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The Tupolev ANT-40, also known by its service name Tupolev SB (russian: Скоростной бомбардировщик – ''Skorostnoi Bombardirovschik'' – high speed bomber) and development co-name TsAGI-40, was a high speed twin-engined three-seat
monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
, first flown in
1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 Nepal–Bihar earthquake strikes Nepal and Bihar with a maxi ...
. The
Tupolev Tupolev (russian: Ту́полев, ), officially Joint Stock Company Tupolev, is a Russian aerospace and defence company headquartered in Basmanny District, Moscow. Tupolev is successor to the Soviet Tupolev Design Bureau ( OKB-156, design off ...
design was advanced but lacked refinement, much to the dismay of crews, maintenance personnel, and
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...
, who pointed out that "there are no trivialities in aviation". Numerically the most important bomber in the world in the late 1930s, the SB was the first modern stressed skin aircraft produced in quantity in the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
and probably the most formidable bomber of the mid-1930s. It was produced in the Soviet Union and was also built under license in
Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...
. Many versions saw extensive action in
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...
, the
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeas ...
,
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million ...
,
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
and at the beginning of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
against
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
in 1941. It was also used in various duties in civil variants, as
trainers Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used ...
and in many secondary roles. Successful in the Spanish Civil War because it outpaced most
fighters Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to: Combat and warfare * Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict * Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplan ...
, the aircraft was obsolete by
1941 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar E ...
. By June 1941, 94 percent of bombers in the Red Army air force ( VVS RKKA) were SBs.


Development

In 1933 the Soviet Air Force ministry (UVVS) issued an outline requirement for a high-speed bomber. Work on this proposal at
TsAGI The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (also (Zhukovsky) Central Institute of Aerodynamics, russian: Центра́льный аэрогидродинами́ческий институ́т, ЦАГИ, Tsentral'nyy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut, ...
began in January 1934. The SB was designed and developed in the Tupolev KB ("Design Bureau") by a team led by A. A. Arkhangelski. Two versions were planned – with
Wright Cyclone Wright Cyclone was the name given to a family of air-cooled radial piston engines designed by the Wright Aeronautical Corporation and used in numerous American aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. Background The Wright Aeronautical Corporation wa ...
radial engines (ANT-40 RTs), and with the
Hispano-Suiza 12Y The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft, i ...
liquid-cooled
V12 engine A V12 engine is a twelve-cylinder piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more common than V10 engines. However, they are less common than V8 engines. The f ...
s (ANT-40 IS). The skills gained in the design of the MI-3 and DI-8 aircraft were widely used. The first two
prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A prototype is generally used to ...
s were designed as ANT-40.1 and ANT-40.2. The Cyclone powered prototype flew first, on 7 October 1934, while the first Hispano-Suiza powered prototype (ANT-401Gunston 1995, p.405.''Air International'' January 1989, p. 46.), which featured a larger wing, flew on 30 December 1934, demonstrating superior performance.Maslov 2007, p.64. The second Hispano-Suiza powered aircraft, the ANT-402 was considered a production prototype, and its performance was impressive. It was however plagued by teething problems, leading unhappy test personnel to cover the ANT-402 with placards listing the aircraft's defects prior to a visit by
Sergo Ordzhonikidze Sergo Konstantinovich Ordzhonikidze,, ; russian: Серго Константинович Орджоникидзе, Sergo Konstantinovich Ordzhonikidze) born Grigol Konstantines dze Orjonikidze, russian: Григорий Константино ...
, the Commissar for Heavy Industry. On seeing these placards, Ordzhonikidze summoned Tupolev to a meeting at the
Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (Ru ...
to discuss these shortfalls. When Tupolev stated that most of the defects were trivial,
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
said:''Air International'' January 1989, pp. 46–47. The first production aircraft, designated SB, rolled off the production line before the end of 1935, and before ANT-402 had completed its flight test programme.''Air International'' January 1989, pp. 47, 49. The aircraft entered full production in
1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
, and was produced in two plants, State Aircraft Factory No 22 at Moscow and No 125 at
Irkutsk Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is the 25th-larges ...
until 1941.Duffy and Kandalov 1996, p.80. Despite the fact that the assembly lines were plagued with a constant string of modifications, some 400 SBs were delivered by the end of 1936—a number of these being diverted to Spain—and 24 VVS squadrons were in the process of working up with the new bomber.''Air International'' January 1989, p. 51. Giving excellent performance in the Spanish Civil War, it acquired the popular name "''Katyusha''" (Catherine).Maslov 2007, p. 75. In 1937, negotiations were concluded between the Soviet and Czechoslovak governments, for the supply of SB bombers and a licence for local production, in exchange for the right to produce the Skoda 75 mm Model 1936
mountain gun Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for use in mountain warfare and areas where usual wheeled transport is not possible. They are generally capable of being taken apart to make smaller loads for transport by horses, humans, mules, tractor ...
. The version of the SB to be supplied to, and subsequently license-built as the Avia B-71 was the SB 2M-100A but fitted with the Avia-built Hispano-Suiza 12-Ydrs engine. A single 7.92 mm vz. 30
machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles ...
supplanted the twin ShKAS machine guns in the nose and similar weapons were provided for the dorsal and ventral stations.''Air International'' February 1989, pp. 100–101.Maslov 2007, p.78. 60 aircraft were to be flown to Czechoslovakia by mid-1938. The planned licensed production program took a decidedly leisurely course, despite the increasingly dangerous political situation. By 15 March 1939, when the German ''
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
'' occupied Bohemia and Moravia, not one Czech-built aircraft had been delivered. Development of the SB continued, meanwhile, with revisions being made to reflect the lessons of early operations in Spain. As problems were encountered in converting pilots to fly the SB, a trainer version, the USB was built in September 1937, with a modified nose with an open cockpit for an instructor and dual controls.''Air International'' February 1989, p. 81.Gunston 1995, p.406. Problems were also encountered with the armament, the nose guns having limited traverse and so being little use against head-on attacks and later aircraft were modified with a better field of fire. From 1940, the dorsal gun position was replaced by an enclosed turret, while the ventral gun position, which was difficult to use, was also modified.''Air International'' February 1989, pp. 80–81.Maslov 2007, p.74. The aircraft was also progressively fitted with improved engines. At first it was equipped with the Klimov M-100, a license-built version of the Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs engine, but this was soon replaced by the more powerful M-100A, and from 1938 by the yet more powerful M-103. While the engine installation of the SB 2-M103 initially retained the drag inducing frontal radiators of the M-100 powered aircraft, an improved engine installation was developed with the radiators slung under the engines.Maslov 2007, pp. 67–70. On 2 September 1937 M.Yu. Alexeev set an official altitude record of with load of in an M-103 powered SB. He had earlier set an unofficial record of .Duffy and Kandalov 1996, p. 82. In an attempt to further improve the performance of the SB, which by 1939 was becoming obsolete, the development of two second-generation versions were authorised, a direct replacement for the SB and a specialised dive bomber. The level bomber, known as the SN-MN or MMN, had a new wing of reduced wing area and was powered by more powerful Klimov M-105 engines. Performance was little better than the standard aircraft and it was abandoned. The dive-bomber, designated SB-RK (later redesignated Arkhangelsky Ar-2 after its designer, with Tupolev having been imprisoned and being in disgrace) was similar to the MMN but was fitted with dive brakes and it was ordered into production.''Air International'' March 1989, pp. 148–149.Maslov 2007, p. 71. Even though the SB was no longer a state of the art aircraft, production continued to increase through 1939 and 1940, as the Soviet Union tried to build up the strength of their air forces to compete with the growing threat of Nazi Germany, with almost 4,000 being built in these two years. The SB was phased out of production in early 1941, being replaced by the
Petlyakov Pe-2 The Petlyakov Pe-2 (russian: Петляков Пе-2) was a Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war,Ethell 1996, p. 152. it also proved successful as a heavy fighter, as ...
.''Air International'' March 1989, p. 153. A total of 5,695 were built at Factory No 22 at Moscow before it was evacuated to
Kazan Kazan ( ; rus, Казань, p=kɐˈzanʲ; tt-Cyrl, Казан, ''Qazan'', IPA: Help:IPA/Tatar, ɑzan is the capital city, capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and t ...
, while Factory No 125 built a further 1,136 at Irkutsk.Duffy and Kandalov 1996, p. 222. Three prototypes were built at the Tupolev design bureau, while Aero Vodochody and
Avia Avia Motors s.r.o. is a Czech automotive manufacturer. It was founded in 1919 as an aircraft maker, and diversified into trucks after 1945. As an aircraft maker it was notable for producing biplane fighter aircraft, especially the B-534. Avia ...
in Czechoslovakia built 45 and 66 respectively, giving a total of 6,945 built.


Design

The SB was an all-metal
monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
powered by two Klimov M-100 12-cylinder
water-cooled Cooling tower and water discharge of a nuclear power plant Water cooling is a method of heat removal from components and industrial equipment. Evaporative cooling using water is often more efficient than air cooling. Water is inexpensive and no ...
engines (license production version of Hispano-Suiza 12-Yrds engine) which drove fixed-pitch two-bladed
metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...
propeller A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...
s. The engines were provided with honeycomb-type frontal
radiator Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in cars, buildings, and electronics. A radiator is always a ...
s enclosed by vertical
thermostat A thermostat is a regulating device component which senses the temperature of a physical system and performs actions so that the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint. Thermostats are used in any device or system tha ...
-controlled cooling shutters. At an early production stage, the M-100 engine gave place to an improved M-100A engine, driving ground-adjustable three-pitch propellers, with speed being boosted to at . Because of its broad, high aspect ratio wing, that gave it a good altitude performance – Soviet crews nicknamed the SB the "
Pterodactyl Pterosaurs (; from Greek ''pteron'' and ''sauros'', meaning "wing lizard") is an extinct clade of flying reptiles in the order, Pterosauria. They existed during most of the Mesozoic: from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous (228 to 6 ...
".Jackson 2003 p. 150.


Operational history

There were a number of foreign customers for the SB. They were mostly satisfied with the aircraft's performance. There were some complaints about the high noise level, cramped crew compartments, hard undercarriage suspension and in particular about the front gunner's position, which could be reached only through a hatch under the fuselage, preventing the gunner from escaping in the event of a ditching or belly landing. Czechoslovakia signed an agreement to produce the ANT-40 as Avia B-71. Jackson 2003 p. 151.


Spanish Civil War

While only 54 SBs had been delivered to the Soviet Air Forces by 1 July 1936,Maslov 2007, p. 67. this did not stop the new Tupolev bomber being amongst the first shipments of military equipment sent by the Soviet Union to support the Spanish Republicans when the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
broke out on 17 July 1936. An initial batch of 31 SBs arrived in Cartagena aboard the Soviet Freighter ''Komsomol'' in October 1936, flying their first mission, a bombing raid by four SBs against Tablada airfield,
Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...
on 28 October. The SBs were used to equip ''Grupo'' 12 of the
Spanish Republican Air Force The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939. Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics ('' Aeronáutica M ...
, which at first was mainly manned by Soviet volunteers and under Soviet control.Martinez 1986, pp. 45–47. The SB could outpace the Fiat CR.32 and
Heinkel He 51 The Heinkel He 51 was a Nazi Germany, German single-seat biplane which was produced in a number of different versions. It was initially developed as a Fighter aircraft, fighter; a seaplane variant and a Ground-attack aircraft, ground-attack ...
biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
fighters of the nationalist forces, and was therefore difficult to intercept, with dives from high altitude being the only way to intercept the SB.Maslov 2007, p.76. On 29 May 1937 two SBs attacked the German pocket battleship ''Deutschland'', mistaking it for the Nationalist cruiser ''Canarias'', killing 31 and injuring an additional 83 German sailors.Martinez 1986, p. 49. In June–July, a second consignment of 31 SBs were received, allowing ''Grupo'' 12 to return to full strength, and a new unit, ''Grupo'' 24, to be established.Martinez 1986, p.51. The delivery of
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...
s to re-equip the German
Condor Legion The Condor Legion (german: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legio ...
meant that the SB could no longer evade Nationalist fighters by sheer speed, and losses rose. A third and final batch of 31 SBs arrived in June 1938,''Air International'' March 1989, p. 151. allowing operations to continue, although losses continued to be high. By the time the Civil War ended in April 1939, 73 SBs had been lost, 40 of them to enemy action. Nineteen SBs were taken over by the Nationalists, and used to form a bomber squadron. Although some were re-engined with French
Hispano-Suiza 12Y The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft, i ...
brs engines to aid maintenance, they were still subject to spares shortages, and in April 1943 only three were airworthy. When
Junkers Ju 88 The Junkers Ju 88 is a German World War II ''Luftwaffe'' twin-engined multirole combat aircraft. Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works (JFM) designed the plane in the mid-1930s as a so-called ''Schnellbomber'' ("fast bomber") that would be too fast ...
s were received in December 1943, the remaining SBs were used for occasional training flights until withdrawn and scrapped in 1948.


China

In July 1937, the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
broke out. The Soviet Union signed the
Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact The Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact () was signed in Nanjing on August 21, 1937, between the Republic of China and the Soviet Union during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The pact went into effect on the day that it was signed and was registered in ...
on 21 August 1937, and as part of this agreement, supplied large amounts of military equipment to the
Chinese Nationalists The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Taiw ...
, as well as deploying complete air force units, nominally manned by Soviet volunteers. An initial delivery of 62 SBs was made in September–October 1937, with combat operations by Soviet forces starting in December with attacks on Japanese ships on the
Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...
. On 23 February 1938, to celebrate Soviet Army Day, Soviet SBs carried out a long range attack on Japanese airfields on Taiwan, claiming 40 Japanese aircraft destroyed on the ground.''Air International'' February 1989, p. 101.Maslov 2007, pp. 77–78. A further 60 SBs were delivered to China in early 1938, these being heavily used to attack Japanese forces during the Battle of Wuhan. Losses were heavy, forcing the Chinese SB units to be temporarily withdrawn from combat. The Soviet units operating the SB over China re-equipped with the Ilyushin DB-3 in 1939, allowing their SBs to be transferred to Chinese units, but the Chinese made limited use of these reinforcements.''Air International'' March 1989, pp. 150–151. The Soviet Union supplied a further 100 SBs in 1941, just before it signed the
Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact The , also known as the , was a non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan signed on April 13, 1941, two years after the conclusion of the Soviet-Japanese Border War. The agreement meant that for most of World War II, ...
. The SB was gradually phased out of front-line operations against the Japanese with the delivery of more modern American bombers from 1942, being partly replaced by
Lockheed Hudson The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and prim ...
s and
B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
s. Limited numbers of SBs continued in non-combat use, including operations against
opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...
plantations, before being used against the Communists when the
Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...
flared up in 1945, being finally withdrawn in 1946.''Air International'' February 1989, pp. 153–154.


Mongolia

As well as the aircraft operated by volunteers against the Japanese over China, SBs were used in combat against the Japanese during the Fighting near Lake Khasan on the eastern sector of the
China–Russia border The Chinese–Russian border or the Sino-Russian border is the international border between China and Russia. After the final demarcation carried out in the early 2000s, it measures , and is the world's sixth-longest international border. The Ch ...
in July–August 1938, one SB being lost.Maslov 2007, pp. 76–77. Fighting between Soviet and Japanese forces broke out again at Khalkhin Gol in Eastern Mongolia in May 1939. While SBs were not involved in the May air battles, where the Soviet forces received heavy losses, two Regiments of SBs were deployed to Mongolia in June, flying their first missions on 26 June.Walg 1997, pp. 2–3. SBs were used heavily against Japanese forces when they attacked in early July. The Soviet SB regiments consisted of a mixture of early and later SBs, whose differing speeds caused problems in maintaining formation, while Japanese
Nakajima Ki-27 The was the main fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service up until 1940. Its Allied nickname was "Nate", although it was called "Abdul" in the "China Burma India" (CBI) theater by many post war sources; Allied Intelligen ...
fighters proved adept in exploiting the poor defensive armament of the SB, with the radio operator operating both the dorsal and ventral guns. To minimise losses to Japanese fighters, the Soviets changed tactics, flying SB missions at over 6,100 m (20,000 ft) where it was difficult for the Japanese to intercept.Walg 1997, pp. 4–5. SBs continued to be used against the Japanese as the Soviets and Mongolian forces commanded by
Georgy Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov ( rus, Георгий Константинович Жуков, p=ɡʲɪˈorɡʲɪj kənstɐnʲˈtʲinəvʲɪtɕ ˈʐukəf, a=Ru-Георгий_Константинович_Жуков.ogg; 1 December 1896 – ...
carried out a successful offensive until a cease-fire was signed in September 1939.


Winter War

On 30 November 1939, the Soviet Union attacked
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
in the conflict that became known as the
Winter War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...
, with the forces deployed against Finland including several hundred SBs. Losses were heavy, with bomber formations often un-escorted, and forced to operate at low level, where they were vulnerable to Finnish
anti-aircraft Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
fire and fighters. While in 1936 in Spain, the SB could outpace enemy fighters, by now it was vulnerable and poorly armed. SBs were fitted with skis for operation from snow covered airfields, slowing the aircraft and making them more vulnerable, while the need to wear heavy winter clothing made the gunner's job even harder.Maslov 2007, pp. 78–79. By the end of the 15-week war, at least 100 SBs had been lost,Maslov 2007, p. 79. with the Finns claiming nearly 200 shot down, 92 of them to Finnish fighters.Stenman 1982, p. 10.


Eastern Front

When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, re-equipment with more modern aircraft such as the
Pe-2 The Petlyakov Pe-2 (russian: Петляков Пе-2) was a Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war,Ethell 1996, p. 152. it also proved successful as a heavy fighter, as ...
had begun. Still, 94% of the Soviet operational bomber force was equipped with SBs,Duffy and Kandalov 1996, p. 81. with 1,500–2,000 SBs deployed along the Western border districts of the Soviet Union.Maslov 2007, p. 80.''Air International'' March 1989, p. 154. The ''
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
'' started Operation '' Barbarossa'' with co-ordinated strikes against 66 major Soviet airfields, destroying a large proportion of Soviet air strength on the ground or air on the first day of the invasion. The SBs that survived the carnage of the first day continued to be poorly used, many being frittered away in unescorted low-level attacks against German tanks, where the SB's relatively large size and lack of armour made it highly vulnerable to German light ''Flak'', while German fighters continued to take a heavy toll. Within a few days, losses forced most of the remaining SBs to switch to night attacks. SBs continued to be used, in the defense of
Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
and
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, mainly at night by attacking German artillery. By December 1941 almost all of the SBs had either been replaced or lost, although it remained in large-scale use until March 1942 in the North against Finland.Stenman 1985, p. 17. SBs continued in use for non-combat roles such as supply dropping, glider towing and training, and continued in use in the Far East until 1945.


Finnish use

Many Soviet SBs crashed or force-landed on Finnish soil during the Winter War, with the Finns salvaging as many aircraft as possible, with those in the best condition being sent to ''
Valtion lentokonetehdas ''Valtion lentokonetehdas'' (State aircraft factory) was a Finnish aircraft manufacturing company that was founded on 23 February 1928 from the IVL or I.V.L. factory (Ilmailuvoimien lentokonetehdas, Finnish Air Force Aircraft Factory), founded in ...
'' for possible repair for use by the Finnish air force. By the time of the
Continuation War The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet-Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944, as part of World War II.; sv, fortsättningskriget; german: Fortsetzungskrieg. A ...
against the Soviet Union, five SBs had been repaired (with a further three added later), being used to equip ''Lentolaivue'' 6, flying maritime patrol and attack missions. These aircraft were supplemented by a further 16 SBs purchased from Germany, which had captured them during the initial weeks of the invasion of the Soviet Union.Stenman 1985, pp. 12–13. These SBs employed the first air-dropped
depth charges A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive hydraulic shock. Most depth charges use h ...
used in combat. Finland lost seven SBs to accidents during the Continuation War, with none being lost in combat, with Finnish SBs claiming three Soviet submarines and a 4,000 ton merchant ship sunk.Stenman 1985, pp. 10, 20.


Variants

* ANT-35 – Airliner version. Also designated PS-35. * ANT-38 – Unbuilt 1934 proposal for high speed bomber – possibly related to ANT-41.Gunston 1995, p. 404. * ANT-40 RTs (''Rayt Tsiklon'') or SB: first prototype with 545 kW (730 hp) Wright-Cyclone engines and with 19.0 m (62 ft 4 in) wingspan. It was completed in September 1934, making its first flight on 7 October 1934. It was damaged in a forced landing and rebuilt with 670 kW (900 hp)
Tumansky M-87 The Tumansky M-87 was a Soviet air-cooled aircraft radial engine that was developed in the late 1930s. It was a development of their licensed Gnome-Rhone 14K engines that started with the M-85. Development In 1934, USSR licensed the French G ...
engines, and a second set of test flights were made from 5 February to 31 July 1935.''Air International'' January 1989, p. 45. Development not continued as ANT-40 IS was superior. Used as experimental (ski gears, etc.) model. * ANT-40 IS (''Hispano-Suiza''): Prototypes powered by 560 kW (750 hp)
Hispano-Suiza 12Y The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft, i ...
engines, and with longer span (20.3 m (66 ft 7¼ in) wings. Two built, with the first ANT-401 flying on 30 December 1934, reaching during initial tests and 402 km/h (250 mph) during later flights.Maslov 2007, pp. 64, 66. Second example, ANT-402, with modified wings and tail emerged in September 1935 and served as a production prototype. * ANT-41 – unrelated
Torpedo bomber A torpedo bomber is a military aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes. Torpedo bombers came into existence just before the First World War almost as soon as aircraft were built that were capable of carrying the weight ...
with similar layout to SB but larger and more powerful. One built in 1936, abandoned after destroyed in crash due to severe flutter. * ANT-46 – two-seat heavy fighter, similar to ANT-401, but powered by two imported 597 kW (800 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14K engines and armed with two 100 mm
recoilless rifle A recoilless rifle, recoilless launcher or recoilless gun, sometimes abbreviated "RR" or "RCL" (for ReCoilLess) is a type of lightweight artillery system or man-portable launcher that is designed to eject some form of countermass such as propel ...
s in outer wings, four fixed machine guns in the nose, and one flexibly mounted machine gun in the observers cockpit. One prototype, with Air Force designation DI-8 first flown in August 1935, but abandoned after abandonment of Leonid Kurchevsky's recoilless rifle projects and his subsequent arrest.Gunston 1995, p. 408.Duffy and Kandalov 1996, p. 87. * ANT-48 – high-speed sport aircraft project. * ANT-49 – proposed long-range reconnaissance variant with aerial cameras in the bomb bay and larger fuel tanks; project cancelled before a prototype was built. * SB 2M-100 – first production model. Wing area increased to 56.7 m2 (610 ft2). Equipped with
Klimov M-100 The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft, i ...
engines (the Hispano-Suiza 12Y built under licence) driving two-bladed propellers.Gunston 1995, p.407.Maslov 2007, p. 68. * SB 2M-100A – new M-100A engines of 642 kW (860 hp), driving three-bladed propellers. Produced from late 1936. Sometimes unofficially referred to as the SBbis. * SB 2M-100A ''modernizirovannyi'' – new rear gun installation with MV-3 dorsal turret. Tested in May 1937. Accepted, but no production. * SB-bis – prototype powered by 716 kW (960 hp)
Klimov M-103 The Klimov M-103 is a V12 liquid-cooled piston aircraft engine used by Soviet aircraft during World War II.Gunston 1989, p.90. Design and development The M-103 was a further development of the Klimov M-100 engine that was itself a licensed cop ...
engines, dual controls and variable-pitch propellers. It flew in September 1937, but increased weight lead to reduced performance. * SB-bis2 – M-103 powered prototype with polished wings. Little increase in performance. No production. * SB-bis3 – third M-103 powered prototype, with new engine nacelles with radiators relocated under engines rather than the frontal radiators fitted in earlier aircraft. Tested from 1 November 1937 – 17 January 1938, with testing showing maximum speed increasing to 446 km/h (277 mph). Improvements later incorporated into production aircraft. * SB 2M-103 — 10th series. 1938 production version with M-103 engines fitted with original frontal radiators and strengthened structure. Fitted with emergency flight controls for navigator, provision for retractable skis, and for two 368 litre external fuel tanks. * SB 2M-103 – 14th series. Late 1939 production, with M-103 engine and revised nacelles and radiators as tested in SBbis3. * SB 2M-103 – 18th series. Further improved production version, with fixed radiator intakes and partially polished wings. VISh-22 three-bladed variable-pitch propellers. Fitted with MV-3 dorsal turret. * SB 2M-104 — Approximately 30–50Maslov 2007, p. 70. aircraft were completed with M-104 engines, but engine not in series production. * SB 2M-106 — A few aircraft completed with M-106 engines, but engine not in production. * USB – dual control trainer, with the instructor sitting in an open cockpit in the nose replacing the navigator. Over 120 built, powered by the M-100A or M-103. * SB-MN (''Men'she nesushchye'' – reduced area) or MMN (''Modifikatsiya men'she nesushchye'') — second generation level bomber powered by 783 kW (1,050 hp) M-105 engines and with new wings with NACA 22 high lift airfoils, reduced wing area and span (18.0 m (59 ft 0¾ in). One built.Gunston 1995, pp. 39–40. * SB-RK (''Razreznoye krilo'' – slotted wing) – Dive bomber developed in parallel with SB-MN. Same wings as SB-MN, but with large slotted flaps usable as dive brakes. The cooling radiators were buried within the wings, with an air intake on the leading and the exhaust on the wing's upper surface. Equipped with three ShKAS machine guns, and it could carry six bombs or two bombs internally or bombs externally. Ordered into production as Arkhangelskii Ar-2. 200 built before it was superseded by the
Pe-2 The Petlyakov Pe-2 (russian: Петляков Пе-2) was a Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war,Ethell 1996, p. 152. it also proved successful as a heavy fighter, as ...
and Tupolev Tu-2, Tu-2. * SBB-1 — Archangelskii's last iteration of the SB, based on SB-MN and -RK, with even smaller wings (16.0 m (52 ft 5⅞ in) span) twin tail and other changes. Alternative designation B. One prototype flown 1940 but no production. * Avia B-71 – SB 2M-100A licence built in Czechoslovakia. * PS-40 – cargo version for Aeroflot, powered by M-100A engines and with all military equipment removed. Capable of carrying cargo or six passengers. 100 supplied during 1938.''Air International'' March 1989, p.150. * PS-41 – Conversion of SB 2M-103 as freighter for Aeroflot. PS-41bis fitted with underwing fuel tanks. * Pterodactyl – SB 2M-103 fitted with fixed tricycle landing gear. One converted 1940.


Operators

; * Bulgarian Air Force operated 32 Avia B-71 aircraft redesignated Avia-Katiusza Ě-8. ; * Chinese Nationalist Air Force received 62 SB 2M-100 bombers in the autumn 1937. The Soviet Union delivered 3 more SB 2M-100 and SB 2M-105 bombers from August 1938 – June 1941. ; Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China, China-Nanjing * The Collaborationist Chinese Army#Air force, Reorganized Republic of China Air Force had two Tupolev bombers that had been flown by defected Nationalist pilots. ; * Czechoslovak Air Force received 60 Russian-built SB with Hispano Suiza 12Ybrs engines in April and May 1938. Another 101 bombers and 60 reconnaissance aircraft were ordered to be built under license as the Avia B-71 but only 101 were built. ; * Finnish Air Force operated 24 SB bombers. The first eight aircraft (seven powered by M-103 engines, one by M-100 engines) were captured during the
Winter War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...
, another 16 aircraft were converted from German-captured material from 5 November 1941 – 27 August 1942. All aircraft were refitted with M-103 engines and were used as anti-submarine aircraft in the LeLv 6 squadron. Two aircraft were rebuilt and were used as trainers. The Finnish Air Force withdrew all SB aircraft in 1945, and all were scrapped in 1950. ; * ''
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
'' operated captured aircraft, including Czech-built Avia B-71 and Soviet SB. ; * Polish Air Force operated few USB 2M-103 aircraft for training after World War II. ; Slovak Republic (1939–1945), Slovakia * Slovenské vzdušné zbrane, Slovak Air Force operated one Avia B-71 aircraft until April 18, 1943, when čtk Anton Vanko and four other airmen defected with it to Turkey. ; * Soviet Air Force * Aeroflot received an unknown number of retired military SB 2M-100 aircraft in 1938 and after rebuild, used them under the designation PS-40. Another batch of retired SBbis 3 bombers was rebuilt in 1940 and used under the designation PS-41. ; * Republican Spanish Air Force received its first 31 SB 2M-100A bombers on 14 October 1936. The second batch of 31 aircraft was delivered in June–July 1937 and a final batch of 31 following in 1938. The Soviet Union delivered a total of 93 SBs to Spain.Martinez 1987, p.55. ; * Nationalist Spanish Air Force captured 19 SB 2M-100A bombers. All were overhauled and Soviet M-100 engines were replaced with French Hispano Suiza 12Ybrs. These aircraft were used operationally and later for training duties, and were retired in 1950. Spanish pilots called captured SB bombers ''Katiuska''.


Aircraft on display

After Stalin's post-war cleanup in the 1950s, many ANT-40s that survived the Second World War were scrapped. In the late 1970s, however, ''Vozdushni Transport'' (A Soviet aviation newspaper) sent an expedition led by Evgeny Konoplev to survey an ANT-40 that was forced to land during a snow storm near the Yuzhne Muiski mountain range in the Baikal region. Konoplev considered what they found encouraging, with the aircraft being in fairly decent condition, in turn leading a team of VVS pilots to recover the airplane. It was returned to Moscow and restored by a group of volunteer Tupolev employees. The restored aircraft was unveiled in April 1982 at the Central Air Force Museum at Monino Airfield. Another ANT-40 is displayed in Verhnyaya Pyshma.Duffy and Kandalov 1996, pp. 83–84. A reproduction of an SB-2 is under construction by the La Senia Airfield Association in La Sénia, La Sénia, Catalonia.


Specifications (SB 2M-103)


See also


References

;Notes ;Bibliography * Beevor, Antony. ''Stalingrad''. London:Penguin Books, 1999. . * Duffy, Paul and Andrei Kandalov. ''Tupolev: The Man and His Aircraft''. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife, 1996. . * Bill Gunston, Gunston, Bill. ''The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995''. London:Osprey, 1995. . * Kulikov, Victor and Michulec, Robert.''Tupolew SB, Monografie Lotnicze 83''. Gdańsk, AJ-Press, 2002. (Polish publication). * Jackson, Robert. ''Aircraft of world war II – Development – Weaponry – Specifications''. London, Amber Books, 2003. . * Martinez, Luis Garcia. "Los Katiuskas". ''Air Enthusiast'', Thirty-two, December 1986 – April 1987. Bromley, UK: Pilot Press, 1987. . pp. 45–55. * Maslov, Mikhail. "Database: The Tupolev SB Bombers". ''Aeroplane'', January 2007, Vol 35 no. 1. pp. 62–87. * MPM (Modely Plastikvym Modelarum) manual to SB 2M-100 model kit * "SB: The Radical Tupolev". ''Air International'', January 1989. Vol 36 No 1. pp. 44–51. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. . * "SB: The Radical Tupolev Part Two". ''Air International'', February 1989. Vol 36 No 2. pp. 77–89, 100–102. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. . * "SB: The Radical Tupolev Part Three". ''Air International'', March 1989. Vol 36 No 3. pp. 148–155. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. . * Stenman, Kari. "The Anti-Soviet Tupolevs: Finland's Russian Bombers". ''Air Enthusiast'', Twenty-seven, March–June 1985. pp. 9–20. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll. . * Walg, A.J. "Wings Over the Steppes: Aerial Warfare in Mongolia 1930–45: Part Two". ''Air Enthusiast'', No 67, January/February 1997. pp. 2–5. Stamford, UK:Key Publishing. . * https://web.archive.org/web/20110605015707/http://www.aviation.ru/Tu/#ANT-40 {{WWIIUSSRAF 1930s Soviet bomber aircraft Tupolev aircraft, SB World War II Soviet medium bombers Aircraft first flown in 1934 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft World War II aircraft of Finland