The Tupolev Tu-22 (NATO code name Blinder) was designed to penetrate enemy airspace at high speed and altitude. Although 311 were manufactured they were not very successful and the final ones were retired in the early 2000s.

In 1954 the Tupolev design bureau began work on a new bomber to replace the Tu-16 (Badger) that could fly fast and high enough to penetrate enemy airspace.

The prototype of the resulting bomber made its first flight in June 1958 but a number of teething problems meant that production did not begin for another year.

Between 1959 and 1969 311 Tu-22s were manufactured in several versions including maritime reconnaissance, trainer and stand-off bomb carrier.

Despite their speed Tu-22s did not offer any real increase in capability over subsonic bombers because of their restricted payload.

They were replaced by the more advanced Tu-22M (Backfire) and retired to service in Russia in 1998.

This model represents a standard Blinder-B

Anigrand 1/144 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in March 2014.