The Tu-22M3 aircraft is a combat missile-carrying bomber traveling at supersonic speed, created in the 1960s to replace the Tu-22M2. This model of the missile carrier took into account all the shortcomings of the predecessors of the series, which made it possible to improve its attacking and defensive characteristics. The key difference from its predecessor aircraft was the set various functions from attack and surveillance to aircraft carrier defense.
The wingspan of the aircraft reaches 35 meters, the capacity of fuel tanks is 50 tons. This is a gigantic machine capable of carrying bombs and missiles various types and other weapons. The missile carrier is capable of rising to a height of more than 10,000 kilometers, and its power is enough to “level mountains to the ground.” It is not surprising that such a successful and defensive model combat aircraft not only has it not gone out of use, but will also be used for at least another 20-30 years.
Tu-22M3 was one of the further modifications in the Tu-22 M line. The creation of new aircraft was dictated by the need to appear in military aviation lighter, faster and more versatile bombers. Changes were to affect the design of the wings, engines and attack and defense systems.
At the beginning of 1974, a decision was made to create the Tu-22M3. It was planned to introduce modern engines in the new launch vehicle, reduce take-off weight, improve the on-board system and design a new sighting system. The car received a number of transformations:
- New electronically controlled engines.
- The air intakes were separated from the wings, which made it possible to increase flight speed.
- Completely updated electrical system.
- New elements on-board complex defense
- General reconstruction of the aircraft hull and parts.
Since 1977, production of the Tu-22M3 began. In the next two years after a set of tests, the model completely replaces previous version Tu-22M2. The final version of the finished aircraft carrier was adopted in the late 1980s. In 1993, production of this series of equipment was completed. The last copy, due to the customer's inability to pay, was turned into a monument. In total, over the years of the model’s existence, 268 units of equipment under this name came off the assembly line.
Some of the aircraft (70 aircraft) were under the control of the Russian Air Force. More than 80 more belonged to the Navy, which in 2011 transferred the bombers available in good condition to the disposal of Air Force Russian Federation.
Currently, there are projects to use and develop this model. Further modifications are being developed, including export variations. The implementation plans include an ambitious project to use the Tu-22M3 to launch small satellites directly into orbit. This will significantly increase economic efficiency introduction of small satellites into orbit, reducing its cost by 20-30%.
Complexes of work to improve the Tu-22M suggest extending its service life by 40 years with the introduction of improved design features.
Aircraft characteristics
The technical characteristics of the Tu-22M3 are as follows:
Design of Tu-22M3
According to its characteristics, the Tu-22M3 aircraft turned out to be much more powerful than foreign representatives of this class in terms of flight range, speed, and payload capacity. The secret of the machine's design lay in the structural features of the swept wings, which are capable of changing their geometric shape. The aircraft wing consists of a fixed part and tail made of light aluminum alloys. The tail elements change their direction depending on the speed of the vehicle.
The lightweight design reduces the empty weight of the machine while increasing its carrying capacity.
Engines
Powerful new generation engines are capable of producing colossal power. Piloting of the bomber is carried out using an electrical supply system or hydromechanics when the former fails. Fuel tanks are located in different places throughout the aircraft body. One flight hour of the Tu-22M3 requires 51 man-hours of engineers and equipment.
Cockpit
The cockpit is equipped with a developed set of equipment. The piloting and navigation complex allows the vehicle to independently reach given point route. The aircraft contains a radar station and a system electronic jamming, which are responsible for reconnaissance activities, jamming and warning if a vehicle is detected by radar. The infrared station is designed to detect the approach of missiles to the aircraft carrier.
Externally, the Tu-22M3, photos and videos of which are available in open access, impresses with power, smooth movement and the structure of the wings and body.
Combat complex
The aircraft's combat system may include three air-to-ground missiles, ballistic missiles, designed for ground targets, including ten copies and bombs of conventional or nuclear plan weighing up to 12 tons. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a rapid-fire cannon designed to serve for the defense of the aircraft carrier.
The aircraft is equipped with powerful lighting equipment. The bottom of the body is painted White color, and on the sides and top - in gray and green. This is a kind of camouflage to improve the stealth of a missile carrier. In the 1990s, painting the sides in the form of bright, intimidating figures became popular among crew members.
To monitor the flight status, flight recorders and video recording equipment are installed on board. All aircraft are necessarily equipped with a system of voluntary and forced ejection, which is carried out in an upward direction with a protective helmet on the face. The plane leaves in the following order: operator, navigator, pilot, commander. The decision to force ejection is made by the ship's commander.
For departure from the cabin over the water surface there is available inflatable boat with a supply of necessary medicines and food.
The aircraft is equipped modern system air conditioning and purification and fire extinguishing means. The presence of this equipment is vital in conditions of combat missions and exercises at supersonic speed.
Operation and export
At different periods of the bomber's service, there were reports of the possible export of the Tu-22M3 to other countries, but most of them do not have official confirmation. Iran planned to purchase seven pieces of equipment to conduct air missions in the context of a brewing military-political conflict. The Russian government denied this information.
In 2013, information about China’s purchase of twenty-five aircraft was leaked online, which also did not receive precise confirmation. Prior to this, negotiations were held on the supply of cars to India, as well as the provision of several copies on lease. However, according to various reasons decisions were not implemented.
During the years of their existence from the moment of launch, Tu-22M3 bombers were located in various cities of the USSR, Russia and the CIS countries. After the breakup Soviet Union the equipment was recalled from Belarus to Russia. In Ukraine, the cars were used until 2003-2006, after which they were destroyed. One copy of the Tu-22M3 is in the museum as an exhibit. Today, working aircraft are deployed in the Kaluga, Murmansk, Ryazan and Irkutsk regions.
Currently, there are 62 Tu-22M3 units on the move in Russia. Some of the equipment is currently decommissioned or is in storage.
The plane carries something important strategic importance in development defense complex Russian Federation. Its unsurpassed characteristics allow it to maintain the advantage of its state's military aviation.
Combat operations involving Tu-22M3
Tu-22M3 aircraft took an active part in various military operations and air missions of the state. Missile carriers were used for the first time during the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. In 1994, aircraft carriers carried out attacks on militant locations in Chechnya.
In 2008, Tu-22M3 bombers were involved in operations in South Ossetia. There was also an incident where one of the pieces of equipment was shot down by the enemy. In 2017, Tu-22M3 aircraft carriers took part in the attack terrorist organizations in Syria.
Tu-22M3 losses
For reasons unrelated to combat operations, a total of about 22 aircraft carriers were lost. Most of accidents are associated with malfunctions of engines and equipment. One plane was shot down by the enemy as part of a mission in Ossetia.
In contact with
"Airplane and tank destroyer"
Alexander N. Medved/ Moscow Viktor Y. Golobkov/ Kharkov
In the second half of the 1930s, almost simultaneously in all countries with a developed aviation industry, the idea of a twin-engine fighter became extremely popular. Its appearance dates back to the final period of the First World War, but real production vehicles appeared almost two decades later. All these years, disputes about the technical appearance of such an aircraft have not subsided, but greatest number The concept of a “flying cruiser”, “raider”, “destroyer”, “destroyer” - a multi-purpose vehicle, the apologists of which gravitated towards naval analogies - gained supporters.
Just as cruisers solve their numerous and varied tasks of protecting squadrons, reconnaissance, combating shipping on sea communications, the corresponding aircrafts air warfare theorists planned to assign similar responsibilities in air battles. They saw a “flying cruiser” (or, if you prefer, a “destroyer”) as a twin-engine, high-speed multi-seat aircraft with powerful small arms and cannon armament. He was supposed, according to the well-known Soviet aviation tactician brigade commander A.N. Lapchinsky in the 30s, “to reconnoiter the enemy forces, and then at maximum speed go to his bombers (“squadron” - author’s note) and take a place in a collective fire defense system before enemy fighters catch up with it and destroy it.” In the event of a meeting with unguarded groups of enemy bombers (by naval analogy, these are probably armed transports), the “cruisers” had to resolutely attack them and... almost said, sink them.
Alas, sea reminiscences turned out to be unfounded. The main reasons for this were the relatively short range effective firing of aviation small arms and cannon weapons, which did not allow the fire of the entire “squadron” to be concentrated on the most dangerous enemy, and the transience air combat. As a result, instead of a battle between squadrons in the air, battles between the aircraft closest to each other took place. In addition, there was no place in the sky for an “admiral” who could simultaneously direct the actions of dozens of combat units. And yet, vehicles for “naval air combat” were built. These are Messerschmitt B(110, Fokker 0.1, Potez 63 and a number of others.
At the same time, a less impressive, but much more realistic branch of twin-engine fighters was developing, whose purpose was practically no different from their single-engine counterparts. The designers sought to provide them with the minimum possible power load (the ratio of the vehicle's flight weight to the total engine power) and approximately the same wing load as single-engine fighters (the ratio of the flight weight to the wing area). Therefore, such aircraft turned out to be extremely “compressed” in size. The appearance in the mid-30s of aircraft engines with a power of about 1000 hp and a mass of only 500-600 kg theoretically made it possible to create a twin-engine fighter, superior in its characteristics to single-engine ones. Most a shining example The production vehicle of this class was the P-38 Lightning, which in 1941 carried more powerful weapons and flew faster and further than any American fighter. Twin-engine fighters were also developed in the USSR. One of the projects belongs to V.K. Tairov.
Vsevolod Konstantinovich Tairov, who previously worked for N.N. Polikarpov, had extensive experience as a designer and manager. In 1935, he headed the experimental design department (OKO), organized at the Kiev aircraft plant No. 43 to eliminate the shortcomings of the aircraft produced there. passenger plane KhAI-1.* Not limiting himself to supporting serial production, Tairov began implementing own ideas. The plant in Kyiv provided good opportunities for this - after reconstruction and equipping with new equipment (including American), the former repair shops turned into one of the most modern factories NKAP.
Tairov's first aircraft - the passenger six-seater OKO-1, a monoplane with very clean aerodynamic shapes - had successfully passed tests by the summer of 1938, but was not put into mass production. The OKO-4 fighter-attack aircraft was built, but not completed - a sesquiplane with an M-88 engine, armed with two BS machine guns and 100 kg of bombs. Another OKO car received “Green Street”.
* During operation, several of these aircraft crashed (the landing gear broke, and on one of the aircraft the wing came off during takeoff).
In accordance with Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks No. 256 of October 29, 1938, Tairov (on his initiative) was entrusted with the creation of a single-seat, twin-engine armored fighter.
The purpose of the aircraft, designated OKO-6, was dual: an escort fighter and an attack aircraft to combat armored targets. Everything in it was aimed at achieving high flight speed: the installation of M-88 engines with a power of 1000 hp. (at an altitude of 7550m - the second altitude limit), extremely small dimensions, minimal fuselage midsection and very streamlined shapes. Suffice it to say that the aircraft’s length, area and wingspan were almost equal to those of the single-engine Hurricane.
Another the most important feature OKO-6 was equipped with powerful offensive weapons consisting of two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns (400 rounds per barrel) under the nose cone and four 20 mm ShVAK cannons (200 rounds each), mounted under the center section and the cockpit. The guns had an automatic pneumatic reloading system, and for their maintenance, the three-meter lower section of the fuselage was attached to ramrods and quickly removed. The weight of a second OKO-6 salvo (113 bullets and shells) reached 6 kg.*
The aircraft fuselage consisted of three parts. In the front were the pilot's cabin and machine gun compartment. The side walls of the cabin were made of sheet duralumin. It was covered with 8-mm armored partitions at the front and back (13 mm behind the pilot’s head and back), and at the bottom it was sewn up with a steel sheet, which protected the structure from damage from gun muzzle gases. The cockpit canopy leaned back, and a windshield armored glass was installed behind the fixed visor. When servicing the machine guns, the front fairing with the headlight was completely removed, and the gun carriage was moved to the right, providing excellent access to the ShKAS, cartridge boxes and instruments. middle part the fuselage was made integral with the center section. The front and tail (wooden monocoque with hatches for inspecting control rods) parts were bolted to it.
The center section and wing consoles are two-spar (shelves are made of chrome steel, walls are made of duralumin). The rest of the kit and casing are made of duralumin, the engine nacelles are made of electron. The ailerons are of the Frize type, the flaps are of the Schrenk type (two on the center section and one each on the consoles, release and retraction are pneumatic). The stabilizer is made of duralumin, the keel is made of electron. The same material was used for the aileron frame, sock skin and wing tips.** The rudders and ailerons were covered with fabric. In the manufacture of the aircraft, the template method was used.
The power plant consisted of two air-cooled M-88 engines with counter-rotating propellers. This solution provided compensation for their reactive torque, which “overwhelmed” the short-wing aircraft on the take-off run. An original feature of the engine nacelles was the presence of adjustable inlet “skirts” of the hoods, due to which the spinners of the propellers seemed disproportionately large, and the nacelle took on a shape close to the ideal teardrop shape. Fuel was placed in a 467-liter fuselage and two center-section tanks of 365 liters each.
The aircraft's landing gear is three-post with a tail wheel. The main supports had a significant forward extension to ensure a safe anti-cranking angle and were retracted into the engine nacelles, and the tail wheel into the fuselage. The drive for retracting and releasing the landing gear is pneumatic.
Flight tests of OKO-6 began on December 31, 1939, earlier than other new fighters. With a flight weight of 5250 kg, the aircraft showed a maximum ground speed of 488 km/h, and at an altitude of 7550 m - 567 km/h. The fighter reached an altitude of 5000 m in 5.5 minutes. The longitudinal and directional stability of the single-keel short-tailed vehicle turned out to be insufficient, so radical changes in the design of the empennage were required. In addition, during one of the flights, the engine connecting rod broke, and the tests had to be interrupted. It was not possible to obtain calculated values of maximum flight speeds. But still the plane seemed promising. Attention to it was also promoted by the resounding success of the Germans in using the Messerschmitt B1 110, which became a kind of symbol of the “blitzkrieg” in the air. In June 1940, shortly after the end of the first stage of factory tests, at a joint meeting of the leadership of the NKAP and the Air Force, it was decided: “... To consider it advisable to designate plant No. 43 for putting into serial production of the OKO-6 2M-88 armored fighter. finish in 1940. By the end of the year, build 10 copies of the aircraft with a modified two-fin vertical tail and M-88 gearless engines of different directions of rotation. To propose to Tairov by August 1, 1940, to release for factory testing the modernized OKO-6 with M-88R gear motors of the same rotation ... "
The rotation speeds of the propellers when using M-88 gearless motors were too high, which reduced their efficiency. The efficiency of the propellers increased significantly after the installation of M-88R engines with 0^666 reduction. The tail section of the second specimen was lengthened, and the tail area was significantly increased. Washers were installed at the ends of the stabilizer, and the middle fin was subsequently dismantled. By changing the arms of the rods in the wiring and changing the balancing of the ailerons, control of the latter has become noticeably easier. The wing consoles were slightly modified to ensure alignment with heavier engines. In particular, their sweep along the leading edge has decreased. A number of other improvements were introduced.
All this took much longer than expected - it affected limited opportunities plant No. 43, which was supposed to “drive the plan.” Tests at TsAGI of the second copy of OKO-bbis, which were carried out by factory pilot A.I. Emelyanov, were completed only on January 5, 1941. Maximum speed near the ground it turned out to be 477 km/h, and at an altitude of 7050 m - 590 km/h. According to these characteristics, the aircraft was not inferior to the single-engine fighters Yak-1 and LaGG-3. The time to climb 5000 m increased to 6.33 minutes. In December 1940 the aircraft was given a new name Ta-1 after the surname of the chief designer, and everything spoke of a close
start of mass production. However, on January 14, 1941, during a check flight on takeoff, one of the engines broke down and the plane was crashed.
A few days after the accident, Tairov sent a letter to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, V.M. Molotov, in which he noted that two copies of OKO-b completed 120 flights and demonstrated outstanding flight qualities. According to TsAGI pilots, the aircraft was simple, accessible to combat pilots. He was able to perform all the figures aerobatics and fly on one engine up to an altitude of 4100 m. Tairov especially emphasized that “... the OKO-bbis aircraft, both in its flight characteristics and in armament, significantly exceeds the similar characteristics of the best foreign serial fighters(both single-engine and twin-engine).” Moreover, in his opinion, the obtained indicators were minimal and could have been significantly improved before the end of 1941 by installing more powerful engines and increasing the fuel supply. Tairov complained that “virtually nothing is being done to introduce the aircraft into mass production.” He proposed to urgently build a small batch of vehicles (15-20 copies) for urgent state and military tests.
The reaction to the letter was lightning fast. Already on January 25, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks issued a resolution No. 197-96, in which Tairov was instructed to build and present two versions of the Ta-3 for state testing: the first, with M-89 engines, by May 1 and the second, with M-90 engines, by October 1, 1941. To speed up testing, it was proposed to convert the first copy of OKO-6 into Ta-3. The requirements for flight characteristics coincided with those proposed by Tairov, and the weapon options were determined as follows: on the first copy - two ShKAS and four ShVAK cannons, or instead of the latter - four 12.7-mm machine guns by Ya.G. Taubin; on the second copy - two ShKAS, two 23-mm MP-6 cannons designed by Taubin and one 37-mm cannon by B.G. Shpitalny (later called ShFK-37).
In February, by order of the People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry Shakhurin, plant No. 43 was reorganized with the separation of a new plant No. 483 from its structure - the former experimental production base of Tairov. At the same time, it was decided to stop designing the OKO-8 twin-engine fighter with AM-37 engines and to concentrate all the OKB's efforts on the Ta-3. Tairov was given carte blanche as the “real” chief designer; mechanics, armed forces, and specialists in other aircraft components and assemblies were now required to work for him. Zaporozhye Motor Plant No. 29 was directly involved in the work (director Lukin, chief designer Urmin), Moscow weapons installation plant No. 32 (director Zhezlov, chief designer Shebanov), as well as plant No. 150 (director Okunev, chief designer Zhdanov), which produced propellers. 7.5 million rubles were allocated for the construction of experimental aircraft, and 800 thousand rubles were allocated for bonuses to employees, subject to timely completion of work. In the documents of the NKAP and the Air Force of that time, Tairov’s aircraft was given no less attention than such priority vehicles as the Sotka (future Pe-2) and BSh-1 (Il-2).
By May, it was possible to remake the first copy of OKO-6, equipping it with a two-fin tail and an elongated tail section. Taking into account the experience of accidents, the doors of the main landing gear were changed - in the retracted position the wheels began to protrude outward. In addition, instead of the M-88R engines that were plagued by failures, M-89 left-hand rotation engines with a take-off power of 13 (hp) (1150 hp at an altitude of 6000 m) were installed. Unfortunately, their reliability also turned out to be not high. In the spring In 1941, things were so bad with the M-88 and M-89 that A.S. Nazarov, who was involved in fine-tuning them, was arrested. The new chief designer of plant No. 29, Urmin, did not immediately manage to cope with the main defects of the “eighty-eighth”, and M- The 89 never went into production.The possibility of installing M-82 engines was also considered, but at that time they were no more mature than the M-89.
During the tests of the Ta-3, which were carried out by pilot Yu.K. Stankevich since May, the aircraft’s flight performance was rated very highly. It was noted that it was easier to pilot than the single-engine MiG-3. For a combat turn from a height of 1000 m
the fighter gained more than 700 m. The plane practically did not go into a tailspin and lowered its nose when it lost speed. Landing speed, perhaps, was a little too big -140-150 km/h, but it became an inevitable price to pay for the increased load on the wing (flight weight increased to 6000 kg).
The “fly in the ointment” turned out to be numerous troubles with the M-89 engines. Shaking power plants, chips in oil and other defects constantly delayed the progress of testing. The disadvantages also noted were the large forces on the control stick during landing and poor visibility, especially downward to the sides due to the large engine nacelles. Having powerful engines, the maximum speed both on the ground and at an altitude of 7100 m turned out to be less than that of OKO-bbis - 460 and 580 km/h, respectively (calculated at an altitude of 7000 m - 607 km/h). This was mainly due to the poorer production performance of the Ta-3 aircraft, the increased flight weight, the increase in the area of the vertical tail and the presence of an antenna mast.
To make the vehicle lighter, the automatic reloading system was removed from the guns. As an alternative armament scheme, an option was considered with two ShKAS machine guns, two ShVAK cannons and one 37-mm ShFK cannon (Taubin had been repressed by that time, and the weapon of the “enemy of the people” had to be abandoned).
The conclusion on flight tests of the Ta-3 at the LII NKAP was positive: “Recommend the Ta-3 for serial production... with the main purpose of being a fighter of aircraft and tanks.”
In the midst of the trials, the war began. Within a month, the Air Force's requirements for a twin-engine fighter changed. The flight range of the Ta-3, which was 1060 km at a speed of 442 km/h, was already considered insufficient, and it was recommended to approximately double it. Serial production of the aircraft was postponed again.
The Pe-3 was used as a twin-engine fighter in the Red Army Air Force. But what kind of fighter was it! In the first versions of the “pawn”, the offensive armament consisted of only two 12.7-mm BK machine guns designed by M.E. Berezin and one ShKAS, and there was no front armor. The Pe-3 was inferior in speed and armament German fighters VN09E, and in terms of maneuverability even the Lee 88 bomber. The commander of the 95th IAP, Colonel S.A. Pestov, wrote with bitterness: “... the regiment is not enough for two attacks.” How would the fast and well-armored Ta-3 with powerful battery of four ShVAKs! Alas, he was not destined to become a serial product.
Much in the fate of the Ta-3 was predetermined by the death of V.K. Tairov in a plane crash during a flight from Moscow to Kuibyshev in December 1941. This tragic incident and the relocation of the aviation industry to the east sharply slowed down the preparation of the Ta-3 for the series.
Only in May 1942 did the next and last version of this aircraft, the Ta-Zbis, arrive for testing at the LII. The car was converted from its predecessor Ta-3. The most significant change in the design was the installation of new consoles made entirely of electrons. Their scope and area were increased, making it possible to accommodate additional gas tanks with a capacity of 730 liters and increase the flight range to 2060 km.
In order to improve the maneuverability of the aircraft, the transverse “V” of the consoles was halved, and to maintain alignment, they were given a slight negative sweep. However, a further increase in take-off weight to 6626 kg had a negative impact on the take-off run, rate of climb, and maximum flight speed. The new version of the fighter turned out to be almost neutral in longitudinal terms. The plane was “hanging on the handle”, which led to severe fatigue of the pilots during long flights.
By August 1942, the Ta-Zbis tests were completed. There were no major complaints about the airframe and systems, but chronic problems with the M-89 engines did not allow us to recommend the aircraft for production. The solution, apparently, would be to replace the engines with already fully developed M-82s. However, the need for a twin-engine single-seat fighter has almost ceased to be felt. Soviet Long-Range Aviation almost always flew at night, in conditions where escort fighters could do little to help the bombers. Summer 1942 Pe-Zbis was discontinued, and only the Air Force Navy expressed regret about this. Later, in 1943, the need for a twin-engine fighter was again recognized. It was necessary for night interception and blocking of enemy airfields during raids Long-Range Aviation, and also as a fighter-bomber. Pe-Zbis no longer met the requirements of the time, and Polikarpov’s TIS, which had excellent potential capabilities, was absolutely new car, for which there were no suitable serial motors. As a result, the Red Army Air Force never received a worthy twin-engine fighter during the war.
* For comparison: IL-2 with ShVAK cannons - 3.14 kg/s, V(110S-5 - 2.56 kg/s, R-38 - 3.09 kg/s.
** Electron magnesium alloy, which had high strength at low specific gravity, was considered at that time a very promising material. It was easily processed and welded, but to (* For comparison: IL-2 with ShVAK guns - 3.14 kg/s, V(110S-5 - 2.56 kg/s, R-38 - 3.09 kg/s .
** Electron magnesium alloy, which had high strength with a low specific gravity, was considered at that time a very promising material. It was easily processed and welded, but designers treated it with distrust due to its low corrosion resistance. However, Tairov rightly believed that for a combat aircraft living in war time relatively short, the more important properties are manufacturability and weight perfection.) Designers treated it with distrust due to low corrosion resistance. However, Tairov rightly believed that for a combat aircraft, which has a relatively short lifespan in wartime, the more important properties are manufacturability and weight perfection.
(on his initiative) were commissioned to create a single-seat, twin-engine armored fighter. The purpose of the aircraft, designated OKO-6, was dual: an escort fighter and an attack aircraft to combat armored targets. Everything in it was aimed at achieving high flight speed: the installation of M-88 engines with a power of 1000 hp. (at an altitude of 7550 m - the second altitude limit), extremely small dimensions, minimal fuselage midsection and very streamlined shapes. Suffice it to say that the length of the aircraft, area and wingspan were almost equal to those of the single-engine Hurricane.
Another important feature of the OKO-6 was the powerful offensive armament of two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns (400 rounds per barrel) under the nose cone and four 20 mm ShVAK cannons (200 rounds each), mounted under the center section and the cockpit . The guns had an automatic pneumatic reloading system, and for their maintenance, the three-meter lower section of the fuselage was attached to ramrods and quickly removed. The weight of a second OKO-6 salvo (113 bullets and shells) reached 6 kg.
The aircraft fuselage consisted of three parts. In the front were the pilot's cabin and machine gun compartment. The side walls of the cabin were made of sheet duralumin. It was covered with 8-mm armored partitions at the front and back (13 mm behind the pilot’s head and back), and at the bottom it was sewn up with a steel sheet, which protected the structure from damage by gun muzzle gases. The cockpit canopy leaned back, and a windshield armored glass was installed behind the fixed visor. When servicing the machine guns, the front fairing with the headlight was completely removed, and the gun carriage was moved to the right, providing excellent access to the ShKAS, cartridge boxes and instruments. The middle part of the fuselage was made integral with the center section. The front and tail (wooden monocoque with hatches for inspecting control rods) parts were bolted to it.
The center section and wing consoles are two-spar (shelves are made of chrome steel, walls are made of duralumin). The rest of the kit and the casing are made of duralumin, the engine nacelles are made of electron. The ailerons are of the Frize type, the flaps are of the Schrenk type (two on the center section and one each on the consoles, release and retraction are pneumatic). The stabilizer is duralumin, the keel is made of electron. The same material was used for the aileron frame, nose skin and wing tips. The rudders and ailerons were covered with canvas. The plaz-template method was used in the manufacture of the aircraft.
The power plant consisted of two air-cooled M-88 engines with counter-rotating propellers. This solution provided compensation for their reactive torque, which “overwhelmed” the short-wing aircraft on the take-off run. An original feature of the engine nacelles was the presence of adjustable inlet “skirts” of the hoods, due to which the spinners of the propellers seemed disproportionately large, and the nacelle took on a shape close to the ideal teardrop shape. Fuel was placed in a 467-liter fuselage and two center-section tanks of 365 liters each.
The aircraft's landing gear is three-post with a tail wheel. The main supports had a significant extension forward to ensure a safe anti-cranking angle and were retracted into the engine nacelles, and the tail wheel into the fuselage. The drive for retracting and releasing the landing gear is pneumatic.
Flight tests of OKO-6 began on December 31, 1939 - earlier than other new fighters. With a flight weight of 5250 kg, the aircraft showed a maximum ground speed of 488 km/h, and at an altitude of 7550 m - 567 km/h. The fighter reached an altitude of 5000 m in 5.5 minutes. The longitudinal and directional stability of the single-keel short-tailed vehicle turned out to be insufficient, so radical changes in the design of the empennage were required. In addition, during one of the flights, the engine connecting rod broke, and the tests had to be interrupted. It was not possible to obtain calculated values of maximum flight speeds. But still the plane seemed promising. Attention to it was also promoted by the resounding success of the Germans using the Bf.110C, which became a kind of symbol of “blitzkrieg” in the air. In June 1940, shortly after the end of the first stage of factory tests, at a joint meeting of the leadership of the NKAP and the Air Force, a decision was made: “...It is considered advisable to designate plant No. 43 for putting into serial production of the OKO-6 2M-88 armored fighter. All necessary preparations for production will be completed in 1940. By the end of the year, 10 copies of the aircraft will be built with a modified twin-fin vertical tail and M-88 gearless engines different directions of rotation. To propose to Tairov by August 1, 1940, to release for factory testing the modernized OKO-6 with M-88R gear motors of the same rotation ... "
The rotation speeds of the propellers when using M-88 gearless motors were too high, which reduced their efficiency. The efficiency of the propellers increased significantly after the installation of M-88R engines with 0-666 reduction. The tail section of the second specimen was lengthened, and the tail area was significantly increased. Washers were installed at the ends of the stabilizer, and the middle fin was subsequently dismantled. By changing the arms of the rods in the wiring and changing the balancing of the ailerons, control of the latter has become noticeably easier. The wing consoles were slightly modified to ensure alignment with heavier engines. In particular, their sweep along the leading edge has decreased. A number of other improvements were introduced.
All this took much longer than expected - the limited capabilities of plant No. 43, which was supposed to “accomplish the plan,” had an impact. Tests at TsAGI of the second copy of OKO-6bis, which were carried out by factory pilot A.I. Emelyanov, were completed only on January 5, 1941. The maximum speed at the ground was equal to 477 km/h, and at an altitude of 7050 m - 590 km/h. According to these characteristics, the aircraft was not inferior to the single-engine fighters Yak-1 and LaGG-3. The time to climb 5000 m increased to 6.33 minutes. In December 1940, the aircraft was given a new name Ta-1 after the name of the chief designer, and everything spoke of the imminent start of mass production. However, on January 14, 1941, during a check flight on takeoff, one of the engines broke down and the plane was crashed.
A few days after the accident, Tairov sent a letter to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, V.M. Molotov, in which he noted that two copies of OKO-6 completed 120 flights and demonstrated outstanding flight qualities. According to TsAGI pilots, the aircraft was simple, accessible to combat pilots. He was capable of performing all aerobatics and flying on one engine up to an altitude of 4100 m. Tairov especially emphasized that “...the OKO-6bis aircraft, both in its flight characteristics and in its armament, significantly exceeds the similar characteristics of the best foreign production fighters (both single-engine and twin-engine)”. Moreover, in his opinion, the obtained indicators were minimal and could have been significantly improved before the end of 1941 by installing more powerful engines and increasing the fuel supply. Tairov complained that “virtually nothing is being done to introduce the aircraft into mass production.” He proposed to urgently build a small batch of vehicles (15-20 copies) for urgent state and military tests.
The reaction to the letter was lightning fast. Already on January 25, a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks No. 197-96 was issued, in which Tairov was instructed to build and present state tests two variants of Ta-3: the first, with M-89 engines, by May 1 and the second, with M-90 engines, by October 1, 1941. To speed up testing, it was proposed to convert the first copy of OKO-6 into Ta-3. The requirements for flight characteristics coincided with those proposed by Tairov, and the weapon options were determined as follows: on the first copy - two ShKAS and four ShVAK cannons, or instead of the latter - four 12.7-mm machine guns by Ya.G. Taubin; on the second copy - two ShKAS, two 23-mm MP-6 cannons designed by Taubin and one 37-mm cannon by B.G. Shpitalny (later called ShFK-37).
In February, by order of the People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry Shakhurin, plant No. 43 was reorganized with the separation of a new plant No. 483, the former experimental production base of Tairov. At the same time, it was decided to stop designing the OKO-8 twin-engine fighter with AM-37 engines and to concentrate all the OKB's efforts on the Ta-3. Tairov was given carte blanche as the “real” chief designer; mechanics, armed forces, and specialists in other aircraft components and assemblies were now required to work for him. The Zaporizhzhya Motor Plant No. 29 (director Lukin, chief designer Urmin), Moscow Weapon Installation Plant No. 32 (director Zhezlov, chief designer Shebanov), as well as Plant No. 150 (director Okunev, chief designer Zhdanov), which produced propellers, were directly involved in the work. 7.5 million rubles were allocated for the construction of prototype aircraft, and 800 thousand rubles were allocated for bonuses to employees provided the work was completed on time. In the documents of the NKAP and the Air Force of that time, Tairov’s aircraft was given no less attention than such priority vehicles as the Sotka (the future Pe-2) and the BSh-2 (Il-2).
By May, it was possible to remake the first copy of OKO-6, equipping it with a two-fin tail and an elongated tail section. Taking into account the experience of accidents, the doors of the main landing gear were changed - in the retracted position the wheels began to protrude outward. In addition, instead of the M-88R engines that were plagued by failures, M-89 left-hand rotation engines with a take-off power of 1300 hp were installed. (1150 hp at an altitude of 6000 m). Unfortunately, their reliability also turned out to be not high. In the spring of 1941, things were so bad with the M-88 and M-89 that A.S. Nazarov, who was working on them, was arrested. The new chief designer of plant No. 29, Urmin, did not immediately manage to cope with the main defects of the “eighty-eighth”, and the M-89 never became serial. The possibility of installing M-82 engines was also considered, but at that time they were no more mature than the M-89.
During the testing of the Ta-3, which was carried out by pilot Yu.K. Stankevich since May, the aircraft’s flight performance was rated very highly. It was noted that it was easier to fly than the single-engine MiG-3. During a combat turn from an altitude of 1000 m, the fighter gained more than 700 m. The plane practically did not go into a tailspin, and dropped its nose when losing speed. The landing speed, perhaps, was somewhat high - 140-150 km/h, but it became an inevitable price to pay for the increased load on the wing (flight weight increased to 6000 kg). The “fly in the ointment” turned out to be numerous troubles with the M-89 engines. Shaking power plants, chips in the oil and other defects constantly delayed the progress of testing. Disadvantages also included large forces on the control stick during landing and poor visibility, especially downward to the sides due to large engine nacelles. With more powerful engines, the maximum speed both at the ground and at an altitude of 7100 m turned out to be less than that of OKO-6bis - 460 and 580 km/h, respectively (calculated at an altitude of 7000 m - 607 km/h). This was mainly due to the poorer production performance of the Ta-3 aircraft, the increased flight weight, the increase in the area of the vertical tail and the presence of an antenna mast. To make the vehicle lighter, the automatic reloading system was removed from the guns. As an alternative armament scheme, an option with two ShKAS machine guns, two ShVAK cannons and one 37-mm ShFK cannon was considered (Taubin had been repressed by that time, and the weapon of the “enemy of the people” had to be abandoned).
The conclusion on the Ta-3 flight tests at the NKAP LII was positive: “Recommend the Ta-3 for serial production... with the main purpose of being a fighter of aircraft and tanks.”
In the midst of the trials, the war began. Within a month, the Air Force's requirements for a twin-engine fighter changed. The flight range of the Ta-3, which was 1060 km at a speed of 442 km/h, was already considered insufficient and it was recommended to approximately double it. Serial production of the aircraft was postponed again.
Much in the fate of the Ta-3 was predetermined by the death of V.K. Tairov in a plane crash during a flight from Moscow to Kuibyshev in December 1941. This tragic incident and the relocation of the aircraft industry to the east sharply slowed down the preparation of the Ta-3 for the series.
Only in May 1942, the next and last version of this aircraft, Ta-3bis, arrived for testing at the LII. The car was converted from its predecessor Ta-3. The most significant change in the design was the installation of new consoles made entirely of electrons. Their scope and area were increased, making it possible to accommodate additional gas tanks with a capacity of 730 liters and increase the flight range to 2060 km. In order to improve the maneuverability of the aircraft, the transverse V of the consoles was halved, and to maintain alignment, they were given a slight negative sweep. However, a further increase in take-off weight to 6626 kg had a negative impact on the take-off run, rate of climb, and maximum flight speed. The new version of the fighter turned out to be almost neutral in longitudinal terms. The plane was “hanging on the handle”, which led to severe fatigue of the pilots during long flights.
By August 1942, tests of the Ta-3bis were completed. There were no major complaints about the airframe and systems, but chronic problems with the M-89 engines did not allow us to recommend the aircraft for production. The solution, apparently, would be to replace the engines with already fully developed M-82s. However, the need for a twin-engine single-seat fighter has almost ceased to be felt. Soviet Long-Range Aviation almost always flew at night, in conditions where escort fighters could do little to help the bombers. In the summer of 1942, the Pe-3bis was discontinued and only the Air Force of the Navy expressed regret about this. Later, in 1943, the need for a twin-engine fighter was again recognized. It was needed for night interception, blocking enemy airfields during Long-Range Aviation raids, and also as a fighter-bomber. The Pe-3bis no longer met the requirements of the time, and the Polikarpov TIS, which had excellent potential capabilities, was a completely new machine for which there were no suitable production engines.
Modification: Ta-3bis
Wingspan, m: 14.00
Length, m: 12.20
Height, m: 3.76
Wing area, m2: 33.50
Weight, kg
- empty plane: 4450
-take-off: 6626
Engine type: 2 x PD M-89
-power, hp: 2 x 1150
Maximum speed, km/h
-near the ground: 448
-on high: 595
Cruising speed at altitude, km/h: 542
Practical range, km: 2065
Max. rate of climb, m/min: 482
Practical ceiling, m: 11000
Crew: 1
Armament: 1 x 37 mm cannon and 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons.
OKO-6 is still without weapons and with the propeller spinners removed.
OKO-6bis after revision.
OKO-6bis after revision.
Heavy escort fighter Ta-3bis.
Loading...
