×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Tupolev SB-2


Twin-Engine Light / Medium Fast-Bomber Aircraft


Soviet Union | 1936



"The Tupolev SB-2 was a solid performer when it came onto the scene in 1936 though vastly outclassed by 1938."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Tupolev SB-2 Twin-Engine Light / Medium Fast-Bomber Aircraft.
2 x Klimov (Hispano-Suiza) M-100 V-12 piston engines developing 830 horsepower each driving three-bladed propeller units.
Propulsion
255 mph
410 kph | 221 kts
Max Speed
27,887 ft
8,500 m | 5 miles
Service Ceiling
746 miles
1,200 km | 648 nm
Operational Range
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Tupolev SB-2 Twin-Engine Light / Medium Fast-Bomber Aircraft.
3
(MANNED)
Crew
40.3 ft
12.27 m
O/A Length
66.7 ft
(20.33 m)
O/A Width
10.7 ft
(3.25 m)
O/A Height
12,637 lb
(5,732 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Tupolev SB-2 Twin-Engine Light / Medium Fast-Bomber Aircraft .
STANDARD:
2 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns in nose position.
1 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine gun in dorsal position.
1 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine gun in ventral position.

OPTIONAL:
Maximum conventional drop bomb load of up to 2,205lb.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Tupolev SB-2 family line.
ANT-40 - Light Bomber Prototype of which two examples were produced.
SB-2 - Second Prototype Designated with "SB-2" Production Designation.
SB-2bis - Improved SB-2 with three-bladed propeller systems married to two M-103 960hp engines; variable pitch propellers; increased fuel caapcity and overall range.
PS-40 - Transport Conversion
PS-41 - Transport Conversion
SB-RK (Arkhangelskii Ar-2) - Converted SB-2bis models for dive-bomer duty; smaller wing area; fitted with supercharged M-105R powerplants.
B.71 - Czechoslovakian license-produced SB-2.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 06/01/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Tupolev SB-2 (SB = "Skorostnoi Bombardirovschik", translating to "fast bomber") was a light-/medium-class twin engine bomber serving Soviet forces during the Second World War (1939-1945). At the time of its introduction (1936), the aircraft was seen as an evolutionary design incorporating features such as a retractable undercarriage, enclosed cockpit, and all-metal skinning / construction - features not traditionally showcased during this time in aviation history. The SB-2 garnered a notable service record in the early going but would, over time, become obsolete with the arrival of more capable Axis fighters. Before then, however, the SB-2 was the day-bomber / attacker of choice for Soviet forces and the type went on to serve beyond Soviet borders and even into the post-war period for some.

The aircrafts origin stemmed from a pair of Tupolev light bomber prototypes designated "ANT-40". The second prototype was selected as the initial production model under the "SB-2" designation. The aircraft sported a pair of license-built Hispano-Suiza engines developing 830 horsepower each used to drive three-bladed propeller units. This arrangement gave the aircraft a top speed of over 200 miles-per-hour which was, at the time, faster than most frontline single-seat, single-engine fighters available in any one country. The maiden flight took place on October 7th, 1934 and the series arrived to frontline units in early-1936.

The SB-2's arrangement was typical of twin-engine light bombers of the period - the engines held outboard in nacelles embedded into the wing mainplanes. The nose section was heavily glazed to allow for viewing by the forward crewman and the cockpit was stepped, positioned aft and over the nose. The mainplanes were set low against the sides of the fuselage and the tail unit incorporated a single vertical tailplane with accompanying, low-mounted horizontal planes. The crew consisted of three specialists - a pilot, nose gunner, and a dorsal gunner and armament amounted to 2 x 7.62mm machine guns in the nose, 1 x 7.62mm machine gun in a dorsal gun position (sometimes fitted to a turret instead), and 1 x 7.62mm machine gun in a ventral, rear-facing gun position to protect the aircraft's more vulnerable belly. The maximum bombload was limited to 2,205lb of internally-held stores.

The SB-2's Baptism-of-Fire was with Soviet air crews during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and the series went on to operate with success in the early years of World War 2. It proved a shock to adversarial Japanese airmen flying Nakajima Ki-27 ("Nate") fighters during the Sino-Japanese War when the two designs met over Chinese territory during December of 1937 - Soviet airmen at the controls of their proven SB-2s. The SB-2 so impressed the Japanese that authorities ordered a similar-performing aircraft to be developed - this became the Kawasaki Ki-48 ("Lily"). These lasted in frontline service until 1942 before they were reworked as kamikaze platforms for the IJA.

In the Europe, the series enjoyed its position in the skies until more capable and advanced German fighters - like the Messerschmitt Bf 109 - began to arrive in greater numbers. This showdown cleared highlighted the Soviet light bomber's limitations in a modern war.

The series was also fielded over Mongolia and in the Winter War against neighboring Finland.

In an effort to keep the aircraft viable for the foreseeable future, series was modified in a variety of ways - increased fuel capacity, structural reinforcements, Klimov M-103 series engines of 960 horsepower each. A dual-control trainer form existed as the "USB" - 120 examples being built. Nevertheless, the system still under-performed and began to take on heavy losses, particularly in its given day-bomber role. As such, the aircraft line was later relegated to low-light / night time work and operated as a dedicated night-fighter for the duration of the war.

Examples were also passed on to China in an effort to thwart Japanese expansion in the East. In addition to this, Soviet-ally Czechoslovakia was given license-production rights to manufacture the aircraft locally and these were handed the designation "B-71" and were constructed by Avia. By war's end, between 6,600 and 6,900 examples were produced from the period spanning 1936 to 1941.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Tupolev SB-2. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 6,967 Units

Contractor(s): Tupoelv OKB - Soviet Union / Avia - Czechoslovakia
National flag of China National flag of Czechia National flag of Finland National flag of modern Germany National flag of Nazi Germany National flag of the Soviet Union

[ China; Czechoslovakia; Finland (captured); Nazi Germany (captured examples); Soviet Union ]
1 / 1
Image of the Tupolev SB-2
Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The Tupolev SB-2 Twin-Engine Light / Medium Fast-Bomber Aircraft appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
GOLDEN AGE AIRCRAFT
SPANISH CIVIL WAR AIRCRAFT
WWII AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)