Grigorovich TB-5

TB-5
Role Heavy bomber
National origin Soviet Union
Designer Grigorovich
First flight 1931
Status Retired
Primary user Soviet Union
Number built One


Grigorovich TB-5 (Russian: Григорович ТБ-5) was an experimental heavy bomber designed and tested in the Soviet Union in the early 1930s. Designed as a competitor for TB-3, TB-5 was intended to be powered by two FED 24-cylinder X engines of 746 kW (1,000 hp) each. When these were canceled, the underwing pods were revised to each house a pair of Bristol Jupiter engines in a push-pull configuration. Despite projected performance inferior to TB-3, it was hoped that TB-5 would gain an advantage by using less metal (in short supply at the time) thanks to its mixed construction of fabric-covered metal frame.[1]

Test flights began on 1 May 1931 with disappointing results, in part due to poor thrust of the rear-facing engines.[1] The prototype TB-5 was wrecked in a crash landing following the in-flight detachment of an engine in Spring 1932,[2] and with the entry into service of the superior TB-3 that year, the TB-5 project was abandoned.[1]

Specifications (TB-5)

TB-5 at the Central aerodrome

Data from Shavrov 1985[1]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grigorovich aircraft.
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Shavrov V.B. (1985). Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR do 1938 g. (3 izd.) (in Russian). Mashinostroenie. ISBN 5-217-03112-3.
  2. ↑ Gunston 1995, p. 91.
  3. ↑ Gunston 1995, p. 90.