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Ilyushin MSh AM-38

11.1k AircraftoftheRedStar  6.0 years ago

I have been really busy the past couple of days, so this one is a little later than planned. The wing shape was also very hard to get right.

AG-1 - 20mm ShVAK cannons
AG-2 - 37mm ShFK-37 cannon
AG-3 - .30 cal ShKAS machine guns

History:
In May 1942, based on the results of the Il-2 range tests with SHFK-37 guns in the design bureau of S. V. Ilyushin, a draft design of a special anti-tank attack aircraft with an AM-38 engine (working designation MSh) was developed. It had a powerful cannon armament placed with to ensure a high firing accuracy in the air, near the axis of the aircraft. On July 22, the project was sent to the Chief Engineer of the Air Force A. K. Repin. In a cover letter to the project, S. V. Ilyushin wrote, "In the draft experimental design plan for 1942 came in my proposed twin-engine armored attack aircraft. Taking into account the current situation and the difficulties of implementing this type of aircraft, the proposal for which I shoot, I represent the single-engine development of IL-2..." The Mikulin AM-38 was placed approximately at the center of gravity of the machine. The transfer of 1,600 horsepower to the propeller was carried out using an elongated shaft, which was held under the armored floor of the pilot's cabin. The air intake of the motor was located in the upper part of the fuselage. The cabin was pushed forward, which provided the pilot with an excellent front-to-bottom view up to 24°. Under the pilot's cabin was a compartment for machine gun and cannon armament. The fuel tank and the oil tank were located between the pilot's cabin and the motor in the upper part of the fuselage. Water and oil coolers of the cooling system and motor lubrication were installed in the ventral part of the center wing. Their cooling was carried out by external air, conducted along curved channels from the air intakes in the wing tips at the right and left sides of the fuselage. Bombs, as well as on the Il-2, were located inside the wing center section in bomb compartments. The main wheels of the landing gear retracted back into the wing center section with the wheels turning around the axis by 90° during the retraction process. This scheme of gear retraction was later realized on the Il-10. The tail wheel was also retractable. According to the first version of the weapon, a 37mm ShFK-37 cannon with 40 rounds, two synchronized 20mm ShVAK cannons with 200 rounds per gun and two synchronized ShKAS machine guns with a total ammunition of 1500 rounds were placed in the nose of the aircraft. In addition to bombs and guns, the aircraft had provision for eight RS-82 rockets.

MSh AM-38 drawing

Detailed inboard profile of MSh AM-38

General Characteristics

  • Created On iOS
  • Wingspan 57.6ft (17.5m)
  • Length 40.1ft (12.2m)
  • Height 13.8ft (4.2m)
  • Empty Weight 6,303lbs (2,859kg)
  • Loaded Weight 12,504lbs (5,671kg)

Performance

  • Horse Power/Weight Ratio 0.079
  • Wing Loading 25.4lbs/ft2 (124.1kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 491.8ft2 (45.7m2)
  • Drag Points 2027

Parts

  • Number of Parts 93
  • Control Surfaces 9
  • Performance Cost 453