Here’s Why Soviet Aircraft Have Glass Noses & Western Jets Don’t

While the fierce competition of the Cold War saw the Soviet Union copy or develop analogues to many Western aircraft (e.g., Concorde vs Tu-144, B-29 vs Tu-4), the Soviets also came up with their own unique innovations and characteristics. For example, Soviet/Russian military aircraft are famous for their turquoise or blue-green cockpits. Look at some Soviet/Ukrainian/Russian aircraft (e.g., IL-76s, some Antonov series, and early Tu-134s), and one will notice glass noses.