Bolkhovitinov Aircraft Designations

[Apophenia]

hesham mentioned that he was considering creating a Bolkhovitinov designations list. So, I thought I'd make a start with my list. I'm sure there are plenty to add ...

Aircraft Projects of Viktor Fyodorovich Bolkhovitinov

Bolkhovitinov BDD - (Project) 1936 high-speed heavy bomber
- BDD : More streamlined a/c than DB-A to emph. speed
- BDD : 4 x 1,200 hp Mikulin M-34FRGN; span 36.20 m

Bolkhovitinov D – (Project) 4-engined heavy bomber concepts
- Bolkhovitinov D : Streamlined; twin-tailled; various configs
- Bolkhovitinov D : (I) 4 x separately nacelled V-12 engines
-- (I) : Taildragger; low wings; inner nacelles rear gun pos.
- Bolkhovitinov D : (II) 2 x paired Klimov M-103s in tandem
-- (II) : Mid-to-shoulder wings; tricycle u/c; shortened nose
- Bolkhovitinov D : (III) 4 x push-pull Charomskiy M-40Fs
-- (III): Essentially similar to (II) other than engine arrang.
- Bolkhovitinov (?): Proposed passenger vers. Bolkhovitinov D
-- All further development abandoned after German invasion
-- Dvukhmotortnyi (twin-engined); Dal'niy (range)?
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/bolkhovitinov-bdd-heavy-bomber-project-of-1936.8830/

Bolkhovitinov DB-A - 1935 4-engine heavy bomber prototype; x 1
- DB-A : VVA Zhukovsky; intended as Tupolev TB-3 replacement
- DB-A : 4 x 900 hp Klimov M-34RN V12 engines;* span 39.50 m
- DB-A : Effectively a revised-structure TB-3 with superchargers
-- Dal'niy Bombardirovshchik-Akademiya (Long-range Bomber-Academy)
-- * 1,080 hp Mikulin AM-34FRN were the intended powerplants
- DB-A : Thick, cantilever wings; semi-trousered/semi-retract. u/c
- DB-A : URSS-N209 mod. for failed 1937 Moscow-Fairbanks flight
- DB-A : Prototype led to DBA production type and TK-1 project

Bolkhovitinov DB-2A - 1935 4-engine heavy bomber prototype; x 1
- DB-2A : 2nd prototype DB-A derivative; further refined airframe*
- DB-2A : 4 x 900 hp fuel-injected Klimov M-34RNBs; span 39.50 m
- DB-2A : Impr. perf. (double TB-3 payload) led to DBA prod. order
-- * Incl. refined nose glazing; dorsal turret/tail gun pos. removed

Bolkhovitinov DBA - 1937 4-engine long-range heavy bomber; x 12
- DBA : Production variant of DB-2A; further airframe refinements*
- DBA: 4 x 972 hp fuel-injected Klimov M-34RNVs; span 39.50 m
- DBA: Only 12 x built of 16 x ordered (eclipsed by TB-7 & DB-3)
-- * Reward-retr. main u/c; 2 x gunner's position behind 'trousers'

Bolkhovitinov I-1 – (Project) Exp'l single-seat fighter/dive bomber
- Bolkhovitinov I-1 : Began as inherited Beriev B-10 fighter project
- Bolkhovitinov I-1 : Reduced scale Sparka with Elektron constr.
- Bolkhovitinov I-1 : (Prototype) 2 x Klimov M-103 or M-105 engines
- Bolkhovitinov I-1 : (Prod'n) 2 x Klimov M-107 V12s; span 13.80 m
- Bolkhovitinov I-1 : Tricycle u/c; provisions for catapult launching
-- Official desig. I-1 but given as Bolkhovitinov I (Istrebitel')
- Bolkhovitinov I-GK: Fitted w/ hermetically-sealed pressure cabin*
-- * Unclear if a variant or an alternative desig. for pressurised I-1

Bolkhovitinov S - 1939 tandem-engines high-speed recce-bomber; x 2
- Bolkhovitinov S : 2 x joined, tandem V12 engines driving contraprops
- Bolkhovitinov S : (As planned) 1937; multi-role; single-fin and rudder
- Bolkhovitinov S-1: (As built) 1939; stepped rear canopy; twin tails
- Bolkhovitinov S-1: 1st prototype; single M-103 to test the airframe
- Bolkhovitinov S-2: 1940 2nd prototype; tandem engines, twin props
-- Bolkhovitinov S-2: 2 x 960 hp Klimov M-103 V12s; span 13.80 m
-- aka Sparka - Paired or Twin mount (referring to the engines)
-- aka BB - Bombardovshchik Bolkhovitinova (Bolkhovitinov bomber)
-- aka BBS - Blizhniy Bombardovshchik Skorostnoi (Close-range Fast Bomber)
-- aka LB-S - Legkiy Bombardovshchik - Sparka (Light Bomber, Paired)
-- aka SSS - Svyerkhskorostnoi Samolet (Very Fast Aircraft)
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/s-high-speed-bomber-by-v-bolkhovitinov-1937-41.4532/

Bolkhovitinov TK-1 - (Project) Heavy Cruiser fighter based upon DBA
- TK-1 : Tyazhelyy Kreyser heavy cruiser/escort fighter concept
- TK-1 : As per DBA except for addition gun positions for crew of 11

 

[Stargazer]

Note that the DB-A is also found in some older sources as the "Lyevanevski N-209".

 

[igor-mich]

Levanevsky N-209
This is not a designation, but a loose interpretation of - "the pilot is the Levanevsky tail number of the N-209 aircraft"

 

[Stargazer]

Levanevsky N-209
This is not a designation, but a loose interpretation of - "the pilot is the Levanevsky tail number of the N-209 aircraft"

Yeah, I know!! Hence the quote marks!
It is possible that this Russian-language page may have been a source for the confusion...

 

[hesham]

Amazing work as usual my dear Apophenia,

and I can add;

- I-GK was the Veriev B-10 high speed fighter project,transfer to him,
and he fitted it with pressurised cockpit
- Heavy Bomber was a heavy long-range bomber project of 1941,
powered by four M-30 diesel engines
- I-1 2M-107 was developed from "S",as fighter project,with empennage
similar to S-2,and powered by two M-107 engines

 

[Apophenia]

... and I can add;

- I-GK was the Veriev B-10 high speed fighter project,transfer to him, and he fitted it with pressurised cockpit
- Heavy Bomber was a heavy long-range bomber project of 1941, powered by four M-30 diesel engines
- I-1 2M-107 was developed from "S",as fighter project,with empennage similar to S-2,and powered by two M-107 engines

Thanks hesham. AFAIK, "I-1 2M-107" is simply adding that Soviet-style engine type notation to the Bolkhovitinov I-1. Perhaps igor-mich can confirm that?

Your 1941 "Heavy Bomber" with "four M-30 diesel engines" sounds very much like another Bolkhovitinov D variant. In my list, I've distinguished the 3 x known Bolkhovitinov D layout variants with Roman numerals (which I'm hoping will not be confused with official designations!). The push-pull variant '(II)' is know to have tandem paired M-103s. I have the '(III)' powered by push-pull Charomskiy M-40Fs.

What I don't know is the powerplant intended for the Bolkhovitinov D '(I)' variant with its 4 x separate nacelles. And that brings up timing. The Bolkhovitinov D series seem to originate circa 1936 ... and the Charomskiy diesel V12s first ran in 1940. Of course, Bolkhovitinov could well have been designing for a 'paper engine' yet to have been realised.

Alternatively, your 1941 "Heavy Bomber" may have simply been a last stab at the Bolkhovitinov D '(III)' layout, substituting the 1,500 hp Charomskiy M-30/ACh-30 for the lower-powered Charomskiy M-40 (these two Charomskiy engine types being identical in size). But, obviously, all of this is off-the-cuff and into pure speculation.

Your "I-GK" makes sense in connection with the Beriev B-10 derived Bolkhovitinov I-1. Presumably, that 'GK' suffix stands for Germetichyeskoi Kabine (or some such) indicating a hermetically-sealed pressure cabin. The remaining question is whether your I-GK refers to a separate variant or was the 'base' I-1 itself meant to have been pressurised? If the latter, then I-GK becomes an alternative designation (and I'll append a note to that effect in the I-1 listing).

Thanks again.