“The fastest propeller-driven airplane in history, the [Tu-95] bomber...”
I dunno if the story is true or not, but I’ve always heard that long-term hearing loss is fairly common among Bear pilots and crew due to the constant high levels of noise put out by the plane’s massive turboprop engines.
Either way, it’s a remarkable airplane. Interesting that it has outlasted both its jet powered contemporary - the Tu-16 Badger - and even later designs like the Tu-22 Blinder.
I don't know about that, but I know a guy at a nearby store who is almost deaf, and he says it's because he was in Air Force [doing some specific work] for a bit too long. Loud noises from engines that are as powered as we can make them, and there is only so much protection that is even possible, short of a spacesuit.
The TU-95 remains the fastest propeller-driven aircraft in history (a bigger, heavier, passenger version Tu-114 with de-rated engines, holds the FAI certified world speed record at 541.23 mph average speed on a 1000 km closed circuit carrying a load equivalent to only 200kg short of the weight of three Douglas DC-3’s.
The reason the Tu-95 stayed around so long for the Russkies was its range/payload, nothing else IMO.