Grigorovich TB-5

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

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

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

Specifications (TB-5)

Data from Shavrov 1985

General characteristics

• Crew: Six
• Length: 22.1 m (72 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 31 m (101 ft 8 in)
• Height: ()
• Wing area: 150 m² (1614.6 ft²)
• Empty weight: 7,483 kg (16,497 lb)
• Loaded weight: 12,535 kg (27,635 lb)
• Powerplant: 4 × Bristol Jupiter V radial engine, 336 kW (450 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 180 km/h (97 knots, 112 mph)
• Service ceiling: 2,600 m (8,530 ft)
• Wing loading: 84 kg/m² (17 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 107 W/kg (0.07 hp/lb)

Armament

• Guns: Two turrets, each with 2× 7.62 mm (0.3 in) PV-1 machine guns
• Bombs: Up to 2,500 kg (5,512 lb) of bombs

See also

• TB-3
• Farman F.220

References

• Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.