Arkhangelsky and his Ar-2 dive bomber

The aircraft had several variant names: “N” PK, PK, SB-RK - the final version was Ar-2 (Arkhangelsky was the second). This last designation appeared in December 1940 after the decision of I.V. Stalin to assign designations to new aircraft based on the capital letters of the surnames of the chief designers. In this case, the bombers were numbered in even numbers, starting with the number “2”, and the fighters were numbered in odd numbers, starting with the number “1”. The Ar-2 became the latest modification of the SB high-speed bomber, incorporating the developments of several previous aircraft, starting with the MMN aircraft.

The emergence of SB-RK

At the beginning of 1940, the 22nd aircraft plant continued to refine the SB of various modifications. In January, the second copy of the MMN (MMN-2) began to fly with M-104 engines, SB No. 20/207 with an installation for filling gas tanks with inert gas to prevent fire in case of combat damage, SB No. 18/206 with M-103 engines equipped turbochargers TK-2.

Experiments to increase the flight range were further developed, and vehicles with various equipment and weapons were tested. Against this background, a new aircraft appeared completely unnoticed, which received the factory definition in everyday life as “SB with narrowed engine nacelles.” This experimental SB bomber with M-105 engines, serial number 2/281, was distinguished by a wing with a reduced span and area similar to the wing of the MMN aircraft. The water-cooling radiators were retracted into a detachable section of the wing with air intakes at the leading edge, so the shape of the engine nacelles became more aerodynamically efficient.

In the spring of 1940, pilot Lipkin tested the aircraft. The achieved maximum speed of 492 km/h at an altitude of 4700 meters inspired confidence in further achievements, so at the end of April Arkhangelsky turned to the People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry Shakhurin with a proposal to launch this modification into mass production from the second half of 1940. To confirm the results obtained, a new aircraft, already under the designation SB-RK (wing radiators or SB with radiators located in the wing), they were transferred for testing to the Air Force Research Institute. The flights took place from May 11 to May 15, 1940. The leading test pilot was Colonel Kabanov; the flight pilots were Stefanovsky, Khripkov, Dolgov, Shcherbakov, Sokolov.

Comparative table of aircraft SB 2M-103, SB-RK, Ar-2 No. 1/511 and aircraft “100” (Pe-2 produced by plant No. 39) Characteristics are given according to state test data

Modifications and weapons

Since the release of the AR 2 bomber did not last long, the aircraft did not have time to acquire modifications. But the design solutions incorporated in the aircraft served as the basis for the creation of the SBB (High-Speed ​​Short-Range Bomber) project. The only copy of such an aircraft was built and tested at the end of 1940 - beginning of 1941.

Further development of the AR 2 and SBB projects was hampered by the hasty deployment at the 22nd plant of the production of the more promising PE 2 dive bomber, which by March 1941 had completely ousted the AR 2 from production. The outbreak of war and the subsequent evacuation of the Arkhangelsky Design Bureau to Omsk put an end to the projects.

The armament design of the AR 2 serial bomber was a development of solutions tested on SB and MMN aircraft.

As a defensive weapon, the aircraft had three firing points equipped with 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns:

• Bow ball launcher, from which the navigator fired. The machine gun had a conventional mechanical sight and 500 rounds of ammunition.
• TSS 1 rotating turret with a collimator sight and 1000 rounds of ammunition, located on the upper rear side of the fuselage. From above, the installation was closed with a sliding plexiglass cap, in which there was a cutout for the barrel of a machine gun.
• Retractable turret with 600 rounds to protect the lower hemisphere. Fire from both installations in the rear was conducted by one onboard gunner.

All three AR 2 points had good firing angles and left virtually no “dead” zones. The big disadvantage was the use of one shooter to service two installations. When two fighters attacked from different directions, the gunner was simply physically unable to repulse them simultaneously.

To improve combat qualities, a number of improvements were introduced in bomb weapons.

The AR 2 dive bomber had external and internal suspensions that allowed the use of up to four high-explosive bombs weighing 250 kilograms each. All outer holders have been recessed to improve aerodynamics.

German soldiers inspect the Soviet Ar-2 bomber shot down near Demyansk.

Subsequently, the number of bombs weighing 250 kg was increased to six (overload). Optionally, instead of them, three more powerful FAB 500 bombs could be suspended, weighing half a ton each. In this case, one bomb was placed inside the fuselage, and two - on external suspensions. Both types of bombs could be used for dive bombing.

When using the AR 2 aircraft for bombing in horizontal flight, there were three combinations of bomb suspension:

1. 3 bombs weighing 500 kg,
2. 6 bombs weighing 250 kg (two of them on the internal suspension),
3. 12 FAB 100 bombs weighing 100 kg each (4 of them outside the fuselage).

In addition to high-explosive bombs, the AR 2 bomber could carry chemical weapons, consisting of two VAP pouring devices or two UKAP chemical aircraft devices. Both devices could be filled with any poisonous or incendiary substance and were mounted only on an external sling.

SB 2M-103

SB-RK

Dive bomber

In parallel with the development of the SB-RK 2M-105, the Arkhangelsk Design Bureau began developing a new high-speed short-range bomber SBB. At first, the new aircraft had the index C (under this designation the aircraft model was purged at TsAGI), but soon the aircraft index was replaced by B. The aircraft was conceived as a radical modification of the serial SB with increased flight and combat performance and continuity in production technology. When designing it, the experience of creating the MMN, SB-RK, and later the Ar-2 was used. The SSB crew included a pilot, a navigator and a gunner-radio operator.

The main advantage of the new aircraft was its significantly improved aerodynamics. The general layout and combat scheme of the B bomber were similar to the SB aircraft, but with a two-tail tail. In order to “maximize the speed of the aircraft,” the load per unit area of ​​the wing in the normal version of the combat load was increased to 149 kg/m² and to 162 kg/m² in the overload version. In this regard, the wing area was reduced to 40 m². The wing became shorter and slightly narrower in comparison with the SB wing. At the same time, to ensure the required landing speed, it was planned to use TsAGI flaps, which were a cross between conventional flaps and Fowler flaps. The wing profile was chosen as a high-speed NACA-22 type with a relative thickness at the root of 14.7% and at the tip of 8%.

The SBB design assumed the widespread use of open profiles instead of pipes, stamping, and load-bearing cladding. The skin of the SBB aircraft, and especially the wing, was made smooth with flush riveting. The wing tip and its upper part between the wing spars had a skin of bakelite plywood glued to a metal frame. It was assumed that such a wing design should provide the necessary strength and good aerodynamics.

The fuselage was made in the form of a well-streamlined “airship shape”, which, according to experts, was the most advantageous from the point of view of aerodynamics.

Water radiators were located inside the center section of the wing with an inlet at the center section toe and an outlet at the rear. Moreover, it was supposed to use ribbed aluminum radiators designed by the Leningrad SKV NKAP.

The tail support was retractable in flight. The design of the aircraft provided for a significant simplification of technology compared to the SB aircraft. The SBB used open profiles, including spars (instead of pipes on the SSB). Exposed riveting was used throughout the car. A number of elements were made by stamping. The number of welded assemblies was reduced and replaced with stamped ones made of duralumin and steel.

The center section spars were steel channels with flanges connected to each other by braces made of pipes, and in some places by sheet metal.

The flanges of the side members of the detachable part of the wing were made of two pressed corners riveted together with a flange bent in cross-section. The upper and lower belts were connected to each other by a smooth sheet supported by vertical corner posts.

The ribs were stamped from sheet duralumin. The upper wing skin between the spars, working in compression, was reinforced from the inside with corrugation. This section of the upper skin passed entirely through the fuselage. For the same purpose, in order not to make any cuts in the lower part of the wing, they refused to retract the landing gear into the wing.

For the “correct operation” of the load-bearing part of the skin, the connection of the detachment with the center section was carried out not at four points, but along the entire contour of the bow in the area between the side members.

The use of load-bearing skin ensured greater survivability of the aircraft and made it possible to better “make the surface and maintain the wing profile.”

According to calculations, the safety margin was provided in the case of Ak equal to 8 instead of 1 for the SB aircraft.

The M-105 with a TK-2 turbocharger was considered as the main engine of the SBB power plant. In addition to it, it was supposed to use the M-106 engine.

By this time, the M-105 had already passed 50-hour state tests, and the TK-2 turbocharger was installed on an SB aircraft with M-103 engines for flight testing.

In the future, in order to further improve the aerodynamics of the aircraft, it was planned to install the M-105TK upside down. In this case, the layout of the engine unit and radiator was improved and space was freed up in the wing to accommodate gas tanks instead of radiators. There was an agreement on this issue with the engine builders of the 26th plant. However, later this version of the engine installation was abandoned as it did not have significant advantages for the bomber aircraft over the traditional installation of the engine.

In both options, it was planned to use three-bladed propellers of the 3-SMV-2 type variable in flight with a diameter of 3.25 m.

The normal bomb load was 600 kg, during overload - 1000 kg (of which 800 kg inside the fuselage). The range of aerial bombs included aerial bombs of calibers from 2.5 to 250 kg. At the same time, small fragmentation and incendiary bombs of 2.5-15 kg caliber, as well as chemical bullets, were loaded into cassettes of small bombs. High-explosive aerial bombs of 250 kg caliber and air-draining devices of the VAP-200 type were suspended only on external bomb racks. The reloading version of the bomb load was obtained by using 10 FAB-100s, of which 8 were placed in the fuselage, and a couple of “hundreds” were placed on external bomb racks.

Small arms included one normal-caliber UltraShKAS machine gun in the navigator's nose mount and one UltraShKAS or ShVAK-12.7 heavy machine gun on the pivot for the radio operator. The navigator's machine gun had 600 rounds of ammunition, and the radio operator's gunner had 800 rounds of ammunition for the UltraShKAS and 300 rounds of ammunition for the ShVAK.

The normal flight weight of the SBB with M-105TK engines was 5961 kg, and with the M-106 engine - 5851 kg. The estimated maximum flight speed with M-105TK engines was supposed to be 455 km/h at the ground and 612 km/h at an altitude of 9000 m, with M-106 engines - 587 km/h at an altitude of 7000 m.

The rate of climb of a bomber with the M-105TK was expected to be higher than in the version with M-106 engines - the SBB 2M-105TK climbed to a height of 5000 m in 5.5 minutes, and the SBB 2M-106 in 6 minutes.

In both variants, the takeoff run with normal flight weight without the use of flaps was 350 m. The landing speed did not exceed 118 km/h.

The flight range of the SBB at a speed of 0.8 from the maximum did not exceed 880 km in the version with M-105TK engines and 970 km in the version with M-106 engines. In the fuel overload version, the maximum flight range with a take-off weight of 6466 kg could be no more than 1500 km.

To increase the flight range, the project provided for the suspension under the wing of outboard jettisonable fuel tanks for 520 kg of fuel. In this case, the take-off weight of the aircraft reached 7025 kg.

In November 1939, after discussing the SBB layout, a decision was made to build the aircraft. According to the Decree of the Defense Committee of March 4, 1940, two copies of the B-1 and B-2 were built. The first option corresponded to the variant of a high-speed bomber, and the second - to a dive bomber. The B-2 aircraft differed from the B-1 in having a wider fuselage and a slightly different layout of the forward fuselage.

The prototype B-1, which was equipped with serial M-105 engines, was completed by October 1940, after which factory testing began. On October 20, the B-1 was taken to the airfield of the 22nd plant, ground work and taxiing were carried out. Bearing in mind the sad experience of testing the SPB 2M-105, which was accompanied by disasters and numerous forced landings due to the fault of the M-105 engines, the first flights of the B-1 under the factory test program were decided to be carried out from a large airfield. The plane was transported to the Central Airfield, where test flights were carried out on October 30. The approaches showed that the B-1 was ready for its first flight, however, due to the lack of a TsAGI conclusion on flutter, they did not dare to release the aircraft on its first flight. After receiving a conclusion from TsAGI, pilot Yu. K. Stankevich performed the first flight on the B-1 on November 6. Having completed 6 flights, which were generally successful, they decided to transport the car back to the airfield of the 22nd plant in Fili in the summer. On November 26, 1940, after landing at the airfield in Fili, the left landing gear strut broke during taxiing.

Meanwhile, at the end of October 1940, M.A. Lipkin took into the air the BB-22PB dive bomber, which, with a flight weight of 5962 kg, showed a speed of 533 km/h at an altitude of 5100 m. The bomb load of the “twenty-second” included 4 FAB- 100 or 2 FAB-250.

Preparations for factory testing of the head serial dive bomber PB-100 produced by plant No. 39 were in full swing. The first flights under the factory testing program were scheduled for the first ten days of December.

It was at this time, on November 18, 1940, that a meeting of the joint commission of the NKAP, the Air Force and TsAGI was held, during which, based on a comparison of the main characteristics of the PB-100, SB-RK, BB-22PB and B bombers, it was concluded that it was advisable to launch into mass production as the main dive bomber of the Air Force KA of the PB-100 aircraft and about maintaining the BB-22 in the series (to be on the safe side, since it was built from non-scarce materials). With regard to the B-1 aircraft, it was indicated that the latter, compared to the PB-100 with the same engines and original defensive weapons, has significantly better takeoff and landing characteristics and rate of climb. However, the commission did not make any decisions on the B-1 (on stopping or intensifying work on the aircraft). According to the commission’s conclusion, “...aircraft B, compared to the PB-100, is one year late and has not yet passed testing.”

Such cautious behavior of the commission is quite understandable. On the one hand, the commission members may have already understood that in the event of war, the well-developed technology of the B bomber and its good takeoff, landing and aerobatic qualities would play almost a decisive role in the rapid deployment of mass production of combat vehicles and the training of wartime flight personnel , having in all respects poor initial flight training. In addition, the launch of the Pe-2 bomber, which was quite difficult for the Soviet aviation industry, into mass production still concealed many pitfalls, and one still could not expect good results from the BB-22PB 2M-105. But, on the other hand, how the B-1 would behave in the future, and especially its engine installation, was still not completely clear. The commission members wisely decided not to take risks - “Better a bird in the hand than a pie in the sky.” The decision on the B-1 was postponed “for later,” and Arkhangelsky was given the chance to bring his bomber to flight-combat condition.

Taking advantage of the accident, the Arkhangelsky Design Bureau decided, simultaneously with the repair of the landing gear, to make a number of changes to the aircraft design based on the results of the first test flights. In an updated form, the B-1 bomber again went on a test flight only on February 20, 1941. From March 24 to July 9, 1941, factory tests were carried out, during which test pilot Yu. K. Stankevich reached maximum speed at an altitude of 4900 m 540 km/h. It was expected that after eliminating some design flaws, the bomber's speed would increase to 560-565 km/h.

On April 10, NKAP order No. 309 followed, according to which the entire design team of A. A. Arkhangelsky was transferred to the 32nd plant. Despite the difficulties associated with moving and settling into a new location, in the summer of 1941 the second version of the SBB was built - the dive bomber B -2. It was assumed that, compared to the B-1, its maximum speed at the design altitude would be 40-60 km/h higher.

At the same time, due to the success of the 103 and 103U bombers in testing at the Air Force Research Institute of Spacecraft, the military and NKAP's interest in the B aircraft steadily declined, and the outbreak of the war interrupted all work on this machine. A. A. Arkhangelsky himself, by order of the NKAP No. 823 of August 9, 1941, was transferred to aircraft plant No. 156 to organize the repair and restoration of serial SB bombers. Subsequently, the design bureau of A. A. Arkhangelsky was evacuated to Omsk in October 1941, and the B-1 aircraft was sent to the rear in December 1941. What happened to him next is unknown.

Ar-2

*The length of the Ar-2 aircraft, according to other sources, is 12,640 m.

Performance characteristics

Already during early test runs, the AR 2 dive bomber with a weight of 6600 kg was able to be accelerated to a speed of 475 km/h at 4700 m. At the same time, climbing to such a height took about 5 minutes. The maximum flight ceiling depended on the load and ranged from 9 to 10 km. The maximum flight range with a bomb load of 500 kg on an internal sling was 990 kilometers.

The power of the power plant was quite enough to continue the flight on one engine, while the propeller of the second engine was feathered.

The serial bomber AR 2 was equipped with M 105R engines equipped with exhaust pipes that made it possible to use the reactive energy of gases. At takeoff, the engines developed power up to 1100 hp, and at the altitude limit - 1050 hp. The motors were equipped with a modernized VIT1T-22E propeller with a diameter increased to 3100 mm.

Due to the increased diameter, the gear ratio of the AR 2 engines was changed. In addition, much attention was paid to the quality of the external finishing of the fuselage and wings.

Due to all the measures, it was possible to achieve a speed of 443 km/h at the ground and about 512 km/h at the operating altitude of the engines, which increased to 5000 m.

The time to climb to such an altitude for production aircraft has increased to 6.5 minutes.

Flight tests showed good dive characteristics. The aircraft entered its peak at an altitude of about 4000 m at a speed of just under 300 km/h. By the time it came out of its dive, the speed of the AR 2 bomber reached 550 km/h with an overload of 4.5 G. The main overall dimensions of the aircraft are given in the table.

Pe-2

Airplane SB-RK (Radiators, Wing) with reduced wings. Spring 1940

Main results of flight testing: SB-RK No. 2/281 with a flight weight of 6300 kg developed a speed of 411 km/h at the ground, and 480 km/h at an altitude of 4700 meters. The time to climb to 5000 m was 8.55 minutes, the service ceiling was 10.1 km. The pilots did not find any particular differences in the piloting technique of the new SB, but noted an increased take-off speed during takeoff and gliding speed during landing, as well as a delayed reaction of the aircraft when the ailerons were deflected. At the same time, it was emphasized that the aircraft was tested without turrets (meaning the upper MV-3 ​​and the hatch MV-2), in general it is far from perfect and, in its presented form, cannot be considered as a standard for mass production. It was proposed, on the basis of this SB-RK, to prepare an improved standard for production by July 1, 1940, and then build a military series of 15 copies.

Among the additional changes, it was proposed to install a navigator's cabin (F-1) like that of the MMN aircraft and a new cap (screen) reduced in height for the MV-3 ​​turret. With all the improvements, there was every reason to get an aircraft with a maximum speed of about 500 km/h. In the future, the SB-RK was supposed to be used as a dive bomber, equipped with underwing, extendable brake grilles and the installation of an automatic dive recovery. For the first time, these devices were installed on an aircraft with serial number 1/281 - dive flights were carried out from July 27 to August 11, 1940. The first three aircraft, on which all of the above innovations and changes were implemented, were manufactured in the second half of August 1940.

The main differences between the SB-RK aircraft and the standard SB 201 series produced and its design features.

The wing is reduced in span by 2.3 m and in area by 8.5 m2. At the same time, the aileron area decreased from 2,317 m2 to 1,686 m2. To reduce the landing speed, the area of ​​the center-plane landing flap is increased. The engines are covered with streamlined hoods with a minimal cross-section. On the first series machines, on the inside of the hoods, i.e. On the pilot’s side, two instruments were installed to monitor the operation of the propeller-engine group. Plate radiators for water cooling of the engines are installed inside the detachable part of the wing with air intakes located in their leading edge. The flow of cooling air was regulated by movable flaps located on the upper surface of the wing. Due to the installation of radiators, the capacity of the fuel tanks was reduced to 330 liters compared to 405 liters on the SB bomber.

The section of the skin of the upper part of the fuselage in the center section area in the space between frames No. 4 and 8 is made in the form of a compartment laminated from bakelite plywood. This compartment, called the “top”, was assembled separately and installed on the main frame in assembled form. Under the “hump” there was a radio half-compass antenna frame. To reduce the speed during a dive, under the detachable parts of the wing there are brake grilles made of steel pipes with an oval cross-section. When entering a dive, after opening the air system valve, the brake grilles deviated to a position perpendicular to the flow. The release of the grilles was signaled to the pilot by mechanical indicators - “soldiers” coming out of the wing skin in the area between the 10th and 11th ribs. Entering into a dive was carried out by simultaneously deflecting upward the elevator trim tabs. When the bomb release button or the duplicate command button was pressed, the trimmers returned to their original position.

Ar-2 dive bomber during state tests in February 1941.

The front part of the SB-RK fuselage has a completely redesigned design, with increased visibility for the pilot and navigator, ensuring direct communication between them (i.e., the pilot and navigator could exchange gestures or transmit something to each other). The pilot moved to the left to obtain a forward view during a dive approach through the glazing of the navigation cabin, his instrument panel is mainly grouped on the right side of the cabin. The pilot's canopy opens backwards upward. The navigator has a significantly increased glass area and a second control with a folding steering wheel. The bow-mounted rifle installation of the “NU” type (in a number of documents called NU-DBZF, since it was developed primarily for the new modification of the DB-ZF bomber) has one ShKAS machine gun with a supply of 500 cartridges. The ShKAS machine gun in this installation was mounted in a special ball head, the so-called. “Apple”, allowing firing forward in a 50° cone. The machine gun is fed via a flexible hose from the cartridge box on the starboard side of the navigation cabin.

The nose of the Ar-2 aircraft during testing. The bomb bay is open. The engine nacelles of the M-105 engines are covered with warm quilted covers. A socket of warm air from the ground heater is connected to the right engine. The bow-mounted rifle installation of the “NU” type (in a number of documents called NU-DBZF, since it was developed primarily for the new modification of the DB-ZF bomber) has one ShKAS machine gun with a supply of 500 cartridges. The ShKAS machine gun in this installation was mounted in a special ball head - an “apple”, which allowed firing forward in a 50′ cone. The machine gun was fed via a flexible hose from the cartridge box on the starboard side of the navigation cabin

The upper aft machine gun mount designed by Toropov, firing only the rear hemisphere, was designated TSS-1 (turret of a high-speed aircraft), equipped with a K-8T collimator sight, and has a supply of 1000 cartridges. The turret was a semi-ring (sector) along which a carriage with a machine gun head moved. In the stowed position, the machine gun was mounted on the left side; the canopy had a small cutout for this position. Top light, so-called “turtle”, when firing, moved back on rollers along the rails and partially rose up to protect the shooter from the oncoming air flow. Firing from the TSS-1 could be carried out 90° left and right, up 60°, down 30°.

To defend the lower hemisphere, the SB-RK is equipped with a retractable MV-2 turret with a ShKAS machine gun, an OP-2L sight, and a supply of 600 cartridges. The MV-2 was mounted on a special frame (cradle), which rose upward in the stowed position. In the central part of the frame, in the area of ​​the machine gun handle, there was a copier-limiter that prevented it from getting into its crutch wheel. When the MV-2 was transferred to the firing position, the two lower glazed doors opened, after which the machine gun, along with the cradle, was lowered out. Aimed shooting from the MV-2 allowed firing at 30° to the sides, vertically from 4 - 5 to 55°.

The middle part of the fuselage of the Ar-2 aircraft in the area of ​​the air gunner's cockpit

To drop bombs of 250 kg or 500 kg caliber, new NP-1 holders were equipped under the SB-RK center section. The bombs were attached in the area of ​​the center of gravity using one central lock and were additionally fixed using side stops. To carry out aiming, the navigator was equipped with an NKPB-3 sight (for bombing at night and at low altitudes) and an OPB-1M sight. The pilot was equipped with a PBP-1 collimator sight, designed for dive bombing. All of these changes began to be implemented on production aircraft in the fall of 1940. State tests of one of the first SB-RK, in which all the new design and equipment were finally formalized, were carried out until December 1940, when the decision was made to rename it Ar-2 (Arkhangelsk-second). It was under this designation that the vehicle appeared in the title of the test report, but in the text the aircraft was still identified as SB-RK.

Click to enlarge

The final report stated that the SB-RK aircraft, manufactured on the basis of the SB, in its flight-tactical data is significantly better than the serial SB aircraft, but in speed it lags behind modern foreign and domestic twin-engine bombers (the latter were understood as SPB, BB-22 and , primarily the Pe-2, which showed a maximum flight speed of 540 km/h). The maximum speed of the aircraft with a flight weight of 6600 kg at an altitude of 4700 m was 475 km/h instead of the specified maximum speed of 490 km/h. The rate of climb and ceiling satisfy the tactical and technical requirements requirements for medium bombers. The practical ceiling of the aircraft with a normal flight weight of 6600 kg is 10,000 m; with a flight weight of 7100 kg with four FAB-250s on an external sling, the ceiling was 9000 m. The time to climb 5000 m with a flight weight of 6600 kg was 7.1 minutes, with a flight weight of 6600 kg. weight 7100 kg - 9.3 min. The takeoff length with a flight weight of 7100 kg is 340 meters.

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Improvements to the Ar-2 dive bomber continued in 1941. In February 1941, the improved Ar-2 with serial number 1/511 entered state testing. This car was considered the flagship for the new 511 series and featured some improvements. The M-105 engines were moved forward by 150 mm to improve longitudinal stability. VISH-22E propellers with a diameter of 3.1 m were installed instead of the previous diameter of 3.0 m (accordingly, the M-105 was installed with a reduction of 0.59 instead of 0.66). The aircraft featured improved finishing and aerodynamics - thinner brake grilles and jet exhaust pipes were installed. These modifications made it possible to obtain a maximum speed of 505-512 km/h on the Ar-2 No. 1/511 instead of the previous 475 km/h. However, they decided to remove the aircraft from serial production, replacing it with the new diving Pe-2, which not only had higher flight characteristics, but also had significant reserves for subsequent improvement.

Summary table of the main technical and flight characteristics of SB aircraft of various years of production

Combat use

Deliveries of serial AR 2 aircraft to combat units began in December 1940, and they were designated in documents as the SB of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Bombers mainly fell into the following units:

1. 20 aircraft in the 2nd SBAP (Speed ​​Bomber Aviation Regiment) of the Leningrad District. The regiment was based at the Kresttsy airfield in the Leningrad region.
2. An unspecified number of aircraft entered the 46th SBAP and 54th SBAP of the Baltic District, based at the Shavli airfield and in the Vilna region.
3. An unknown number of AR 2 bombers arrived at the 13th SBAP Western District, located in Russia, and later in Borisovshchina.
4. There were a certain number of AR 2 in the 33rd SBAP of the Kyiv district in Belaya Tserkov and Gorodishche.
5. An unknown number of bombers were in the 27th IAP (fighter aviation regiment) of the Moscow District, based at the Central Airfield of Moscow.
6. 19 bombers were part of the Baltic Fleet aviation (as part of the 73rd BAP) and another 6 were in training units. The regiment's equipment was stationed in Pärnu.
7. One AP 2 was under the control of the Fleet Air Force Directorate.

The most active development of new technology and dive bombing techniques was carried out by the flight crew of the 13th SBAP. According to the recollections of veterans, by the spring of 1941, the pilots had quite successfully mastered the new method of attack. Almost all of the regiment's equipment was destroyed on the ground by massive bombing on the first day of the war.

The AR 2 and SB bombers that remained in service were lost by the beginning of July. The regiment was withdrawn from the front to be re-equipped with new PE 2 aircraft.

PE-2 dive bomber

Bombers of the 33rd Regiment participated more intensively in the fighting. Retreating along with the bulk of the Red Army troops, the regiment's personnel took part in battles in the area of ​​Voronezh, Kharkov and Stalingrad. As of May 1942, the regiment's regular strength included two serviceable AR 2 bombers. The date of their loss or write-off has not been established.

Immediately after the start of the war, equipment from the 27th IAP was transferred to an airfield near the city of Borisov, from where it flew out for some time to participate in battles. AR 2 and SB bombers of the 73rd Air Force Regiment of the Baltic Fleet entered the battle at the end of June, attacking advancing German troops in the Daugavpils area.

The Soviet side suffered heavy losses, although all AR 2 bombers survived. In July-August, equipment was involved in attacks on German and Finnish naval formations.

According to reports before October 1941, the 27th IAP lost 15 AR 2 bombers, after which it was withdrawn to the rear for rearmament. The fate of the remaining aircraft in good condition is unknown.

ANT-40 RC

Design

The fuselage is an all-metal monocoque with load-bearing skin. On the sides behind the wing there were air brake flaps that opened forward. The tail unit is cantilevered, all-metal. The steering surfaces are equipped with trim tabs. Some vehicles had a ventral fin installed.

The aircraft's landing gear is a bicycle type, retractable into the fuselage, with auxiliary struts under the wings. All racks are equipped with twin wheels. Small diameter tail and wing wheels with solid tires. Only the wheels of the main rack are equipped with brakes. A drogue parachute is installed in the container at the rear of the fuselage.

Auxiliary struts are attached to the wing with a sleeve with a cable. The opposite end of the cable is in the hands of the technician, who, during takeoff, must run next to the starting aircraft and then pull out the sleeve with the cable; After pulling out the bushing, the stand with the wheel is separated from the aircraft and remains on the runway. On the opposite side of the plane, another member of the launch team does the same, and the U-2 takes off with increasing speed. However, more often the auxiliary struts separate on their own when the plane gains sufficient speed and the consoles bend upward a little. When landing, the pilot lands the plane on the nose and tail struts simultaneously and balances with the roll rudders until the speed is completely lost (in the manner of a glider). With a complete loss of speed, the plane falls on the wing console, the tip of which is a small titanium skid - a ski. After this, the support team installs the auxiliary struts in place, and then the aircraft can move independently. But more often than not, as can be seen on newsreels, the ground crew manages to catch the plane by the wings just before stopping and adjust the landing gear.

Moreover, due to the elongated nose of the aircraft and the spacesuit in which the pilot wears during the flight, he cannot see the runway during takeoff and landing. To solve this problem, the plane is accompanied by special airfield service vehicles, from which instructions are given to the pilot. A number of similar design features are the price to pay for the unique characteristics of a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft.

ANT-40 IS

More about the aircraft

In addition to the super-powerful engine, the aircraft differed from previous models in several characteristics:

• the design was equipped with 2 floats;
• the wingspan was increased to 17 meters (it is worth noting that the wingspan of the first models did not exceed 11.4 m);
• the maximum altitude climb was 14 thousand meters. This figure should have broken all world records in this area, because previously seaplanes managed to rise up to only 13,430 meters.

Also, the new model was equipped with an additional fuel tank, which in turn increased the flight range. The new model was launched in 1932 to help the Northern Sea Port of the USSR. Unfortunately, the equipment was able to carry out its main purpose for only 3 years, until the plane had a serious accident.

As we noted earlier, the characteristics of the reconnaissance aircraft could differ significantly, given the main purpose that air transport was supposed to cope with.

Standard technical characteristics of the Po-2/U-2 aircraft:

• net weight – 650 kg;
• take-off weight, taking into account the mass of bombs - 1400 kg;
• maximum speed varied from 130 to 150 km/h;
• cruising speed – 120 km/h;
• the running and take-off distance could range from 100 to 150 meters.

It was on these aircraft models that pilots were trained, professionals in their field improved their skills, and they spoke extremely positively about the technical characteristics of the equipment. During the war years, more than 120 thousand pilots were trained on these models. The U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was widely used in wartime for reconnaissance of enemy territory, for communication with remote front zones, and for transporting wounded soldiers. In addition, the equipment was used for the emergency removal of the population, working with partisan detachments and landing reconnaissance paratroopers behind enemy lines.

SB No. 221

Professional rise

It is useless to look for his name in the names of the streets of the capital of Tatarstan; there is neither a bust nor memorial plaques. And his grave is at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow. At home, this once legendary bomber designer is known today only in the museum of the Kazan Aviation Production Association named after. S.P. Gorbunova. And then only experts in the history of the design bureau A.N. Tupolev.

Meanwhile, Kazan can be proud of the name of this son no less than the achievements of 39 of its other native heroes. Judge for yourself.

Tupolev glider

Born in Kazan, Alexander graduated with honors from a gymnasium in Moscow. He was one of the best graduates of the Imperial Moscow Technical School (now the famous Moscow Higher Technical School named after N.E. Bauman). Already as a student, he actively participated in the work of N.E.’s aeronautical circle. Zhukovsky, was an employee of the aerodynamic laboratory.

Since 1915, he taught at the Moscow Aeronautical School and worked at the Zhukovsky Design and Test Bureau. Since 1918, he worked at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute as an assistant to the head of the aviation department for the study and development of structures A.N. Tupolev.

In the 1920s, together with A.N. Tupolev built gliders for the Red Army, with B.S. Stechkin - snowmobile.

Arkhangelsky in a snowmobile

In 1926 he became deputy chief designer A.N. Tupolev. Participated in the creation of the first Soviet all-metal aircraft ANT-2, passenger ANT-14, bombers ANT-4 (TB-1), ANT-6 (TB-3).

Since 1932, Arkhangelsky already led a team in the design bureau for the development of high-speed aircraft, and in 1936 he became the chief designer of the design bureau of aircraft plant No. 22, and headed the launch of SB bombers into serial production. They performed well in combat in Spain and China. 6,656 copies of this series were created.

The brainchild of the designer, the Ar-2 high-speed bomber, 250 of them, also took part in hostilities until the more powerful and maneuverable Pe-2 appeared.

ANT-9

SB No. 22200

Well-deserved glory

The story of the destruction of an enemy reconnaissance aircraft began with the fact that in the early morning of May 1, 1960, US Air Force First Lieutenant Francis Gary Powers took to the skies from Peshawar Air Base (Pakistan). His task included photographing important strategic objects of the USSR. Having received strict instructions to maintain radio silence, Powers intended to land at Bodø airfield in Norway, flying, in particular, over the territory of Kazakhstan and the Arkhangelsk region, where the nuclear missile infrastructure of the Soviet Union was located.

• US reconnaissance aircraft Lockheed U-2

Although the movement of the U-2 was monitored by radar stations of the USSR army, it was impossible to shoot down the plane over Central Asia due to the lack of appropriate air defense systems and the lack of high-altitude fighters. The American aircraft was capable of rising to a height of up to 24 km, which was unattainable at that time for almost all USSR air defense systems.

“In addition to the S-75, the U-2 could only be shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the S-25 system, which defended Moscow. Soviet aviation was often powerless. Of course, the fighters took off to intercept American reconnaissance aircraft, but there was no chance of defeat if the enemy was flying at maximum altitude,” retired colonel Mikhail Khodarenok said in an interview with RT.

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According to experts, the USSR managed to completely solve the problem of intercepting spy planes with the start of large-scale deployment of the S-75, and then other more advanced air defense systems. At that time, Soviet anti-aircraft gunners deployed three missiles to one target (now two). In the absence of interference with electronic equipment, the probability of hitting an enemy aircraft with the S-75 crew was 60-80%, in conditions of strong interference - 50-60%.

In a commentary to RT, the founder of the Military Russia portal, Dmitry Kornev, noted that the appearance of the S-75 in service with the Soviet army opened a new era in the development of our country’s air defense forces. The complex was a reliable, relatively easy-to-use and inexpensive weapon to produce.

The combat effectiveness of the S-75 was proven not only in the skies over Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), but also in the Vietnam War. In battles with US aircraft, crews of Soviet complexes successfully shot down American aircraft. By the end of 1965, North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gunners, with the support of specialists from the USSR Armed Forces, destroyed 93 American vehicles.

On July 24, 1965, divisions of the first anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Vietnamese People's Army shot down three McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II aircraft with four missiles fired from the S-75.

“The S-75 has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the best air defense systems. Its combat path began with a strike on Powers’ plane and has not ended to this day - some states continue to operate modernized versions of the Soviet complex,” Kornev emphasized.

SB No. 1/83

History of the B-2 project

Su-31 aircraft.
photo. story. characteristics The history of the creation of a heavy bomber dates back to 1979 with the ATV (Advanced Technology Bomber) program. At that time, the Cold War between the USA and the USSR reached its peak. During this period there were elections in the United States, in which R. Reagan promised to restore the American armed forces. In August 1980, the Ministry of Defense announced its intention to create a number of stealth advanced aircraft, which included the ATV program.

Based on the results of preliminary evaluation, the competition to develop a new bomber was won by two teams: Lockheed Rockwell and Northrop Boeing. Both of them received sufficient funding and a research contract. At the end of October 1981, the Northrop Boeing team won.

The proposed project received codification B-2 with the designation “Spirit”. In the mid-1980s, there was a hiccup in the aircraft's design, which delayed the start of flight testing by 2 years and resulted in increased funding of $1 billion. By 1989, according to experts, a total of $23 billion had been spent on the new stealth bomber project.

The first prototype was assembled at Air Force Plant No. 42 in California, where it was demonstrated to the public. And in July his first public flight took place.

Due to the enormous cost, only 21 copies of the B-2 were built. Almost all of them are named after American states. The last one, “Spirit of America”, under tail number 82-1066, was accepted into service on July 14, 2000.

SB No. 13/221

MMN

Design

The fuselage is an all-metal monocoque with load-bearing skin. On the sides behind the wing there were air brake flaps that opened forward. The tail unit is cantilevered, all-metal. The steering surfaces are equipped with trim tabs. Some vehicles had a ventral fin installed.

The aircraft's landing gear is a bicycle type, retractable into the fuselage, with auxiliary struts under the wings. All racks are equipped with twin wheels. Small diameter tail and wing wheels with solid tires. Only the wheels of the main rack are equipped with brakes. A drogue parachute is installed in the container at the rear of the fuselage.

Auxiliary struts are attached to the wing with a sleeve with a cable. The opposite end of the cable is in the hands of the technician, who, during takeoff, must run next to the starting aircraft and then pull out the sleeve with the cable; After pulling out the bushing, the stand with the wheel is separated from the aircraft and remains on the runway. On the opposite side of the plane, another member of the launch team does the same, and the U-2 takes off with increasing speed. However, more often the auxiliary struts separate on their own when the plane gains sufficient speed and the consoles bend upward a little. When landing, the pilot lands the plane on the nose and tail struts simultaneously and balances with the roll rudders until the speed is completely lost (in the manner of a glider). With a complete loss of speed, the plane falls on the wing console, the tip of which is a small titanium skid - a ski. After this, the support team installs the auxiliary struts in place, and then the aircraft can move independently. But more often than not, as can be seen on newsreels, the ground crew manages to catch the plane by the wings just before stopping and adjust the landing gear.

Moreover, due to the elongated nose of the aircraft and the spacesuit in which the pilot wears during the flight, he cannot see the runway during takeoff and landing. To solve this problem, the plane is accompanied by special airfield service vehicles, from which instructions are given to the pilot. A number of similar design features are the price to pay for the unique characteristics of a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft.

SB No. 1/227

development

Alexander Arkhangelsky was already second in command at the Tupolev Design Bureau when Andrei Tupolev was imprisoned in one of Stalin's purges. During Tupolev's absence, he was authorized to add his name to the CO options that were in the pipeline when he took over.

The Ar-2 represents the latest attempt to extend the useful life of the CO design, which was first flown in 1934. At the beginning of 1940, ATSKI was working on a refined SB, designated MMNA

, but it turned out to be a disappointment, with performance no better than the original SB. The Ar-2 was therefore a greater departure from the Tupolev design, in hopes of creating an aircraft that could reach 600 km/h (374 mph) at 6,500 m (21,300 ft), and incorporate the newly developed PB-3 sighting to give dive bombing capabilities.

The main changes made to the airframe on the Ar-2 were the streamlining of the engine nacelles (which now housed engines with about 15% more power), new outer wings of greater duration and taper, and a new, glazed nose. The engine cooling system was moved inside the wings with air intakes on the leading edges and outlets to the underwings. Dive brakes were added to accommodate the new type role. Originally designated SB-RK

Factory testing of two prototypes began in October 1940, and the following month, an example was delivered to the Soviet Research Institute-VVO for evaluation. In December, the NKAP renamed the aircraft to include Arkhangelsky's name.

The results of the NII-VVS tests were encouraging. While the desired top speed was not achieved, the aircraft's handling was improved on the SB, and the dive-bombing device worked very well. Deficiencies identified included serious problems with engine cooling and lubrication and deficiencies in defensive armament (the latter a common problem with Soviet bombers of the period). The report concluded that the aircraft should be put into production and development should continue to eliminate remaining defects.

Production began at the end of 1940, but the machine was already replaced by the Pe-2 and the flight of the Tu-2 prototype aircraft. Therefore, after only 190 Ara-2s had been built, Plant 22 (an aircraft plant previously dedicated to Ara-2 production) was transferred to P-2 production in early 1941.

Arkhangelsky OKB continued its attempts to refine the SB, creating the final development, SBB

in 1941 All further work in this direction was stopped at the beginning of the war with Germany and Alexander Arkhangelsky was transferred to plant 156 to oversee the maintenance and repair of operational SB aircraft.