Tupolev DB-1
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=DB-1 | image=Ant-36side.jpg | caption=Side view of the precursor, the first ANT-25. }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Long-range bomber | national origin=Soviet Union | manufacturer=Tupolev | designer= | first flight=1934 | introduced= | retired=1937 | status= | primary user=Soviet Air Forces | number built=18 | developed from=Tupolev ANT-25 | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Tupolev DB-1 (ANT-36) was a Soviet long-range bomber developed in the 1930s. It was developed from the Tupolev ANT-25 distance record-breaking aircraft. Development was prolonged and it was recognized as obsolete by the time it was in production. Only eighteen were built and all were withdrawn from service in 1937.
Development
The possibilities of exchanging some of the fuel of the ANT-25 for bombs and/or cameras was recognized early in its development, and the Soviet Air Forces (VVS) issued a requirement for an aircraft to carry {{convert|1000|kg|abbr=on}} over an operational radius of {{convert|2000|km|abbr=on}} at a speed of {{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on}}. The Tupolev Design Bureau had prepared a design and built a mockup by August 1933, using the internal designation of ANT-36, and the VVS approved both. Series production of a first batch of 24, out of a planned total of 50, was initiated in the new Factory No. 18 at Voronezh in 1934, but only 18 were built before the program was canceled.
The airframe, engine and crew compartments were retained from the ANT-25 almost unchanged, although the co-pilot's and navigator's positions were each given one {{convert|7.62|mm|1|abbr=on}} DA machine gun for defense. The DB-1 (long-range bomber model 1), as it was designated in VVS service, was given a smooth skin and a bomb bay was built in the wing center section that carried ten {{convert|100|kg|abbr=on}} FAB-100 bombs nose-up. An AFA-14 camera was mounted in the rear cockpit, but other cameras could be carried instead of the bombs.Gunston, p. 86
Operational history
The DB-1's first flight was in 1934, but the first production aircraft was not tested until late 1935. It was rejected by the VVS because of poor manufacturing quality. Only ten aircraft were placed into service which equipped one regiment based near the factory at Voronezh. All of these were retired in 1937.
The remainder of these aircraft were used for a variety of tasks. One was fitted with the first flight-cleared Charomskii AN-1 diesel engine for evaluation. The change in the center of gravity caused many problems and the undercarriage had to be made non-retractable. Two others were selected in 1938 for distance record attempts with all-female crews, but an Ilyushin DB-3 was ultimately chosen instead.Gunston, pp. 86–87
Specifications (ANT-36 / DB-1)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its AircraftGordon & Rigamant, p. 66
|prime units?=met
|crew=3
|length m=13.4
|length note=
|span m=34
|span note=
|height m=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=88.2
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=TsAGI-6 (20%){{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=7806
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Mikulin AM-34R
|eng1 type=V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=820
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia note=
|max speed kmh=200
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=4000
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=3000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
|guns= 4 × {{convert|7.62|mm|1|abbr=on}} DA machine guns
|bombs= {{cvt|1000|kg|0}} (up to ten {{convert|100|kg|abbr=on}} FAB-100 bombs)
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=Gordon|first=Yefim|author2=Rigamant, Vladimir |title=OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft|publisher=Midland Publishing|location=Hinckley, UK|year=2005|isbn=1-85780-214-4|name-list-style=amp}}
- {{cite book|last=Gunston|first=Bill|title=Tupolev Aircraft since 1922|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1995|isbn=1-55750-882-8}}
{{Tupolev aircraft}}
{{Soviet bomber-attack designations}}
Category:1930s Soviet bomber aircraft
Category:Abandoned military aircraft projects of the Soviet Union