Test drive BMW M4: animal joys. Operational problems and a new motor

The 3M aircraft is a Soviet strategic bomber that has served for about four decades. There have been many different events in the history of this aircraft. It ended up gaining a controversial reputation. Someone calls this aircraft an emergency model, while others consider it a great achievement. One way or another, the 3M aircraft, the history of the creation of which has become the subject of our conversation, deserves attention as the most serious project of Soviet aircraft designers.

Prerequisites for the creation

In the late 1940s, when nuclear weapons appeared, the need arose for their transportation and mobile delivery to the desired location. The military complex needed bombers, which, according to their characteristics, could exceed the models produced at that time by 1.5-2 times. This is how the concept was formed strategic bomber... America started developing such aircraft earlier. In 1946, two American aviation companies at once - Boeing and Convair - 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 an impressive speed and range.

Development start

In the USSR, similar developments started with a significant delay. It all started with the fact that the 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, on his own responsibility, to entrust Myasishchev with the development of the aircraft he had proposed, but he set tight deadlines. Development was to be completed on May 24, 1951. The Council of Ministries of the USSR instructed the construction of the aircraft to be 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 vehicle. The maximum flight range was supposed 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 a bomber according to "Project 25" (as it was called during the development process) required cooperation from the design bureau with a number of other organizations in the industry: other design bureaus, research institutes and factories.

First developments

The first sketches of the aircraft were made by L. Selyakov - he was given the role of a designer, aerodynamics and strength engineer at the same time. V. Myasishchev at that time was engaged in the formation of subdivisions, departments and brigades. The team was created in parallel with the bomber. V short term a sketch of the project was prepared and approved. Together with this, the production technology, because before the USSR did not produce such large and heavy aircraft. The machine needed new standard sizes of profiles and materials, as well as nomenclature.

The bomber had to have good aerodynamic performance, develop high speed and be as light as possible. The designers paid a lot of 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 light, had flexible ends and was made according to a coffered structure. It resisted flutter influence well. At the root of the wing housed motors, each of which had an air intake. With its help, it was possible to exclude the mutual influence of engines when operating in different modes. The nozzles were deployed horizontally and vertically by 4 degrees. This measure was necessary to divert the hot gas jet from the fuselage and tail.

Equipment

The bomber's power plant included four of Mikulin's most powerful designs. Their thrust was 8700 kgf. When designing the power plant, the stake was placed on maximum reliability. By the way, according to the initial project, the plane was to be equipped with three motors with a thrust of 13,000 kgf. 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 along the runway, a special expert group was organized. Initially, several chassis schemes were considered: standard with three supports, multi-support and bicycle. In the tests, the best performing chassis was built on a bicycle scheme with a front "rearing" bogie and side struts located at the ends of the fenders. The aircraft rode steadily along the runway and took off with the required takeoff 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 cart changed, and after it the direction of the entire plane changed. In the "rearing" mode, the front pair of wheels became uncontrollable. At the final stage of the takeoff run, the nose of the aircraft was raised, and the angle of attack increased. The pilot's participation in takeoff was minimal. This scheme was tested on the Tu-4 flying laboratory, the tricycle chassis of which was specially replaced by a bicycle one. A model of a separate electrically controlled bogie was also built. The prototypes of the chassis have passed a full range of tests and confirmed 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, aimed bombing was provided. The bomber had a fairly powerful armament for defense. It consisted of six 23 mm automatic cannons. They were placed in pairs on three rotary mounts in the upper, lower and aft fuselage. The crew, consisting of eight people, was housed in two pressurized cabins. The seats ejected down through the hatches.

Testing

By December 1952, a prototype bomber was built. And on January 20 of the following 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 sample 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 6700 meters was equal to 947 kilometers per hour. The practical ceiling (maximum flight range) with a weight of 138 tons was 12,500 meters. The designers managed to place a huge volume of fuel tanks on board. They held 132,390 liters of fuel. However, the maximum filling was limited to 123,600 liters.

In 1954, a 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 modifications. Engineers began to prepare for the serial production of the bomber. By this time, in honor of the designer Myasishchev, the car received the name "Airplane M". "3M" - an index that was assigned to the model later. And at first it was called M-4.

The tests were far from the best. In terms of most of the characteristics, the aircraft fully corresponded to the task, but the main requirement - the maximum flight range with 5 tons of bombs on board - it could not satisfy. After a number of improvements, the bomber was still accepted into service. But the question of insufficient flight range remained open.

Improvements

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

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

While the 3M Myasishchev aircraft 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 "high-rise" was stopped, since the 3M version was able to achieve its design characteristics.

Aircraft 3M: development

Despite good performance, the model continued to evolve. On March 27, 1956, the first flight took place in a 3M car. The aircraft received new VD-7 engines, which had a thrust of 11,000 kgf. At the same time, they weighed less and consumed less fuel. At first, the plane was equipped with two new engines, and by 1957 - all four. Thanks to the installation of new-configuration wings and improved characteristics of the horizontal tail, the aerodynamic qualities of the aircraft have increased markedly. 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 bay (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 even more with outboard tanks - up to 202 tons. Over time, the front of the fuselage acquired a new layout. It became possible to move the antenna station from under the fuselage to the nose, which was lengthened by 1 meter. Thanks to the new navigation equipment, the 3M aircraft could conduct effective bombing from high altitudes at any time of the day and under any conditions.

As a result, all the modifications led to the fact that the maximum flight range, compared with previous versions, increased by 40%. With one refueling, outboard tanks and a maximum bomb load, this figure exceeded 15,000 km. To conquer such a distance, the plane took about 20 hours. Thus, there was a prospect of using it as an intercontinental strategic bomber. The 3M plane was exactly the machine that Myasishchev initially wanted to create, taking on a lot of responsibility and enlisting the support of Stalin.

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

Aircraft Merit 3M

The aircraft, after the last modifications, was put into service and put into mass production. In 1959, pilots N. Goryainov and B. Stepanov, together with their crews, set 12 world records on it. Among them was an ascent with a 10-ton load to a height of more than 15 kilometers and an ascent with a 55-ton load to a height of 2 kilometers. In the tables of world records, the aircraft was named 201M. In the same year, test pilot A. Lipko and his team set seven flight speed records 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 plane 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 a weak power plant, were converted into tankers.

Operational problems and a new motor

In spite of 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 regulatory renovation works, the motors were changed frequently. While the problems with the VD-7 were being solved, the very same RD-3Ms, from which the model's success began, were installed on the aircraft. With this power plant, it was named 3MS. Of course, compared to the 3M, the plane showed worse results, but it was much better than its prototype - the M-4 version. In particular, the ZMS plane could fly 9400 kilometers without refueling.

The problem with the motors was resolved 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 the RD-3M. It amounted to 9500 kgf. It should be admitted that, despite the fact that the resource of the engine was increased and increased several times, it never reached the level of the RD-3M. Nevertheless, with a general deterioration in performance, the flight range, due to the economy of the power plant, exceeded the range of the 3MS version by 15%.

The modification with VD-7B motors was named 3MN. Outwardly, it differed from the 3MC version only in the engine hoods. On top of the VD-7B hoods there were barred hatches designed to release hot air into the atmosphere from under the bypass belts. In flight, the planes were also different: the VD-7B engine left a clearly visible trail of smoke.

Latest modifications

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

In the 60s, the production of the aircraft began to be systematically reduced, and soon it stopped altogether. The country's leadership has shifted its priorities towards missile technology. Therefore, another of the modifications of the bomber, which received the VD-7P engine and the name 3ME, remained a prototype. The take-off thrust of the engines increased to 11,300 kgf. 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 the reduction in the number of strategic bombers, some of them (versions 3MS and 3MN) were converted into tankers for refueling. They refueled both the Tu-95 and the remaining 3M strike aircraft in the air. The 3M tanker, thus, changed the M-4-2 version. But, in fact, it was all one machine, only with different motors and related communications.

Transport tasks

At the end of the 70s, it became necessary to transport the units of the new missile complex from factories to. Due to the large dimensions, weight and decent range of transportation, none of the types of transporter could solve this task... For example, the central tank of the launch vehicle was 40 meters long and 8 meters wide. V. Myasishchev reminded of himself and offered to transport cargo on the fuselage of his bomber. At that time, the 3M aircraft had already been discontinued, and Myasishchev himself was the general designer of the OKB recreated in 1967. In 1978, his offer 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 section was rearranged and lengthened by 7 meters. The plumage has become two-keel. A number of systems and components have been improved or replaced. The aircraft were equipped with more powerful VD-7M engines with the afterburner removed, the thrust of which reached 11,000 kgf. The same engines, 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 specific dynamic and flight characteristics, was intended for loads of a certain weight. The model was named 3M-T. One of the three built aircraft was transferred to TsAGI for static tests. And one more was additionally equipped with a refueling bar.

In 1980, the 3M-T transport aircraft was first taken to the sky. And on January 6 of the following year, test pilot A. Kucherenko first transported cargo on it. Later, the aircraft was renamed "ZM-T Atlant". The transporters of this series transported more than 150 cargoes to Baikonur. They transported all the large-sized parts of the Energia and Bhutan complexes. The 3M cargo plane, the photo of which everyone recognized at one time, was regularly demonstrated at all kinds of aviation holidays, including at the Mosaeroshow in 1992.

Finally, it should be noted that the Tu-134A-3M aircraft, which are sometimes confused with the hero of our story because of the 3M index in their name, have nothing to do with it. All Tu-134s are passenger. And the Tu-134A-3M aircraft are completely VIP-modifications of the agricultural version 134СХ.

Conclusion

2003 marked the 50th anniversary of 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 combat units of the Air Force. We only have to admire the talent of the designers who, in the difficult post-war years, managed to build equipment with such a strong potential.

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

Tank M4 "Sherman" with a 105-mm cannon... One of the most serious alterations in terms of tank armament. 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 "Shermans" with 105-mm guns, there was no "wet packing"; instead, the ammunition was installed in the so-called. "Dry stacking", that is, in armored boxes in the center of the fighting compartment. The tank arsenal in Detroit produced 800 of these tanks from February 1943 to September 1943.

American medium Tank M4 "Sherman" with a 105-mm cannon

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


Tank M4 "Sherman" with HVSS suspension

Tank М4А1 "Sherman" with a 76 mm cannon. A standard production tank, but with improvements like the M4A1, M4A2, M4A4 and later M4A3 modifications. American company Pressed Steel built 3396 tanks between January 1944 and June 1945.


Tank М4А1 "Sherman" with 76-mm cannon

Tank М4А2 "Sherman" with a 76 mm cannon. Standard serial tank with improvements of modifications М4А1, М4А5 and М4А3. The American company Grand Blank produced 1,596 tanks between June 1944 and December 1944, while Pressed Steel produced only 21 tanks between May 1945 and June 1945.


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

Tank М4А3 "Sherman" with a 76 mm cannon. Standard serial tank with improvements of modifications М4А1, М4А5 and М4А2. The Detroit Tank Arsenal produced 1,400 of these tanks from February to July 1944, and Grand Blank built 525 tanks from September 1944 to December 1944.


Tank M4A3 "Sherman" with a 76-mm cannon

Tank М4А3 "Sherman" with 76mm cannon and improved HVSS suspension. Standard serial tank with improvements of modifications М4А1, М4А5 and М4А2. The Detroit Tank Arsenal produced 1,445 tanks between August 1944 and December 1944.


Tank М4А3 "Sherman" with 76-mm cannon and improved HVSS suspension

Tank М4А3 "Sherman" with a 105 mm howitzer. Standard serial tank with improvements of modifications М4А2, М4А4 and М4А5. The Detroit Tank Arsenal produced 500 of these tanks between April 1945 and August 1945.


Tank М4А3 "Sherman"

Tank М4А3 "Sherman" with a 105 mm howitzer and an improved HVSS suspension. A standard serial tank with improvements of the М4А2, М4А3 modifications? M4A4 and M4A5. The Detroit Tank Arsenal produced 2,539 of these tanks between August 194 and May 1945.


Tank М4А3 "Sherman"


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

Heavy assault tank М4А3Е2... The most interesting modification of the M4 Sherman tank was a compromise tank design that American designers provided at the end of 1943. It was a tank for direct support of the infantry, which at the beginning of 1944 was proposed to be used during the landing of troops in Northern Europe. This solution was proposed after it became clear that the T26E1 heavy assault tank would appear in serial production no earlier than January 1945. And the constructive solution was simple: to increase the tank's armor to 10 cm.At the same time, a new, heavier tank turret with armor up to 10.5 cm was designed, however, it is not clear for what reasons they left the 76-mm cannon. Naturally, the weight of the tank increased greatly, up to about 38 tons. Based on the experience of tankers, modernized tracks with non-removable lugs were installed on the new tank. These paddle blades significantly increased the mobility of the new tank. On rough terrain, the tank could reach a maximum speed of 22 miles per hour. These tanks were produced by Grand Blank between May and June 1944. In total, 254 M4A3E2 tanks were produced, which, as expected, were sent to the European theater of military operations to conduct hostilities. 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 cannons, from the previously destroyed Sherman tanks. American tankers called the tanks M4A3E2 Jumbo (Jumbo).

On the track, the full potential of the rear differential is revealed - you can not be shy with it with the throttle at the exit from 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 gnaws into the asphalt, knocking down all reflexes and bringing the vestibular apparatus to a boil. Only on the track.

In the city ... No, it's not boring. It's nice to play with gas at traffic lights, drawing the attention of everyone within a kilometer radius. M4 is a talented pet and knows how to be docile. But there is one subtlety that even the engineers at 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 mud), even in a quiet mode, there is too much engine thrust. DSC goes crazy with every start. Moreover, the driving wheels tend to get stuck in a cork even when shifting gears at a speed of 60-80 km / h. Of course, smart electronics immediately "seizes" the moment and aligns the car, but the bestial nature of the M4 shows itself every now and then. During real snowfalls (and I had a chance to test the M4 in such conditions) it is even dangerous to blow on the accelerator. A little overdone - you can stand sideways. It turns out to drive up the hill 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 create their own machine much earlier. With the appearance in the United States of the B-47 long-range bomber in the USSR, there was an urgent need to create aircraft of this class. Designer V.M. Myasishchev submitted to the government a scientifically grounded 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 - an order from the Ministry of Aviation Industry on the organization of OKB-23 on the basis of plant number 23 in Fili. For determining general view aircraft, several options were worked out. In the pipes of TsAGI, a large number of models of various layouts were blown through in four months. But the main scheme was determined: an aircraft of a normal scheme with a swept wing, swept tail, bicycle chassis 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 proposed using a similar arrangement of engines at the root of the wing. This made it possible to carry out the conjugation of the wing and fuselage more smoothly, while the output gas jets were "blurred" into narrower beams than the jets of single turbojet engines on the Tupolev bomber. Deprived of the turbojet engine pylons with gondolas, the wing became aerodynamically clean. Only the fairings of the auxiliary landing gear remained, they reduced the drag of the wing, working as end washers. Of particular interest is the adopted variant of the bicycle chassis with side struts 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 "rearing" four-wheeled chassis bogie at the end of the take-off run rotated in the plane of symmetry of the aircraft, the nose of the aircraft was raised and the angle of attack increased. On initial stage tests of the first flight prototype of the chassis with the "rearing" mechanism has not yet been tested. The aircraft crew consisted of eight people and was located in two pressurized cabins.

The M-4 (103M) aircraft is an all-metal monoplane of a classical design with a high-swept wing. The maximum aerodynamic quality of the aircraft is 17.45. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque of circular cross-section with a diameter of 3.5 m and a length of 45.6 m, technologically divided into a bow section with a front pressurized cabin, a middle section, which included a wing center section, aft section and a stern cabin. The front pressurized cabin housed the crew, the main flight and navigation equipment and weapons control devices. In the middle part of the fuselage there were: a bomb bay, niches for cleaning the main landing gear, upper and lower shooting installations, a container for rescue boats, oxygen, fire-fighting and other equipment. Hatches for bomb armament and chassis were reinforced with longitudinal beams. Fourteen soft fuel tanks were located in the chassis compartments, the center section and under it, and two additional outboard tanks were provided for in the bomb bay. In the tail section of the fuselage there are six soft fuel tanks, ammunition boxes for the aft cannon installation, photographic equipment, a signal compartment, a braking parachute and jamming equipment. In the aft pressurized cabin there was a stern gunner who controlled the tail gun mount. All crew members in emergency situations catapulted down.

The wing is a cantilever coffered structure with a sweep angle along the focus line of 35 °. The angle of installation of the wing is 2.5 ° (in the root section), the angle of the transverse V-shape is 1 ° 50 ". power point, and two detachable end pieces. The main power element of the wing was the box formed by the front and rear spars, ribs and power panels with a stringer set. The wing toes are removable, and hot air from the de-icing system passed under them. The end fairings of the wing landing gear were at the same time anti-flatter weights. Soft fuel tanks were located inside the wing box. The actual pre-flight refueling of the aircraft was limited to 123,600 liters. The wing mechanization consisted of landing flaps under the engine nacelles and retractable flaps of the TsAGI type. Ailerons are two-section with internal weight and aerodynamic compensation. The inner sections of the ailerons had trim tabs. The tail unit is single-finned, swept-shaped, with a coffered structure. The horizontal tail with the elevator had a transverse V-shaped angle of 10 ° and a sweep along the focus line of 33.5 °. The stabilizer consisted of two halves docked along the axis of the aircraft. The vertical tail is a 35 ° swept keel along the focal line and an elevator.


In the bomb bay of the M-4 (103M) aircraft, it was supposed 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-fall bombs of 250 kg or more with a total mass of up to 24000 kg ... The SPV-25 cannon armament system of the aircraft was designed by the MAZ "Dzerzhinets" Design Bureau. Six AM-23 (NR-23) cannons in three turret mounts with remote control: upper - DB-33A, lower - DB-34A, stern - DB-35A were guided by the commander of the firing installations and the stern gunner using radar, television or optical sights. The guns of the upper tower DB-33 and the lower one - DB-34 had an ammunition load of 250 rounds per barrel, the tail mount DB-35 - 500 rounds per barrel.

The chassis - a bicycle scheme, consisted of two main four-wheeled carts and two-wheeled freely-oriented wing supports. For maneuvering when moving on the ground, the front pair of wheels of the front bogie could turn at 4 ° angles using a hydraulic steering gear, the bogie could turn at angles 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 take-off speed was reached during the runway takeoff. The rear bogie wheels had brakes. The underwing landing gear is self-orienting. All landing gear retracted forward, against the flight. Due to chassis strength limitations when searching possible ways to increase the takeoff weight of the bomber, an option was considered with the installation of two dropped (by parachutes) four-wheel supports under the wing behind the engines. The main landing gear and wing landing gear in this case were in the retracted position and were to be used only during landing.

At the stage draft design To ensure the takeoff of an aircraft weighing 183,000 kg from a runway with a length of about 2,000 m, "SUM" launch boosters with liquid fuel rocket engines were developed, but the boosters manufactured by plant No. 41 did not pass the tests due to structural defects. To reduce the mileage, the aircraft used a three-dome parachute braking system. Parachutes were released at the moment the wheels touched the ground.

The construction of the prototype was completed in the fall of 1952. The aircraft, which was named M-4 (103M), made its first flight on January 20, 1953 with a crew headed 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 terms of reference, then according to the main parameter - the maximum range - it did not satisfy. To increase the flight range, it was decided to install an in-flight refueling system. During the test of the M-4 with two air refueling, the plane flew 14,500 km. Even before the end of the tests, the M-4 aircraft was recommended for serial production at Plant No. 23.

A total of 116 serial bombers M-4 and 3M were built, some of which were converted into tanker aircraft. Last flight 3M aircraft flew on March 23, 1994 from the Engels airfield. In August 1997, all aircraft were removed and scrapped. Several world records were set on the M-4 and 3M aircraft. With a load of 25,000 kg, a speed of 1,028.644 km / h was reached. A load of 55 220 kg was lifted to a height of 13,131m. For the FAI, the aircraft were called "103M" and "201M".

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

Wingspan, m 50.53
Length, m 48.70
Height, m ​​14.10
Wing area, m2 326.35
Weight, kg
- empty plane 79700
- normal takeoff 138500
- maximum takeoff 181500
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, people 8
Armament: nine 23-mm cannons NR-23 or six 23-mm cannons AM-23 in three turret mounts with remote control (ammunition of the upper and lower mounts for 1,100 rounds, aft - 2,000 rounds)
Combat load - 9000 kg normal, 24000 kg maximum.
Nuclear and conventional bombs, internally loaded or
4 external long-range missiles.

 

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