The long-range aviation of Russia: the history of creation and description of aircraft

The long-range aviation of Russia occupies a special place in the ranks of the air force and strategic nuclear forces of the Russian Federation. The Supreme High Command uses it to solve operational-strategic tasks in the intercontinental and naval military conflicts.

History of the creation of long-range aviation

The history of long-range aviation of Russia originates on December 23, 1914, when Emperor Nicholas II issued a decree on the creation of the world's first squadron of four-engine aircraft bearing the name "Ilya Muromets". This was the first attempt in the world to unite heavy bombers. The commander of the squadron was MV Shidlovsky, who came to aviation from the naval department. At that time, he was the current Chairman of the Russian-Baltic Carriage Factory, where the airplanes Ilya Muromets were produced.

During the First World War, these long-range aircraft of Russia carried out more than 400 combat missions, including the bombing of important strategic targets of the enemy and reconnaissance of the location of ground attack groups. In 1917, the squadron consisted of four military detachments and numbered more than twenty vehicles. During the whole period of military operations only one aircraft was lost.

The development of long-range aviation in the USSR

In September 1917, the squadron of bombers was destroyed. The planes were simply burned so that they did not get to the enemy. The long-range aviation of Russia began to revive after the October Revolution. On March 22, 1818, the decree of the Council of People's Commissars was issued, in which it was said about the creation of the Northern group of air liners "Ilya Muromets" numbering 3 combat units.

The next qualitative stage of development of this direction of aviation came in the thirties of the twentieth century. During this period, the young Russian army was armed with the latest aircraft engines of aircraft designers Tupolev and Ilyushin. From the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, Russia's long-range aviation successfully carried out combat missions in the deep rear of the enemy, thus making an invaluable contribution to the great victory over the enemy.

In the postwar years, the development of strategic aeronautics has reached a new stage. Modern aircraft "Tu" and "Il," which now constitute the basis of the fleet of modern long-range aviation of the Russian Federation, began to arrive at the arsenal.

Ilya Muromets is the world's first strategic bomber

The world's first strategic bomber was designed with the participation of the outstanding aircraft designer II Sikorsky. The place of production of "Ilya Muromets" is the Russian-Baltic Carriage Plant. The first time the aircraft climbed into the sky on December 10, 1913, the plane was produced serially in various versions until 1918. During the First World War on December 23, 1914, the Ilya Muromets vehicles were consolidated into a single squadron, the world's first compound of combat aircraft. That is why on December 23 in Russia is celebrated the day of long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force.

Ilya Muromets planes were used as bombers, ground attack planes or scouts. Bomb shells could be placed both inside and outside, vertically along the fuselage. For the discharge of shells for the first time, an electronic trigger was developed and used, and eight machine guns were installed to defend against enemy aircraft. After the end of the Civil War, the surviving aircraft were used to organize postal and passenger traffic on the Moscow-Orel-Kharkov route. Aircraft "Ilya Muromets" could develop a maximum speed of up to 130 km / h. Their high-altitude ceiling reached 3200 m, the range of flight - up to 560 km, and the maximum time spent in transit was about 4.4 hours.

The "TB-3" airplane is the first bomber of long-range aviation of the USSR

The development of the first long-range bomber in the USSR began in 1925. Already in 1930, his prototype, which had a secret marking "ANT-6", climbed into the sky. The first serial aircraft "TB-3" made its flight in 1932. These aircraft were used as bombers, military transport or amphibious ships.

The strategic machines "TB-3" have proved themselves well during military conflicts in various countries. In the late 1930s, in connection with the development of air defense and fighter aircraft, the machines became obsolete, and in 1938 their serial production ceased. Despite this, strategic planes "TB-3" carried out combat missions during the Second World War.

Over the entire production period, more than 800 airliners of various modifications were produced. Such a car had improved technical characteristics: its maximum speed reached 380 km / h, the height of the flight could be up to 7000 m at its range of about 3 thousand km. The plane "TB-3" was able to hold up to 2 tons of bomb charges.

"IL-4" - the basis of long-range aviation during the Great Patriotic War

The long-range bomber, code-named "TsKB-26", began to be developed at the design bureau of SV Ilyushin in the early 1930s. The first prototype was launched into the air in 1935. It was made of a single-piece metal structure with free-carrying duralumin wings. The fuselage was streamlined and had an oval cross section. The flight range of the prototype was up to 3 thousand km. The crew of the car consisted of three pilots, and its defensive armament was represented by three machine guns. Demonstration of the sample took place in 1936, and serial production was mastered in 1938. Such machines received new engines, allowing the speed to reach 445 km / h. The bomb load was 2.5 tons, and the defensive properties of the aircraft were also improved. The long-distance aircraft of Russia "IL-4" in terms of speed and range of flights were the best in the world at the time.

Also for the Air Force of the Navy on the basis of such a machine, the torpedo carrier "DB-3T" was created, intended for the destruction of naval targets and the mining of fairways. Aircraft "DB-3T" became the first mass Russian model, which could perform certain functions in the water area.

During the Second World War the Il-4 aircraft became the basis of Russian long-range aviation, carrying out raids on the enemy's deep rear areas, military equipment echelons and airfields. Over the entire production period, more than 7,000 different modifications of such a legendary bomber were produced.

"Tu-4" - the first in Russia air carrier of nuclear weapons

Immediately after the end of the Great Patriotic War, the long-range aviation of Russia remained without the necessary machines. By that time air twin-engine vessels "IL-4" had developed their technological resource capabilities. The question of creating a new type of strategic bomber became urgent. Such an aircraft was the Tu-4, a piston engine that was an adapted copy of the US airborne combat vessel B-29.

This bomber first climbed into the sky in 1947, and the aircraft began to arrive in 1949. The development of the production of such a machine gave the country a modern aircraft of a new type and brought the USSR into the leaders of strategic aviation. The Tu-4 had a top speed of 558 km / h, its flight altitude was up to 11,200 m at a range of up to 6200 m. Such a machine was newly armed. Over 11 tons of combat load could take on board this air force aircraft of Russia. Long-range aviation was replenished with a unique representative, who has the ability to carry nuclear weapons of the RDS-3 type on board.

Tu-16 is the first long-range jet aircraft of the Russian Federation

"Tu-16" is the first strategic long-range aircraft in Russia with a jet engine. The purpose of this machine is to solve various strategic tasks. Engineers of the design office Tupolev began to work on the creation of the aircraft in 1950, and on April 27, 1952 the first prototype rose to the sky. At the end of the year, this aircraft was launched into batch production. Machines "Tu-16" for the first time replenished the strategic aviation series in 1954.

The design of this aircraft was distinguished by the presence of a swept mid-mounted wing and a feather of the same shape. The fuselage of the aircraft consisted of five compartments and had a round section. The cabin of the bomber was characterized by increased tightness, it was divided into two compartments and reinforced with armored glass and protective plates. The crew of the aircraft consisted of six pilots. The main engines of the machine were two turbojet plants of various modifications. The bomber could carry up to 9 tons of bombs, which were placed in one compartment. Also "Tu-16" could be armed with two guided cruise missiles "KS-1".

The Tu-16 model turned out to be so successful that on its basis the Tu-16R reconnaissance planes, Tu-163 fuel tankers and the first Russian Tu-16K-10 air-launched missile system were launched. Also, this bomber became a prototype for the jet passenger airliner Tu-104, which was launched in 1964. Russia's first strategic jet aircraft "Tu-16" is rightfully considered a long-lived national and foreign aircraft. It was withdrawn only in 1994.

"Tu-95MS" - the basis of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation

"Tu-95MS" is a strategic aircraft of Russian long-range aviation, designed to inflict a missile and bomb strike on stationary targets at any time of the day, regardless of weather conditions. Works on the design of the basic model of the ship "Tu-95" began in the early 1950s. In 1956, the first serial vehicles were introduced into the long-range aviation sector.

In connection with the rapid re-equipment of the strategic aeronautics of the United States, the Russian government decided to create a new airplane that could compete with American aviation. In 1981 the ranks of the long-range aviation of the Russian Federation were supplemented by the modernized Tu-95MS airplane.

Today, the main long-range aircraft of the Russian Air Force is a high-flying plan with four turboprop engines, which are located on the wings of an arrow-shaped form. The vessel is equipped with differential gears, with which two pairs of four-bladed propellers rotate in different directions. The crew cabin is located in the forward part of the fuselage, it is completely sealed. There is also a galley and toilet.

The missile carrier is equipped with a modern radar "Obzor", an on-board defense complex that includes the latest developments of Russian military engineers, as well as offensive and defensive weapons. At present, the Russian Air Force has 60 Tu-95MS aircraft of various modifications.

"Tu-160" - "White swan" of Russian long-range aviation

The Tu-160 aircraft are modern supersonic missile carriers. Their design is based on the modified geometry of the wing. These representatives of Russian long-range aviation can hit the enemy's important targets with nuclear weapons, even in the deep enemy rear during the continental military conflicts.

Work on the creation of such a combat vehicle began in 1975. Engineers KB Tupolev constructed a supersonic strategic missile carrier. As a result, the Tu-160 was created - a freestanding monoplane with a wing of greater elongation, on which there were four power units. The design of the aircraft made it possible to place all missile and bomb armament inside in the same compartments. The crew of the aircraft are four pilots, for which there is a sealed cabin in the bow of the bomber.

The first test flights began to be carried out in 1981, and in the late 1980s, serial vehicles began to go into service. To date, the Tu-160 has the best flight performance in comparison with the world's analogues. The maximum speed of the machine at an altitude is up to 2000 km / h, near the ground - 1030 km / h. The practical high-altitude ceiling can reach 16 km, the range of flight - up to 13,200 m. Today, the Russian long-range aviation has 15 vehicles. They are called the White Swan.

In 2014, the country celebrated a landmark date - 100 years of long-range aviation in Russia. More about this is written below.

Day of long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force

The holiday date for long-distance aviation pilots of the Russian Federation is December 23. In 1999, the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Anatoly Kornukov determined the day of long-range aviation in Russia. The date of December 23 was not chosen by chance. It was on this day in 1914 that the first air squadron "Ilya Muromets" was formed.

2014 became a jubilee - 100 years of long-range aviation of Russia was celebrated. In connection with this, many solemn events were held. An important event in the celebration of the centennial anniversary was the opening of several monuments and monuments dedicated to the main strike force of the Air Force. The Council of Veterans of Long-Range Aviation of Russia also took part in this process.

Conclusion

At the moment, the long-range aviation of Russia, due to its services to the Fatherland, has every right to be called the main strike force of the Russian Air Force. This unit is an important strategic reserve of the Supreme High Command. An air force, which can solve military problems regardless of the geographical location of the strategic facility, is precisely the long-range aviation of Russia. 2014 became the jubilee for this division of the Air Force. It was then that the country celebrated 100 years from the date of the establishment of long-range aviation.