"I want everything..."

At the end of 1915, German Fokker E.I monoplane fighters reigned supreme in the skies of Europe. However, at the beginning of 1916, the situation changed dramatically: the French Nieuport biplanes, which had better maneuverability, appeared at the front, seized the initiative, and now the superiority in the air was on the side of the Entente fighters. Concerned by this, the command suggested that German aircraft manufacturing companies urgently copy Nieuport-11 in order to increase the chances of German pilots in battle. Some companies followed this path, but Albatross engineers Thelen and Schubert created their own aircraft of an original, revolutionary design. It was an apparatus with a semi-monocoque fuselage with working plywood skin, which differed from canvas Nieuports in its increased strength and reliability. The new aircraft, designated D I, was flown by the famous German ace Belke, who was very pleased with this airplane. As a result, by the autumn of 1916, several aviation units had been re-equipped with a new fighter.

"Albatross" D.I and D.II

At the time of its creation, the Albatross D.I was the most aerodynamically advanced and well-armed aircraft in the world. The six-cylinder in-line Mercedes D.III engine (160 hp) was successfully integrated into the fuselage - almost completely hidden inside the body, only the cylinder heads protruded outside. Flat Windhoff radiators were mounted on the sides in front of the cockpit, and although they somewhat disrupted the purity of the aerodynamic shape of the fuselage, they still created significantly less drag than the wide hoods of Entente fighters. The engine power was quite enough to install an additional, second Spandau machine gun, which made the weight of the side salvo of this fighter unsurpassed for that time. This type of armament was previously tested on Halberstadt and Fokker biplanes, but due to the insufficient power of the engines of these machines, it was not installed on production fighters of those types.
A powerful engine, a second machine gun and working plywood skin determined the significant weight of the new aircraft. As a result, the relatively large load on the wings did not allow the D.I aircraft to fight on equal terms with lighter enemy fighters in maneuverable combat. However, the high flight speed made it possible for the pilot to choose tactically advantageous moment to attack and disengage from battle if there was a threat of attack from the enemy, and the increased power of fire provided the German pilot with an additional advantage in an air battle.
These advantages made the new Albatross very popular among German pilots. Already in their first battle on September 17, 1916, the new Albatrosses shot down 5 British De Havillands without losses on their part. The famous German ace Oswald Belcke led the Albatrosses in this battle.
However, the very first battles revealed the main drawback of the aircraft - poor visibility of the upper hemisphere from the cockpit due to the high-mounted upper wing. Therefore, only about 50 machines of the D.I series were produced, after which a new version went into production - the D.II, on which the upper wing was lowered closer to the fuselage and the design of its cab was changed. In addition, two side engine cooling radiators on the upper wing were replaced with one longitudinal one, significantly reducing drag, which allowed the aircraft to gain several kilometers of speed. As a result, the Albatross D.II aircraft was a fairly advanced aerodynamic design for that time, and therefore was produced in quantities quite large for the first half of the war - a total of 275 aircraft were produced. These vehicles were also built under license in Austria.
In addition, based on the D.I design, the Albatross W 4 float fighter was created (118 aircraft were produced). This naval aircraft was distinguished by an increased airframe size, a slightly different fuselage shape and tail unit. However, it cannot be said that this airplane turned out to be very successful: its floats were not strong enough and often broke, and problems arose with engine cooling.

The appearance of Albatross fighters at the front helped improve the difficult situation of German aviation. During 1916-1917 these fighters, which entered many German air squads, won numerous victories over the weakly armed Entente aircraft. Many famous German pilots, such as Belcke and Richthofen, fought on the Albatross of the first series.

Tactical and technical data of the Albatross D.I (D.II) aircraft:
Takeoff weight 921 kg (898 kg); wing area - 24.9 sq. m; six-cylinder in-line Mercedes D.III engine - 160 hp; maximum speed– 160 (165) km/h; ceiling - 5180 m; time to climb 1000 m - 5 minutes 30 seconds; flight time - 1.5 hours.

Albatross D.III

The flight personnel of the combat units have not yet had time to properly master the Albatross D.II fighter, and the company’s specialists have already begun work on the next modification of this aircraft. The designers Thelen and Schubert were given a difficult task. With the same engine as the D.II, by improving aerodynamics they were supposed to increase the maximum speed and climb rate, while maintaining and even improving the maneuverability of the vehicle.
The continued superiority of the Nieuports in maneuverability over the early Albatrosses prompted the Germans to copy the design of the bearing surfaces of the captured French sesquiplane fighter Nieuport-17. The lower wing of the German airplane was reduced in size, became single-spar, and instead of parallel inter-wing struts, V-shaped “Nyuport” struts were installed. The span of the upper wing was slightly increased, the tips became beveled, and the wing itself, which became bird-like due to the bevel, was raised above the fuselage, which improved visibility from the cockpit. The fuselage of the Albatross D.III remained virtually the same as the D.II. At the same time, the newly developed new Mercedes D.IIIa engine, boosted to 175 hp, was installed on the aircraft. (due to increasing the compression ratio).

Differences between Albatross D.II and D.III fighters

In September 1916, the prototype D.III was flown. The new aircraft was a wooden sesquiplane with a semi-monocoque fuselage. Changing the design of the vehicle from a biplane to a sesquiplane almost made the maneuverability of the Albatross equal to the lighter Nieuport, which had less load on the wing. In addition, reducing the lower plane made it possible to improve forward-downward visibility, and increasing the power ratio due to a more powerful motor ensured an increase in maximum speed and rate of climb (about 1.5 times!) while maintaining other characteristics at the proper level. In addition, the fuselage design ensured higher combat survivability than that of Entente fighters. All this made the Albatross D.III in the eyes of German pilots the best fighter of its time.
The plane was considered successful by the command, after which it was immediately put into production. In December 1916, D.III began to be sent to the front, and already at the beginning of 1917, to increase production volumes, the Ostdeutsch Albatross Werk (OAW) aircraft plant in Schneidemühl joined the production of the Albatross. Until May 1917, when assembly of the D.III was stopped in favor of the next modification of the D.V, the Germans managed to build 1,340 copies of this fighter (840 of them at the OAW plant).
The end of 1916 did not foretell any special changes for the Entente in the balance of forces in the air - the Bristols and Nieuports controlled the situation quite confidently, and there were still few Albatrosses D.I and D.II in the German troops. But in January 1917, the first D.IIIs arrived at the front, and by the end of spring, 37 squadrons were already fighting on them - more than 2/3 of Germany’s fighter aircraft. During this period, thanks to the new aircraft, they achieved complete superiority over Entente fighters. Within just six weeks, the Germans had completely restored the status quo in the air. April of this year went down in the history of British aviation as “Bloody April”. "Albatross" inflict significant damage on enemy aircraft; At the same time, most of the obsolete reconnaissance aircraft B.E.2 and R.E.8 were destroyed. The number has also increased German aces. For example, the legendary Baron Manfred von Richthofen shot down 21 enemy aircraft in April and doubled his victory tally, and his red Albatross spread terror among English pilots. In total, between April 1 and May 5, the Germans destroyed more than 300 British aircraft.
During 1917, the aircraft was actively used on all European fronts, as well as, as part of the Turkish Air Force, in Mesopotamia and Palestine. However, the appearance of new Entente fighters Spud S VII, SE-5 and Sopwith Camel soon negated the advantages of the D-third. However, this vehicle was widely used on the Western Front until the end of the year, and on secondary fronts (in Macedonia, Palestine and Mesopotamia) until the end of the World War.
During operation of the Albatross D III, shortcomings in the engine cooling system were revealed. In particular, when the water radiator installed in the center section of the upper wing along the axis of symmetry of the aircraft was shot through, boiling water flooded the pilot’s cabin, which caused a number of disasters. I had to move it to the right by 40 cm. On planes intended for operation in areas with hot climates, two radiators were sometimes installed. The “Newport” design of the lower wing also showed itself on the negative side: at high speeds (especially during a dive), it twisted around the spar. It was for this reason that the famous Richthofen almost died in one of the flights. An attempt to eliminate this shortcoming was made only with the next modification - the Albatross D V fighter. Due to the above shortcomings, serial production of the Troika ceased in May in favor of a new modification, but individual copies of the D.III were seen on the Western Front in the spring of 1918 year, and in 1919-1920. Several Albatrosses D.III were in service with Polish aviation.

Tactical and technical data of the Albatross D.III aircraft:
Take-off weight 886 kg; wing area - 23.6 sq. m; six-cylinder in-line Mercedes D.IIIa engine - 170 hp; maximum speed - 175 km/h; ceiling - 5500 m; time to climb 1000 m - 3 min 57 sec; flight time - 1.5 hours.

Albatros D.V.

By the beginning of May 1917, it became clear to the Germans that the D.III fighters were beginning to give way to the new Entente machines, which the Allies hastily threw into battle against the Albatross. Designer Robert Telek planned to improve the fighter in a new version of the D.IV, but work on this model was unsuccessful. As a result, he developed the Albatross D.V, a lighter version of the D.III fighter with improved aerodynamics, a reshaped tail unit and an oval-section fuselage. The D.V fighter was a biplane of wooden construction with plywood and canvas covering; the aircraft differed slightly from the D.III. The designers retained the sesquiplane design, but redesigned the fuselage. Now it had six spars, but the thickness of the skin was reduced from 9 to 6 mm; The thickness of the frames was also reduced. All this gave a gain of 50 kg of weight (however, this is in “dry weight”; the take-off weight even increased due to larger fuel tanks). The fuselage has an oval cross-section along its entire length. The tail was the same as on the D.III, only the rudder took on an elliptical shape. A triangular fairing was installed behind the pilot's head, but in practice the fairing was often removed as it limited rearward visibility.
Unfortunately for the Germans, the D.V did not have significant advantages over the D.III and, even more so, over the new Allied fighters; however, in the hands of experienced pilots it was still quite a formidable weapon. However, the new aircraft turned out to be less successful than its predecessors: the lighter design led to a decrease in strength, and the rigidity of the wings was also insufficient. Problems with vibration and stall of the lower wing appeared sporadically already on the D.III, but on the D.V they became more pronounced full height. When the aircraft was brought out of a deep dive on the “five,” the lower wing or the wing strut fastenings were often destroyed. They tried to strengthen these nodes, but it was not possible to solve the problem until the end of the war. It became clear that the sesquiplane design was completely unsuitable for a heavy aircraft, and this design error led to numerous accidents and disasters.
To top off all these problems, it turned out that the flight characteristics of the machine almost did not exceed the data of the Albatross D.III, and in the middle of 1917 they no longer met the requirements of the time. However, the lack of a full-fledged replacement forced the Germans to keep this obsolete and unsafe fighter for their own pilots in service until the appearance of the Fokker D.VII. As a result, the Albatross D.V was in mass production from April 1917 until the spring of 1918. In October 1917, the D.Va fighter was put into service, becoming a further development of the D.V. In essence, it was still the same “five”, whose wing strength was only slightly increased. In total, about 900 D.V and 1,662 D.Va fighters were produced.

Albatross D.5a fighter

D.V and D.Va fighters were widely used both on the Western Front and on the Eastern, Italian and Palestinian fronts.

Tactical and technical data of the Albatross D.V (D.Va) aircraft:
Take-off weight 908 (937) kg; wing area - 20.86 sq. m; six-cylinder in-line Mercedes D.IIIau engine - 200 hp; maximum speed – 180 (175) km/h; ceiling - 5500 m; time to climb 1000 m – 4 minutes; flight time - 2 hours.

Albatross D.5a fighter in combat

Austro-Hungarian variants of the Albatross


Austrian fighter Oeffag 153 series

In the fall of 1916, the Germans transferred the license to build the Albatrosses D.III to their allies, the Austrians. The Austrian aircraft factory Flugzeugfabrik AG (Oeffag) began supplying the new fighter to troops in May 1917.
The Austrian Albatrosses were built in three main versions (series 53.2, 153, 253), which were equipped with Austro-Daimler engines of varying power (185, 200, or 225 hp, respectively). These engines were superior to the German Mercedes D.IIIa in power, which determined the higher flight qualities of the Austrian Albatross. In addition, on most Austrian “birds” the engine cylinder heads protruding from the hood were enclosed in fairings, which significantly improved the aerodynamics of the fighter.
On the first Oeffag, Austrian pilots often removed the propeller fairing as it tended to fall off in flight. Therefore, with the start of production of version 153, the plant stopped installing propeller spinners, rounding the nose of the hood to maintain aerodynamics. To the surprise of the Germans, tests in wind tunnel showed that a rounded nose is more effective than a removed spinner - the speed of the fighter increased by 14 km/h!
All Oeffag variants were armed with two 8 mm Schwarzlose machine guns; on most aircraft they were built into the fuselage and became inaccessible to the pilot. True, the Schwarzlose turned out to be somewhat less reliable than the German LMG 08/15 machine guns, which at times left the Austrian pilots unarmed in the midst of the battle. Because of this, at numerous requests from pilots, in the latest releases of the 253 series, machine guns were moved to top part fuselage.

Austrian fighter Oeffag 253 series

Oeffag engineers noticed problems with the D.III's wing and modified the lower wing using a thicker set. These changes, as well as a number of other improvements, largely solved the problems that plagued the Germans with the D.III. As a result, Oeffag fighters (especially starting from the 153 series) were superior in flight characteristics to their German progenitor. And aircraft of the 253 series are generally considered the best fighters Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Austrian “bird” turned out to be very reliable and effective, and therefore quickly gained enormous popularity among the pilots of the “patchwork empire”. Oeffag fighters were widely used on the Italian front from the summer of 1917 until the end of the war. In 1919, Poland purchased 38 vehicles, which used them in battles against the Red Army. Czechoslovakia purchased another 4 fighters in the same year. In total, more than 580 Oeffag D.III fighters were produced (45 aircraft of the 53.2 series, 281 aircraft of the 153 series and more than 250 aircraft of the 253 series).

Tactical and technical data of the Oeffag D.III series 153 (253):
Take-off weight - 964 (1005) kg; wing area - 20.64 sq. m; Austro-Daimler in-line engine - 185 (225) hp; maximum speed – 188 (202) km/h; ceiling – 5800 (6000) m; time to climb 1000 m – about 3 minutes; flight time – 1.5 hours.

Oeffag Albatross fighter in combat

"Aero L-39" is a Czech-made aircraft designed for pilot training. It can also be used as a maneuverable short-range fighter. There are civilian versions of the aircraft, loved by pilots for their convenience, ease of control, speed, maneuverability and reliability.

Description

The Aero L-39 Albatros (diminutive "Ellie") was mass-produced by the Czech airline Aero Vodochody. From 1968 to 1999, 2,868 units of the L-39 model and 80 units of the modernized version of the L-59 were produced. The L-39 training aircraft is still in service in more than thirty countries around the world (Russia is among them).

The L-39 Albatros is a single-engine, two-seat jet trainer aircraft. It is more often used for initial pilot training and advanced training for experienced pilots. Possibility of use as fighters is limited by flight characteristics ( small sizes, insufficient armament). However, the model is quite effective in the fight against reconnaissance drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, and helicopters.

Story

L-39 - aircraft with rich history. The Albatross first flew in 1968, and since then Aero has delivered more than 2,900 units of several versions of this successful model. The L-39 still serves in the air forces of many countries, and is also popular among private pilots, especially in the United States.

Although the L-39 is no longer in production, military and civilian modifications of the aircraft are constantly being improved by modernizing control systems, communications, navigation, weapons, etc. The main consumers of the L-39 Albatros were the USSR and European and American consumers also highly appreciated the simplicity, speed , maneuverability and accessibility of the L-39 model.

The aircraft is the successor to the first Czechoslovakian jet aircraft, the L-29 Delfín. The Czech authorities are considering the issue of resuming production of the extremely successful “baby” in different versions.

Chronology of creation

Over 30 years, Aero Vodochody has developed and produced several modifications:

• 1964 - the beginning of the design of the Albatross as a jet trainer.
• 1968 - first flight.
• 1971 - start of serial production of the L-39C.
• 1972 - first flight of the L-39V - a version designed for target towing.
• 1974 - Aero became part of the Czechoslovak Air Force.
• 1975 - First flight of the L-39ZO with four underwing hardpoints.
• 1977 - First flight of the L-39ZA with four underwing and ventral hardpoints for aircraft cannons.
• 1996 - end of serial production of the L-39 Albatros.

Even after the cessation of mass production, the Aero company did not hide the drawings of the L-39 aircraft in a distant drawer, but continues to improve the model. The firm provides a wide range of services to its operators, including aircraft life extension, overhaul and modernization. Clients include the armies of Hungary, Algeria, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries.

Purpose

The L-39 Albatros is a conventional, single-engine, two-seat jet trainer designed for advanced training and initial training, as well as additional combat training against enemy air and non-flying targets. You can fly it like a regular light aircraft.

This model is often an alternative to artificial flight simulators. Combat options are practiced on it, but unlike computer version The crew masters the technique and practices techniques live, in natural conditions. Easy to fly, lightweight and at the same time functional and thoughtful - this is the L-39 aircraft.

Characteristics

This device has a number of advantages over other models. For example, it is distinguished by a rather solid engine of the 1xAI 25TL series. Plus, the “dry” thrust is 3307 lbf (14.7 kN). The cabin is designed for a crew of two people, but everything is distributed very rationally, compactly and conveniently.

The length of the aircraft is 13 meters, its wingspan is 9.44 m, the area of ​​each wing is 18.8 square meters. m, height - 4.7 m. The empty weight of the aircraft is 3400 kg, while when loaded the weight increases to 4370 kg. Despite its considerable weight for such a small vessel, its speed is considerable - 750 km/h. There are also some other characteristics that distinguish the L-39 model in a good way. The aircraft has a Ferry range (with PTB) of 1000 km, its service ceiling is 11,500 meters.

Application in civil aviation

L-39 is significant part state civil program. The Czech Ministry of Defense is focusing on supporting civilian operators piloting Albotros. A specially created support and modernization program includes its own specifics for training and aerobatic use of this aircraft, which is extremely popular in dozens of countries around the world.

Aero is an excellent subsonic trainer. Despite the fact that it was developed in the 1960s, it remains in demand in civil aviation today. Until now, the L-39 aircraft is considered the favorite model for recreation and sport flights. The photos eloquently demonstrate how well thought out the device is in terms of design, but we must not forget about its excellent flight characteristics, high level of safety and low requirements for maintenance and operation. All this made the L-39 the most popular civilian model.

More than 300 Albotros units carry out public service around the world. Simple controls and unsurpassed flight characteristics enable many aerobatic teams, including the French Breitling Jet Team, a team of pilots from the Russian Vyazma, the Patriots Jet Team from the USA, the military aerobatic team of Belarus and, more recently, the Mayzus Jet Team Czech, to successfully use the Aero aircraft Albatros.

Multi-purpose amphibious aircraft A-40 / Photo: kollektsiya.ru

The latest A-40 Albatross anti-submarine seaplanes will replace Be-12 amphibious aircraft as part of a complete renewal of the naval aviation fleet of the Russian Black Sea Fleet (MA Black Sea Fleet) by 2020, Colonel Gennady Zagonov, head of the MA Black Sea Fleet, told reporters on Thursday.

“Be-12 amphibious aircraft will be replaced by modern A-40 anti-submarine aircraft by 2020,” he said.

Multi-purpose amphibious aircraft A-40 "Albatross" (Be-42, product "B", according to NATO codification: Mermaid) is a Soviet multi-purpose amphibious aircraft, planned to replace the Be-12. The project was stopped after the breakup Soviet Union, subsequently the resumption of production was repeatedly announced, RIA Novosti reports.

Technical information

A-40 "Albatross" (Be-42) - Soviet amphibious aircraft

The development of this original and beautiful aircraft A-40 "Albatross" (Be-42) began in 1983 at TANTK im. G.M. Beriev under the leadership of chief designer A.K. Konstantinov. More than two decades have passed since the creation of the Be-12 “Chaika” flying boat in 1960; a new generation of designers came to the design bureau, who managed to design and bring the machine to takeoff.

The vehicle was conceived primarily as an anti-submarine defense aircraft, but during the design process, solutions were incorporated that made it possible to obtain it as a multi-purpose aircraft: for search and rescue operations, passenger and cargo transportation, and in a fire-fighting version.

The machine is a flying boat with a high wing of moderate sweep and a T-shaped tail. The wing is made of supercritical profiles, its aspect ratio is 9, with a sweep along the leading edge of 23.2°.

The use of differential extension and retraction of flaps with automatic rearrangement of the stabilizer made it possible to eliminate the ingress of water onto the wing mechanization devices, reduce the height of the boat and increase its hydrodynamic quality.

Floats are installed on short pylons under the ends of the wing to increase the stability of the aircraft on the water. Even during the design process, numerous boat models were tested in the TsAGI hydraulic channel. As a result, on the A-40, operational overloads during takeoff from water were two times less than those of the Be-10 and Be-12.

For the first time on this aircraft, from the nose to the redan, a variable deadrise bottom was used. Compared to previous aircraft, it has an unusually low pitch. As a result, the aircraft is characterized by increased seaworthiness and is capable of taking off at a wave height of 2.2 m.

The A-40 Albatross aircraft is equipped with two D-ZOKVP engines from the Perm NPO Aviadvigatel. They are located on low pylons above the landing gear fairings behind the wing, which protects the air intakes from water entering them during takeoff and landing.

Spray deflectors are installed in the forward part of the fuselage and in front of the redan along the sides of the boat. At the bottom of the main engines there are two starting engines, which serve as additional thrust during takeoff. On top of the nose of the hull there is a fuel receiving rod for refueling the aircraft in the air. The amphibious aircraft can be operated both from water and from land.

The aircraft's landing gear is three-wheeled with a nose wheel; the main four-wheeled ones are retracted into developed fairings between the wing and fuselage. A variant of an anti-submarine defense aircraft has been developed, the arsenal of which can contain a full range of guided and mine-bomb-torpedo weapons.

In the passenger version, the aircraft can take 105 people over a distance of up to 4,000 km. In the fire-fighting version, it can dump up to 25 tons of water onto the fire, and if there is a water basin in the area, in the planing mode it can collect water for its discharge.

The first flight of the Albatross was successfully completed in December 1986, piloted by the crew of test pilot E.A. Lakhmostova. At the stage of factory testing, 126 world records were set on this experimental machine!

During the first display of the car abroad, at the international air show in Le Bourget, it was awarded honorary title"Miss Paris-91". French President Francois Mitterrand visited her board.

Three projections / Photo: www.airwar.ru

Tactical and technical indicators

Crew, people	4
Main engine, type x number, name	Turbofan engine x 2, D-ZOKPV
Starting engine, type x number, name	TRDx2, RD-38A
Thrust, kgf	12 000 + 2750
Wingspan, m	41,6
Wing area, m²	200,0
Aircraft length, m	43,84
Aircraft height, m	11,0
Weight, kg:
maximum takeoff	86 000
empty	44 000
payload	10 000
Maximum speed, km/h	820
Practical ceiling, m	9700
Ferry range, km	5500

MOSCOW, September 10— RIA Novosti, Andrey Stanavov. The most ambitious Soviet project amphibious aircraft received a second chance. The United Aircraft Corporation announced plans to resume production of the legendary Albatrosses - the world's largest flying boats, the A-40, designed to search and destroy submarines. And although these seaplanes began to be developed back in the early 1970s, nothing even close to similar has yet been created by any aviation power. About the capricious, like sea weather, fate of this elegant car - in the material of RIA Novosti.

Guest from the future

The idea of ​​reviving the production of Albatrosses is far from new and quite logical. If only because the Russian aviation industry cannot yet offer another aircraft of this class to the Navy, even on paper. But there is a need for them, and a very tangible one: of the anti-submarine amphibians in service with naval aviation, only a few “oldies” Be-12 “Chaika” are still in service, which were planned to be written off and replaced with something more advanced back in the 1970s. They are evenly dispersed across all five fleets - from Kamchatka to Crimea.

Actually, to replace the "Seagulls" engineers Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex and (TANTK) named after Beriev and conceived the A-40. By the standards of hydroaviation, almost everything about it was revolutionary - from the combined power plant with two main and two starting engines to the general layout and arrangement of the compartments. The designers placed the main engines in the most splash-protected area - in the tail section above the wings.

The dimensions and capabilities of the vehicle are impressive: the length and wingspan are more than 40 meters, the service ceiling is 13 kilometers, the range is up to four thousand kilometers and the continuous patrol time is up to 12 hours. Thanks to a successful aerodynamic design, developed wing mechanization and two high-torque D-30 engines, the 90-ton aircraft turned out to be extremely manageable and “easy to climb.” So light that, ironically, it cost the job of naval test pilot Evgeniy Lakhmostov, who underestimated the acceleration characteristics of the A-40.

In December 1986, during one of the test runs, the Albatross suddenly broke away from the runway at a speed of 170 kilometers per hour. The crew released the gas, but this did not help - the car lifted its nose and went up. Realizing that the rest of the runway was no longer enough to descend and decelerate, commander Lakhmostov decided to take off without permission, made two circles and carefully ground the plane to the concrete. Despite the successful outcome, after a series of proceedings, the experienced pilot was removed from flying and sent into retirement.

Initially, the Albatross was designed to search, pursue and destroy submarines. It can lift up to 6.5 tons of combat load and take on board almost the entire extensive arsenal of weapons routinely used on its airfield-based anti-submarine “brothers” Il-38 and Tu-142. These are Orlan trackless homing torpedoes, capable of working both against submarines and surface ships, anti-submarine missiles, depth charges, mines, search acoustic buoys and special equipment for radio reconnaissance. For comparison, the “Chaika” lifts only one and a half tons.

In addition, the A-40 (the civilian version of the A-42) is well suited for search and rescue operations at great distances from the coast. The seaworthiness of the glider allows it to take off and land at wave heights of up to two meters. Even at the development stage, the designers foresaw the possibility of installing an in-flight refueling system, which would significantly expand the aircraft’s range of operation. And although the Albatross is not formally considered a long-range aircraft, it has everything for long flights - a toilet, a wardrobe and even a crew rest compartment.

Interrupted flight

It must be admitted that by the early 1970s the topic of amphibious aircraft in the USSR had become quite painful. Having managed to appreciate the delights of flying boats, the fleet demanded new machines, and the Ministry of Aviation Industry proposed shifting “anti-submarine duties” to land-based aircraft and helicopters. The Beria people managed to sell the A-40 project only thanks to their remarkable enthusiasm and non-standard approaches to design, which made it possible to build a naval aircraft whose main characteristics were not inferior to airfield-based aircraft.

In 1991, a prototype of the Albatross was shown abroad for the first time. Taking off over the French airfield of Le Bourget, he instantly attracted the attention of the public. The amphibian was the only one of the vehicles presented at the exhibition that was inspected by French President Francois Mitterrand. The French press, well-versed in aesthetics, appreciated the elegance of the aircraft with its perfect fuselage contours and made the entire aviation community fall in love with it.

After Le Bourget, the Albatross enjoyed stunning success at exhibitions in Singapore, New Zealand and the UK, record-breaking range and altitude flights for hydroaviation and... the sudden refusal of the Ministry of Defense from further funding of the project. The military did not even have enough money to complete comprehensive tests in Crimea, not to mention launching a pilot series into production. Although everything was ready in Taganrog - new workshops were built, slipways and other equipment were installed.

Trying to save the project, the Beria team proposed several civilian modifications to the aircraft. IN different time on its basis they wanted to create an aircraft for extinguishing forest fires, a rescue aircraft, and even a medium-range passenger airliner with a capacity of up to 120 people.

As a result, the multi-purpose Be-200 was born - a smaller version of the A-40, developed specifically for the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Several years ago, the Ministry of Defense also became interested in it. According to the contract dated 2013, the Beriev TANTK was supposed to transfer six Be-200s to the military department, but it was canceled due to delays in deliveries. According to Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, it is planned to conclude a new agreement for the supply of three aircraft in the near future.

The right to live

Despite its excellent flight characteristics, the Be-200 is still significantly inferior to the A-40 in terms of payload, speed and range of action and is more suitable for the role of an auxiliary multi-purpose aircraft rather than a “submarine hunter,” although when concluding the contract, representatives of the Ministry of Defense did not exclude such an option for its use.

As for airfield-based anti-submarine vehicles, the Navy has about two dozen long-range turboprop Tu-142s of various modifications and about 50 medium-range Il-38s. Tu-142s are based in the Vologda region (naval aviation of the Northern Fleet) and the Khabarovsk Territory (Pacific Fleet) and are now undergoing a phased modernization at the Beriev TANTK - according to Alexey Krivoruchko, sailors will receive the first updated aircraft by the end of the year. The ILs are approximately equally divided between the Pacific and Northern fleets and are now being consistently upgraded to the Il-38N version.

Taking into account the total length of Russia's maritime borders, it is possible that in the near future the growing fleet will need a functional and long-range amphibious aircraft capable of simultaneously solving the issues of hunting for submarines of a potential enemy, patrolling, reconnaissance, and delivering troops and cargo. Decades ahead of its time, the Albatross would have come in handy here.

According to experts, the Russian aviation industry is now quite capable of launching it into series - it all comes down to money. It is known that potential buyers from China, India, Malaysia and other countries were keenly interested in the Albatross, as well as the Be-200, but no contracts were reached.

In 1972, the designers of the Taganrog Machine-Building Plant (currently the Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex named after G.M. Beriev) began working on the appearance of a promising anti-submarine seaplane. It was supposed to be the successor to the Be-12 amphibious aircraft, serial production of which at the nearby aircraft plant named after. G. Dimitrov was nearing completion.

However, at that time there was an ambiguous attitude towards hydroaviation in our country. While the Navy was still interested in new amphibious aircraft, the Ministry of Aviation Industry was of the opinion that the tasks of anti-submarine warfare, as well as search and rescue at sea, could be undertaken by land-based aircraft and helicopters. Therefore, full-scale financing of promising development work on hydroaviation in the USSR was practically stopped. Chief designer G.M. Beriev and A.K., who replaced him in 1968. Konstantinov had a hard time with the current state of affairs, proving the need to preserve seaplane manufacturing in our country. But the main profile of the OKB's work during this period was the creation of special-purpose aviation complexes based on existing carrier aircraft. In particular, the aerial photography An-24FK (in the An-30 series) and the Tu-142MR repeater aircraft, serially modernized by Taganrog specialists, were successfully tested and serially built, and the A-50 radar patrol and guidance aircraft was created on the basis of the Il-76. Nevertheless, research work on marine topics in Taganrog (together with TsAGI) did not stop. In the early 70s, OKB specialists took part in the development of an experimental vertical take-off and landing amphibious aircraft VVA-14 according to the design of R.L. Bartini. A number of preliminary designs for seaplanes for various purposes were created.

In order to get the government to issue a task for the creation of a new seaplane, A.K. Konstantinov set the designers a very difficult task - to create a design for a sea aircraft in terms of its performance characteristics (PTC) that are not inferior to their land counterparts. The OKB began intensive work on the project of a new anti-submarine amphibious aircraft, product "B", which then received the index A-40 and given name"Albatross". The new aircraft was intended to replace the Be-12 and Il-38 aircraft in naval aviation. The main task of the A-40 was to conduct search, subsequent tracking and destruction of enemy submarines. In addition, the Albatross could be involved in laying minefields and airborne hydroacoustic countermeasures, performing search and rescue missions, conducting incidental radio and electronic reconnaissance, as well as hitting surface targets.

The take-off weight and geometric dimensions of product “B” were determined from the condition of ensuring the flight range necessary to solve the assigned tasks within the near and middle sea zones. According to preliminary calculations, the take-off weight of the amphibian was 80-90 tons, which is 2.5-3 times more than that of the Be-12.

The A-40 was supposed to have high performance characteristics, which are very difficult to achieve on an amphibious aircraft. It was necessary to ensure good seaworthiness. The new amphibian was supposed to operate from the water at wave heights of up to 2 meters.

Simultaneously with the start of the development of the project, A.K. Konstantinov began to find out the Customer’s opinion. Hoping to get the go-ahead to create the aircraft, he visited the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Fleet Admiral S.G. Gorshkova. The Commander-in-Chief liked the new anti-submarine vehicle and supported Konstantinov’s initiative.

As a result, at the end of 1976, the Taganrog Machine-Building Plant was issued a technical assignment for the development of the A-40 anti-submarine amphibious aircraft. The on-board equipment had to provide high level automation in solving navigation problems, searching, detecting, tracking and destroying enemy submarines. The search and targeting system (STS) was supposed to include a radar, magnetometer and other equipment. In addition to the PPS, the on-board radio-electronic equipment included the Verba flight and navigation complex, an electronic countermeasures complex, a standard communications complex, a system for measuring parameters of water surface waves and issuing recommendations on the optimal landing direction. Unlike the Be-12 and Il-38, the A-40 was initially planned to be equipped with an in-flight refueling system.

Based on the results of studies of models with different aerodynamic configurations carried out jointly with TsAGI, we finally settled on the design of a monoplane with a high-mounted wing, a two-gear boat and a T-shaped tail. Floats were placed at the ends of the wing, and two propulsion engines were mounted on pylons above the landing gear fairings behind the wing. To achieve the desired characteristics, the aircraft used a high aspect ratio wing with a relatively thin profile, moderate sweep and powerful mechanization. Such a wing ensured efficiency during cruising flight and loitering, as well as low takeoff and landing speeds.

According to the layout, the seaplane boat consisted of three main parts. In the front sealed part there were cockpits for pilots and operators with workplaces for six crew members. Due to the long duration of the flight, a toilet, wardrobe and rest compartment were provided behind the operator's cabin. In the unpressurized part of the boat there were technical compartments in which the PPS and avionics units were located, as well as a cargo compartment in which the discharged combat load was located (radio-acoustic buoys, anti-submarine torpedoes, depth charges, mines, missiles), as well as, if necessary, UAS (containers aviation rescue).

The A-40 boat had an aspect ratio twice that of the Be-12 and a smaller midsection (comparable to the midsection of a land aircraft fuselage) providing minimal drag. As a result, the adopted aircraft design and layout solutions made it possible to achieve a maximum aerodynamic quality of 16-17 units, which practically corresponds to its land counterparts.

The significant hydrodynamic loads experienced by seaplanes stimulated research aimed at creating a special configuration for the bottom of the boat that would minimize the load. In the study of this problem, great success was achieved by TsAGI employees, P.S. Starodubtsev, A.I. Tikhonov and others. Developing the successes of TsAGI in this direction, Taganrog specialists - head of KB-4 V.G. Zdanevich, in 1972, developed for the new amphibian a new bottom profile of variable deadrise, which had a lower level of loads compared to the usual flat deadrise.

Tests of the first hydrodynamically similar model with a variable deadrise bottom showed the need to fine-tune the bottom profile in terms of splash formation and motion stability. At the suggestion of OKB specialists - leading designer Yu.G. Duritsyn and department head V.N. Kravtsov, in the interred part of the boat, the old flat-keeled profile was restored and the configuration of the chines was refined. Extensive testing of the models at TsAGI and Taganrog confirmed the feasibility of the new hydrodynamic layout.

Comparative tests of hydrodynamic models with a bottom of variable and constant deadrise on a wave showed a sharp decline loads with acceptable splash formation and motion stability. Operational overloads were reduced by almost half compared to the Be-10 seaplane and the Be-12 amphibious aircraft.

To improve takeoff and landing performance and ensure safety in the event of engine failure, they decided to use a combined power plant on the A-40. It consists of two D-30KPV sustainer turbofan engines and two RD-36-35 starting jet engines located above the fairings of the landing gear.

Now that the appearance and basic design and layout solutions of the new amphibian had been determined, a government decision was required to begin full-scale development and construction of prototypes.

After lengthy coordination, first with Minister P.V. Dementiev, and then with V.A., who replaced him. Kazakov, chief designer A.K. Konstantinov finally managed to “legitimize” the creation of the Albatross. In April 1980, a decision was issued by the military-industrial complex, and on May 12, 1982 - Government Decree No. 407-111 on the creation of the A-40 amphibious aircraft. G.S. became the leading designer, and then, a year later, the deputy chief designer for the aircraft. Panatov. Since 1983, he was replaced by A.P. as the leading designer of the A-40. Shinkarenko.

Now full swing Detailed design, mock-up production and preparation for the construction of prototypes began. The resolution provided for the construction of two experimental flight machines (products “B1” and “B2”) and one copy for static tests ( product "SI"). Working drawings were transferred to production in 1983. The laying of the first aircraft into the slipway took place in June 1983.

The boat and wing were made of large-sized panels, many complex components were made entirely milled. At the neighboring aircraft plant named after. Dimitrov, produced large units - the center section, wing consoles (with mechanization and systems), stabilizer. Then they were delivered to the experimental production of the Design Bureau for general assembly. The approved terms and construction schedule were revised several times. Firstly, due to the high labor intensity new car, secondly, due to the frequent diversion of production facilities to work on other topics.

In parallel with the construction of the first prototype, an extensive program of experimental testing of key design and layout solutions was carried out at the stands. On the A-40 theme, several dozen stands were made for laboratory testing of various aircraft systems and equipment. In particular, full-scale stands were created for control systems, power supply, fuel systems, the Verba PNK complex, radio-electronic equipment, etc. The power plant was also tested on a full-scale stand, which made it possible to test the engine on the ground in all modes, right up to extinguishing a real fire. The bench tests carried out made it possible to minimize technical risk, save time at the stage of flight design tests (FDT) and eliminate various accidents on the aircraft during its operation.

On September 9, 1986, with a large gathering of plant and design bureau workers, after a traditional meeting, the first experimental machine "B1" was rolled out of the workshop. A.K. Konstantinov, according to tradition, broke a bottle of champagne on the carrier and the tractor towed the first A-40 to the LIC parking lot.

The Americans, when they first discovered the A-40 at the airfield in Taganrog, coded it as Tag-D, and later it received the NATO nickname Mermaid (mermaid), which was very apt for an “amphibious” aircraft.

Test pilot first class E.A. was appointed the leading pilot of the A-40. Lakhmostov, a naval pilot who also flew Be-6 seaplanes. N.N. became the leading testing engineer. Demons.

On December 7, 1986, the Albatross (vehicle "B1", airborne "10") began jogging along the runway. Masses of curious people hoped to see the first flight of the new amphibian, but shop managers sent them to their jobs, officially assuring them that nothing like that was planned today. The work was completed only in the evening, when the airfield was closed by fog. Having discussed the results of the first day with E.A. Lakhmostov, A.K. Konstantinov went to Moscow to prepare methodological advice on the first flight of the A-40. Instead of him, First Deputy Chief Designer A.N. remained. Stepanov. The next day, December 8, the tests continued. According to the flight design test plan, only runs to pre-takeoff speeds were planned with the front landing gear lifting off the runway. After the pre-flight briefing and task setting, the positions in the cockpit were occupied by the commander, E.A. Lakhmostov, co-pilot - B.I. Lisak, navigator - L.F. Kuznetsov, flight engineer - V.A. Chebanov, flight radio operator - L.V. Tverdokhleb, flight operator, leading testing engineer - N.N. Demons. A.N. Stepanov left for the checkpoint.

In the first half of the day, the test program was basically completed; all that remained was to check the effectiveness of the elevator. The runway of the factory airfield on one side abuts the shore of the Taganrog Bay. The runs were carried out in the direction from the bay, but by noon the wind changed its direction and the plane was towed to the opposite end of the runway.

While jogging towards the bay, at 15:59 (Moscow time), the plane broke away from the runway; there was no longer enough space for landing and braking, and Lakhmostov had no choice but to take off. Having made the first approach, Lakhmostov assessed the controllability of the aircraft and went around, and then, at 16:16, the A-40 landed safely.

This is how E.A. himself describes what happened. Lakhmostov: “On the second run, with the helm taken over and a speed of 160-170 km/h, the plane energetically raised its nose. Retraction of the throttles and release of the steering wheel according to the instructions coincided with the separation of the plane from the runway and a climb of 7-9 meters. When With the throttles retracted, the plane was already flying at a speed of 200-210 km/h without the usual downward tendency for me. Due to doubts about the safety of stopping the takeoff (based on the remaining length of the runway), I decided to continue the takeoff, completed two circles within 17 minutes and landed ".

The reason for the unintentional takeoff of the A-40 was a combination of a number of circumstances, including the good acceleration characteristics of the aircraft that were not taken into account by the crew and the fact that due to the overhead position of the engines, the aircraft raises its nose when retracting the throttles.

In the latest domestic aviation, the prototype Su-7 - S-1 and the first experimental high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft M-17 unintentionally took off. Test pilot A.G. Kochetkov managed to land the S-1 on September 7, 1955, and was awarded the Order of the Red Star for this, and test pilot K.V. Chernobrovkin crashed on M-17 on December 24, 1978. E.A. Lakhmostov, flying an A-40, became the third pilot to find himself in such a situation.

But this time, the very happily ending flight cost Konstantinov long proceedings at the Ministry of Aviation Industry. Lakhmostov was treated according to the principle of “the winners are judged.” He had to retire from his flying job. However, before today(May 2004) Evgeniy Aleksandrovich Lakhmostov continues to fly! He was replaced as the leading test pilot of the Albatross by G.G. Kalyuzhny.

The second flight, also known as the first official one, did not bring any special surprises and took place in April 1987. After that, flight tests went on as usual.

In the summer of 1987, the sea stage of testing the Albatross began in Taganrog. On July 27, the amphibian was launched for the first time, and in August the first runs began in the Taganrog Bay. They revealed a slight longitudinal rocking of the machine at pre-takeoff speeds, which was explained by the screen effect of shallow water Sea of ​​Azov. This did not cause much excitement. The first flight from water took place on November 4, 1987 (crew commander G.G. Kalyuzhny) and showed the longitudinal instability of the A-40 on takeoff and especially during landing. The version about the shallow water effect was discarded after running in a fairly deep-water area of ​​the Azov Sea. Flights from water were stopped, fortunately the Taganrog Bay was frozen and this did not raise any special questions from Moscow. While flights continued from the factory airfield, specialists from the Design Bureau (V.G. Zdanevich, V.N. Kravtsov, A.F. Shulga) and TsAGI (G.V. Logvinovich, V.P. Sokolyansky, Yu.M. Banshchikov, V. A. Lukashevsky) tried to urgently find a solution to the problem that had arisen. It seemed that the situation with the first jet flying boat R-1 was being repeated. Time passed, but it was not possible to obtain a positive result from numerous experiments with the A-40 models in the TsAGI hydraulic channel.

The solution came as a result of a more thorough study of the water flow behind the redan. The nature of the flow was significantly different from the usual one inherent in a flat-keeled bottom. On the bottom behind the V.G. Zdanevich and V.N. Kravtsov suggested installing special reflectors (deflectors). The first tests confirmed the correctness of the idea. The problem of the stability of the movement of an amphibious aircraft on water has been solved. Further development of the hydrodynamics of the aircraft's bottom by TsAGI and Design Bureau specialists led to the configuration that was adopted for the aircraft. It is interesting to note that subsequent studies on choosing the optimal location for installing deflectors showed that the very first one, chosen by intuition, is the best.

Flights from water continued in the spring of 1988. The modified A-40 now glides steadily over the entire speed range. Taganrog designers created an amphibious aircraft of the highest technical level. In its design, OKB specialists implemented many new technical solutions at the level of inventions and received about 60 copyright certificates.

In August 1989, the A-40 was first shown at an aviation festival in Tushino. The aircraft, piloted by a crew led by B.I. Lisak, completed a flight demonstration of new aircraft and was presented to the general public as a prototype of an amphibious search and rescue aircraft. This is how the purpose of the new car will be determined more than once. The demonstration of the new seaplane did not go unnoticed and was widely commented on in foreign aviation periodicals. Naturally, foreign experts were not misled by the official explanations of the purpose of the Albatross, and all comments were about a new anti-aircraft defense aircraft and a naval reconnaissance aircraft.

After the vehicles returned from Zhukovsky, testing continued. In order to actually prove that the A-40 is unique in its flight characteristics, it was decided to perform a number of record-breaking flights on it. On September 13 and 14, 1989, the crew consisting of commander B.I. Lisak, co-pilot K.V. Babich, navigator M.G. Andreev, flight engineer V.A. Chebanov, flight radio operator L.V. Tverdokhleb and flight operator A.D. Sokolov set the first 14 A-40 world records in the classes of seaplanes and amphibious aircraft for the achieved flight altitude with and without cargo.

At the end of 1989, the second prototype of the A-40 (vehicle "B2", airborne "20"), produced by the pilot plant on November 30, 1989, also joined the flight design test program.

Sea trials on the first vehicle continued in the winter of 1988-1989, when the amphibian flew from Taganrog to Gelendzhik, to the enterprise’s testing and experimental base. Since A.K. is constantly in Gelendzhik. Konstantinov could not; he appointed his deputy and the person responsible for the topic, G.S., to head the work on the A-40 at the Gelendzhik base. Panatova.

According to the results of seaworthiness tests, the Albatross showed a high degree of reliability and stability, having once withstood sea waves afloat with a wave height of 3.0-3.5 m and a wind speed of 15-18 m/s.

The following year, testing continued on two machines. In the midst of the LCI, there was a change in the management of the complex. A.K., who retired Konstantinov was replaced as Chief Designer and Head of the Complex by G.S. Panatov. In 1991, A.P. became the chief designer of the A-40. Shinkarenko.

In 1991, the aircraft was first demonstrated abroad, at the 39th International Aerospace Show, held from June 13 to 23, 1991 at Le Bourget airfield (with special equipment removed, again presenting it as an A-42 rescuer), where it became one of sensations, according to the general opinion of the press, having “hijacked” the exhibition. Suffice it to say that the A-40 was the only aircraft that French President F. Mitterrand, who inspected the exhibits, boarded. All aviation publications dedicated to the cabin featured photographs of the Albatross and articles about it, which noted the perfection of its contours and elegance appearance and its flight performance was highly rated. The second experimental vehicle "B2" flew to Paris (at the same time, the onboard "20" was changed to "exhibition", according to the numbering of the exhibits, "378"). The crew commander was G.G. Kalyuzhny.

In confirmation of the highest ratings given to him in France, on July 19, 22 and 23, 1991, the A-40 set another series of world records. The plane was piloted by the crews of G.G. Kalyuzhny and V.P. Demyanovsky.

On August 17, 1991, A-40 (commander G.G. Kalyuzhny) took part in an aviation festival held at the ASTC airfield. OK. Antonov near Kyiv.

In November of the same year, the A-40 was filmed by the French for a popular science film about hydroaviation. Journalists from the TF-1 television company who came to Russia filmed the A-40 and Be-12 aircraft. The film was later successfully shown at Eurovision, and this work itself became TANTK's first foreign contract.

Late 1991 and early 1992 brought new records. Record flights were carried out on November 19 and 21, 1991 (commanders K.V. Babich and B.I. Lisak) and March 26, 1992 (commanders G.G. Kalyuzhny and V.P. Demyanovsky).

In February-March 1992, at the Asian Aerospace 92 air show in Singapore, the second prototype ("B2", airborne "378") flew along the route Taganrog-Tashkent-Calcutta-Singapore, commander G.G. Kalyuzhny.

In November 1992, the international aviation exhibition "Air Expo 92" was held in the New Zealand city of Auckland, and TANTK was invited to participate in it. The company was again represented in the southern hemisphere by the A-40 (“B2”, airborne “378”), flying to New Zealand and back. The flight itself, with a total one-way distance of 18,620 km, along the route Taganrog-Dubai-Colombo-Jakarta-Perth-Sydney-Auckland, became a good test for the aircraft. The flight took place in difficult weather conditions along the route: rain, thunderstorms, hail. Test pilots noted that even when forced into thick cumulus clouds, the aircraft retains excellent flight performance. The route on the section from Taganrog to Dubai passed over land, then only over the ocean. However, the crew led by G.G. Kalyuzhny successfully covered this route in 28 hours and 20 minutes of flight time.

As in Paris, in Auckland the amphibian was the center of attention. Every day a line lined up near the Albatross wanting to be on board. A journalist hosting one of the popular local television programs immediately saw his rating rise to unimaginable heights after live the rite of “initiation” of him as a naval pilot was shown, after a flight on the A-40 (i.e., drinking a glass of “alcohol-containing liquid” and then throwing the “initiated” into a cold, by local standards, something around +18╟C, water). The exhibition telling about TANTK im. G.M. Beriev and the history of Russian hydroaviation.

In 1993, from August 31 to September 5, the A-40, together with the Be-12P and Be-32 aircraft, was exhibited at the first International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-93 in Zhukovsky.

During the period of developed “glasnost”, even former “probable opponents” who turned into “probable friends” became interested in “Albatross”. In 1992-1993 The RAF was considering replacing its basic Nimrod patrol aircraft with the A-40. The possibility of equipping the amphibian with on-board radio-electronic equipment and systems similar to the equipment of the P-3C "Orion" and engines of Western companies was explored. The A-40 production program in this version was presented by the General Designer of TANTK G.S. Panatov at a meeting of the NATO naval weapons group in Brussels in March 1993 and was widely covered by the Russian media, which even managed to “sign” this contract several times. But everything never got beyond the stage of proposals and intentions.

Nevertheless, the Albatross finally came to the UK when, from June 23 to 28, 1993, the second prototype of the A-40 (the “B2” machine) was demonstrated at the Woodford Airshow, in memory of which a bright, spectacular sticker appeared on its side. Russian pilots, M.O. Tolboev on the Su-27 and the crew of G.G. Kalyuzhny on the A-40 distinguished themselves by being the first to open demonstration flights in difficult weather conditions on the final day of the show (that day the lower edge of the cloud was 200 m and it was raining). Looking ahead, we note that once again the Albatross (“B2”) visited the shores of “Foggy Albion” in 1996. This time the car participated in an aviation equipment display held at the Royal Air Force Base Fairford on July 17-22.

By 1994, the flight development test program and partly the state test were completed. During their course from August 1990 to March 1991. Some of the aircraft's PPS equipment was tested at the Feodosia test site. Usually, when testing such aircraft, after the aircraft flew to Crimea, several more months were given for on-site preparation. "Albatross" began testing a week later. Based on the test results, a decision was made to prepare for serial production, and a group of Air Force test pilots mastered flying the A-40. In 1993, it was planned to conduct comprehensive tests of the aircraft's PPS against a real underwater target. A testing ground was prepared for them, an experimental vessel and a submarine were allocated, but the lack of funds led to the suspension of work.

The construction of the series was planned at the Taganrog Aviation Production Association named after. G. Dimitrova. A complete set of design documentation was transferred from the Design Bureau back in 1986. Although new workshops were built for the production of the Albatross, stocks and other equipment were prepared, due to the cessation of funding for the defense complex, the construction of a pilot series of A-40 aircraft never began.

While improving the basic anti-submarine modification, the military planned to install a new PPS (variant A-40M) on the Albatross. Since production aircraft did not begin to be built, the A-40M remained in the project, but development work in this direction did not stop, since the need for a new anti-submarine aircraft did not decrease at all. However, now the Albatross has a competitor, the Tupolev Tu-204P project. In the spring of 1994, the Ministry of Defense announced a competition between them, since its budget simply could no longer “bear two.”

As part of the competition, the A-40P project was redesigned for the new D-27 propfan engines and was maximally unified with the search and rescue A-42.

TANTK management made every effort to turn the situation around and provide funding for the A-40 creation program. As part of solving this problem, a visit to TANTK was organized on May 31 - June 1, 1995 by the Minister of Defense, Army General P.S. Grachev. The Minister got acquainted with the state of affairs at the complex and listened to a report general designer G.S. Panatov, and then made a flight on board the second experimental "Albatross" ("B2", onboard "378") with a water landing in Gelendzhik Bay, where he inspected the TANTK test base.

Based on the results of his visit, the minister highly appreciated the A-40 amphibious aircraft, recognized the need for such an aircraft for the Russian Armed Forces and ordered that work on the A-40 and A-40P aircraft be included in the list of priority funding. At the same time P.S. Grachev proposed creating another, landing version of the amphibian. This option was quickly worked out, but, unfortunately, there was no real progress in allocating funds to continue testing and launch mass production.

Despite the implementation of a large scientific and technical basis and the preparation of serial production, further work on this aircraft did not find proper government funding. Although, thanks to the ability to perform their functions both in flight and while afloat, amphibians are superior in efficiency to deck-based and land-based anti-submarine aircraft. However, in 1995, the Ministry of Defense decided to freeze research and development work on the A-40 and begin developing a new anti-submarine aircraft based on the passenger Tu-204, which had already been put into serial production. It was assumed that the Tu-204P would be maximally unified with the basic passenger version (which was planned to be produced in a large series), which would significantly reduce operating costs. It seemed that the story of the A-40 ended there, but... Over the past five years, the number of Tu-204s produced has barely approached two dozen, and the Tu-204P project has been “frozen.” Meanwhile, for the aviation of the Russian Navy, anti-aircraft defense missions are again taking one of the first places in terms of their importance. Only if previously priority was given to the fight against strategic missile submarines, now the main target is multi-purpose submarines equipped with cruise missiles for attacks on coastal targets. It was with the strike of the sea-based missile defense against the air defense system, communication and control centers that all recent wars began. The examples of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq are before everyone's eyes.

It should be noted that a number of potential customers from China, India, Malaysia, etc. are constantly showing interest in the anti-submarine version of the A-40. An export version of the A-40, equipped with PPS, was developed for foreign customers. sea ​​serpent"with a lowered hydroacoustic station. The PPS includes a high-resolution thermal imaging system, a magnetometer, a system of optical sensors and other equipment that allows solving the problems of searching for and destroying both underwater and surface targets.

Over the years, options for creating various civilian modifications based on the A-40 were considered. The A-40P amphibious aircraft for extinguishing forest fires (1991) could take up to 25 tons of water while gliding. In addition to firefighting itself, the A-40P would solve the problems of delivering fire brigades, special means and equipment to the fire area (both by landing to the nearest suitable body of water, and by parachute landing), patrolling forest areas with a fire brigade on board (duration up to 10 hours), aerial photography of fires and the surrounding area. Firefighter paratroopers were located in the former operator's cabin, and tanks for water and chemical liquids were located in the middle technical compartment and cargo compartment.

The passenger version of the A-40 (1994) with a passenger capacity of up to 121 people, intended for operation on medium-length routes, was developed in two versions: with D-30KP engines and with CFM56-5C4 engines. These modifications remained in the projects. For civilian use, it was decided to create a smaller analogue of the A-40, work on which led to the creation of the Be-200 multi-purpose amphibious aircraft.

Well, what happens to the built Albatrosses?

"Albatross" ("B2") was an indispensable participant and one of the "stars" of all International hydroaviation exhibitions held in 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002. on the territory of the Gelendzhik testing and experimental base of TANTK named after. G.M. Beriev and Gelendzhik airport.

Participating in the exhibition "Gelendzhik-98" A-40 (with onboard "20") once again demonstrated its unique capabilities by setting on July 3, in two flights, 12 new world records for seaplanes and amphibious aircraft in terms of climb time of 3000, 6000 and 9000 m with a commercial load of 15000 kg, bringing the number of his records to 140. On the first flight, the commander was Honored Test Pilot of Russia G.G. Kalyuzhny, in the second test pilot Colonel G.A. Parshin. The FAI was represented by the sports commissioner of the National Aero Club of Russia. V.P. Chkalova T.A. Polozova.

During the next third international "Gidroaviasalon-2000" A-40, the same "20", increased the number of records set by "Albatross" by another 8, bringing their number to 148. In record flights carried out on September 8 and 9 2000, speed records were set on a 100- and 500-kilometer closed route. The crew commanders were test pilots G.A. Parshin and N.N. Hunters.

On September 20-21, 2000, the A-40 (vehicle "B2") took part in the celebrations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the GLITs im. V.P. Chkalova. The TANTK delegation flew to Akhtubinsk on it; the crew commander was G.G. Kalyuzhny.

In September 2002, the Albatross took its place in the parking lot of the Gidroaviasalon-2002 exhibition.

So what prospects does the largest amphibious aircraft in existence have in the new century? For now, we can say that an adjustment is currently taking place in the views on the role and place of amphibious aviation, both by the Navy command and by the general customer of aviation equipment, the Air Force. The recent disaster of the Kursk nuclear submarine once again confirmed the need for a modern high-speed and seaworthy search and rescue amphibious aircraft capable of the shortest possible time arrive at the scene of the accident. Therefore, we can hope that the A-42 and other modifications of the A-40 will be able to find their place in the ranks of Russian naval aviation.