https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_ANT-20
The Tupolev ANT-20 Maksim Gorki (Russian: ??????? ???-20 "?????? ???????") was a
Soviet eight-engine aircraft, the largest of the 1930s. Its wingspan was similar
to that of a modern Boeing 747, and was not exceeded until the 64.6 metre
wingspan Douglas XB-19 heavy bomber prototype first flew in 1941.
The ANT-20 was designed by Andrei Tupolev, using German engineer Hugo Junkers'
original all-metal aircraft design techniques from 1918. It was constructed
between 4 July 1933 and 3 April 1934, and was one of two aircraft of its kind
built by the Soviets. The aircraft was named after Maksim Gorki and dedicated to
the 40th anniversary of his literary and public activities. The ANT-20 was the
largest known aircraft to have used the Junkers aviation firm's design
philosophy of corrugated sheet metal for many of the airframe's key components,
especially the corrugated sheet metal skinning of the airframe.
It was intended for Stalinist propaganda purposes and was equipped with a
powerful radio set called "Voice from the sky" ("????? ? ????", Golos s neba),
printing machinery, a library, radiostations, a photographic laboratory and a
film projector with sound for showing films in flight. In a first-in-aviation
history the aircraft was equipped with a ladder which would fold on itself to
become part of the floor.
The aircraft was the first to use both direct current and alternating current.
The aircraft could be dismantled and transported by rail if needed. The aircraft
set several carrying-capacity world records and is also the subject of a 1934
painting by Vasily Kuptsov, which is now in the collection of the Russian Museum
at St. Petersburg.
Role
Propaganda aircraft/Transport
National origin
Soviet Union
Manufacturer
Tupolev
First flight
19 May 1934
Introduction
1934
Retired
1942
Primary user
Soviet Union
Number built
2
Developed from
Tupolev TB-4
three more aircraft (a Tupolev ANT-14, R-5 and I-5) took off for a demonstration
flight over Moscow. The main purpose of the other three aircraft flying so close
was to make evident the difference in size. The accompanying I-5 fighter piloted
by Nikolai Blagin had performed two loop manoeuvres around the Maksim Gorky. On
the third loop, they collided. The Maksim Gorky crashed into a low-rise
residential neighbourhood west of present-day Sokol metro station. Forty-five
people were killed in the crash, including the fighter pilot as well as both
crew members and the 33 passengers on the Maksim Gorky, and an additional nine
people on the ground.
A replacement aircraft, designated ANT-20bis had begun production the following
year and first flew in 1938. It was largely identical in design but with six
more-powerful Mikulin AM-34FRNV engines. In December 1940, the aircraft was
re-engined with two slightly more powerful Mikulin AM-35 engines in the inner
positions (number three and four). This plane, designated PS-124 and registered
CCCP-L760, served with Aeroflot on transport routes in Russia and Uzbekistan. On
14 December 1942, it crashed after the pilot allowed a passenger to take his
seat momentarily and the passenger apparently disengaged the automatic pilot,
sending the airplane into a nosedive from an altitude of 500 m (1,600 ft),
killing all 36 on board.
Specifications
General characteristics
Crew: eight
Capacity: 72
Empty weight: 28,500 kg (62,700 lb)
Loaded weight: 42,000 kg (92,400 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 53,000 kg (116,600 lb)
Performance
Maximum speed: 220 km/h (119 kn, 137 mph) at sea level
Range: 1,200 km (652 nmi, 750 mi)
Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,764 ft)
*
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