record For the serious collector, this photograph is particularly significant because it showcases the prototype’s unique design features before production standardized the fleet. Carrying Show Number (826), this aircraft was the "Face of the Future" for the Soviet Union during the 1971 exhibition. Unlike the later production models, the prototype is notable for its lack of retractable nose canards and its distinct engine nacelle arrangement.

Following its test flight program, this historic prototype was retired and eventually scrapped in the mid-1970s. As few high-quality, professional photographs exist of the prototype in its 1971 display configuration, this print by Stuart H. Bourne is a vital document for aviation historians.

Colour photograph TU-144 "00-1" CCCP-68001 prototype 1971 Paris Airshow Static exibit

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