Bolkhovitinov
Viktor Fyodorovich Bolkhovitinov (1899-1970) - one of the first graduators
of the Air Force Engineer Academy (named after N.E.Zhukovski) - worked there
almost 45 years as a professor, chief of department of aircraft construction,
chief of constructor team of VVIA, then chief of own OKB and production
plant. Construction works were done in 1934-1946. Eight a/c were designed.
- S - The S had a very long, slender fuselage that contained two engines
in tandem in front of the wing, each driving part of a six-bladed
contra-rotating propellor. The 'greenhouse' cockpit with the two
seats was well aft of the small wing. Flown in 1939. No production.
- DB-A (Dalnij Bombardirowschik - Akademia) - four-engined monoplane bomber.
The idea of modernization of TB-3 in serial production arised in 1933-1934.
The production plant initiated the work inviting a group of professors
of VVIA (about 20 men). Tupolev refused the work being busy with new TB-7.
Modifications:
- DB-2A -
- DB-2/A -
- "A" -
- DB-2 -
- BDD - four M-34FRN, hermetic cocpits. no production.
All the a/c of "academician" series were developments of TB-3 with
major rework: upgraded wing, glade surface, internal bombs, retractable
gear, new cocpits, AM-34RNB or AM-34FRN engines. First built in Nov'34.
First flown in May'35. 10-Nov-1935 M.A.Nyukhtikov and M.A.Lipkin has set
the world record lifting 10 tons of load to 7032m, and 20-Nov-1935 another
one, lifting 13 tons to 4535m. 14-May-1937 G.F.Baydukov, N.G.Kastanaev,
and L.L.Kerber has flown DB-A in Moscow-Melitopol-Moscow route covering
2002.6km for 7h 2m 11.7s with cecked load of 5 tons. They've set 2 world
records: 280km/h for 1000km, and 246km/h for 2000km with 5t load.
All the same first aircraft, nicknamed N-209 started from Moscow
12-Aug-1937 to U.S. over the North Pole (commander S.A.Levanevski,
2nd pilot N.G.Kastanaev, navigator V.I.Levchenko, mechanics G.T.Pobratimov
and N.N.Godovikov, radio operator N.Ya.Galkovski). 13:40 13-Aug-1937 the
N-209 has crossed the North Pole, and at 14:32 the last radio was received.
The a/c was not found in spite of the intensive search for almost a year.
13 a/c built.
- I (Istrebitel) - fighter. 1941.
- D - High speed bomber. Two paired engines.
- BI - jet a/c.
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