Test drive BMW M4: bestial joy. Operational problems and new motor

The 3M plane is a Soviet strategic bomber that has served for about four decades. There have been many different events in the history of this aircraft. In the end, he gained an ambiguous reputation. Someone calls this aircraft an emergency model, and someone considers it a great achievement. One way or another, the 3M aircraft, the history of which was the subject of our conversation, deserves attention as a serious project of Soviet aircraft designers.

Prerequisites for creating

In the late 1940s, when nuclear weapons appeared, the need arose for their transportation and mobile delivery to the right place. The military complex needed bombers, which in terms of characteristics could exceed 1.5-2 times the models that were being produced at that time. So the concept of a strategic bomber was formed. America began to develop such aircraft before. In 1946, two American aviation companies at once - Boeing and Conver - began developing a strategic bomber. So, in 1952, the B-52 and B-60 aircraft made their first flight. Both models differed from their predecessors by a high ceiling, as well as impressive speed and range.

Start of development

In the USSR, similar developments started with a significant delay. It all started with the fact that designer V. Myasishchev, who worked as a professor at the Moscow Aviation Institute, proposed to the government the creation of a strategic bomber capable of flying up to 12 thousand kilometers. As a result, after consulting with experts, I. Stalin decided to entrust Myasishchev with the development of the aircraft proposed by him, but set strict deadlines. Development was to be completed on May 24, 1951. The Council of Ministries of the USSR instructed the construction of the aircraft recreated after the closure of OKB-23 MAP. Myasishchev became the chief designer. Soon, the Air Force Commander-in-Chief approved the tactical and technical requirements for the machine. The maximum flight range was to be at least 12 thousand kilometers with a bomb load of 5 tons. The plane was supposed to fly at a speed of 900 km / h at an altitude of 9 kilometers.

The time allotted for the design and construction of the bomber under the “Project 25” (as it was called during the development process) required the design bureau to cooperate with a number of other industry organizations: other design bureaus, research institutes and factories.

First developments

The first sketches of the aircraft were made by L. Selyakov - he had the role of designer, aerodynamics and rigidity at the same time. V. Myasishchev at that time was engaged in the formation of units, divisions and brigades. The team was created in parallel with the bomber. In a short time, a draft sketch was prepared and approved. At the same time, production technology was developed, because before the USSR did not produce such large and heavy aircraft. The machine needed new sizes of profiles and materials, as well as the nomenclature.

The bomber should have had good aerodynamic performance, develop great speed and be as light as possible. Designers paid much attention to the shape of the wing. During the first six months of development in the wind tunnel, TsAGI tested many models until the optimal one was found. The created wing was relatively lightweight, had flexible end parts and was made according to the caisson construction. It resisted flutter well. In the root part of the wing there were motors, each of which had an air intake. With its help, it was possible to exclude the mutual influence of engines when working in different modes. The nozzles were deployed in horizontal and vertical planes at 4 degrees. This measure was necessary to divert the hot gas stream from the fuselage and tail.

Equipment

The power plant of the bomber included four powerful structures of Mikulin. Their thrust was 8700 kG. When designing the power plant, a bet was placed on maximum reliability. By the way, according to the initial draft, the aircraft was supposed to be equipped with three engines with a thrust of 13,000 kG. However, the Dobrynin Design Bureau did not manage to prepare prototypes of these engines in such a short time.

Separately, it is worth noting the variant of the bomber chassis chosen by the designers. To study the dynamics of the movement of such a heavy aircraft on the runway, a special expert group was organized. Initially, several chassis designs were considered: standard with three supports, multi-support and bicycle. During the tests, the chassis, built according to the bicycle scheme with the front “climbing up” trolley and side racks located at the ends of the wings, proved to be the best. The aircraft steadily rode along the runway and took off with the maintenance of the required take-off run.

The head pair of wheels mounted on the front bogie was oriented in a small range of angles (+ 15 0). When the pair turned, the direction of movement of the trolley changed, and after it the direction of the entire plane changed. In the “sprinting” mode, the front pair of wheels became uncontrollable. At the final stage of the take-off, the nose of the aircraft rose, and the angle of attack increased. The participation of the pilot in take-off was minimal. This scheme was tested at the Tu-4 flying laboratory, the three-leg chassis of which was specially replaced by a bicycle one. A model of a separate electrically operated trolley was also built. The prototypes of the chassis underwent a full range of tests and proved their suitability for use on a bomber.

The bomb load of the aircraft was 24 tons, and the largest bomb caliber was 9000 kg. Thanks to the RPB-4 radar sight, targeted bombing was provided. The bomber had contented powerful weapons for defense. It included six automatic guns with a caliber of 23 mm. They were placed in pairs on three rotary installations in the upper, lower and rear fuselage. The crew, consisting of eight people, was housed in two pressurized cabins. The seats ejected through the hatches down.

Test

By December 1952, a prototype bomber was built. And on January 20 of next year, the car was first lifted into the air. The flight was led by test pilot F. Opadchiy. From that day, factory tests of the specimen began in full swing. They lasted until April 15, 1954. The delay was due to the volume and complexity of the tests.

The maximum flight weight of the aircraft was 181.5 tons. Its speed at an altitude of 6,700 meters was equal to 947 kilometers per hour. The practical ceiling (maximum flight range) with a weight of 138 tons amounted to 12,500 meters. The designers managed to place a huge amount of fuel tanks on board. They contained 132390 liters of fuel. However, the maximum refueling was limited to 123600 liters.

In 1954, the second prototype was connected to the tests, which had a nose section shortened by 1 m, an increased wing area and a number of other, less significant improvements. Engineers began to prepare for mass production of a bomber. By this time, in honor of the designer Myasishchev, the car received the name "Airplane M". 3M is the index that was assigned to the model later. And at first it was called the M-4.

The tests went far from the best. By most characteristics, the aircraft was fully consistent with the task, but the main requirement - the maximum flight range with 5 tons of bombs on board - it could not be satisfied. After a number of improvements, the bomber was accepted into service. But the question of insufficient range remained open.

Improvements

In order to solve the above problem, more powerful and at the same time economical RD-3M engines, which were developed by P. Zubets, were installed on the bomber. The bomber with a new power plant received the 3M index. In fact, the motors were modified versions of the AM-3A engine. The maximum thrust was increased to 9500 kG. Moreover, the RD-3M installation had an emergency mode, which in the event of a failure of one motor increases the remaining power to 10,500 kG. With such power equipment, the 3M aircraft was able to reach a speed of 930 km / h and fly non-stop at distances up to 8100 km.

The search for opportunities to increase flight range did not end there. The second experimental version was equipped with a refueling system developed at Alekseyev Design Bureau. Over the cockpit appeared "rod" for receiving fuel. Well, the tanker was equipped with an additional tank, pumping equipment and a winch.

While the 3M Myasishchev plane was being created, in parallel, work was underway to develop its high-altitude version, which received the working name 2M. The designers intended to install four VD-5 turbojet engines on it at once - on pylons spaced under the wing. However, the design of the “skyscraper” was stopped, since the 3M version was able to achieve its design characteristics.

3M airplane: development

Despite the good performance, the model continued to develop. March 27, 1956 the first flight on a 3M car took place. The aircraft received new VD-7 engines, which had a thrust of 11,000 kG. At the same time, they weighed less and consumed less fuel. At first, the aircraft was equipped with two new engines, and by 1957 - all four. Thanks to the installation of the wings of a new configuration and the improvement of the characteristics of the horizontal tail, the aerodynamic qualities of the aircraft significantly increased. In addition, the volume of fuel tanks was increased. This was achieved, among other things, thanks to the hanging tanks. Two of them were suspended in the bomb compartment (if the bomb load allowed it), and two more - under the wings, between the engines.

The 3M aircraft, the characteristics of which we are discussing today, received a lightweight design. However, its weight still rose to 193 tons, and with hanging tanks even more - up to 202 tons. Over time, the front of the fuselage gained a new layout. It became possible to move the antenna station from under the fuselage to the bow, which was extended by 1 meter. Thanks to the new navigation equipment, the 3M aircraft could conduct effective bombing from high altitude at any time of the day and under any conditions.

As a result, all the improvements led to the fact that the maximum flight range, compared with previous versions, increased by 40%. With one refueling, hanging tanks and maximum bomb load, this figure exceeded 15,000 km. To conquer such a distance, the aircraft needed about 20 hours. Thus, the prospect of using it as an intercontinental strategic bomber appeared. The 3M plane was exactly the machine that Myasischev originally wanted to create, taking on great responsibility and securing the support of Stalin.

Another interesting quality of 3M is the fact that it can be used as a distant marine torpedo bomber. Torpedoes became part of the standard armament, but they were used extremely rarely. The first tests of the marine version of the bomber were carried out on a prototype M-4.

Merit 3M

After the latest modifications, the aircraft was put into service and put into serial production. In 1959, pilots N. Goryainov and B. Stepanov, together with their crews, set 12 world records on it. Among them was a lift with a 10-ton load to a height of more than 15 kilometers and a lift with a 55-ton load to a height of 2 kilometers. In the world records tables, the aircraft was named 201M. In the same year, test pilot A. Lipko and his team set seven records of flight speed on a closed route, with varying degrees of load. With a load of 25 tons, he developed a speed of 1028 km / h. In official documents, the 3M Myasishchev aircraft was again named differently - 103M.

When the new strategic bomber entered service, some of the previously released versions of the M-4, which differed only in their weak power plant, were converted into refueling tanks.

Operational problems and new motor

Despite the highest performance, the plane had a number of problems. The most important of them was that the overhaul life of the VD-7 engines was much lower than that of the RD-3M-500A engines. Therefore, in order to carry out routine repairs, the motors were often changed. While problems with the VD-7 were being resolved, the same RD-3M was installed on the aircraft, with which the successes of the model began. With this power plant, it was called 3MS. Of course, compared to 3M, the plane showed worse results, but it was much better than its prototype - the M-4 version. In particular, without refueling, the ZMS aircraft could fly 9,400 kilometers.

The problem with the motors was allowed by the development of the VD-7B modification. To extend the life of the engine, the designers had to reduce its thrust to the level of RD-3M. It amounted to 9500 kgf. It is worth recognizing that, despite the fact that the motor resource was increased and increased several more times, it still did not reach the RD-3M level. Nevertheless, with a general deterioration in performance, the flight range, due to the efficiency of the power plant, was 15% higher than the range of the 3MS version.

Modification with motors VD-7B was called 3MN. Outwardly, it differed from the 3MS version only in engine hoods. On top of the hoods of the VD-7B were barred hatches designed to discharge hot air into the atmosphere from under the bypass tapes. In flight, the aircraft also differed: the VD-7B engine left a clearly visible smoky trail.

Recent Modifications

In 1960, another modification of the aircraft was released, which was called 3MD. She was distinguished by more advanced equipment and improved aerodynamics. The motor remains the same.

In the 60s, the release of the aircraft began to systematically decline, and soon ceased altogether. The country's leadership shifted priorities towards rocket technology. Therefore, another of the bomber's modifications, which received the VD-7P engine and the name 3ME, has remained a prototype. Take-off thrust of engines increased to 11300 kG. The tests were carried out in 1963. However, society will still remember the 3M aircraft - the history of the model does not end there.

With a reduction in the number of strategic bombers, some of them (versions 3MS and 3MN) were converted into tankers for refueling. They fueled in the air both the Tu-95 and the remaining 3M strike aircraft. The 3M tanker, therefore, changed the version of M-4-2. But, in fact, it was all one machine, only with different motors and related communications.

Transport tasks

In the late 70s, there was a need to transport units of the new missile complex from factories to Due to the large size, weight and decent range of transportation, none of the types of conveyor could solve this problem. For example, the central tank of the launch vehicle was 40 meters long and 8 meters wide. V. Myasischev reminded of himself and offered to carry goods on the fuselage of his bomber. The 3M plane at that time was already discontinued, and Myasishchev himself was the general designer of the design bureau recreated in 1967. In 1978, his proposal was accepted. When Vladimir Mikhailovich died (October 14, 1978), his work continued

In order not to delay the development, construction and testing of the carrier aircraft, three tankers were selected. They were immediately sent for testing to identify weaknesses. As a result, the aircraft received an updated frame and new fuselage panels. The tail part was rearranged and extended by 7 meters. The plumage became two-keel. A number of systems and components have been improved or replaced. The aircraft were supplied with more powerful VD-7M engines with the afterburner removed, the thrust of which reached 11,000 kG. The same motors, but with an afterburner, were installed on the Tu-22, but by that time they were no longer produced.

As a result, five configurations of the carrier aircraft were developed, each of which, due to its specific dynamic and flight characteristics, was intended for cargoes of a certain weight. The model was called 3M-T. One of the three aircraft built was transferred to TsAGI for static tests. And one more was equipped with a refueling bar.

In 1980, the 3M-T transport aircraft was first raised to the sky. And on January 6 of the following year, test pilot A. Kucherenko first transported cargo on it. Subsequently, the aircraft was renamed the “ZM-T Atlant”. The carriers of this series transported more than 150 cargoes to Baikonur. They transported all the bulky parts of the Energia and Bhutan complexes. A 3M cargo plane, a photo of which everyone once recognized, was regularly shown at all kinds of aviation holidays, including at the Moscow Air Show in 1992.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the Tu-134A-3M aircraft, which are sometimes confused with the hero of our story because of the 3M index in the name, have nothing to do with it. All Tu-134s are passenger. And the Tu-134A-3M aircraft are at all a VIP modification of the agricultural version 134СХ.

Conclusion

In 2003, it was 50 years since the first flight of the 4-M aircraft, which became the first-born in the family of Soviet bombers. Surprisingly, the 3M aircraft model is still found in the combat units of the Air Force. We can only admire the talent of designers who managed to build equipment with such strong potential in the difficult post-war years.

Since the start of mass production of the American medium tank M4 Sherman, its design has been constantly modernized and improved. Against this background, many modifications of the Sherman appeared:

Tank M4 "Sherman" with a 105-mm gun. One of the most serious alterations in terms of armament of the tank. Instead of a 76-mm turret, a powerful 105-mm howitzer was installed in the enlarged turret, which was capable of fighting many German tanks, including the Tiger and Panther. On the "Sherman" with 105-mm guns "wet laying" was absent, instead of it, the ammunition was installed in the so-called "Dry laying", that is, in armored boxes in the center of the fighting compartment. From February 1943 to September 1943, 800 such tanks were produced at the tank arsenal in Detroit.

American medium tank M4 "Sherman" with a 105-mm gun

Tank M4 "Sherman"   with 105mm howitzer and with HVSS suspension. This tank was not much different from the previous modification, with the exception of the suspension. Here, the more reliable HVSS suspension acted as a chassis, which had trolleys with dual rollers and in it vertical springs were replaced with horizontal ones. In addition, the suspension had excellent maintainability. From September 1944 to March 1945, the tank arsenal in Detroit produced 841 vehicles.


Sherman M4 tank with HVSS suspension

Tank M4A1 "Sherman" with a 76 mm gun. Standard production tank, but with improvements, like the modifications of the M4A1, M4A2, M4A4 and later modifications of the M4A3 tank. The American company Pressed Steel, from January 1944 to June 1945, created 3,396 tanks.


M4A1 Sherman tank with 76 mm gun

Tank M4A2 "Sherman"   with a 76 mm gun. Standard serial tank with improvements to the modifications M4A1, M4A5 and M4A3. From June 1944 to December 1944, the American company Grand Blank produced 1,596 tanks, while Pressed Steel created only 21 tanks between May 1945 and June 1945.


Tank M4A2 "Sherman" with a 76-mm gun.

Tank M4A3 "Sherman"   with a 76 mm gun. Standard serial tank with improvements to the M4A1, M4A5 and M4A2 modifications. The tank arsenal in Detroit produced 1,400 such tanks from February to July 1944, and the company Grand Blank built 525 tanks from September 1944 to December 1944.


M4A3 Sherman tank with 76 mm gun

Tank M4A3 "Sherman"   with a 76 mm gun and advanced HVSS suspension. Standard serial tank with improvements to the M4A1, M4A5 and M4A2 modifications. The tank arsenal in Detroit produced 1,445 tanks from August 1944 to December 1944.


Sherman M4A3 tank with 76 mm gun and advanced HVSS suspension

Tank M4A3 "Sherman"   with a 105 mm howitzer. Standard serial tank with improvements to the modifications M4A2, M4A4 and M4A5. The tank arsenal in Detroit in the period from April 1945 to August 1945 produced 500 of these tanks.


Tank M4A3 "Sherman"

Tank M4A3 "Sherman"   with 105mm howitzer and advanced HVSS undercarriage. Standard serial tank with improvements to the modifications M4A2, M4A3? M4A4 and M4A5. The tank arsenal in Detroit during the period from August 194 to May 1945 produced 2539 of these tanks.


Tank M4A3 "Sherman"


And here is a good example of comparing the usual suspension of the M4A1 Sherman tank and the improved (below) HVSS suspension.

Heavy assault tank M4A3E2. The most interesting modification of the M4 Sherman tank was a compromise tank design, which the American designers provided at the end of 1943. It was a tank of direct infantry support, which in early 1944 was proposed to be used when landing in Northern Europe. This decision was proposed after it became clear that the T26E1 heavy assault tank would not appear in mass production until January 1945. But the constructive solution was simple: to increase the armor of the tank to 10 cm. At the same time, a new, heavier tank tower with armor up to 10.5 cm was designed, however, it is not clear for what reasons the 76 mm gun was left. Naturally, the weight of the tank increased significantly, up to about 38 tons. Based on the experience of the tankers, modernized tracks with non-removable lugs were put on the new tank. These propeller blades significantly increased the mobility of the new tank. Over rough terrain, the tank could reach a maximum speed of 22 miles per hour. These tanks were manufactured by Grand Blank from May to June 1944. A total of 254 M4A3E2 tanks were produced, which, as expected, were sent to the European Theater of War for combat operations. True, the tanks went to Europe without any weapons, since upon their arrival at the place, they received weapons in the form of 76-mm M1 guns from previously damaged Sherman tanks. American tankers called tanks M4A3E2 Jumbo (Jumbo).

The full potential of the rear differential is revealed on the track - you can not be shy with it with the throttle at the exit of the turn, opening the gas a little earlier and literally screwing the car into the correct trajectory. There you can feel how the heated rubber bites into the asphalt, knocking down all reflexes and bringing the vestibular apparatus to a boil. Only on the track.

In the city ... No, not boring. It's nice to play with gas at the traffic lights, attracting the attention of everyone who is within a kilometer radius. M4 is a talented pet and knows how to be flexible. But there is one subtlety that even the engineers of M GmbH have not yet foreseen: this car is designed exclusively for good weather. And in our latitudes this is a problem.

Back to earth

In rain or snow (in the form in which it pours from all sides, mixing with dirt), even in the quiet mode, the engine thrust is too much. The DSC course stabilization system goes crazy every time you start. Moreover, the drive wheels strive to break into a bite even when shifting gears at a speed of 60-80 km / h. Of course, smart electronics immediately “catches” the moment and levels the car, but the bestial nature of the M4 now and then shows itself. During the real snowfalls (and I had a chance to test the M4 in such conditions) it is even dangerous to blow the accelerator. I went too far - you can stand sideways. It turns out to go uphill only with a good acceleration, in tightness - it is unrealistic.

Among the jet aircraft was the Soviet heavy bomber M-4 (103M), ahead of the B-52, despite the fact that the Americans began to build their machine much earlier. With the advent of the B-47 long-range bomber in the United States in the USSR, there was an urgent need to create aircraft of this class. Designer V.M. Myasishchev, submitted to the government a scientifically sound proposal to create a strategic bomber with a flight range of 11,000-12,000 km. On March 24, 1951, a government decree was issued, and two days later - the MAP order to organize OKB-23 on the basis of factory number 23 in Fili. To determine the general appearance of the aircraft, several options were worked out. In TsAGI pipes, a large number of models of various layouts were purged in four months. But the main design was defined: a normal design aircraft with a swept wing, swept plumage, a bicycle landing gear and four turbojet engines.

Following the example of the successful layout of the Tu-16 aircraft, the chief designer of OKB-23 L.L. Selyakov suggested using a similar arrangement of engines in the wing root. This made it possible to pair the wing and fuselage more smoothly, while the output gas jets were “washed out” into narrower beams than the jets of single turbojet engines on A.N. Tupolev bomber. Deprived of pylons with TRD gondolas, the wing became aerodynamically clean. There remained only the fairings of the auxiliary landing gear, they reduced the wing resistance, working as end washers. Of particular interest is the adopted version of the chassis of the bicycle circuit with side racks at the ends of the wing. The main landing gear was located at approximately equal distance from the center of mass of the aircraft. The front “uplifting" four-wheeled undercarriage at the end of the take-off turned in the plane of symmetry of the aircraft, the nose of the car rose and the angle of attack increased. At the initial stage of the test of the first flight prototype of the chassis with the “uplift” mechanism, it still did not stand. The crew consisted of eight people and was located in two pressurized cabins.

Aircraft M-4 (103M) - an all-metal monoplane of the classical scheme with a highly located swept wing. The maximum aerodynamic quality of the aircraft is 17.45. The fuselage - a semi-monocoque of circular cross section with a diameter of 3.5 m and a length of 45.6 m was technologically divided into the bow with the front pressurized cabin, the middle part, including the wing center section, tail section and aft cockpit. In the front pressurized cabin there was a crew, basic flight and navigation equipment and weapon control devices. In the middle part of the fuselage were: a bomb bay, niches for cleaning the main landing gear, upper and lower rifle installations, a container for rescue boats, oxygen, fire-fighting and other equipment. Hatches for bomb weapons and chassis were reinforced with longitudinal beams. In the compartments of the chassis, the center wing and under it were placed 14 soft fuel tanks, in the bomb bay there was a possibility of placing two additional hanging tanks. In the rear part of the fuselage are six soft fuel tanks, shell boxes of the stern cannon mount, photo equipment, a signaling compartment, a brake parachute and jamming equipment. In the aft pressurized cabin there was a stern shooter that controlled the tail gun installation. All crew members in emergency situations catapulted down.

The wing is a free-bearing caisson structure with a sweep angle along the focal line of 35 °. The wing installation angle of 2.5 ° (in the root section), the angle of the transverse V-shape is 1 ° 50 ". The wing was technologically divided into a center section, which was integral with the middle part of the fuselage, the root parts in which the power plant was located, and two detachable end The main power element of the wing was a caisson formed by the front and rear spars, ribs and power sewing panels with a stringer set.The wing socks were removable and hot air from the anti-icing system passed under them. Assisi were simultaneously anti-flatter cargoes. Inside the wing box there were soft fuel tanks. The actual pre-flight fueling in the aircraft tanks was limited to 123600 liters. The wing mechanization consisted of landing flaps under the engine nacelles and TsAGI-type retractable flaps. Two-section ailerons with internal weight and aerodynamic compensation. The inner sections of the ailerons had trimmers, and the tail unit was single-keel, swept, and coffered. The horizontal tail with elevator had an angle of transverse V-shape of 10 ° and sweep along the focus line of 33.5 °. The stabilizer consisted of two halves docked along the axis of the aircraft. Vertical plumage - keel with sweep 35 ° along the line of focuses and elevator.


In the bomb bay of the M-4 (103M) aircraft, it was planned to place up to two 9000 kg bombs (only one was actually installed), three 6000 kg bombs (in practice, only two were installed) or any free-falling bombs of 250 kg and more with a total weight of up to 24000 kg . The cannon armament system of the SPV-25 aircraft was designed by the design bureau MAZ Dzerzhinets. Six AM-23 (NR-23) cannons in three turret installations with remote control: the upper - DB-33A, the lower - DB-34A, the aft - DB-35A were guided by the firing unit commander and the aft gunner using radar, television or optical sights . The cannons of the upper tower DB-33 and the lower - DB-34 had an ammunition load of 250 shells per barrel, and a tail mount of DB-35 - 500 shells per barrel.

The chassis - a bicycle circuit, consisted of two main four-wheeled carts and two-wheeled freely-oriented wing supports. For maneuvering when driving on the ground, the front pair of wheels of the front carriage could be rotated by 4 ° with the help of a hydraulic steering machine, the car allowed to turn up to 27 ° in both directions. The front bogie was equipped with a “rearing” mechanism to increase the angle of attack of the aircraft when the separation speed was reached during runway take-off. The wheels of the rear bogie had brakes. The wing supports of the chassis are self-orientating. All landing gear retracted forward, against flight. Due to the limitations on the strength of the chassis, in the search for possible ways to increase the take-off mass of the bomber, an option was considered with the installation of two drop-off (parachuting) four-wheel supports under the wing behind the engines. The main and wing landing gear in this case were in the retracted position and should only be used when landing.

At the preliminary design stage, to ensure the take-off of an aircraft weighing 183,000 kg from a runway length of about 2000 m, launching accelerators “SUM” with LRE were developed, but the accelerators produced by plant No. 41 did not pass tests due to structural defects. To reduce mileage on the aircraft, a three-dome parachute braking system was used. Parachutes were released when the wheels touched the ground.

The construction of the experimental vehicle was completed in the fall of 1952. The first flight of the aircraft, which was given the name M-4 (103M), was performed on January 20, 1953 with a crew led by test pilot F.F.Opadchim. On May 1, the plane took part in an air parade over Red Square. If, according to most of the data, the aircraft corresponded to the technical specifications, then it did not satisfy the main parameter - the maximum range. To increase the flight range, it was decided to install an in-flight refueling system. During the test of the M-4 with two refueling in the air, the plane flew 14,500 km. Even before the end of the test, the M-4 aircraft was recommended for serial production at plant number 23.

A total of 116 serial M-4 and 3M bombers were built, of which some were converted into refueling aircraft. The last flight 3M aircraft made March 23, 1994 from the airport of Engels. In August 1997, all aircraft were removed and cut into scrap metal. On the M-4 and 3M aircraft, several world records were set. With a load of 25,000 kg, a speed of 1,028.644 km / h was achieved. At a height of 13,131m, a load of 55,220 kg was lifted. For the FAI, the aircraft was called “103M” and “201M”.

The performance characteristics of the bomber M-4 (103M)

Wingspan, m 50.53
Length, m 48.70
Height, m \u200b\u200b14.10
Wing Area, m2 326.35
Weight kg
- empty aircraft 79700
- normal take-off 138500
- maximum take-off 181,500
Engine type 4 TRD AM-3A
Thrust, kgf 4 x 8750
Maximum speed, km / h 947
Practical range, km 8100
Combat radius of action, km 5600
Practical ceiling, m 11000
Max. operational overload 2
Crew 8
Armament: nine 23-mm guns NR-23 or six 23-mm guns AM-23 in three turret installations with remote control (ammunition of the upper and lower installations for 1100 rounds, aft - 2000 rounds)
  The combat load is 9000 kg normal, 24000 kg maximum.
  Nuclear and conventional bombs in internal suspension or
  4 long-range missiles on the external suspension.

 

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