OKB-16 Kazan (Kolosov, Zubets) Jet Engines

[overscan (PaulMM)]

OKB-16 were another engine OKB attached to Engine Plant 36 at Kazan.

Originally OKB-16 were the rocket and diesel engine sharaga of the NKVD. Headed by Glushko from 1941.
Liquid rocket engine development was transferred to Glushko's newly formed OKB-456 in 1946.
Korolov became head of the remaining OKB-16.

In 1954 P.F. Zubets, previously a deputy of Mikhulin at OKB-300, became head of OKB-16 in connection with problems with production of the AM-3 engine. There were many issues to iron out.

Mikhulin, who was head of OKB-300 when Zubets led he team designing the AM-3 turbojet, was removed as head of OKB-300 after being accused of 'technical adventurism' and dismissed on January 20, 1955. P.F. Zubets was considered as his replacement but as he was already heading up OKB-16 (assisting Engine Plant 36 with production and improvement of the AM-3, redesignated RD-3 to remove Mikhulin's initials, which was in volume production for the Tu-16 and Tu-104) so Tumansky took over instead. OKB-16 was assigned as the OKB for all future RD-3 work.

RD-3M-500 - uprated RD-3M project.
M16-15 / RD-16-15 - Higher thrust (11,300kgf) and lower SFC (0.82 takeoff- 1.0 cruise) AM-3 redesigned by P.F. Zubets, tested on Tu-104E. Also designated RD-3P. Not successful.
M16-17 / RD-16-17 - High thrust class turbojet proposed for various bombers and SSTs in the early 1960s including M-50.
M16-17M /RD-16-17M - Improved turbojet for M-52 - thrust 21,700 kg with afterburner.
RD-16-23 - Proposed for the Myasishchev M-53
RD-16-75 - Copy of the J75-P13 engine from Gary Power's U-2. Started according to Sovmin desision N 702-288 June 28 1960, abandoned by 1962.

In 1963 OKB-276 (located in Samara) and OKB-16 were merged as OKB-276-16 under Kuznetsov to consolidate work on large jet engines, with P.F. Zubets heading the Kazan branch.

 

[Hood]

There were also the:
RD-17-15 - proposed for Sukhoi T-4
RD-17-18 - proposed Myasishchev M-52 prototype, cancelled along with M-52 in 1960
RD-500 - abandoned due to the RD-16-75 project

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

I'm not convinced on those first two designations, because the 16 in RD-16 is the OKB number not a model number. I'd want to see some Russian documentation of those. These seem to come from Bill Gunston, who has a chequered relation to accuracy in Soviet era reporting.

This is exactly analagous to the RD-36-41. RD-36-51 etc by OKB 36 (Kolesov) and the R-13-300, R-25-300, R-29-300 by OKB 300 (Tumansky)

 

[boxkite]

Zubets RD16-23
... appears in the initial project of the Myasishchev M-53 in 1958 (thrust: 167 kN / 17,000 kp). It is unclear whether there is a relationship to the later Tumanskiy R23-300.

Sources:

• БРУК, А. А.; УДАЛОВ, К. Г.; СМИРНОВ, С. Г.; АРХИПОВ, А. В.; ПУНТУС, Б. Л.: Иллустрированная энциклопедия самолетов В. М. Мясищева. Том 2, часть 3. Москва: АВИКО ПРЕСС, 2001. -> page 233 (table)
• ЯКУБОВИЧ, Н. В.; ЛАВРОВ, В. Н.: Самолеты В. М. Мясищева. Москва: РУСАВИА, 1999. -> page 144

 

[Hood]

I'm not convinced on those first two designations, because the 16 in RD-16 is the OKB number not a model number. I'd want to see some Russian documentation of those. These seem to come from Bill Gunston, who has a chequered relation to accuracy in Soviet era reporting.

This is exactly analagous to the RD-36-41. RD-36-51 etc by OKB 36 (Kolesov) and the R-13-300, R-25-300, R-29-300 by OKB 300 (Tumansky)

That is very true, there could be an error in the attributation of the designer or the designation. I can't remember if I got these from Gunston or Gordon, I think it was the latter.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Zubets RD16-23
... appears in the initial project of the Myasishchev M-53 in 1958 (thrust: 167 kN / 17,000 kp). It is unclear whether there is a relationship to the later Tumanskiy R23-300.

Sources:

• БРУК, А. А.; УДАЛОВ, К. Г.; СМИРНОВ, С. Г.; АРХИПОВ, А. В.; ПУНТУС, Б. Л.: Иллустрированная энциклопедия самолетов В. М. Мясищева. Том 2, часть 3. Москва: АВИКО ПРЕСС, 2001. -> page 233 (table)
• ЯКУБОВИЧ, Н. В.; ЛАВРОВ, В. Н.: Самолеты В. М. Мясищева. Москва: РУСАВИА, 1999. -> page 144

Zubets stayed with Kolesov to my knowledge so there is no likely relationship to the R23-300.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

No RD17-15 for T-4. No trace of this engine, there was an RD17-117F but it was by Isotov.

Engines considered:

1st stage
R-15BF-300 (OKB-300 Tumansky)

2nd stage
AL-19 (OKB -165 Lyulka)
RD17-117F (OKB -117 Isotov)

Later on, information on the RD-36-41 became available and was considered the most suitable engine, with capability to 3000km/h and good fuel economy.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

I looked up your source on the RD-500 - I think it's Soviet X Planes by Gunston and Gordon.

It actually says

"On 28th June 1960 SovMin Directive 702-288 instructed OKB No 16 in Kazan, led by P F Zubets, to copy the J57-P-13 engine. This was a blow to Zubets, whose RD-500 was in the same thrust class"

This appears to be a reference to the RD-3M-500 which was an uprated RD-3.