Ilyushin DB-3

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The Ilyushin DB-3 (for Дальний бомбардировщик - Dalniy Bombardirovschik - "long-range bomber") was a Soviet bomber aircraft of World War II. It was a twin-engined, low-wing monoplane that first flew in 1935. It was the precursor of the Ilyushin Il-4 (originally named DB-3F). 1,528 were built. The names TsKB-30 and DB-3 were used in 1936-1938. Later aircraft were named DB-3b.

A modified aircraft, (TsKB-30 "Moskva") flew from Moscow to Spassk-Dalnyj (7580 km) in 24 h 36 min (an average speed of 307 km/h) mostly at 7,000 m under control of V.K.Kokkinaki and A.M.Berdyanskij, then from Moscow to the US (Miscow Island) in 22 h 56 min. covering 8,000 km with 348 km/h average airspeed (Kokkinaki and M.Kh.Gordienko).

On the night of August 8, 1941 fifteen DB-3T torpedo bombers of the Baltic Fleet dropped the first bombs on Berlin. From August 11, DB-3Fs of the VVS resumed bombing.

Engines:

2M-85
2M-86
2M-87
2M-87A.

The initial version of this article was based on material from [aviation.ru]. It has been released under the GFDL by the copyright holder.

Variants

TsKB-26 - prototype
DB-3T - torpedo bomber, 1938. Torpedoes 45-36-AN or 45-36-AV.
DB-3TP - torpedo bomber, seaplane. 1938. No production.
DB-3M - early DB-3F with 2M-87B or 2M-88 engines.
DB-3F - see Il-4. replaced DB-3 in 1940-1944.
DB-4/TsKB-56 - 2AM-37 engines, bigger, another scheme (high-winger, twin-tail). 1940. Cancelled. Er-2 preferred.
Il-6

Specifications (DB-3B, late production)

General characteristics

Crew: three
Length: 14.22 m (46 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 21.44 m (70 ft 4 in)
Height: 4.19 m (13 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 65.6 m² (706 ft²)
Empty: 5,030 kg (11,066 lb)
Loaded: 7,745 kg (17,039 lb)
Maximum takeoff: 9,450 kg (20,790 lb)
Powerplant: 2x Nazarov M-87 radial engines, 709 kW (950 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 439 km/h (274 mph)
Range: 3,800 km (2,375 miles)
Service ceiling: 9,600 m (31,488 ft)
Rate of climb: 416 m/min (1,364 ft/min)
Wing loading: 118 kg/m² (24 lb/ft²)
Power/Mass: 0.18 kW/kg (0.11 hp/lb)

Armament

3x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns
1x 20 mm ShVAK cannon (not always fitted)
up to 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) of bombs

External link

[www.aviation.ru]