The most formidable Russian bombers. Airplanes first: Russian strategic bombers

On August 16, 1981, the first B-52G bomber capable of carrying cruise missiles. The aircraft was a modification of the first aircraftB-52 and could accommodate 12 cruise missiles carrying nuclear warheads in the fuselage.

The B-52G was created to extend the service life of the B-52 series aircraft until the introduction of the B-58 Hustler supersonic bomber into service. After modification, the B-52G increased its take-off weight by 17,235 kg. Two external fuel tanks of 2650 liters each were placed under the wing.

Later, this aircraft could no longer carry 12, but 20 air-to-surface cruise missiles. Their combat unit could carry conventional high-explosive or nuclear charges. After launch, these missiles can independently fly 160 km to the target.

SmartNews has compiled a list of the best modern bombers.

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Video: Brian Lockett

NORTHROP B-2 SPIRIT

The B-2 is designed to penetrate dense air defenses and deliver conventional or nuclear weapons. To ensure stealth, stealth technologies are widely used: the aircraft is covered with radio-absorbing materials and is created according to the “flying wing” aerodynamic design. The bomber can carry up to 27,000 kg various weapons. The B-2 can fly 11,100 km without refueling and carry 16 nuclear missiles.

According to US official data, by 2010 one B-2 bomber had been lost in a non-combat incident. On February 23, 2008, a B-2 aircraft (serial number 89-0127, "Spirit of Kansas") crashed off the coast of the Pacific island of Guam at the Andersen military base. This was the first time an aircraft of this type crashed. Two pilots managed to eject. After the accident, flights of all aircraft of this type were suspended. However, after an investigation into the crash, B-2 flights were resumed.

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Video: TurbojetAquila

ROCKWELL B-1 LANCER

This aircraft was created as a carrier of nuclear weapons to replace the B-52, however, in the early 1990s, conversion of B-1 aircraft to equip them with conventional weapons began. As of 2010, the US Air Force operated 64 B-1B bombers.

The B-1B is an aircraft with a length of 44.81 m, a height of 10.36 m, and a wingspan of 41.67 m (23.84 m at maximum sweep). Maximum take-off weight - 216.365 tons, empty weight - 87.09 tons, maximum internal combat load - 34.019 tons, external - 31.752 tons, Weight Limit fuel - 88.45 tons. Maximum speed flight - 1.25M, ferry range 12 thousand km.

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Video: f39eagle2

TU-22M3

The multi-mode long-range missile carrier-bomber Tu-22M3 is designed to destroy important targets on enemy territory.

To carry out combat missions, the aircraft can carry up to 3 supersonic air-to-surface guided missiles Kh-22MA, up to 10 hypersonic aeroballistic missiles Kh-15 for hitting ground targets and enemy radars, as well as conventional or nuclear bombs in the fuselage (up to 12 tons) and on four external suspension units.

The GSh-23 cannon with a shortened block of barrels mounted vertically, with an increased rate of fire to 4000 rounds/min and remote control (via television and radar channels) is used as a defensive weapon.

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Video: periskopspb

Tu-22M3: from takeoff to landing

TU-95MS

The only turboprop bomber in the world adopted for service and mass-produced. Designed to destroy important targets behind enemy lines with cruise missiles at any time of the day and in any weather conditions.

Along with the American B-52 strategic bomber, the Tu-95 is one of the few military aircraft that have been in continuous service for more than half a century.

On July 30, 2010, a world record for a non-stop flight for aircraft of this class was set - in 43 hours, the bombers flew about 30 thousand kilometers over three oceans, refueling four times in the air.

Aviation brings death from the skies. Unexpected and inevitable. “Sky Slugs” and “Flying Fortresses” - they are the main ones in the air. All other aircraft and ground missile systems, fighters and anti-aircraft guns - all this was created to ensure successful operations of bombers or counter enemy bomb carriers.

The Military Channel compiled a ranking of the 10 best bombers of all time - and, as always, the result was a hellish mixture of vehicles of different classes and time periods. I believe it is necessary to rethink some aspects of the American program in order to avoid the emergence of panic among some morally fragile members of Russian society.

It is worth noting that many of the reproaches against the Military Channel seem unfounded - unlike Russian television with its endless “comedy clubs,” Discovery makes a truly bright, interesting program for the mass audience. He does the best he can, often making ridiculous mistakes and frankly delusional statements. At the same time, journalists are by no means devoid of objectivity - every Discovery rating contains truly outstanding examples technology. The whole problem with the numbering of seats; if I were the journalists, I would cancel it altogether.

10th place - B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator

Heavy bombers actively fought on all fronts of World War II, covered Arctic convoys, and were used as transport aircraft, tankers, and photographic reconnaissance aircraft. There were projects for a “heavy fighter” (!) and even an unmanned projectile aircraft.

Characteristics correspond to the B-17G modification
Heavy four-engine bomber. Crew 10 people; Max. take-off weight 29,710 kg; Maximum speed 515 km/h; Combat radius 3219 km with 2277 kg bombs; Ceiling 10,850 m;
Armament: up to 7900 kg of bombs, almost rarely exceeded 2300 kg; 13 defensive machine guns M2 Browning machine gun Cal .50 (12.7 mm).

Characteristics correspond to the B-24J modification
Heavy four-engine bomber. Crew 7-10 people; Max. take-off weight 29,500 kg; Maximum speed 470 km/h; Combat radius 3,400 km; Ceiling 8,500 m;
Armament: from 1,200 kg to 3,600 kg of bombs; 10 defensive machine guns M2 Browning machine gun Cal .50 (12.7 mm).

Henry Ford was repeatedly asked why his Willow Run aircraft plant had such a strange L-shape: in the midst of production, the conveyor unexpectedly turned at a right angle. The answer was simple: the giant assembly complex was located in the territory of another state, where the land tax was higher. The American capitalist counted everything down to the last cent and decided that it was cheaper to open factory floors than to pay extra taxes.

Built in 1941-1942. On the site of Ford's former parent farm, the Willow Run plant assembled four-engine B-24 Liberator bombers. Paradoxically, this aircraft remained virtually unknown, losing all the laurels to the “Flying Fortress”. Both strategic bombers carried the same bomb load, performed similar tasks and were very similar in design, while the B-17 produced 12 thousand aircraft, and the production volume of the B-24, thanks to the talent of businessman Henry Ford, exceeded 18 thousand aircraft.

But the “Fortresses” and “Liberators” gained particular fame during their raids on Germany. Strategic bombing was not an American invention - the Germans first used this tactic when they bombed the Dutch Rodderdam on May 4, 1940. The British liked the idea - the very next day Royal Air Force planes destroyed the Ruhr industrial area. But the real madness began in 1943 - with the advent of four-engine bombers among the Allies, the life of the German population turned into a hellish disco.

There are various interpretations combat effectiveness of strategic bombing. The most common opinion is that the bombs did not cause any harm to the Reich industry - despite all the attempts of the Allies, the volume of German military production in 1944 was continuously increasing! However, there is the following nuance: military production was continuously increasing in all the warring countries, but in Germany the growth rate was noticeably lower - this is clearly visible in the production figures for new models of armored vehicles (Royal Tigers, Jagdpanthers - only a few hundred units) or difficulties with the launch of a series of jet aircraft. Moreover, this “growth” was bought at a high price: in 1944, the civilian production sector in Germany was completely curtailed. The Germans had no time for furniture and gramophones - all their strength was thrown into the war.

9th place - Handley Page 0/400

Heavy bomber. Max. take-off weight 6 tons. Maximum speed 160 km/h. Flight range 1100 km. Ceiling 2600 m. Interesting fact: the “super-bomber” needed as much as 23 minutes to climb to an altitude of 1500 m.
Armament: 2,000 lb (907 kg) bomb load, 5 7.7 mm defensive machine guns.

Discovery probably meant the best bomber of the First World War. Well, I will disappoint the esteemed experts. The Handley Page 0/400 was, of course, a magnificent aircraft, but in those years there was a much more formidable bomber - the Ilya Muromets.

The four-engine Russian monster was created as a car for a peaceful sky: with a comfortable passenger compartment with heating and electric lighting, sleeping compartments and even a bathroom! The fantastic winged ship made its first flight in 1913 - 5 years earlier than the British Handley Page; there was nothing like it in any country in the world at that time!

But world war quickly set her priorities - 800 kg of bomb load and 5 machine-gun points - this became the lot of “Ilya Muromets”. 60 bombers of this type were continuously used on the fronts of the First World War, while the Germans managed to shoot down only 3 vehicles with tremendous effort. The Muromets were also used after the war - the planes returned to their peaceful duties, serving the first Moscow-Kharkov passenger and postal airline in the RSFSR.

It is a pity that the creator of this amazing machine left Russia in 1918. He was none other than Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky - genius designer helicopters and founder of the world-famous Sikorsky Aircraft corporation.

As for the Handley Page 0/400 twin-engine bomber that Discovery admired, it was just an airplane of its time. Despite more advanced engines and equipment, its characteristics corresponded to the Ilya Muromets, created 5 years earlier. The only difference is that the British were able to launch large-scale production of bombers; as a result, in the fall of 1918, about 600 of these “air fortresses” plied the skies over Europe.

8th place - Junkers Ju-88

Characteristics correspond to the Ju.88A4 modification
Fast bomber. Maximum take-off weight 14 tons. Speed (at an altitude of 5300 m) 490 km/h. Flight range 2400 km. Ceiling 9000 m.
Armament: 4-5 defensive machine guns MG-15 or MG-81 of 7.92 mm caliber, up to 3,000 kg of combat load.

According to Discovery, aircraft with black crosses on the wings performed well in Europe, but were completely unsuitable for striking industrial facilities in the Urals and Siberia. Hmm...the statement is, of course, fair, but the Ju.88 was originally created as a front-line aircraft, and not as a strategic bomber.

The Schnellbomber became the main attack aircraft of the Luftwaffe - any mission at any altitude was available for the Ju.88, and its speed often exceeded the speed of enemy fighters. The aircraft was used as a high-speed bomber, torpedo bomber, night fighter, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, attack aircraft, and “hunter” of ground targets. At the end of the war, the Ju.88 mastered a new exotic specialty, becoming the world's first missile carrier: in addition to the Fritz-X and Henschel-293 guided bombs, the Junkers periodically attacked London with air-launched V-1 cruise missiles.

In 1943, the already many-sided Ju.88 received a new face - an unmanned projectile with a powerful shaped charge in the nose, controlled from a single-seat fighter mounted above the fuselage of the projectile carrier. This composite design was designated Mistel. From Mistel-1 to Mistel-3, various modifications of the Ju-88 were used. The second aircraft in the team was the Bf.109F-4 or Fw.190A-8. Not all Mistels were intended for one-time use. Thus, a variant similar to “Mistel-Zb” was planned to be used as an ultra-long-range “hunter”. At the same time, the upper Fw.190 was used as an escort fighter, launched if necessary. The carrier was supposed to have a crew of three people.

Such outstanding abilities are explained, first of all, not by any outstanding technical characteristics, but through the competent use of the Ju.88 and the zealous attitude of the Germans to technology. The Junkers was not without its shortcomings - the main one being weak defensive weapons. Despite the presence of 7 to 9 firing points, all of them were controlled by, at best, 4 crew members, which made it impossible to conduct defensive fire simultaneously from all barrels. Also, due to the small dimensions of the cockpit, there was no opportunity to replace small-caliber machine guns with larger ones. powerful weapon. The pilots noted the insufficient size of the internal bomb bay, and with bombs on the external sling, the combat radius of the Junkers was rapidly decreasing. It is fair to say that these problems were typical for many front-line bombers of World War II, and the Ju.88 was no exception.

Returning to the previously stated statement that the Ju.88 was unsuitable for bombing targets deep behind enemy lines, the Fritz had another vehicle for such tasks - the Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffin). The twin-propeller (but four-engine!) German long-range bomber was even superior to the American “Air Fortresses” in a number of parameters (speed, defensive weapons), however, it was extremely unreliable and fire hazardous, receiving the nickname “flying fireworks” - what was its strange cost? power point when two engines rotated one propeller!

The relatively small number of Griffins produced (about 1000 units) made it impossible to carry out large punitive operations. The heavy He.177 appeared on the Eastern Front only once - as a military transport aircraft to supply German troops surrounded at Stalingrad. Basically, the "Griffin" was used in the Kriegsmarine for long-range reconnaissance in the vast Atlantic Ocean.

If we are talking about the Luftwaffe, it is very strange that the Junkers Ju.87 Stuka (Sturzkampfflugzeug - dive bomber) was not included in the list of the best bombers. “Laptezhnik” has more rights to be called “the best” than many of the aircraft present here; it received all its awards not at an air show, but in fierce battles.

Disgusting flight characteristics The Ju.87 was offset by its main advantage - the ability to dive vertically. At a speed of 600...650 km/h, the bomb literally “shot” at the target, and usually hit a circle with a radius of 15-20 m. The standard armament of the Ju.87 were large aerial bombs (weighing from 250 kg to 1 ton), so such targets like bridges, ships, command posts, artillery batteries were destroyed in one go. Upon careful analysis, it becomes obvious that the Ju.87 was not so bad; instead of a slow-moving, clumsy “laptezhnik”, we see a completely balanced aircraft, formidable weapon in capable hands, which the Germans proved to the whole of Europe.

7th place - Tu-95, according to NATO classification - Bear (Bear)

Strategic turboprop bomber - missile carrier. Maximum take-off weight 190 tons. Maximum speed 830 km/h. Flight range 11 thousand km. The ceiling is 12,000 m. Interesting fact: during a 17-hour flight, a bomber consumes 96 tons of aviation kerosene!
Armament: multi-position drum launcher for launching cruise missiles, underwing holders. Up to 20 tons of combat load in various combinations. Stern defensive installation: 2 GSh-23 cannons.

February 2008. Pacific Ocean south of the coast of Japan. Two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers approached the US Navy carrier strike group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Nimitz, and one of them flew over the deck of the giant ship at an altitude of 600 meters. In response, four F/A-18 fighters were scrambled from the aircraft carrier...

A Vought F-8J Crusader from VF-194 Red Lightnings pushes a Tu-95 away from the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CVA-34). May 25, 1974

The nuclear “Bear,” as in the bad old days, still continues to fray the nerves of our Western allies. Although now they call it differently: as soon as they see the familiar silhouette of the Tu-95, American pilots joyfully shout “Bush-ka,” as if hinting at the considerable age of the car. The world's first and only turboprop bomber was put into service back in 1956. However, like its colleague B-52 - along with the American “strategist”, the Tu-95 became the longest-lived aircraft in the history of aviation.

In October 1961, it was from the Tu-95 that the monstrous “Tsar Bomba” with a capacity of 58 megatons was dropped. The carrier managed to fly 40 km from the epicenter of the explosion, but blast wave quickly overtook the fugitive and for several minutes spun the intercontinental bomber randomly in air vortices incredible strength. It was noted that a fire broke out on board the Tupolev, and after landing the plane never took off again.

The Tu-95 became especially famous in the West thanks to its interesting modifications:

Tu-114 is a long-haul passenger airliner. The beautiful, fast aircraft created a sensation during its first flight to New York: for a long time the Americans could not believe that this was a civilian aircraft, and not a formidable combat “Bear” with a nuclear club. And realizing that this was really a passenger airliner, they were surprised by its capabilities: range, speed, payload. Military hardening was felt in everything.

Tu-142 is a long-range anti-submarine aircraft, the basis of the naval aviation of our Fatherland.

And, perhaps, the most famous modification of the Tu-95RTs is the “eyes and ears” of our fleet, a long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. It was these vehicles that monitored American aircraft carrier groups and participated in “joint maneuvers” with deck-based Phantoms raised on alert.

Discovery experts took a rough look at the Russian plane and closely “assessed” the comfort of the cockpit. The Americans always laughed a lot at the bucket behind the seats of the Tu-95 pilots. Indeed, despite the tenacity of the Russian soldier, building an intercontinental bomber without a normal latrine looks stupid, to say the least. The strange problem was finally solved, and the Tu-95MS still remains in service, being an integral part of the Russian Nuclear Triad.

6th place - Boeing B-47 Stratojet

Strategic jet bomber. Max. take-off weight 100 tons. Maximum speed 975 km/h. Combat radius: 3200 km with a bomb load of 9 tons. Ceiling 10,000 m.
Armament: combat load weight up to 11 tons, defensive tail mount with two 20 mm cannons.

...The first object was a large air base near Murmansk. As soon as the RB-47 turned on the cameras and began taking photographs, the pilots saw a spiral of predatory silver aircraft spinning over the airfield - the MiGs went to intercept the intruder.

Thus began the air battle over Kola Peninsula On May 8, 1954, the Soviet fighter regiment spent the entire day unsuccessfully chasing an American spy. The RB-47E photographed all the “objects” and, scaring off the MiGs from the rear gun mount, disappeared into the sky over Finland. In fact, the American pilots were not having fun at that moment - the MiG cannons tore open the wing, the reconnaissance aircraft barely made it to Great Britain on its last drops of fuel.

The Golden Era of Bomber Aviation! Reconnaissance flights of the RB-47 clearly showed that the fighter, without having missile weapons and speed advantages, unable to successfully intercept a jet bomber. There were no other methods of counteraction then - as a result, 1800 American B-47 Stratojet could be guaranteed to break through air defenses and inflict nuclear attack at any point on the Earth's surface.

Fortunately, the bomber's dominance was short-lived. On July 1, 1960, the US Air Force failed to repeat its favorite trick of flying over Soviet territory- the ERB-47H electronic reconnaissance aircraft was mercilessly sunk in the Barents Sea. For supersonic interceptors, the MiG-19 is the pride of the American strategic aviation became a slow-moving, clumsy target.

We present to our readers the 5 best bombers in the world

No. 1 - Northrop B-2 Spirit- American heavy bomber. Primarily designed to break through dense air defenses and deliver nuclear weapons to their destination. Stealth technologies are used for camouflage. The aircraft's skin is covered with radio-absorbing materials. The B-2 Spirit is the most expensive aircraft in the world. In 1998, the cost of one B-2, excluding R&D, was $1.157 billion. The cost of the entire B-2 program was estimated at nearly $45 billion in 1997; Thus, taking into account R&D, the cost of one car at that time reached 2.1 billion dollars. The high price has become main reason reduction of its purchases by the US Air Force. Due to the collapse of the USSR, out of the originally planned 132 bombers, only 20 units were purchased during the entire production period.

No. 2 - Tu-160- a supersonic strategic missile-carrying bomber with a variable geometry wing, developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1970-1980s.

The largest and most powerful bomber in history military aviation. A supersonic aircraft with variable wing geometry, as well as the heaviest aircraft in the world, having the highest maximum take-off weight. Among military specialists it was called “ White swan" It’s surprising that with its enormous parameters it is also the fastest

No. 3 - Rockwell B-1 Lancer- American supersonic strategic bomber with variable sweep wings.

Development of this project was started back in the 70s and completed only in the mid-80s. Designed the aircraft famous company Rockwell International. In 1985, the aircraft entered service armed forces USA where it was supposed to replace the already obsolete B-52 as a carrier of nuclear weapons. However, in the early 90s, conversion of B-1 aircraft to equip them with conventional weapons began. The final version of the bomber (B-1B) implemented the concept of a low-altitude air defense breakthrough by flying at ultra-low altitudes and following the terrain.

No. 4 - Boeing B-52 Stratofortress- American multifunctional heavy ultra-long-range intercontinental strategic bomber-missile carrier of the second generation from Boeing, which has been in service with the US Air Force since 1955. This bomber replaced the famous B-36 and B-47. The main task of this bomber is to deliver high-power dual-thermonuclear bombs to any point globe, at one time primarily before the USSR. The B-52, along with the Tu-95, is the absolute record holder for the longest range among combat aircraft. It is also one of the few military aircraft to have been in continuous service for more than half a century. Despite the fact that the B-52 was developed in the 50s to meet the requirements of the Cold War, it still remains the main long-range bomber aircraft of the US Air Force and will remain so at least until 2040.

No. 5 - Tu-95- Soviet/Russian turboprop strategic missile-carrying bomber, one of the fastest propeller-driven aircraft, which became one of the symbols of the Cold War between the USA and the USSR. The world's last adopted and mass-produced turboprop bomber. It had many modifications in accordance with current tasks. Along with the American B-52 strategic bomber, the Tu-95 is one of the few military aircraft that have been in continuous service for more than half a century.

Bomber - military aircraft, main goal which is the destruction of ground, surface, underground and underwater targets using missiles and bombs.

Bomber Appears

The first use of airplanes to destroy ground targets was undertaken before the outbreak of the First World War. Instead of bombs, metal darts or flechettes were then used. They were slightly larger than a pencil. Thus, the bombing with darts was carried out from above on the positions of the infantry and cavalry. The weight of such an arrow is 30 grams, it was capable of piercing 150 mm of wood. First air bomb created by the Italian military man C. Zipelli. His main goal was to design a fuse that should go off at the most crucial moment. Subsequent experiments with grenades different types led to the death of the inventor.

The very first combat bombing took place on November 1, 1911. At the height of the Italo-Turkish war, the Italian pilot Gavotti dropped 4 bombs on the Turks in the city of Tripoli. A little later, the Italians began to use buckshot as destructive elements.

First World War

At the very beginning, airplanes carried out bombing purely to intimidate the enemy. Light reconnaissance aircraft were used as carriers. Bombs were dropped manually by pilots, and operations were not coordinated with those of ground troops. The first bombing of Paris took place at the end of August 1914. In November of the same year, Lieutenant Caspar bombed Dover.

But airships showed themselves best during this period. Germany was the most powerful aeronautical power. With 18 copies, it could drop several tons of bombs. In mid-August 14, one of the airships carried out an air raid on Antwerp, destroying 60 residential buildings, more than 900 were damaged. But the British anti-aircraft gunners managed to shoot down 4 units, after which the Germans refused to operate the airships during the daytime.

The first full-fledged bomber that fully corresponds to the rank of bomber was the Russian four-engine vehicle Igor Sikorsky “Ilya Muromets”. In December 1914, the “Squadron of Airships” was created from these “Murom residents”. Bombs were placed not only inside the plane, but also outside. In addition, the installed machine guns were responsible for protecting the aircraft. The first multi-engine bombers began to appear in many countries. One way or another, they looked like “Ilya Muromets”. Germany – G-III, G-IV, G-V, “Zeppelin-Staken R-VI”; England – 0/400, Vickers Vimy; USA - Martin MV-1.

Interwar period

In the post-war period, development of the bomber class slowed significantly. This was mainly due to the events taking place in the countries: Russia - revolution and civil war; Due to the loss, Austria and Germany were prohibited from developing the military industry; Western countries, including the United States, were struggling with an internal crisis.

Nevertheless, aviation was developed. The main indicators of optimal quality were considered to be flight range and load capacity. In addition to the aircraft themselves, combat tactics were developed in flight schools. In the 1920s, the Italian military man Giulio Douhet made a huge contribution to the development of the strategic use of aviation. Main circuit for that period - a biplane box with wooden wings, a non-retractable landing gear and open machine gun mounts. The most prominent representatives: LeO-20 - France, "Heyford" and "Virginia" - England. In 1925, the legendary ANT-4 took to the skies in the USSR. It was the first production multi-engine all-metal bomber at that time. In December 1930, TB-3 took to the skies and set several world records. In 1933, the American-made twin-engine B-10 Martin became the first bomber with internal bomb storage, enclosed gunner and pilot cockpits, smooth skin and retractable landing gear. This period can be noted as the beginning of the construction of different types and types of bombers, but mainly several stand out: high-speed and long-range. The Versailles Peace Treaty prohibited Germany from building military aircraft, so their designers, with an eye on a possible second war, began producing passenger airliners with the possibility of their subsequent transformation into bombers. Typical representatives of such cunning - He-111 and Ju-86 - became the basis of Luftwaffe aviation. In July 1935, an experimental prototype of the first heavy bomber of the new generation, the Boeing B-17, took off. In December of the following year, testing of the TB-7 began in the USSR. And in 1939, Italy and England released their own types of bombers: Piaggio R.108, Stirling and Halifax. At the same time, dive bombers appeared in the military aviation industry - Pe-2 and Junkers U 87.

World War II

Over the entire history of World War II, more than 100 people took part in battles. various types bombers. Conventionally, they began to be divided into distant and front-line. Accordingly, depending on the type of bomber, they performed the assigned tasks. Among the front-line ones, the most notable ones are the English De Havilland Mosquito, the Soviet Pe-2, the American Martin B-26 Marauder, Douglas A-20 Havoc and A-26 Invader. Long-range - English Vickers Wellington, Soviet Il-4, American B-25 Mitchell, German Junkers U 88 and Henkel He 111. While the USSR and Germany developed front-line aviation more, Great Britain and the USA paid attention to heavy four-engine bombers that could deliver massive attacks on targets. The American heavy bombers were based on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, which was considered the fastest and highest-altitude combat aircraft at the beginning of the war. The most prominent representative was A. Jordanov’s Boeing B-29 project. At that time, this unit had perfect aerodynamics and powerful engines. And it was he who became the first of all on which it was possible to transport nuclear weapons (with the Enola Gay the US Air Force bombed the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945).

Since 1944, bomber jet aircraft have been involved in active combat operations. And for the first time, jet fighter-bombers began to develop. The first modification of such an aircraft is the Me-262A2, designed in Germany back in 1942. A year later, German designers developed a carrier bomber (Do-217K) for guided weapons that dropped glide bombs. The world's first missile carrier was the He-111, which was obsolete by the end of the war. It was he who produced the V-1 cruise missiles.

Cold War period

With the beginning of complications in communication between the USA and the USSR, advanced countries began an arms race. In particular, bombers became the only potential carriers of the most formidable nuclear weapons at that time. However, developing new heavy aircraft with the ability to travel vast distances to strike was extremely expensive. Because of this, only three countries were engaged in such research: the USA, the USSR and the UK, among which Soviet Union lagged behind the most. Realizing this, the country's leadership decided to begin developing new prototypes, in particular, the Tupolev Design Bureau managed to completely copy the American B-29. The copy was called Tu-4.

New possibilities for flying over vast distances made it possible to introduce other classes and designations. Thus, bombers that were capable of covering a distance of 10-15 thousand km began to be called intercontinental, and up to 10 thousand km - long-range (medium). Devices that could be used in the front-line zone or behind enemy lines began to be called tactical aviation.

In 1946, the United States created the first intercontinental bomber, the Convert B-36. It was also the last strategic bomber to use piston engines. In the 50s, aircraft designers managed to create aircraft that for many years determined appearance heavy aircraft manufacturing, among which the B-47 is considered the first. Unlike American designers, Tupolev specialists used a wing with a rigid caisson, which had great survivability, for the new jet bomber (Tu-16). On its basis, the USSR designed the first flagship of jet passenger aviation, the Tu-104.

In April 1952, the prototype of the US YB-52 intercontinental bomber took off. The design used many previously developed optimal parts of the B-47 aircraft. Thus, the new B-52 became the main subsonic aircraft of America's Strategic Air Command. The aircraft performed extremely well, which influenced the decision of the Air Force command to develop purely supersonic aircraft. In November 1956, the B-58 prototype took off, becoming the first long-range supersonic bomber. To improve aerodynamic qualities, aircraft designers used some fighter components. Thus, the project gradually began to be modernized, smoothly transitioning into the B-70 Valkyrie. Hopes were pinned on the new unit to replace the obsolete B-52s. However, the program was closed due to a spectacular demonstration in May 1960 of Soviet air defense systems, which easily hit both subsonic and supersonic targets.

At the same time, Khrushchev came to power in the Soviet Union, who firmly believed in the omnipotence of missile weapons. This direction completely stopped work on intercontinental bombers in the USSR. However, aviation, one way or another, needed aircraft capable of destroying AUG (carrier strike groups); in particular, this project was more concerned with the creation of new weapons for the US Navy. In September 1959, the long-range supersonic bomber Tu-22 made its first flight. Its layout was the most original and had not been used anywhere before. Further development became the Sukhoi T-4 supersonic aircraft. However, due to political problems, the program was closed in the 70s.

Low altitude supersonic bombers

The period of the 60s in the United States was marked by constant preparations and research in the field of heavy aviation. The Air Force leadership identified this need after receiving data on Soviet air defenses, the characteristics of which were the best at that time. A temporary solution was the adoption of the FB-111 bomber, a modification of the F-111 heavy strike tactical aircraft.

The USSR decided to make an analogue of the American front-line bomber - the Su-24, which took off in January 1970. Unlike the American leadership, the Union decided not to give up high altitude. All efforts were devoted to creating new multi-mode aircraft. Tu-22M is one such project, which first took to the skies in August 1969. At the same time, the United States began to develop a new multi-mode bomber, the B-1A. According to preliminary calculations, it was supposed to replace the B-52, but in 1977, after a series of flight tests, they decided to close the project. In addition, the need for stealth aircraft to break through enemy air defenses disappeared after the successful development of Stealth technology.

Stealth bombers

The new air defense systems of the USSR forced the US Air Force to look for other ways to increase the survivability of aircraft in combat conditions. The first stealth bomber is considered to be the F-117, which took off in June 1981. In July 1989, the B-2 bomber, which was created under the ATV program, took off for the first time. After some time, the designers had to slightly change and increase the requirements, since the new S-300 air defense systems entered service with the USSR. A total of 20 B-2 units were built.

Modernity

When cold war ended, many expensive strategic bomber programs were canceled. Before the collapse, the Soviet Union managed to build 35 Tu-160 units, which were based mainly in Ukraine, in the city of Priluki. In 1992, serial production of the aircraft ceased, but a year later production began making small series of Tu-160 for Russia. By 2007, there were 16 aircraft in the Russian Federation. In addition, Russia has 64 Tu-95MS and 158 Tu-22M in service. And in 2015, the Russian Air Force plans to launch into the sky the first domestic long-range bomber with Stealth technology.

In 1990, the US defense demanded new solutions in the production of advanced bombers. Thus, by 2007, the Air Force had 21 B-2 units, 20 B-2A units, 66 B-1B units and 76 B-52N units. Lockheed and Boeing have announced their intention to create a new strategic bomber. It is planned to be put into service in 2018.

Tactical aviation is characterized by blurred boundaries between fighter-bombers, front-line bombers and attack aircraft. The main differences are the flight range and limitations on combat capabilities.

Bomber classification:

Strategic.

Tactical (front-line).

Stormtroopers (support).

Diving.

Fighter-bombers.

The design features of almost all bombers are associated with:

the presence of huge compartments in the fuselage to accommodate weapons;

large volume of fuel tanks, which can sometimes increase the weight of the aircraft by up to 60%;

the fact that the crew cabins are sealed and large in size.

To create such aircraft, radar-absorbing materials can be used, which reduce radar signature. Sometimes, to cover huge distances, bombers are equipped with an aerial refueling system. In most cases, the power plant is multi-engine.

Aircraft classification:

AND

The five best bombers built in the 20th century, experts from the American military analytical magazine The National Interest (NI) was chosen based on the criterion of “efficiency - cost” and the innovativeness of the design for its time. According to the publication, the leaders of bomber aircraft construction of all times can be considered the English Handley Page type O/400 from the First World War, the German Junkers Ju-88, the British de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito and Avro 683 Lancaster from the Second World War, and also the American Boeing B-52 Stratofortress of the Cold War era.

First of the First World War

Shutterstock Handley Page type O/400

In first place, according to NI, was the English front-line bomber Handley Page type O/400 - the most popular twin-engine bomber of the First World War.

The aircraft was equipped with two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines (322 hp), the take-off weight of the aircraft was 6370 kg, the maximum speed was 147 km/h, the flight duration was 8 hours, the armament was 5 machine guns and 820 kg of bombs.

A total of 554 vehicles of this type were built. They were actively used on the Western Front. Some examples served in Macedonia and Palestine. From August 1918, Handley Page O/400 regularly bombed German industrial centers in the Saarland and the Rhineland. The British began to use 750-kilogram bombs, which were super-heavy at that time. By the beginning of November 1918, there were 258 Handley Page O/400 at the front. In 1920, the aircraft was removed from service.

Universal German

Shutterstock Junkers Ju-88

In second place among the outstanding bombers was the German Junkers. The Junkers Ju-88 was a World War II Luftwaffe multi-role aircraft. One of the most versatile aircraft of that war. The Ju-88 was used as a bomber, dive bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, torpedo bomber and night fighter.

The Junkers rightfully became one of the most famous aircraft of the Second World War. From 1937 to 1944, about 3 thousand changes were made to the original design of the high-speed bomber, which led to the creation of six basic designs and more than 60 modifications. The most widespread modification was the Ju-88A-4 bomber. The total number of all aircraft produced exceeded 15 thousand.

The Junkers Ju-88 can rightfully be considered the best among the mass-produced twin-engine bombers of the Luftwaffe - and one of the best aircraft in its class of the Second World War. Wide Application fighter variants of the Ju-88 were also found. For example, the Ju-88G became the best German night fighter.

Ju-88 was exported. Its first buyer was the Soviet Union, where in 1940 three Ju-88A were delivered for testing.

The Romanian Air Force began receiving Ju-88A and D in the spring of 1943. Since the end of 1942, the Hungarian Air Force received a total of up to 100 Ju-88A and D. Finland was supplied with 24 Ju-88A-4 in the spring of 1943. 31 Ju-88A were transferred to Italy in the summer of 1943, but after the capitulation of this country, the Germans took their planes back. In France, the Ju-88A-4 (22 aircraft) abandoned on the territory of the country entered service with the bomber group formed in September 1944.

Spain, which remained neutral, regularly interned german planes who made emergency landings on its territory. Thanks to this, Madrid received about ten Ju-88s - mostly reconnaissance modifications. In addition, in December 1943, 10 Ju-88A-4s were purchased from Germany, and subsequently another 18 such aircraft. Ju-88s served in Spain until 1957.

The Unattainable Englishman

Paul Le Roy de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito

In third place, NI experts put the English de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito, a high-speed bomber and night fighter from the Second World War. Perhaps this is one of the most successful types aircraft then produced by the Allies.

The De Havilland DH-98 Mosquito was a twin-engined high-wing aircraft powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin XXI engines (1350 hp). Its maximum speed reached 680 km/h, flight range - 3010 km. The bomb load was 900 kg. Crew: two people.

The design of the aircraft used a thick three-layer skin with outer layers of plywood and inner layers of balsa with spruce inserts for strength, covered with fabric on top. This allowed Mosquito to achieve the required strength with a low weight structure.

German radars did not detect these aircraft, since the Mosquito only had engines and some controls made of metal.

The lightness of the design, the careful finishing of the surface of the wings, and the aerodynamic perfection of the machine’s outline made this aircraft practically inaccessible to the enemy.

Mosquitos carried out precision bombing and were also used as target designators during night bombings of German cities. The bomber version lacked defensive small arms, typical for bombers of that time. Nevertheless, losses among the Mosquito were among the lowest of all World War II aircraft - 11 per 1 thousand sorties. The speed and altitude of their flight made them highly vulnerable to both German fighters and anti-aircraft artillery fire. Most often, RAF combat reports read: “Mission accomplished, all Mosquitos returned to base.”

De Havilland built more than 7 thousand Mosquitos for Great Britain and other allied countries. After the war, the Mosquito was in service in Israel, China People's Republic, Yugoslavia and the Dominican Republic.

The workhorse of the Royal Air Force

Shutterstock Avro 683 Lancaster

In fourth place is the English Avro 683 Lancaster. The Avro 683 Lancaster B.Mk1 aircraft was equipped with four Rolls-Royce Merlin XXIV engines (1640 hp). The maximum speed of the vehicle was 462 km/h at an altitude of 3500 m. The flight range was 4072 km with 3175 kg of bombs.

Defensive weapons - 8 Browning machine guns of 7.7 mm caliber. A total of 7,374 Lancaster bombers were produced. This aircraft is called the "workhorse" of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. From mid-1942 until Victory Day, it was Bomber Command's main weapon in night raids on targets in Germany.

The heaviest bomb dropped from a Lancaster during World War II was the 9,988 kg Grand Slam, which fell to the ground faster than sound.

The Lancaster could carry a much larger bomb load than the American B-17 Flying Fortress or B-24 Liberator, and had a significantly greater range. From 1942 to 1945, Lancaster bombings led to the destruction of many German cities and the deaths of thousands of German civilians.

At the same time, complex and expensive heavy four-engine Lancasters were easily destroyed by relatively cheap German fighters. Air battles were carried out under conditions very favorable to the Luftwaffe, since damaged German aircraft could land at their departure airfields, and German pilots who were parachuted out, as a rule, returned to duty.

Lancaster finally retired in the early 1960s. In the Canadian Air Force he long time after World War II it was used as a reconnaissance aircraft and a basic patrol aircraft.

Fortress in the stratosphere

Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

In fifth place is the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. Born after World War II, these aircraft still form the backbone of the US strategic bomber force and represent military power superpowers. The B-52 prototype made its first flight in the spring of 1952. This is a subsonic aircraft with a high aspect ratio swept wing. Bicycle type chassis. Under each console of the extremely flexible wing, eight turbojet engines are placed in pairs on pylons.

The B-52 was designed as a high-altitude bomber for attacks using free-falling nuclear bombs.

Catastrophic experience combat use B-29's North Korea in 1950 clearly demonstrated that the United States urgently needed a new strategic bomber. The first two generations of aircraft selected by the USAF were almost equally unsuitable in this capacity - the hopeless B-36, the short-range B-47, the B-58 with questionable performance, and the obsolete XB-70 before it entered service.

In the 1950s, the only supersonic bomber in the West, the Convair B-58 Hustler with a delta wing, took off for its first flight. It had a flight range that was insufficient to carry out strategic missions. Day-to-day operation of the B-58 was considered far more dangerous for bomber pilots than a hypothetical encounter with an enemy fighter.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the United States made an expensive attempt to create a supersonic strategic bomber, the North American XB-70 Valkyrie, capable of replacing the B-52. The plane was born in painful disputes between the customer, the manufacturer and the US Congress. Some believed that the intercontinental ballistic missile will complete the task more successfully than a bulky and vulnerable aircraft. Others said the B-70's speed and altitude were too high for it to accurately drop bombs. Still others believed that the car would become obsolete even before the designers could cope with the mass purely technical problems. The first flight of the B-70 took place almost ten years after the start of development. A year later, the second prototype crashed as a result of a collision with an accompanying fighter. Work on the B-70 was stopped.

The cost of the B-70 is now assessed as a waste of taxpayer funds.

B-52 aircraft in the late 1960s - early 1970s were actively used in combat operations in Southeast Asia to perform operations under the general code name Arclight. The aircraft participating in the operations were stationed at Andersen air bases (Guam), Utapao (Thailand) and Kadena (Okinawa). In December 1972, one of the largest air operations codenamed Linebacker II against Hanoi, Haiphong and other North Vietnamese cities. More than 200 B-52 aircraft that took part in the operation flew over 729 combat missions and dropped 13,620 tons of bombs.

During the 1991 Gulf War, 70 B-52 aircraft were used to bomb Iraq. According to the Americans, the B-52 was one of the aircraft that was most often requested ground forces to suppress Iraqi ground forces.

During the Iraq War in 2004, a B-52 squadron completed the longest flight in the history of air operations from the continental United States, covering a route of approximately 22,500 km. The planes were in the air for 34 hours and 20 minutes.

Four in-flight refuelings were carried out.

Several record-breaking flights demonstrated the outstanding flight-tactical characteristics of the B-52 bomber back in the distant 1950s. On January 18, 1957, three B-52 bombers flew around the world, flying 39,750 km in 45 hours 19 minutes at average speed 850 km/h. On January 11, 1962, the B-52 set a record for distance without in-flight refueling, covering 20,168 km in 22 hours 9 minutes.

From 1954 to 1963, 742 B-52s were delivered to the US Air Force. Seventy-eight remain in combat strength Bomber Command today, having undergone multiple upgrades over the past decades that will extend the aircraft's service until the 2030-2040s.

Consolation prizes for Russian "Bears"

In addition to the five prizes, The National Interest experts decided to establish incentive prizes. Among others, additional nominees included two Russian bombers - Tu-22M and Tu-95, one British, US Navy carrier-based attack aircraft, unmanned aircraft USA and Italian bomber from the First World War.

Tu-95 (according to NATO codification Bear - “Bear”) is a Soviet and Russian turboprop strategic missile-carrying bomber, the world’s fastest aircraft with propeller engines. Until now, it is the only serial bomber and missile carrier in the world with turboprop engines. The total number of developed versions of the Tu-95 aircraft, including serial modifications, prototypes, flying laboratories and unrealized projects, approached fifty, and the total number of vehicles produced was close to 500 units.

Tu-22M (according to NATO codification Backfire) is a Soviet long-range supersonic missile carrier-bomber with variable wing geometry. A total of 497 units were produced, of which 268 were in the Tu-22M3 version.