Tupolev MTB-2
MTB-2 (ANT-44) | |
---|---|
Role | Flying boat/Amphibian |
National origin | Soviet Union |
Manufacturer | Tupolev |
First flight | 19 April 1937 |
Status | Cancelled |
Primary user | Soviet Union |
Number built | 2 |
The Tupolev MTB-2 (Морской Тяжелый Бомбардировщик — Heavy Naval Bomber), also known as the ANT-44, was a Soviet four-engine flying boat built in the late 1930s. Two prototypes were built; performance was satisfactory, but the design was overtaken by the fielding of long-range, land-based bombers by Soviet Naval Aviation and cancelled in 1940.
The first prototype crashed during
Design and development
By the early 1930s Soviet Naval Aviation was aware that their existing long-range seaplanes were obsolescent. Unsure if Soviet designers could design and build modern aircraft in a timely manner, they considered ordering such aircraft from abroad. The British seaplane specialists,
The requirements for the ANT-44 (factory designation) or MTB-2 flying boat were issued in March 1935 for an aircraft able to attack land and naval targets that could also transport 35–40 people and cargo. The aircraft had to be capable of 300 km/h at an altitude of 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and a range of 1,000 km/h (620 mph) with a 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) bomb load. Tupolev designed an all-metal aircraft that used a shoulder-mounted
The aircraft made its first flight on 19 April 1937 from dry land using a temporary fixed undercarriage; its first water-borne flight was not until 1 November after its underwing stabilizing floats had been installed. State trials began that month, but were interrupted the following month to exchange the Mistral Major engines for the more powerful Tumansky M-87 627 kW (840 hp) engines. The armament was also upgraded to 20 mm (0.79 in) ShVAK cannon in the nose and tail turrets, the dorsal position was replaced by a turret with a ShKAS and another ShKAS was added in the hull. After the trials resumed in July 1938, the prototype was further modified with retractable conventional landing gear and improved 709 kW (950 hp) M-87A engines. The ANT-44 began the second stage of its state trials in late September, but sank after a heavy landing that ruptured its hull on the night of 27/28 February 1939.[4]
The second prototype, designated ANT-44bis or ANT-44D, began construction in July 1937 and incorporated most of the changes requested when the mockup was inspected in March as were those made to the first aircraft, including the M-87A engines, the addition of landing gear and the modified armament. The wing was slightly enlarged, the empennage size and shape was revised, as was the bracing for the tailplane. It made its first flight on 26 June 1938 and the builder's trials continued until 27 March 1939. State trials were conducted on 1–16 May and ended with a positive recommendation.[5]
Construction was scheduled to begin at Factory No. 30 at Moscow-Khodynka. The production aircraft was intended to use 820 kW (1,100 hp) Tumansky M-88 radials, have a top speed of 400 km/h (250 mph) and a range of 2,000 km/h (1,200 mph) with a 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) bomb load. Production was cancelled in January 1940 as the Navy was beginning to receive Ilyushin DB-3 long-range bombers that could fulfill the MTB-2's role more cheaply.[6]
With the landing gear removed, Tupolev used the ANT-44bis to set several world records for aircraft of its type and size:[7]
- 17 June 1940: altitude of 7,595 m (24,918 ft) without payload
- 17 June 1940: altitude of 7,134 m (23,406 ft) with a 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) payload
- 19 June 1940: altitude of 6,284 m (20,617 ft) with a 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) payload
- 19 June 1940: altitude of 5,219 m (17,123 ft) with a 5,000 kg (11,023 lb) payload
- 28 September 1940: maximum speed of 277.4 km/h (150 kn, 172 mph) over 1,000 km (540 nmi, 621 mi) with a 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) payload
- 7 October 1940: maximum speed of 241.9 km/h (131 kn, 150 mph) over 1,000 km (540 nmi, 621 mi) with a 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) payload
Operational history
After the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, the ANT-44bis had its landing gear removed to increase its bombload (it could carry up to 7,000 kg (15,000 lb) during short-range missions) and was initially used to attack the Romanian cities of
Specifications (ANT-44D)
Data from Tupolev Aircraft since 1922;[9] ANT-44, la mouette de Tupolev[10]
General characteristics
- Crew: 7–8
- Length: 22.42 m (73 ft 7 in)
- Wingspan: 36.45 m (119 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 146.7 m2 (1,579 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 13,000 kg (28,660 lb)
- Gross weight: 19,000 kg (41,888 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 22,000 kg (48,502 lb)
- Powerplant: 4 × Tumansky M-87A 9-cylinder air-cooledradial engines, 710 kW (950 hp) each
- Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers, 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed: 355 km/h (221 mph, 192 kn)
- Cruise speed: 240–250 km/h (150–160 mph, 130–130 kn)
- Endurance: 14 hours
- Service ceiling: 7,100 m (23,300 ft)
- Time to altitude: 3 minutes to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
18 minutes to 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
Armament
- Guns: 2 × 20 mm ShVAK autocannon, 2 × 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns
- Bombs: 2000 kg
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Blohm und Voss BV 222
- Boeing 314
- Kawanishi H8K
- Martin PBM Mariner
- Short Sunderland
References
Notes
- ^ Gordon & Rigamant, pp. 76–77
- ^ Gordon & Rigamant, p. 77
- ^ Gunston 1995b, p. 104
- ^ Gordon & Rigamant, pp. 77–78; Kulikov, part 1, pp. 29–31
- ^ Gunston 1995a, p. 407; Gunston 1995b, p. 105; Kulikov, part 1, p. 31
- ^ Gordon & Rigamant, p. 78; Kulikov, part 1, p. 31
- ^ Gunston 1995a, p. 407
- ^ Kulikov, part 2, pp. 41–42
- ^ Gunston 1995b, pp. 104–105
- ^ Kulikov, part 2, p. 42
Bibliography
- Gordon, Yefim & Rigamant, Vladimir (2005). OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-214-4.
- ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
- Gunston, Bill (1995b). Tupolev Aircraft since 1922. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-882-8.
- Kulikov, Victor (July 1996). "ANT-44, la mouette de Tupolev (1ère partie)" [Tupolev's Seagull]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (40): 28–31. ISSN 1243-8650.
- Kulikov, Victor (August 1996). "ANT-44, la mouette de Tupolev (2ème partie)". Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (41): 41–42. ISSN 1243-8650.
Further reading
- Shavrov V.B. Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR, 1938–1950 gg. (3 izd.) (in Russian). Moscow: Mashinostroenie, 1994. ISBN 5-217-00477-0.