Grushin BB-MAI short-range bomber

[Stargazer]

An interesting project by Grushin which I haven't been able to trace elsewhere on the forum:

• original company model
• modern day color profile
• four different three-view arrangements from various sources

In case there is already a topic on the BB-MAI, please let me know so we can merge them!

 

[Cy-27]

The BB-MAI was an experimental ground attack and bomber design led by P.D.Grushin at the Moscow Aviation Institute. It was one of the first (if not the first) aircraft in the Soviet Union to be fitted with tricycle landing gear.

Main construction material was 'fanera'. This was cross-glued thin layers of wood, up to 25 mm thick (mostly 3-5 mm). This allowed to the skin to carry a substantial load, and as a result the frame of the aircraft was extremely light. Aircraft was finished in 1941, flight tests just started with the designated pilot A.N. Grinchik. The start of the Great Patriotic War stopped the project.

ENGINE: 1 x M-105
WING SPAN: 10.0 m
LENGTH: 9.6 m
WING AREA: 16.8 sq m
EMPTY WEIGHT: 2,965 kg
MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT: 3,490 kg
ACCOMODATION: 2 crew
MAXIMUM SPEED: 508 km/h at sea level
MAXIMUM SPEED: 550 km/h at altitude
RANGE: 500 km
SERVICE CEILING: 9,000 m
FIRST FLIGHT: 1941
MAXIMUM WING LOADING: 208 kg sq m
MAXIMUM POWER LOADING: 3.3 kg per hp
RATE OF CLIMB: 9.2 minutes to 5,000 m

Notes dated 1998, but no source recorded, possibly from 1990's Russian magazine (Krilya Rodiny or A+K).

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks Cy-27! Do you known of any photos of the real article? Haven't been able to find any so far.

 

[Cy-27]

The only image I have is a very poor magazine copy....

 

[Stargazer]

The only image I have is a very poor magazine copy....

Better than nothing. Thanks a lot for sharing!

 

[CostasTT]

Another color profile from http://avia-museum.narod.ru/russia/grush_bb.html

 

[sienar]

This aircraft had two turbochargers of TK-2 type for improving high altitude performace. Armament consisted of two shkas above the engine and one for defense. There was a bomb bay between the wing spars that could hold 4x FAB-100 bombs.

Construction of the airframe was completed at the end of 1939, but problems with the engine delayed flight testing until the summer of 40. Relatively small prop diameter, power loss caused by the turbos at low alt and the high wing loading required to achieve its design speed gave the aircraft poor take off and climb performance. This issue, combined with the more promising Il-2 lead to this types cancellation.

source; tsagi book

 

[Silencer1]

Model photo from the MAI' museum

https://ru.wikinews.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%83%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%B2_%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%B7%D0%B5%D0%B9_%D0%9C%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%90%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%98%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%83%D1%82%D0%B0#/media/File:Wikitrip_to_MAI_museum_2016-02-02_116.JPG

And a pictures from the "virtiual tour", depicting Grushin' activity in MAI.