And I thought that the French had a monopoly on bizarre and ugly bomber aircraft of the 1930's :-)
Mark, e-mail, 27.08.2021 02:34
As you might expect from the aircraft's layout, it was reported as being particularly sensitive in pitch.
Outsider, 24.11.2017 21:48
I just have to defend russians - not everything is vodka involved. They were just brilliant aircraft designers. Plain and simple. Considering time, regime and working conditions, they were miracle workers in their time. With free world conditions they would have great success and resulted with truly outstanding aircraft designs.
Barry, 09.06.2016 18:36
A three place bomber powered by two 280 h.p Shvetsov M22 radial engines. Armament consisted of two 7.92 mm ShKas machine guns and 1,100 lb bomb load. It was displayed at Tushino, but Kalinin was arrested on 1st April 1938 and in timely fashion was found guilty of being "an enemy of the people" and duly executed. The K.12 and a further ten of the same model under construction were all destroyed and all jigs and drawings were equally got rid of. You have to say the Russian communist regime was really quite fair and understanding.
BHH, 24.07.2014 07:34
@ Ian- I could be wrong, but the whole aircraft seems to be painted up like a bird or even a carp fish. The circle you see could in fact be an 'eye' painted on the side.
František, e-mail, 05.09.2012 12:35
It was not bad light bomber, but suffered by weak engines and non-retractable undercarriage. With these, it could be good plane. For Ian: Circular mark is just bird's eye, because this particular plane was painted as "firebird" (originally Zhyar-ptistya)for airshow
Terrence I. Murphy, e-mail, 06.02.2012 17:28
This was a strange tailless bomber concept from Russia in the 1930's, and yes it actually flew(made 46 factory test flights, no mention of later flights). There isn't too much info on this odd plane. And yup, vodka had to be involved.
Ian, e-mail, 22.12.2010 22:36
whats that circular mark on it is that the japanese mark?
capnron, e-mail, 04.06.2010 22:12
Actually, if you think about it, this design is WAY ahead of it time. An early version of a flying wing bomber design like the B-2.
shinedredd, e-mail, 25.04.2010 22:25
The name comes from old russian tale. It could be roughly translated to "firebird". Hence the odd painting.
william a scott, e-mail, 06.04.2010 17:33
a lot of vodka
Phlyin-Phred, e-mail, 01.03.2010 17:09
This is what happens when you let your design staff have all the vodka they want...
