The name of the outstanding Soviet aircraft designer Vladimir Mikhailovich Myasishchev became widely known in the mid-sixties of the last century. It was during this period that his planes were first shown to the public.
V. M. Myasishchev went through all the stages of becoming an aircraft designer. He began his labor biography with a simple draftsman, completing it as chief designer.
Myasishchev's planes (a photo of them can be seen in this article) were extremely necessary for the USSR.
This was caused by the advent of nuclear weapons. By dropping nuclear bombs on Japan, the United States informed the world of the beginning of a new atomic era, asserting its superiority. However, after the appearance of nuclear weapons in the USSR, the country's leadership faced an important question about the possibility of delivering atomic bombs to the territory of a potential enemy. Myasishchev's aircraft developed in the USSR helped to cope with this problem.
First meeting with aviation
Myasischev Vladimir Mikhailovich was born on September 28, 1902 in the town of Efremov, located in the Tula province. As a child, he was an ordinary child, not showing any interest in technology. At 11, Vladimir entered the local real school, where he studied a program with a mathematical bias.
During the Civil War, a detachment of military pilots headed for the Southern Front stopped in Efremov. Vladimir, who had seen aircraft before only in magazine pictures, was able to clearly see the “steel birds" with his own eyes and even had the opportunity to touch them. Myasischev later described this event in his memoirs. He indicated that the meeting with the planes had made such an indelible impression on him that he predetermined his entire future destiny.
Student years
In 1920, Vladimir Myasischev arrived in Moscow, enrolling in the mechanical faculty of the Moscow Higher Technical School . He combined his studies with the work of a draftsman at the Scientific Experimental Air Force Airfield. Here he first tried himself in the role of designer. The experience of designing aircraft obtained at this place of work was useful to Vladimir in his further professional activities.
Myasishchev's graduation project dealt with the theme of all-metal fighters. This was what he did not do at all in his design activities. In those years in the USSR there was only one all-metal aircraft ANT-3, which was the brainchild of A.N. Tupolev. This confirms the novelty and complexity of the theme chosen by Myasischev. However, despite this, Vladimir Mikhailovich defended his diploma successfully.
Start of work
After graduation, Myasischev became an employee of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. Its direct supervisor at TsAGI was Vladimir Petlyakov, who headed the wing department. Here Vladimir Mikhailovich took an active part in many works. He developed wings for the bombers of the TB 1 and TB 3 models , and also designed bomb compartments for these aircraft. And already in this period, Myasischev was able to prove himself as a very talented designer, combining the responsibilities assigned to him with scientific research.
New offer
The work of the young designer became interested in A.N. Tupolev. The famous aircraft designer offered the hardworking and talented Myasishchev the leadership of the experimental aircraft department. Being in this position , Vladimir Mikhailovich was given the task of designing a torpedo bomber. It was the first Myasishchev plane. The torpedo bomber, who had some original design solutions, successfully passed the tests. However, during one of the flights, the plane crashed. On this, the existence of this torpedo bomber was completed.
Borrowing experience
In the 30s of the 20th century, Soviet designers could not offer the country reliable aircraft. Then the government of the USSR decided to buy the advanced passenger plane DC 3 in America. Its design could be used in two directions - passenger and transport. V. M. Myasischev was a member of the commission receiving the aircraft, and then he was assigned to study the drawings of the aircraft and convert inch measures to metric. However, this case was never completed.
Years of imprisonment
In 1938, Myasischev was arrested and placed in a closed design bureau, which was a prison. The official name of this place is TsKB 29 NKVD . At this bureau, arrested aircraft designers worked on the creation of aircraft. Myasischev worked here under the direct supervision of Petlyakov. They were tasked with constructing a fighter.
In these difficult prison conditions, the second Myasishchev aircraft was created - a high-altitude long-range bomber. This project was noticed by the government, which allowed Vladimir Mikhailovich to head his own design bureau. And already in 1938 the world saw a new working draft. It was Myasishchev’s aircraft - the DVB-102 long-range high-altitude bomber. New in this aircraft were several directions:
- sealed cabin, which housed 4 pilots;
- a large six-meter bomb bay;
- guns, which could be controlled remotely.
In 1940, from the Central Design Bureau 29 NKVD Myasischev was transferred to Omsk without the right to leave. In this city, the aircraft designer continued the design of DBV-102. The first car of this model was built already in 1941, showing good speed and height during testing. Only the range of the bomber turned out to be less than expected, which is why its mass production was not carried out. However, the government noted the work of the designer, giving him a state prize.
After V.M. Petlyakov died in a plane crash, Myasischev continued the work he had begun to create a dive bomber. During the war years at the Kazan plant, where the designer worked with part of the design bureau he created, about ten modifications of this aircraft were produced.
Post-war years
Despite the fact that for his fruitful work Myasischev was awarded the Order of Suvorov and had the rank of major general, his design bureau was disbanded in 1946. Vladimir Mikhailovich began to work as dean, heading the aircraft engineering department of the Moscow Aviation Institute. Here he taught the students the course "Design and Design of Aircraft ."
Myasischev devoted years of work at the Moscow Aviation Institute to training young engineers. Here he continued to design aircraft. His plans included the design of a long-range strategic jet bomber. He attracted students to his work, offering them the necessary topics of coursework as well as theses. The resulting project was approved by the Ministry of Aviation. Myasishchev was offered to again become the head of his own design bureau.
Creation of strategic bombers
The new Myasishchev Design Bureau began its existence in 1951. Vladimir Mikhailovich immediately returned to himself all the designers with whom he worked in previous years. The aviation plant No. 22 was subordinated to the design bureau. The workshops of this production were located in Fili.
Myasishchev Design Bureau aircraft were developed using fundamentally new ideas. They concerned the aerodynamics and layout of aircraft. So, in these aircraft provided "bicycle" chassis. They consisted of two main racks on the fuselage and two small racks at the ends of the wings. In less than a year of its existence, about 55,000 drawings were sent to the plant.
Strategic Bomber Test
It is worth saying that the designation that all Myasishchev’s aircraft created after the war received was “M”. And the first of them was made in 1952. In October, he passed his first ground tests at the airport. Zhukovsky. The only major drawback of the aircraft, which was created in record time (in just 22 months), was the significant fuel consumption. However, the point here was in his engine, which was designed by A. A. Mikulin Design Bureau.
The first strategic jet bomber in the USSR for the first time took off into the sky on January 20, 1953, easily breaking away from the runway. These aircraft of the Myasishchev Design Bureau were named M 4. Pilots flying on them noted the ease of piloting, and aircraft - ease of operation.
Model improvement
Despite good reviews, V. M. Myasischev did not stop there. He continued to improve the M 4. In just two months, the engineers of his design bureau developed and submitted to the plant more than seven thousand drawings, which made it possible to assemble a new modification of the bomber. It was a Myasishchev M 3 aircraft. Tests of the new bomber took place in the spring of 1956 at the airfield in Zhukovsky. But already in the air there was a problem with control, and one of the engines failed. However, test pilot M. L. Halley managed to land the M 3 Myasishchev aircraft on the runway. On Earth, all problems were quickly found and fixed.
After that , the Myasishchev M3 aircraft (see photo below) was transferred to mass production. This aircraft had improved aerodynamics and was the main bomber in the USSR.
The M 4 aircraft underwent structural changes and began to serve as air tankers for all long-distance transport vehicles .
Along with the work on the modification and improvement of the already created bombers, projects were developed regarding the development of strategic aviation. It was a model of the aircraft 31 Myasishchev, as well as 32 and 34.
Modifications 31 and 31 were bombers with transonic speed. Model 32 was supersonic. M 34 aircraft had the highest flight performance. Its maximum possible flight speed is 1350 kilometers per hour.
All studies conducted on these projects became the basis of the outstanding work of Myasishchev Design Bureau to develop the Buran-40 supersonic missile.
Passenger transport
Simultaneously with the creation of military bombers KB KB Myasishchev was engaged in the development of peaceful aircraft. Unfortunately, the passenger aircraft projects of this design bureau did not receive their further development.
Airplane M 50
Further, the government of the USSR entrusted Vladimir Mikhailovich a new job. It was an M 50 Myasishchev plane, which became a supersonic strategic bomber. Prior to this period, nothing of the kind was even designed in world aviation.
The M 50 aircraft had a large degree of control automation, which allowed to reduce the crew to two people. And everything else, the bomber turned out to be very successful. Its only weak point was the engine. In those days in the USSR, this important part of aircraft did not have sufficient power, reliability, and long life. In addition, all engines produced in the country consumed too much fuel. Myasischev, the aircraft designer, could not find a suitable unit, and his M 50 aircraft could not reach supersonic speed. This was the main reason why the advanced project of Vladimir Mikhailovich was closed. Airplane M 50 was used for experimental purposes. All kinds of innovations were tested on it. The last time the M 50 took off in a military parade in Tushino. Immediately after this flight he was transferred to the museum of the city of Monino.
Another outstanding project of Myasishchev Design Bureau was the supersonic bomber M 52. However, as in the previous case, this aircraft did not find the engine necessary for its characteristics. This bomber never rose.
Pilot Plant Management
In 1967, Vladimir Mikhailovich was waiting for a new appointment. He was approved as the head of the experimental engineering plant, whose production facilities were located in Zhukovsky. A small design bureau worked here, for which Myasischev reassembled the design team. Only after that Vladimir Mikhailovich took up the development of a strategic supersonic multi-mode bomber. In parallel with his design bureau, P.O. Sukhoi and A.N. Tupolev.
Myasishchev proposed a radically new wing pattern with variable sweep. Previously, a similar design solution existed in the aircraft of P.O. Sukhov and in American models. However, all the previous options had a very short deflected part of the wing. The project of V. M. Myasishchev exceeded all others. This design solution was used by A. N. Tupolev. After all, it turned out to be very successful that Myasishchev designed. The Tu-160 aircraft was ultimately almost completely constructed on the basis of the plane of Vladimir Mikhailovich .
The BEMZ, under the leadership of Myasishchev, designed and then built an aircraft to destroy balloons located in the stratosphere. It was an M 17 aircraft , capable of speeds up to seven hundred kilometers per hour , rising to a height of twenty-two thousand meters.
An invaluable contribution to aviation development
Vladimir Mikhailovich Myasischev went to the intended goal only by unbeaten paths. A man with indefatigable engineering courage and the gift of technical foresight, had remarkable organizational abilities, captivating the whole KB team with his unusual solutions.
The answer to the question of how to measure the contribution of this designer to the history of aviation can be obtained after watching the film “Myasishchev, several aircraft and all life” (2010).
Each of the works of Vladimir Mikhailovich was a real breakthrough into the future. And, despite the fact that only a few of the large number of projects were completed, each Myasishchev aircraft went down in the history of our aviation.
Vladimir Mikhailovich died on 10/14/1978, almost a month after his seventy-sixth birthday. More than half a century, Myasishchev gave aviation. Over the years, he has raised many worthy students. Most of them continue to work in aviation today.
The creative path of Vladimir Mikhailovich is a prime example for beginner designers, and his approach to leadership can serve as a model for those who currently lead research and development organizations.