Transport aircraft VM T. VM-T. Second seminar “Let's save history in the sky.” Rocket and space system "Energia-Buran"

VM-T Atlant

Developer: OKB Myasishchev

Country: USSR

First flight: 1981

Type: Heavy transport aircraft

By the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of February 17, 1976, Soviet industry was tasked with the creation of a universal rocket and space transport system (URKTS)" Dawn " , which later received the name"Energy" . It was supposed to launch various heavy vehicles into orbit, incl. and VKS"Buran" . Responsible for the creation of the entire NGO system"Energy" , and the development of the Soviet space"shuttle" was entrusted to NPO "Molniya" , which, in addition to the machine-building plant of the same name, included the OKB"Petrel" and Myasishchevsky EMZ.

The developers of the unique space complex had to solve many different problems, incl. the problem of transporting large rocket blocks and the VKS itself from the plant to the cosmodrome, as well as from the landing site to the plant in preparation for the next launch. Research has shown that the best way is airy, and heads"Energy" turned to O.K. Antonov for help. Specialists from his design bureau examined the possibility of modernizing the An-22 for this task and came to the conclusion that it was inappropriate, planning in the future to receive a special aircraft based on the An-124 being created. But a solution had to be found quickly, at least temporarily. In these conditions, Myasishchev’s proposal could not have come at a better time to create an unusual vehicle strategic bomber ZM.

At EMZ the topic received a code"3-35" , and the aircraft designation is ZM-T (" T " - transport). At the preliminary design stage, several options for redesigning the bomber were considered, and the choice was made in favor of the simplest one. It provided for equipping the aircraft with a new two-fin tail and units for transporting cargo on top of the fuselage, which made it possible to transport products whose length was commensurate with the length of the carrier, and whose transverse dimensions significantly exceeded its midsection. The OKB joked about this topic:

To transport this container

The old method was unusable.

We sat and thought, and then:

A double-decker plane for you.

Although it's a hundred times cheaper

Big, big balloon.

The new aircraft had to carry 4 types of cargo: OGT - the VKS itself, which weighed more than 50 tons and became the heaviest load; 1GT - hydrogen tank of a launch vehicle with fairings with a total length of about 40 m and a diameter of 7.78 m (fuselage dimensions"emki" 51x3.5 m!); 2GT - nose cone, oxygen tank and two leaky rocket compartments; ZGT - nose and tail fairings from 1GT cargo returned to the factory.

While working on the project, extensive research into models of the future transport system took place in the TsAGI wind tunnels. To carry out strength tests, the ZM aircraft was taken out of service and turned into a statistics machine.№ 1504.

The design of the ZM-T was in full swing when General Designer Vladimir Mikhailovich Myasishchev died on October 14, 1978. The chief strength engineer of the company, V. A. Fedotov, was appointed acting head of the EMZ, and on whose shoulders fell the responsibility for completing the creation of the unusual"transport worker" . In the second half of 1979, two ZMN-2 aircraft allocated to the Air Force entered the pilot production of EMZ (№№ 1402 and 1502). Their alteration was carried out in close cooperation with many enterprises of the Ministries of Aviation Industry and General Engineering, in particular, with the plant named after. Khrunichev, Tashkent and Omsk APO. On each"emke" carried out an extensive set of modifications, including installing a new tail section and empennage, significantly strengthening the landing gear and airframe (for example, the detachable parts of the wing became three-spar), sewing up the bomb bay, and dismantling all weapons.

At the end of 1980 the plane№ 1402 was transferred for the ground test cycle. In March next year Jogging began, and on April 29, the crew, headed by A. Kucherenko, took this car into the air for the first time. The first stage of testing, despite all its uniqueness, was completed in a short time, and already in April 1982, two transport flights took place along the Kuibyshev-Leninsk (Baikonur) route, which delivered cargo 1GT and 2GT to the cosmodrome. In the same month, the aircraft also made its first flight with a mock-up cargo 1GT№ 1502.

It is interesting that when one of these ships, painted in the colors of Aeroflot and with the inscription ZM-T on board, caught the eye of a vigilant regime officer, he categorically demanded that the designation, which testified to the bomber past of the aircraft, be painted over. They didn’t do this, but the figure"3" corrected to letter" IN " and received VM-T, although according to all documents the car continued to pass under the same designation (when the plane began to be shown at various air shows, some printed publications deciphered these three mysterious letters as« Vladimir Myasishchev-transport» ). Later the plane received its own name"Atlant".

In 1983, tests began with a mock-up of the VKS mounted on the fuselage, which did not have a keel, and a fairing was installed in the tail section. He weighed less"Burana" , a little more than 45 tons. From March 1 to March 25, 8 flights took place in Zhukovsky, the last of which ended in an accident. Due to an error by the second pilot when extending the landing gear, the front landing gear was not fixed along the longitudinal axis and became uncontrollable, as a result of which the plane was blown off the runway when landing with a crosswind. It was buried in the ground up to the wheel hubs, and then was damaged when pulled out onto the strip by tractors. The VKS model was safely removed with heavy cranes from"backs" damaged aircraft, and he himself had to be sent for repairs, which dragged on until November.

At the end of 1984 the car№ 1402 was again equipped with a refueling system. It was assumed that this would allow flights with cargo without intermediate stops. After modification we carried out several"dry" test contacts with the ZMN-2 tanker, however, according to available data, not a single in-flight refueling was carried out during transport flights.

In the second half of the eighties, work on the URCTS program reached the stage of flight testing, and in the spring of 1987, VM-T aircraft delivered system components to the cosmodrome for their final assembly and launch preparation. Alas, the first launch ended in an accident - a giant rocket and a hundred-ton satellite fell into the ocean. This misfortune significantly strengthened the position of opponents of the program, among whom were not only party functionaries of Gorbachev’s Central Committee, but also prominent rocket designers. For example, against the system"Energia-Buran" in the form in which it then existed, the famous cosmonaut acted as Hero of the Soviet Union, and in the mid-1980s. one of the main designers of space technology B. Feoktistov.

And yet we managed to prepare one more launch. With the help of VM-T, parts of the second URCTS were delivered to the cosmodrome, as well as"combat" VKS. "Buran" arrived at Baikonur already with a keel, but without many systems, since the carrying capacity"emki" did not allow it to be transported completely assembled. The unmanned launch, which took place on October 15, 1988, ended with the famous triumphal landing, but this success did not in any way affect the future fate of the program. Soon the work was stopped, and the couple"Atlantov" remained out of work. In total, they completed about 150 test and commercial flights.

At EMZ named after. V.M. Myasishchev tried to find a use for unique special aircraft. In the 1990s. Among various projects, the option of using VM-T for air tests was considered rocket engine on cryogenic fuel D-57, in which India showed interest. Preliminary studies were also carried out on the creation of huge transport systems based on the ZM aircraft, designed both for the transportation of various oversized cargo and for the air launch of promising aerospace forces. However, for now all these projects remain on paper.

LTH:

Modification VM-T

Wingspan, m 53.14

Aircraft length, m 58.70

Aircraft altitude, m 14.00

Wing area, m 2 320.00

Weight, kg

Empty plane 74500

Maximum takeoff 210000

Engine type 4 TRD RD-3M-500

Thrust, kgf 4 x 9500

Maximum speed, km/h 925

Practical range, km 9400

Practical ceiling, m 12000

Crew, people 8

Heavy transport aircraft VM-T Atlant.

Developer: OKB Myasishchev
Country: USSR
First flight: 1981

By the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of February 17, 1976, Soviet industry was tasked with the creation of a universal rocket and space transport system (URKTS) “Rassvet”, which later received the name “Energy”. It was supposed to launch various heavy vehicles into orbit, incl. and VKS "Buran". NPO Energia was responsible for the creation of the entire system, and the development of the Soviet space shuttle was entrusted to NPO Molniya, which, in addition to the machine-building plant of the same name, included the Burevestnik Design Bureau and the Myasishchevsky EMZ.

The developers of the unique space complex had to solve many different problems, incl. the problem of transporting large rocket blocks and the VKS itself from the plant to the cosmodrome, as well as from the landing site to the plant in preparation for the next launch. Research has shown that the best method is airborne, and the leaders of Energia turned to O.K. Antonov for help. Specialists from his design bureau considered the possibility of modernizing the An-22 for this task and came to the conclusion that it was inappropriate, planning in the future to receive a special aircraft based on the An-124 being created. But a solution had to be found quickly, at least temporarily. Under these conditions, Myasishchev’s proposal to use the 3M strategic bomber to create an unusual vehicle could not have come at a better time.

At EMZ, the topic received the code “3-35”, and the aircraft was designated 3M-T (“T” for transport). At the preliminary design stage, several options for redesigning the bomber were considered, and the choice was made in favor of the simplest one. It provided for equipping the 3M with a new two-fin tail and units for transporting cargo on top of the fuselage, which made it possible to transport products whose length was commensurate with the length of the carrier, and whose transverse dimensions significantly exceeded its midsection. The OKB joked about this topic:

"To transport this container
The old method was unusable.
We sat and thought, and then:
A double-decker plane for you.
Although it's a hundred times cheaper
Big, big balloon."

The new aircraft had to carry 4 types of cargo: OGT - the VKS itself, which weighed more than 50 tons and became the heaviest load; 1GT - a hydrogen tank of a launch vehicle with fairings with a total length of about 40 m and a diameter of 7.78 m (dimensions of the fuselage of the Emka are 51 x 3.5 m!); 2GT - nose cone, oxygen tank and two leaky rocket compartments; ZGT - nose and tail fairings from 1GT cargo returned to the factory.

While working on the project, extensive research into models of the future transport system took place in the TsAGI wind tunnels. To conduct strength tests, the 3M aircraft No. 1504 was taken out of service and turned into a statistical machine.

The design of 3M-T was in full swing when General Designer Vladimir Mikhailovich Myasishchev died on October 14, 1978. The chief strength engineer of the company, V.A. Fedotov, was appointed acting head of the EMZ, and the responsibility for completing the creation of the unusual “transporter” fell on his shoulders. In the second half of 1979, two 3MN-2 aircraft allocated by the Air Force (Nos. 1402 and 1502) entered the pilot production of the EMZ. Their alteration was carried out in close cooperation with many enterprises of the Ministries of Aviation Industry and General Engineering, in particular, with the plant named after. Khrunichev, Tashkent and Omsk APO. Each “emka” underwent an extensive set of modifications, including the installation of a new tail section and empennage, significantly strengthening the landing gear and airframe (for example, detachable parts of the wing became three-spar), sewing up the bomb bay, and dismantling all weapons.

At the end of 1980, aircraft No. 1402 was transferred for ground testing. In March of the following year, jogging began, and on April 29, the crew, headed by A. Kucherenko, took this car into the air for the first time. The first stage of testing, despite all its uniqueness, was completed in a short time, and already in April 1982, two transport flights took place along the Kuibyshev-Leninsk (Baikonur) route, which delivered cargo 1GT and 2GT to the cosmodrome. In the same month, aircraft No. 1502 also made its first flight with a 1GT cargo mock-up.

It is interesting that when one of these ships, painted in the colors of Aeroflot and with the inscription 3M-T on board, caught the eye of a vigilant regime official, he categorically demanded that the designation, which testified to the bomber past of the aircraft, be painted over. They didn’t do this, but the number “3” was corrected to the letter “B” and received VM-T, although according to all documents the car continued to fly under the same designation (when the plane began to be shown at various air shows, some printed publications deciphered these three mysterious letters like “Vladimir Myasishchev-transport”). Later the plane received its own name "Atlant".

In 1983, tests began with a mock-up of the VKS mounted on the fuselage, which did not have a keel, and a fairing was installed in the tail section. It weighed less than the Buran, a little more than 45 tons. From March 1 to March 25, 8 flights took place in Zhukovsky, the last of which ended in an accident. Due to an error by the second pilot when extending the landing gear, the front landing gear was not fixed along the longitudinal axis and became uncontrollable, as a result of which the plane was blown off the runway when landing with a crosswind. It was buried in the ground up to the wheel hubs, and then was damaged when pulled out onto the strip by tractors. The model of the VKS was safely removed with heavy cranes from the “back” of the damaged aircraft, and it itself had to be sent for repairs, which dragged on until November.

At the end of 1984, car No. 1402 was again equipped with a refueling system. It was assumed that this would allow flights with cargo without intermediate stops. After modification, several “dry” test contacts were carried out with the tanker 3MN-2, however, according to available data, not a single in-flight refueling was carried out during transport flights.

In the second half of the eighties, work on the URCTS program reached the stage of flight testing, and in the spring of 1987, VM-T aircraft delivered system components to the cosmodrome for their final assembly and launch preparation. Alas, the first launch ended in an accident - a giant rocket and a hundred-ton satellite fell into the ocean. This misfortune significantly strengthened the position of opponents of the program, among whom were not only party functionaries of Gorbachev’s Central Committee, but also prominent rocket designers. For example, the famous cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet Union, and in the mid-1980s, one of the main designers of space technology, B. Feoktistov, opposed the Energia-Buran system in the form in which it then existed.

And yet we managed to prepare one more launch. With the help of VM-T, parts of the second URCTS, as well as the “combat” VKS, were delivered to the cosmodrome. "Buran" arrived at Baikonur already with a keel, but without many systems, since the carrying capacity of the "emka" did not allow it to be transported fully assembled. The unmanned launch, which took place on October 15, 1988, ended with the famous triumphal landing, but this success did not in any way affect the future fate of the program. Soon the work was stopped, and the Atlant pair was left out of work. In total, they completed about 150 test and commercial flights.

At EMZ named after. V.M. Myasishchev tried to find a use for unique special aircraft. In the 1990s, among various projects, the option of using VM-T for aerial testing of the D-57 cryogenic fuel rocket engine was considered, in which India showed interest. Preliminary studies were also carried out on the creation of huge transport systems based on the 3M aircraft, designed both for the transportation of various oversized cargo and for the air launch of promising aerospace forces. However, for now all these projects remain on paper.

Modification: VM-T
Wingspan, m: 53.14
Aircraft length, m: 58.70
Aircraft height, m: 14.00
Wing area, m2: 320.00
Weight, kg
-empty plane: 74500
-maximum take-off: 210000
Engine type: 4 x TRD RD-3M-500
Thrust, kgf: 4 x 9500
Maximum speed, km/h: 925
Practical range, km: 9400
Practical ceiling, m: 12000

VM-T "Atlant" with a 3GT load.

VM-T on the runway.

VM-T transports the hull of the Buran spacecraft.

"hundreds of large factories participated, between which production was distributed components launch vehicle and orbital aircraft glider. This created a serious problem of determining the assembly sites and delivery of these parts to the launch site, to the cosmodrome. Initially, it was proposed to concentrate the main technological assembly processes at Baikonur, but this was considered inappropriate, since it required the organization of powerful production workshops there and the involvement of large quantity qualified specialists. It was decided to carry out only final assembly and pre-launch testing at the cosmodrome, and the main volume assembly work performed at the main factories.

The assembly of the Buran airframe was entrusted to the Tushinsky Machine-Building Plant. To select the means of its delivery from Moscow to Baikonur, the possibilities of land and air transportation were studied. Calculations have shown that the material costs of land transportation, which requires the construction of expensive long-distance highways, are unacceptably high.

Options for using glider air delivery vehicles turned out to be preferable. The manufacturers of the launch vehicle came to the same decision. Two options for air transportation were considered: helicopter and airplane.

For helicopter delivery, it was proposed to use the newly introduced Mi-26 helicopter with a lifting capacity of 26 tons. According to this project, 2 or 3 helicopters were connected by cables to large-sized cargo of large mass (airframe, rocket compartments), and with such a “bundle” it was proposed to follow the route, selecting the optimal altitude and flight speed. The basis for this option was the example of the use of helicopters for “crane” operations, but there was no experience in “team” flights.

At LII, experimental flights were carried out with a prototype cargo having the configuration of a rocket tank compartment. The tests revealed the complexity and dangers of this type of delivery. In one of the flights, when weak atmospheric turbulence suddenly arose, a “pendulum” swing of the load on the cables began, which caused a disruption in the stability of the helicopters’ flight, as a result of which the crews were forced to drop the load.

The calculation showed that such a situation is likely in future flights, and with more intense atmospheric disturbances it can lead to catastrophic consequences. The economic unprofitability of its use also contributed to the abandonment of this option: the short range of non-stop flight of helicopters with suspended cargo led to the need to create numerous landing sites with refueling stations, frequent along the route.

The An-124 Ruslan aircraft was intended for air delivery of large fragments of the Energia-Buran system. However, this aircraft was still under construction. It was possible to count on it only in the future, and it was necessary to look for other opportunities. The initiative was taken by General Designer V.M. Myasishchev, who proposed converting the strategic bomber of previous years, the 3M aircraft, into a cargo aircraft. This aircraft had a high aerodynamic quality necessary for long-range flights, which could be sacrificed when it was converted into a cargo transporter.

Two options for its modification were considered. The first option is to place cargo inside the enlarged cargo compartment of the fuselage (similar to the Galaxy aircraft). This required the creation of a new fuselage with an increased diameter (10 m instead of 3 m for the 3M aircraft). In this case, the Buran glider had to be transported with undocked wings (the Buran's wingspan was ~ 24 m), which involved removing part of the tiled heat-protective coating. At the same time, the bicycle chassis of the 3M aircraft had to be replaced with a three-wheeled one. As a result, the weight of the aircraft structure increased, which caused its carrying capacity to decrease. But, most importantly, the production time for the cargo version was becoming unacceptable. The second, V.M. Myasishchev, proposed an option with smaller modifications to the bomber, namely with the placement of cargo outside the airframe, on the “back” of the fuselage, which made it possible to transport cargo with minimal changes in their configuration. The idea of ​​placing transported cargo outside the aerodynamic contours of the aircraft was, in principle, not new. This solution is widely used in combat and transport aviation of all countries. The novelty lay in the unusual relationships between the dimensions of the cargo and the carrier aircraft (the diameter of the rocket tank compartments is 8 m, the diameter of the aircraft fuselage is 3 m).

It is known that when the payload is placed externally, the aerodynamic and mass-inertial characteristics of any aircraft change significantly; to assess the changing flight performance data due to this, serious studies of the dynamics of motion and ensuring operational safety are carried out. The tasks that had to be solved when implementing V.M. Myasishchev’s proposal were much more complex than traditional ones.

It was necessary to change the geometry of the 3M aircraft in such a way that it became possible to place on its airframe all the cargo of the new system intended for air delivery. At the same time, the installation of each specific cargo on the aircraft changed its aerodynamic characteristics and elastic-mass diagram so significantly that it essentially formed aircraft new aerodynamic and dynamic layout. In this regard, there was a need to repeat all the studies on aerodynamics and strength previously carried out for the 3M aircraft during its creation.

V.M. Myasishchev’s proposal was met with skepticism by many aviation experts. There were many reasons for doubt. How was it possible to place loads on the finished glider that exceeded some of its dimensions? How to overcome a sharp increase in drag without deteriorating the basic flight characteristics of the aircraft? Will it be possible to control the aircraft and ensure lateral stability in flight in the presence of destabilizing effects from overhead cargo? How can we eliminate the danger of empennage buffeting, which manifested itself during the flight of the Boeing 747 with the Space Shuttle? For the 3M aircraft, this phenomenon could become more dangerous. And finally, is the design of an aircraft that has been used for more than 25 years capable of long-range aviation, withstand loading under new operating conditions if it already has numerous fatigue damages?

The main design decision taken, as mentioned above, was the sacrifice of a share of the high aerodynamic quality of the ultra-long-range aircraft (K max = C y / C x = 18.5) to compensate for the increase in drag from the loads on the “back”. This was permissible, since the length freight transport was set to be less than the available flight range of the 3M aircraft. The flight speed, which had to be reduced due to the installation of weights, beneficially reduced loads and increased safety against flutter. A positive factor in favor of transforming the 3M aircraft into a transporter with cargo on the “back” was its bicycle-type chassis with auxiliary support struts at the ends of the wings. This scheme ensured stability of movement on the ground in crosswinds and protected the aircraft from tipping over by forces acting on the cargo placed above the fuselage. The buffeting phenomenon was supposed to be mitigated as much as possible by replacing the single-fin vertical tail with a double-fin one.

The design of the 3M aircraft airframe was carefully studied throughout its 25 years of operation. During this time, three aircraft underwent repeated static strength tests at SibNIIA; based on their results, the strength of aircraft in service was monitored. They were also supposed to help find solutions to replace or strengthen the most critical structures of a cargo aircraft, taking into account the new conditions of their loading. To ensure stable and controlled flight, it was supposed to make changes to the control system. Of course, detailed studies of all variants of the dynamic design of the aircraft (with different loads) were necessary to determine the loading of the elastic structure and ensure safety from flutter and buffeting.

By the end of the 70s, there was a need to transport units of the Energia-Buran rocket and space complex from factories to the Baikonur cosmodrome. Their dimensions and weight, as well as the distances, were so great that none of the modes of transport could solve the problem. Thus, the diameter of the central tank of the launch vehicle was 8 m, and the length was 40 m. In 1978, the proposal of V. Myasishchev, General Designer of the newly created OKB in 1967, was accepted to transport these cargoes on the fuselage of a 3M aircraft. After the death of Vladimir Mikhailovich (October 14, 1978), work was continued under the leadership of V. Fedotov.

Specialists from NPO Energia divided the central tank of the launch vehicle into two parts for transportation. The first consisted of the largest compartment (oxygen tank), which was equipped with a hemispherical fairing at the front and a smooth fairing at the rear. This package was called cargo 1GT. The head part of the rocket (hydrogen tank), which has smooth shapes, was placed on the plane “back to front”, two leaky cylindrical compartments and the same fairing as on the 1GT were attached to it in front. This is how the second transportation package was determined - cargo 2GT.

To secure the rocket compartments, special transport rings were developed that mate with the aircraft components. Thus, the transportation of one set of the Energia rocket took two flights. On the last return flight, the plane returned the third configuration to the manufacturer - cargo 3GT. These were the fairing, skid plate and other auxiliary parts necessary for subsequent transportation of 1GT and 2GT cargo.

The shape of the cargo thus formed finally determined technical task for the development of the aircraft. By this time, 3M had already been discontinued. To accelerate the pace of development, construction and testing of the carrier aircraft, three tankers were selected and sent for endurance testing at SibNIA.

The designers had to rebuild the aircraft's control system. A special automatic system improving stability, ensuring safety and acceptable controllability of the aircraft in all flight modes.

No less complex was the problem of buffeting, that is, the problem of the impact of powerful air vortices that arise when cargo flows around the center section and fuselage on the aircraft's tail. As a result, the HChF was replaced with a new one, lengthened by 7 meters and raised upward, and the single-fin tail was replaced with a spaced one with two huge washers at the ends of the T-shaped stabilizer.

The problem of adapting the rocket tanks for air transportation also turned out to be difficult. Their thin-walled shell, adapted to absorb only axial loads, sagged in a horizontal position on the “back” of the aircraft, like a weakly inflated children’s balloon. This created a threat of loss of stability of the shell at the slightest overload in flight.

The problem was solved by resorting to pre-pressurization of the tanks. However, in the event of a leak, the aircraft’s power engineering could not maintain the specified pressure drop in the rocket’s huge tanks. The tanks had to be sealed with the care of medical ampoules. This solution, in turn, created the need for a continuous tank pressure monitoring system that differentiates pressure drops due to temperature drops at altitude from pressure drops associated with leaks.

Additionally, strengthening of the middle part of the fuselage, wing and underwing landing gear was required. More powerful VD-7M engines with a thrust of 11,000 kgf were installed, hydraulic units were replaced with more modern ones with increased pressure, and the electronics system was equipped with new sources of electricity with highly stable parameters. In fact, it turned out to be a completely new plane.

Of the three aircraft built, named 3M-T, one was transferred for statistical testing to TsAGI. Of the two flight prototypes, one was equipped with an in-flight refueling boom.

VM-T was also used as a carrier for an analogue of the Buran spacecraft (BTS-01). BTS-01 was located on an external sling above the fuselage of the carrier aircraft and was supposed to be separated from it in flight, followed by an independent landing. During test tests, the crew of the BTS-01 analogue consisted of cosmonauts Evgeniy Khrunov and Georgy Shonin, the carrier aircraft was piloted by Yuri Kogulov and Pyotr Kyiv.

Both Atlantas carried out more than 150 flights to deliver all large-sized elements of the Energia and Buran space complexes to Baikonur for numerous tests on their ground testing at the technical site of the test site and for routine launches, starting with the launch of Energia on May 15, 1987 year and the launch of Buran on November 16, 1988.

	25 KB	Preparing 1GT cargo for installation on an aircraft VM-T using a lifting gantry device. Photo: ?
	23 KB	Rare photo VM-T with a load of 2GT. Photo: ?
	60 KB	Transport aircraft VM-T "Atlant" with a load of 3GT on

In front of us is the cockpit of the VM-T Atlant aircraft (RF-01502), aircraft No. 1502, produced in 1982. Assigned resource 1500 l.h/500 landings. Actual flight time: 310 l.h./150 landings.
Last renovation in August 1992. Not in use since 1992
Previous participation in the MAKS 2007 exposition. The aircraft participated in the Energia-Buran rocket and space program, transporting fuel tanks of the second stage of the Energia launch vehicle and the Buran airframe to Baikonur.
PIC workplace on the second floor

By a resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of February 17, 1976, Soviet industry was tasked with the creation of a universal rocket and space transport system (URKTS) Rassvet, which later received the name Energia. It was supposed to launch various heavy vehicles into orbit, incl. and VKS Buran. NPO Energia was responsible for the creation of the entire system, and the development of the Soviet space shuttle was entrusted to NPO Molniya, which, in addition to the machine-building plant of the same name, included the Burevestnik Design Bureau and the Myasishchevsky EMZ.
hatch in the upper part of the cabin

The developers had to solve the problem of transporting large rocket blocks and the VKS itself from the plant to the cosmodrome, as well as from the landing site to the plant in preparation for the next launch. Their dimensions and weight, as well as the distances, were so great that none of the modes of transport could solve the problem. Thus, the diameter of the central tank of the launch vehicle was 8 m, and the length was 40 m, and Energia leaders turned to O.K. Antonov for help. Specialists from his design bureau examined the possibility of modernizing the An-22 for this task and came to the conclusion that it was inappropriate, planning in the future to receive a special aircraft based on the An-124 being created. But a solution had to be found quickly, at least temporarily. In these conditions, Myasishchev’s proposal to use the ZM strategic bomber to create an unusual vehicle could not have come at a better time.
pilot's helm

At EMZ the topic received the code 3-35, and the aircraft was designated ZM-T (T - transport). At the preliminary design stage, several options for redesigning the bomber were considered, and the choice was made in favor of the simplest one. It provided for equipping the aircraft with a new two-fin tail and units for transporting cargo on top of the fuselage, which made it possible to transport products whose length was commensurate with the length of the carrier, and whose transverse dimensions significantly exceeded its midsection.
co-pilot's wheel

The new aircraft had to carry 4 types of cargo: OGT - the VKS itself, which weighed more than 50 tons and became the heaviest load; 1GT - hydrogen tank of a launch vehicle with fairings with a total length of about 40 m and a diameter of 7.78 m (dimensions of the emka fuselage are 51x3.5 m!); 2GT - nose cone, oxygen tank and two leaky rocket compartments; ZGT - nose and tail fairings from 1GT cargo returned to the factory.

The general appearance of the panel is that it is in clearly better condition than in Monino. The plane, as far as I understand, is in good condition and can fly with some effort.

While working on the project, extensive research into models of the future transport system took place in the TsAGI wind tunnels. To conduct strength tests, the ZM 1504 aircraft was taken out of service and turned into a statistical machine.

KVSA seat, as I wrote earlier: the plate in the center is a very curious thing, which allowed the pilot to get off the seat without unfastening the seat belts, but by unfastening the entire harness system. There's just a catch in this saucer

The design of the ZM-T was in full swing when General Designer Vladimir Mikhailovich Myasishchev died on October 14, 1978. The chief strength engineer of the company, V.A. Fedotov, was appointed acting head of the EMZ, and the responsibility for completing the creation of the unusual transporter fell on his shoulders. In the second half of 1979, two ZMN-2 aircraft allocated by the Air Force (1402 and 1502) entered the pilot production of EMZ. Their alteration was carried out in close cooperation with many enterprises of the Ministries of Aviation Industry and General Engineering, in particular, with the plant named after. Khrunichev, Tashkent and Omsk APO. An extensive set of modifications was carried out on each emka; the placement of cargo on the “back” of the aircraft became possible after lengthening the fuselage by 4.7 m, which was carried out by replacing the tail section, slightly raised due to the “oblique” insert to avoid impact with the ground during landing and takeoff large angles of attack. Research into stability and controllability led to the need to change the size and shape of all tail surfaces. Due to the decrease in flight speed, the stabilizer of the swept horizontal tail was replaced with a straight, larger area, installed with a large transverse V. Instead of a single-fin vertical tail, a significantly increased (up to 26% of the wing area) double-fin was installed, made in the form of two washers, obliquely mounted on ends, stabilizer, which helped reduce loads on the fuselage.
The underwing landing gear was redesigned and manufactured to accommodate the increased loads encountered by a loaded aircraft during banked landings and taxiing around the airfield. The supporting structures of the wing and fuselage were strengthened to cope with the loads determined by the new operating conditions. The necessary modifications were made to the aircraft's fuel system. The 15B engines were replaced with more powerful ones - 17D.

fuses between the pilots, and what is that red switch on top? Zhenya suggested that the handle is the emergency release of the landing gear, and above it the red handle is the release of the hatch

At the end of 1980, aircraft 1402 was transferred for ground testing. In March of the following year, jogging began, and on April 29, the crew, headed by A. Kucherenko, took this car into the air for the first time. The first stage of testing, despite all its uniqueness, was completed in a short time, and already in April 1982, two transport flights took place along the Kuibyshev-Leninsk (Baikonur) route, which delivered cargo 1GT and 2GT to the cosmodrome. In the same month, aircraft 1502 (our aircraft) also made its first flight with a mock-up cargo 1GT.

View from the pilot's seat at the entrance, the guys from Albatros-aero are preparing the plane for towing, Denis Khrupov in the hatch

It is interesting that when one of these ships, painted in the colors of Aeroflot and with the inscription ZM-T on board, caught the eye of a vigilant regime official, he categorically demanded that the designation, which testified to the bomber past of the aircraft, be painted over. They did not do this, but the number 3 was corrected to the letter B and received VM-T, although according to all documents the car continued to pass under the same designation (when the plane began to be shown at various air shows, some printed publications deciphered these three mysterious letters, like Vladimir Myasishchev- transport). Later the plane received its own name Atlant.

KVS ores

In 1983, tests began with a mock-up of the VKS mounted on the fuselage, which did not have a keel, and a fairing was installed in the tail section. It weighed less than Buran, a little more than 45 tons. From March 1 to March 25, 8 flights took place in Zhukovsky, the last of which ended in an accident. Due to an error by the second pilot when extending the landing gear, the front landing gear was not fixed along the longitudinal axis and became uncontrollable, as a result of which the plane was blown off the runway when landing with a crosswind. It was buried in the ground up to the wheel hubs, and then was damaged when pulled out onto the strip by tractors. The model of the VKS was safely removed with heavy cranes from the back of the damaged aircraft, and it itself had to be sent for repairs, which dragged on until November. But which of the two sides was buried?

top view of workplace navigator

At the end of 1984, the 1402 was again equipped with a refueling system. It was assumed that this would allow flights with cargo without intermediate stops. After modification, several dry test contacts were carried out with the ZMN-2 tanker, however, according to available data, not a single in-flight refueling was carried out during transport flights.

motor indication

In the second half of the eighties, work on the URCTS program reached the stage of flight testing, and in the spring of 1987, VM-T aircraft delivered system components to the cosmodrome for their final assembly and launch preparation. Alas, the first launch ended in an accident - a giant rocket and a hundred-ton satellite fell into the ocean. This misfortune significantly strengthened the position of opponents of the program, among whom were not only party functionaries of Gorbachev’s Central Committee, but also prominent rocket designers. For example, the famous cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet Union, spoke out against the Energia-Buran system in the form in which it then existed, and in the mid-1980s. one of the main designers of space technology B. Feoktistov.

general view of the dashboard

And yet we managed to prepare one more launch. With the help of VM-T, parts of the second URCTS, as well as a combat VKS, were delivered to the cosmodrome. Buran arrived at Baikonur already with a keel, but without many systems, since the carrying capacity of the ship did not allow it to be transported fully assembled. The unmanned launch, which took place on October 15, 1988, ended with the famous triumphal landing, but this success did not in any way affect the future fate of the program. Soon the work was stopped, and the Atlantean couple was left out of work. In total, they completed about 150 test and commercial flights.

general view of the top panel

At EMZ named after. V.M. Myasishchev tried to find a use for unique special aircraft. In the 1990s. Among various projects, the option of using VM-T for aerial testing of the D-57 cryogenic fuel rocket engine was considered, in which India showed interest. Preliminary studies were also carried out on the creation of huge transport systems based on the ZM aircraft, designed both for the transportation of various oversized cargo and for the air launch of promising aerospace forces. However, for now all these projects remain on paper.

Co-pilot's throttles

In preparation for the current MAKS, the company’s specialists did the following:
- an inspection of the aircraft and cargo was carried out, an assessment of the condition of cargo fastening units, moving parts of the landing gear, pneumatic (nitrogen) and hydraulic pipelines was carried out. Charging pneumatic and hydraulic systems (60 l. AMG10)

Do I understand correctly that this is partly autopilot control?

The Albatross and NIK team washed the plane within three days. On the initiative of Volodya Lisnyak, the “front” side of the barrel was painted (the rest simply did not have time to be painted), fairings of the wing landing gear, rods and units in the niches of the main landing gear.

various indications

general view of the cabin from below

general view of the radio operator's workplace

workplace on the right in the movement - flight engineer Leaving the cockpit by the second navigator, flight mechanic and gunner radio operator is carried out as follows: at the bottom, the squibs are detonated and three hatches are opened, where all three seats with crew members go down along the guides.

a little closer

second navigator's workplace

upper part of the second navigator's workplace

view of the flight engineer’s workplace occupied by Pasha Patrikeev from the second navigator’s workplace, they sit with their backs facing the direction of travel. Dima Osminsky inspects the farm

Engineer board equipment

what is the shining light on... what is that shining light?

wow generators, that’s understandable, but what’s next?

blister board engineer

view down from the radio operator's gunner's workplace, is there probably just a radio operator here?

his equipment

rugs :-))

here you have a first aid kit and much more

Photo 36.

View of the transported cargo from the top blister of the radio operator

Zhenya found some documents

and we return to the main navigator's cabin

right side of his cabin

navigator's dashboard

view up from the navigator’s workplace, the spaces seem large, but you can’t turn your head at once

look back behind the chair

one more look up

view of the navigator's cabin from the nose of the aircraft

and up

navigator's equipment

KVS pedal unit

co-pilot's pedal assembly

once again beauty: cabin ceiling

central panel of the pilot's cabin, engine control devices

KVS dashboard

co-pilot

and again the ceiling of the cabin is a masterpiece, you can’t take your eyes off it :-)))

let's take a closer look

what's above KVS

over the co-pilot

trim at the rear of the cabin

Photo 63.

Photo 64.

Photo 65.

this is apparently a tunnel through which the radio operator is ejected

Photo 67.

now let's look at the plane from the outside, now there is no one around in the static parking lot, it's time for this plane to go home

the cabin does not seem big from the outside, there is a stepladder and the entrance to the cabin

here he is closer

there is also a niche for cleaning the bow strut

and the nose strut itself, you can estimate the dimensions. As Dima Osminsky suggested: there is an automatic rearing device installed here, that is, at a certain speed, the machine trolley turns around and movement occurs only on the rear pair of wheels. Due to this, the aircraft is given a take-off pitch angle. That is, it takes off on its own, you don’t need to work with the helm “for yourself.” Plus, the front pair of wheels turns on the car due to this, the direction of movement changes when steering.

As Dima Osminsky suggested, the guys overdid it with the yellow color. Yellow is the color of the fuel lines.

Photo 74.

shock absorber strut

four wheels

here is a bicycle chassis, a tail stand. Bicycle because the main racks are located one behind the other under the fuselage

general view of the plane from the stepladder

Now we’ll make fun of your spatial perception a little: general views of the cockpit, but fisheye, albeit with distortion

general view of the onboard engineer's workplace

rear view from the chief navigator's cabin

general view of the navigator's workplace

view up to the radio operator's workplace from the entrance

view from the navigator's workplace

upward view from the navigator's workplace

KVS side glass is much more informative in the rain than a blister :-))

the crew recalls the peculiarities of towing the aircraft

Photo 109.

The tractor is in place

A machine that will provide pressure in the system during the entire towing under the wing

the movement has begun

there are cars driving nearby clearing the lane

then the orderlies came running and fixed us :-)))

view of the cargo from the co-pilot's side window

An-124 ahead

For some reason the re-motorized Yak-40 did not fly away

And we should go there: to the Myasishchevskaya parking lot

aquaplaning

On the main runway. Maybe it will launch in Stupino? :-)))

But the happiness was short-lived, VM-T frees up the lane

and now some more standard photos from a static parking lot on a sunny day.

from different sides

powerful VD-7M engines with a thrust of 11000 kgf

flight engineer blister

cockpit glass

navigator's cabin

Plane sign

in the general row a proud profile

general view of the aircraft, on the back there is part of the fuel system. only the front and rear fairings, the tank itself was scrapped

How did the guys stick these emblems there?

a little face

Photo 134.

Photo 135.

general view on the left

general front view

cabin below

Photo 139.

guys from Albatros-Aero

Now let's go around it in a circle

Photo 143.

Zhenya at the chassis

view from under the wing

what's that under the engine? Anti-corrosion things?

general view of the wing

rear view from the bow strut

General form on right

let's go back

back view

larger

Here you can see the protruding fairing at the bottom. This is the thrombus parachute mechanism. The parachutes themselves are located in the hatch immediately behind this fairing.

powerful tail unit

Alexander Yaskevich gave a link to his video on this aircraft:

LTH
Year of adoption - 1982
Wing span - 53.14 m
Aircraft length - 58.70 m
Aircraft height - 14.0 m
Wing area - 320.0 m²
Weight, kg
empty plane - 74,500
maximum takeoff - 210,000
Engine type - 4 TRD VD-7
Thrust - 4 x 11000 kgf
Maximum speed - 925 km/h
Practical range - 13,600 km
Range - 9,400 km
Practical ceiling - 12,000 m
Crew - 8 people
Payload: 40,000 kg of cargo
Many thanks to Dmitry Osminsky for his help in combating errors and interesting information!! :-))

And once again I express my deep gratitude to the guys from Albatrom Aero, scientifically engineering company"NIK" and the administration of the city of Zhukovsky for your dedicated work and enormous contribution to the preservation of our aviation history!!! Maybe our state will still see and hear you, and even if it doesn’t help, at least it won’t interfere. In general, they would give you carte blanche, a large airfield and give you a copy of everything they have... EEEh dreams!!!

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