×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Infantry Arms Warships & Submarines Military Pay Chart (2023) Military Ranks
Advertisements
HOME
AIRCRAFT / AVIATION
MODERN AIR FORCES
COUNTRIES
MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE
BY CONFLICT
BY TYPE
BY DECADE
GOLDEN AGE
SPANISH CIVIL WAR
WORLD WAR 2
Aviation / Aerospace

Tupolev SB-2


Twin-Engine Light / Medium Fast-Bomber Aircraft [ 1936 ]



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



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 06/01/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
Advertisements
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.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
Advertisements

Specifications



Service Year
1936

Origin
Soviet Union national flag graphic
Soviet Union

Status
RETIRED
Not in Service.
Crew
3

Production
6,967
UNITS


Tupoelv OKB - Soviet Union / Avia - Czechoslovakia
(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)
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
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
Commercial Aviation
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.
Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
Training (General)
Developed ability to be used as a dedicated trainer for student pilots (typically under the supervision of an instructor).


Length
40.3 ft
(12.27 m)
Width/Span
66.7 ft
(20.33 m)
Height
10.7 ft
(3.25 m)
MTOW
12,637 lb
(5,732 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Tupolev SB-2 production variant)
Installed: 2 x Klimov (Hispano-Suiza) M-100 V-12 piston engines developing 830 horsepower each driving three-bladed propeller units.
Max Speed
255 mph
(410 kph | 221 kts)
Ceiling
27,887 ft
(8,500 m | 5 mi)
Range
746 mi
(1,200 km | 2,222 nm)


♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)
Sub
Trans
Super
Hyper
HiHyper
ReEntry
RANGES (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hi-Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: >19030


(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Tupolev SB-2 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
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.


Supported Types


Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun
Graphical image of an aircraft conventional drop bomb munition


(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 2


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.


Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway
Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift
Military lapel ribbon for the Chaco War
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War
Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War
Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor
Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era
Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.

Images Gallery



1 / 1
Image of the Tupolev SB-2
Image from the Public Domain.


Advertisements




Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies


2023 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

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.

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.

View day-by-day actions of the American Civil War with CivilWarTimeline.net. View day-by-day actions of World War II with SecondWorldWarHistory.com.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)