The Tupolev ANT-20 Maxim Gorky (Russian: Туполев АНТ-20 "Максим Горький", sometimes romanized as Maksim Gorki) was a Soviet eight-engine aircraft, the largest in the world during the 1930s. Its wingspan was similar to that of a modern Boeing 747, and was not exceeded until the 64.6-metre (212 ft) 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 Maxim Gorky 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.
The Maxim Gorky was meant as the flagship of the Maxim Gorky propaganda squadron — Maxim Gorky Agiteskadril — which flew around the Soviet Union promoting the aims and achievements of Soviet Communism. For this purpose, it was equipped with a powerful radio set known as the "Voice from the sky" (Russian: Голос с неба, romanized: Golos s neba), printing machinery, a library, radio broadcasting equipment, a photographic laboratory and a film projector with sound for showing films in flight. In a first in aviation the aircraft was equipped with a ladder which would fold on itself to become part of the floor.[1]
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 Saint Petersburg.
On 18 May 1935, the Maxim Gorky (pilots – I. V. Mikheyev and I. S. Zhurov) and 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-5biplane piloted by Nikolai Blagin had performed two loop manoeuvres around the Maxim Gorky. On the third loop, they collided. The Maxim Gorky crashed into a low-rise residential neighbourhood west of present-day Sokol metro station.[2] Forty-five people were killed in the crash, including the fighter pilot as well as both crew members and the 33 passengers on the Maxim Gorky, and an additional nine people on the ground.[2]
ANT-20bisedit
Aeroflot's ANT-20bis
A replacement aircraft, the ANT-20bis (also designated PS-124 or Passazhirsky Samolyot 124, so named as it was built at Plant No. 124), had begun production the following year and first flew in 1938 (other sources mention 15 May 1939 as the date of the first flight). It was largely identical in design but with six more-powerful Mikulin AM-34FRNV engines. On 12 August 1939 it was sold to Aeroflot and served their transport routes in Russia and Uzbekistan. In December 1940, the aircraft was re-engined with two slightly more powerful Mikulin AM-35 engines in the inner positions (numbers three and four). On 14 December 1942, it crashed after the pilot allowed a passenger to take his seat momentarily and the passenger activated the stabilizer control mechanism via a switch on the pilot's armrest, raising the stabilizer and sending the airplane into a nosedive from an altitude of 500 m (1,600 ft), killing all 36 on board.[3]
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". UIUC Applied Aerodynamics Group. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN1-85532-405-9.
Shavrov, V. B. (1985). Istoriya konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR do 1938 g. (3 izd.) (in Russian). Mashinostroenie. ISBN5-217-03112-3.
. Flight: 812. 9 August 1934. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tupolev ANT-20.
"N.P. Blagin (1899-1935)". testpilot.ru (in Russian). 20 April 2010.
Palmer, Scott W. (January 4, 2007). . Dictatorship of the Air. Archived from the original on November 7, 2007. (formerly linked video clip is no longer accessible)
"Катастрофа "Максима Горького"" [The crash of "Maxim Gorky"]. Airports.chat.ru (in Russian). 1999.
The short film War Dept. Military Intelligence Film "Russian Air Show" is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.
tupolev, maxim, gorky, russian, Туполев, АНТ, Максим, Горький, sometimes, romanized, maksim, gorki, soviet, eight, engine, aircraft, largest, world, during, 1930s, wingspan, similar, that, modern, boeing, exceeded, until, metre, wingspan, douglas, heavy, bombe. The Tupolev ANT 20 Maxim Gorky Russian Tupolev ANT 20 Maksim Gorkij sometimes romanized as Maksim Gorki was a Soviet eight engine aircraft the largest in the world during the 1930s Its wingspan was similar to that of a modern Boeing 747 and was not exceeded until the 64 6 metre 212 ft wingspan Douglas XB 19 heavy bomber prototype first flew in 1941 ANT 20 ANT 20 Maxim Gorky 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 ANT 16 Contents 1 Overview 2 1935 Maxim Gorky crash 3 ANT 20bis 4 Operators 5 Specifications 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksOverview editThe 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 Maxim Gorky 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 The Maxim Gorky was meant as the flagship of the Maxim Gorky propaganda squadron Maxim Gorky Agiteskadril which flew around the Soviet Union promoting the aims and achievements of Soviet Communism For this purpose it was equipped with a powerful radio set known as the Voice from the sky Russian Golos s neba romanized Golos s neba printing machinery a library radio broadcasting equipment a photographic laboratory and a film projector with sound for showing films in flight In a first in aviation the aircraft was equipped with a ladder which would fold on itself to become part of the floor 1 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 Saint Petersburg 1935 Maxim Gorky crash edit nbsp Vasily Kuptsov Maxim Gorky ANT 20 1934 Russian Museum St Petersburg On 18 May 1935 the Maxim Gorky pilots I V Mikheyev and I S Zhurov and 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 biplane piloted by Nikolai Blagin had performed two loop manoeuvres around the Maxim Gorky On the third loop they collided The Maxim Gorky crashed into a low rise residential neighbourhood west of present day Sokol metro station 2 Forty five people were killed in the crash including the fighter pilot as well as both crew members and the 33 passengers on the Maxim Gorky and an additional nine people on the ground 2 ANT 20bis edit nbsp Aeroflot s ANT 20bis A replacement aircraft the ANT 20bis also designated PS 124 or Passazhirsky Samolyot 124 so named as it was built at Plant No 124 had begun production the following year and first flew in 1938 other sources mention 15 May 1939 as the date of the first flight It was largely identical in design but with six more powerful Mikulin AM 34FRNV engines On 12 August 1939 it was sold to Aeroflot and served their transport routes in Russia and Uzbekistan In December 1940 the aircraft was re engined with two slightly more powerful Mikulin AM 35 engines in the inner positions numbers three and four On 14 December 1942 it crashed after the pilot allowed a passenger to take his seat momentarily and the passenger activated the stabilizer control mechanism via a switch on the pilot s armrest raising the stabilizer and sending the airplane into a nosedive from an altitude of 500 m 1 600 ft killing all 36 on board 3 Operators edit nbsp Soviet Union nbsp View of the starboard engines and the mechanic s pulpit housed in the wing for their monitoring from the cabin of the ANT 20bisSpecifications editData from The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 1995 4 General characteristicsCrew 8 Capacity 72 passengers Length 32 9 m 107 ft 11 in Wingspan 63 m 206 ft 8 in Height 10 6 m 34 ft 9 in on ground tail down over centre prop Wing area 488 m2 5 250 sq ft Airfoil root TsAGI 6 20 tip TsAGI 6 10 5 Empty weight 28 500 kg 62 832 lb Gross weight 42 000 kg 92 594 lb Max takeoff weight 53 000 kg 116 845 lb Powerplant 8 Mikulin AM 34FRN V 12 liquid cooled piston engines 671 kW 900 hp each Propellers 2 bladed variable pitch propellers Performance Maximum speed 220 km h 140 mph 120 kn Range 1 200 km 750 mi 650 nmi Service ceiling 4 500 m 14 800 ft See also editRelated development Tupolev TB 4 Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Dornier Do X Junkers G 38 Kalinin K 7 Related lists List of interwar military aircraftReferences edit News Paper Printed On Plane In Flight Popular Science Bonnier Corporation 43 March 1935 ISSN 0161 7370 a b Accident description for CCCP I20 at the Aviation Safety Network Retrieved on 25 February 2018 Katastrofa PS 124 Uzbekskogo upravleniya GVF v rajone Tashkenta Crash of PS 124 of the Uzbek Directorate in the Tashkent area airdisaster ru Gunston 1995 p 396 Lednicer David The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage UIUC Applied Aerodynamics Group Retrieved 16 April 2019 Gunston Bill 1995 The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 1995 London Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 85532 405 9 Shavrov V B 1985 Istoriya konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR do 1938 g 3 izd in Russian Mashinostroenie ISBN 5 217 03112 3 The Maxim Gorky Flight 812 9 August 1934 Archived from the original on 5 March 2016 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tupolev ANT 20 N P Blagin 1899 1935 testpilot ru in Russian 20 April 2010 Palmer Scott W January 4 2007 The ANT 20 Maxim Gorky in Flight Dictatorship of the Air Archived from the original on November 7 2007 formerly linked video clip is no longer accessible Katastrofa Maksima Gorkogo The crash of Maxim Gorky Airports chat ru in Russian 1999 The short film War Dept Military Intelligence Film Russian Air Show is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive 55 48 18 N 37 30 55 E 55 8051 N 37 5153 E 55 8051 37 5153 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tupolev ANT 20 amp oldid 1221067759, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
