gabrielorosco
I really should change my personal text
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Hi to all, dear friends!
Today I had the chance to take a look at the newest book from our friends Konstantin Udalov and Marek Rýs, the second volume of the collection Bartini and His Projects. It is important to say that this book is one of the biggest written by Mr. Udalov, with more than 260 pages, something that is not bad regarding Bartini projects subject.
The book covers the period between 1946 and 1952, with the projects T-107, T-117, the M-RD special aircraft, “Calamar” series of flying boats, T-118, the SS-49 supersonic missile, T-200, T-210 and T-217 and its variants. All this projects are deeply described, with original documents and digital pictures for each aircraft.
The book starts with the project T-107, a double deck, low-wing twin engine aircraft, designed to be a very comfortable airliner, in order to fill the gap for passenger aircraft after World War 2. Although development started in the 40’s, the T-107 had a very advanced layout for its time, surely serving as a base for future similar aircraft.
The next chapter covers the multirole transport Project T-117. As we can expect from the genius mind of Bartini, this aircraft featured some innovative design characteristics, such as a very wide double fuselage design, which provided not only more internal space, but also acted like a lifting body, providing great aerodynamical advantage. This particular feature will be present in some later Bartini projects. The T-117 was designed to perform both military and civilian roles, being exhaustively tested with the use of full-size mockups. Its military tasks included the transport of vehicles, launch of paratroopers, aeromedical evacuation and transport of personnel. As an airliner, the large cabin would provide space for a wide range of configurations, making possible to turn this aircraft into a “flying hotel”, with a level of comfort comparable to ocean liners. The T-117 reached the prototype phase but did not flew, for reasons to be uncovered in the book.
After the T-117, the next project is the M-RD record-breaking aircraft. The M-RD project consisted of 4 different variants, each one designed to accommodate two pilots, with the exception of the first variant, which was single pilot. In order to fly at very high altitudes and improve fuel efficiency, these aircraft had special aerodynamic configurations, with very long wings present in all versions and varying in the number of engines. The two pilot designs, both equipped with reclining seats, provided a safer environment, as each pilot could rest during the flight, keeping one pilot always at the controls. All unnecessary weight was removed, and the final variant had a very advanced layout even for today standards. This particular version had no landing gear, only ski pads, and the take-off was performed with the help of rockets (JATO system), allowing fuel saving. A single engine provided power for two counter-rotating propellers, with the use of a complex gearbox system.
Now, let’s move for some time to new exotic designs by Bartini, the “Calamar” project. This project consisted of a series of six high-speed flying boat designs, with the main goal being the test of several aerodynamic configurations for jet-powered flying boats. All the aircraft of this project had two jet engines and the almost the same wing layout. The difference was in the fuselage structure and the presence or absence of canards, as well as different engines inlets and exhausts. As only raw sketches exists, this project was carefully reconstructed by the artist Marek Rýs, with beautiful digital pictures present in the book.
Getting back to the more conventional aircraft, the next chapter in the book covers another interesting design, the project T-118. This aircraft was conceived as a land-based and long range anti-ship and anti-submarine bomber, able to carry offensive and defensive armaments. The T-118 had a high wing, twin-engine configuration, with a long fuselage equipped with a huge weapons bay on its belly. The offensive armaments consists mainly of torpedoes and bombs, while defensive armament were two twin rotating turrets and one fixed on the tail. The cockpit was heavily glazed, which provide the crew a very clear view during patrol flights. A special armament was also developed for this aircraft, and it is the subject of the next chapter of the book. Designed as a large, jet-powered anti-ship missile, the SS-49 project was meant to be a powerful weapon against marine targets, with a range of 100 km. The large size did not allow this weapon to be carried inside the fuselage, it was to be carried in external wing pylons, one in each wing of the T-118 aircraft.
After the description of the T-118 project, we move to the section devoted to the project T-200 transport aircraft and its variants. This aircraft was very similar in general configuration with the project T-117, using its advanced design with significant improvements. The first variant had two engines, and was meant for both military and civilian duties, taking advantage of its very wide fuselage. The military version could be equipped with defensive armament as well as perform all the tactic airlifting missions. A special civilian version was developed, equipped with an innovative, tracked landing gear. This feature provides the aircraft the possibility of operations in icy environments, increasing its general versatility. A variant with four engines was also developed, with increased range and payload capabilities, able to perform all the previous mentioned missions.
Based on theT-200 project, the T-210 project is the next aircraft in the book. The T-210 was a project for a military and civilian airlifter, equipped with some improvements with a special engine system devoted to provide better performance during landing and take-off operations. It could perform all the same missions of the T-200 project, with defensive armament installed in the military version. This chapter is highly illustrated with historical photos and documents, some never seen before.
The next and last aircraft (unfortunately) of the book is the T-217 transport aircraft project, a very advanced design which is the culmination of the experience gathered during Bartini’s development of his previous projects. The T-217 had four different variants, some with radical features regarding the aircraft’s wing configurations and the possibility of vertical take-off and landing. The first variant of the T-217 was a high-wing four engine aircraft, with a new system designed to replace the conventional landing gear. This aircraft followed the same wide cabin design used in previous Bartini projects, providing better aerodynamic performance and a huge cargo bay. It was powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines, which are the most powerful turboprop engines until today. The aircraft had no landing gear, instead, it had two sponson at both sides and along the fuselage, each one covered with a pneumatic system, allowing the aircraft to operate in difficult terrains without modifications.
The second variant of the T-217 was almost identical to the first, with a newly designed cockpit and with the ability to perform vertical take-off and landings (VTOL). The aircraft had six lift engines installed under the fuselage, providing vertical thrust and also short take-off and landing (STOVL) capabilities. These design innovations gave the aircraft an enormous versatility, allowing it to operate in restricted areas where other aircraft could not access.
The last two variants of the T-217 can also be considered one of the most advanced transport aircraft designs, with specialized VTOL and STOL capabilities, providing a great tactical advantage in airlifting operations considering an aircraft of this size. The first of these, the T-217-3, had the same fuselage as the previous design, but with the wings replaced by six rotors, each one assembled in a ducted rotating nacelle. As a true tiltrotor, during the take-off all engines were in a vertical position, and as the aircraft gains altitude, they are moved to a forward position to fly like regular aircraft.
The very last design, designated T-217-4 was not less innovative. It also had the same fuselage and lifting engines of the T-217-2 for VTOL and STOL operations. On this version, the wings were replaced by a single rounded wing, powered by nothing less than six Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops, each mounted on individual pylons. Perhaps one of the most bizarre of Bartini designs, the concept of a large transport aircraft able to land and take-off vertically as well as equipped with a compact ring wing is still a vision of the future, but developed during the 50’s!
It is worth mentioning that these two last designs had not much more than some rough sketches, but with the help of the SibNIA Institute combined with Marek’s modelling skills, the resulting work was fantastical.
I really recommend this book for all aviation specialists and enthusiasts, not only as historical guide for Bartini’s projects, but also as a tool to be used in the present and near future of the world’s aviation.
I wish everyone a nice reading!
Sincerely yours,
Gabriel Orosco
Today I had the chance to take a look at the newest book from our friends Konstantin Udalov and Marek Rýs, the second volume of the collection Bartini and His Projects. It is important to say that this book is one of the biggest written by Mr. Udalov, with more than 260 pages, something that is not bad regarding Bartini projects subject.
The book covers the period between 1946 and 1952, with the projects T-107, T-117, the M-RD special aircraft, “Calamar” series of flying boats, T-118, the SS-49 supersonic missile, T-200, T-210 and T-217 and its variants. All this projects are deeply described, with original documents and digital pictures for each aircraft.
The book starts with the project T-107, a double deck, low-wing twin engine aircraft, designed to be a very comfortable airliner, in order to fill the gap for passenger aircraft after World War 2. Although development started in the 40’s, the T-107 had a very advanced layout for its time, surely serving as a base for future similar aircraft.
The next chapter covers the multirole transport Project T-117. As we can expect from the genius mind of Bartini, this aircraft featured some innovative design characteristics, such as a very wide double fuselage design, which provided not only more internal space, but also acted like a lifting body, providing great aerodynamical advantage. This particular feature will be present in some later Bartini projects. The T-117 was designed to perform both military and civilian roles, being exhaustively tested with the use of full-size mockups. Its military tasks included the transport of vehicles, launch of paratroopers, aeromedical evacuation and transport of personnel. As an airliner, the large cabin would provide space for a wide range of configurations, making possible to turn this aircraft into a “flying hotel”, with a level of comfort comparable to ocean liners. The T-117 reached the prototype phase but did not flew, for reasons to be uncovered in the book.
After the T-117, the next project is the M-RD record-breaking aircraft. The M-RD project consisted of 4 different variants, each one designed to accommodate two pilots, with the exception of the first variant, which was single pilot. In order to fly at very high altitudes and improve fuel efficiency, these aircraft had special aerodynamic configurations, with very long wings present in all versions and varying in the number of engines. The two pilot designs, both equipped with reclining seats, provided a safer environment, as each pilot could rest during the flight, keeping one pilot always at the controls. All unnecessary weight was removed, and the final variant had a very advanced layout even for today standards. This particular version had no landing gear, only ski pads, and the take-off was performed with the help of rockets (JATO system), allowing fuel saving. A single engine provided power for two counter-rotating propellers, with the use of a complex gearbox system.
Now, let’s move for some time to new exotic designs by Bartini, the “Calamar” project. This project consisted of a series of six high-speed flying boat designs, with the main goal being the test of several aerodynamic configurations for jet-powered flying boats. All the aircraft of this project had two jet engines and the almost the same wing layout. The difference was in the fuselage structure and the presence or absence of canards, as well as different engines inlets and exhausts. As only raw sketches exists, this project was carefully reconstructed by the artist Marek Rýs, with beautiful digital pictures present in the book.
Getting back to the more conventional aircraft, the next chapter in the book covers another interesting design, the project T-118. This aircraft was conceived as a land-based and long range anti-ship and anti-submarine bomber, able to carry offensive and defensive armaments. The T-118 had a high wing, twin-engine configuration, with a long fuselage equipped with a huge weapons bay on its belly. The offensive armaments consists mainly of torpedoes and bombs, while defensive armament were two twin rotating turrets and one fixed on the tail. The cockpit was heavily glazed, which provide the crew a very clear view during patrol flights. A special armament was also developed for this aircraft, and it is the subject of the next chapter of the book. Designed as a large, jet-powered anti-ship missile, the SS-49 project was meant to be a powerful weapon against marine targets, with a range of 100 km. The large size did not allow this weapon to be carried inside the fuselage, it was to be carried in external wing pylons, one in each wing of the T-118 aircraft.
After the description of the T-118 project, we move to the section devoted to the project T-200 transport aircraft and its variants. This aircraft was very similar in general configuration with the project T-117, using its advanced design with significant improvements. The first variant had two engines, and was meant for both military and civilian duties, taking advantage of its very wide fuselage. The military version could be equipped with defensive armament as well as perform all the tactic airlifting missions. A special civilian version was developed, equipped with an innovative, tracked landing gear. This feature provides the aircraft the possibility of operations in icy environments, increasing its general versatility. A variant with four engines was also developed, with increased range and payload capabilities, able to perform all the previous mentioned missions.
Based on theT-200 project, the T-210 project is the next aircraft in the book. The T-210 was a project for a military and civilian airlifter, equipped with some improvements with a special engine system devoted to provide better performance during landing and take-off operations. It could perform all the same missions of the T-200 project, with defensive armament installed in the military version. This chapter is highly illustrated with historical photos and documents, some never seen before.
The next and last aircraft (unfortunately) of the book is the T-217 transport aircraft project, a very advanced design which is the culmination of the experience gathered during Bartini’s development of his previous projects. The T-217 had four different variants, some with radical features regarding the aircraft’s wing configurations and the possibility of vertical take-off and landing. The first variant of the T-217 was a high-wing four engine aircraft, with a new system designed to replace the conventional landing gear. This aircraft followed the same wide cabin design used in previous Bartini projects, providing better aerodynamic performance and a huge cargo bay. It was powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines, which are the most powerful turboprop engines until today. The aircraft had no landing gear, instead, it had two sponson at both sides and along the fuselage, each one covered with a pneumatic system, allowing the aircraft to operate in difficult terrains without modifications.
The second variant of the T-217 was almost identical to the first, with a newly designed cockpit and with the ability to perform vertical take-off and landings (VTOL). The aircraft had six lift engines installed under the fuselage, providing vertical thrust and also short take-off and landing (STOVL) capabilities. These design innovations gave the aircraft an enormous versatility, allowing it to operate in restricted areas where other aircraft could not access.
The last two variants of the T-217 can also be considered one of the most advanced transport aircraft designs, with specialized VTOL and STOL capabilities, providing a great tactical advantage in airlifting operations considering an aircraft of this size. The first of these, the T-217-3, had the same fuselage as the previous design, but with the wings replaced by six rotors, each one assembled in a ducted rotating nacelle. As a true tiltrotor, during the take-off all engines were in a vertical position, and as the aircraft gains altitude, they are moved to a forward position to fly like regular aircraft.
The very last design, designated T-217-4 was not less innovative. It also had the same fuselage and lifting engines of the T-217-2 for VTOL and STOL operations. On this version, the wings were replaced by a single rounded wing, powered by nothing less than six Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops, each mounted on individual pylons. Perhaps one of the most bizarre of Bartini designs, the concept of a large transport aircraft able to land and take-off vertically as well as equipped with a compact ring wing is still a vision of the future, but developed during the 50’s!
It is worth mentioning that these two last designs had not much more than some rough sketches, but with the help of the SibNIA Institute combined with Marek’s modelling skills, the resulting work was fantastical.
I really recommend this book for all aviation specialists and enthusiasts, not only as historical guide for Bartini’s projects, but also as a tool to be used in the present and near future of the world’s aviation.
I wish everyone a nice reading!
Sincerely yours,
Gabriel Orosco
