Tsybin RSR

Infobox Aircraft
name = RSR
infoboxwidth =
type = Reconnaissance Aircraft

manufacturer = Tsybin


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status = Prototype/Project
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The Tsybin RSR ("Reactivnyi Strategicheskii Razvedchik") was a Russian design for an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft.

Development and design

In 1954, the design bureau headed by Pavel Tsybin started development of a ramjet powered strategic supersonic bomber, the RS. This design proved impracticable, and a smaller derivative, the 2RS was proposed, which would achieve intercontinental range by being air launched from a modified Tupolev Tu-95 bomber. Butowski 1998. p.39-40]

This too was unsuccessful, with the aircraft unable to return to base if used on an intercontinental mission, while being incapable of carrying a thermonuclear bomb. Gunston 1995, p.376] The design was therefore revised again to a reconnaissance aircraft capable of operating from conventional runways, the RSR. As ramjets could not be used for take-off, they were replaced by turbofans.

The RSR was primarily of aluminium construction, with a long circular section fuselage, which housed a pressure cabin for the pilot together with cameras and fuel, with thin, low aspect ratio trapezoidal wings. The engines, two Soloviev D-21 turbofans, were mounted at the tips of the wings. The aircraft had a bicycle underarriage, with outriggers under the engine nacelles. It was planned to cruise at greater than Mach 2 at a height of 20,000 m (65,600 ft) giving a range of 3,760 km (2,340 miles).

A simplified, full sized aerodynamic prototype for the novel layout, the NM-1 was built in 1957. This aircraft, powered by two Mikulin AM-5 turbojets first flew on 7 April 1959. Gunston 1995, p.377] Based on the results of these trials, the RSR was redesigned (as the R-020) to make it more manoeuvrable at high altitude (it was proposed to carry out barrel rolls to avoid Surface-to-air missiles, reaching a maximum altitude of 42,000 m (138,000 ft) during the manoeuvre. [ [http://www.testpilot.ru/russia/tsybin/r020/r020_e.htm Tsybin R-020] "www.testpilot.ru". Retrieved 28 February 2008.] More conventional Tumansky R-11 turbojets (the engine used in the MiG-21 replaced the unavailable Soloviev turbofans. Five R-020 airframes were virtually complete, only awaiting engines by April 1961, with another 10 planned when Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev canceled the program.

pecifications (NM-1)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet

ref= "The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 - 1995" Gunston 1995, p.378]

crew= One
capacity=
length main= 26.57 m
length alt= 87 ft 3¼ in
span main= 10.48 m
span alt= 34 ft 4⅝ in
height main=
height alt=
area main= 64 m² [http://www.testpilot.ru/russia/tsybin/nm/nm1_e.htm Tsybin NM-1] "www.testpilot.ru". Retrieved 28 February 2008.]
area alt= 689 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 6,355 kg
empty weight alt= 14,010 lb
loaded weight main= 9,000 kg
loaded weight alt= 19,800 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (jet)=Mikulin AM-5
type of jet=turbojet
number of jets=2
thrust main= 49kN
thrust alt= 4,410 lbf
thrust original= 2,000 kgf

max speed main= 500 km/h
max speed alt= 324 knots, 373 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=