For many years, Soviet citizens stubbornly incited the idea of \u200b\u200bthe technical backwardness of tsarist Russia. Against the background of the number of gas stoves in Cheryomushki near Moscow, as of 1913, one could clearly demonstrate the successes of the Soviet regime. However, our country was not so “bast" before the October coup.

1913 Air Giant

In 1913, the Russian engineer I.I. Sikorsky built the largest aircraft in the world. It was called the “Russian Knight” and at that time had an impressive size: the wingspan exceeded 30 meters, the fuselage was 22 m long. Cruising speed was originally 100 km / h, but after the completion and installation of more powerful engines, and there were four of them, it reached 135 km / h, which indicates a margin of safety of the structure. The novelty of domestic aircraft construction was honored by the presence of the Russian Emperor Nikolai II, who not only examined the aircraft, but also expressed a desire to visit the pilot's cabin.

Passenger transportation

On the same day, the talented designer and brave pilot Sikorsky, taking seven volunteers on board, set a world record for the duration of the flight, having stayed in the air for about five hours. Thus, the Russian Knight, later renamed Ilya Muromets, is the largest passenger aircraft as of the period from 1913 to 1919. For the first time, comfortable conditions were provided for transported people. The cabin, separated from the pilot's seats, was equipped with berths, inside there was a toilet and even a bathroom. And today, such ideas about the comforts of flight do not seem naive and outdated. The largest aircraft in the world was built at the Russo-Balt plant and was the pride of Russian industry.

The world's first strategic bomber

The ability to carry more than eight hundred kilograms of payload is a technical indicator that determined the fate of an airplane after the outbreak of the First World War. He became a strategic bomber. Ilya Muromets is the first aircraft in the world capable of undermining the economic infrastructure of hostile countries. The creation of an air squadron of bombers gave rise to the whole of Russian long-range aviation, which today is the guarantor of the sovereignty of our homeland. In addition, the practical ceiling that was high at that time made the largest aircraft invulnerable to anti-aircraft artillery, not to mention conventional small arms, and, therefore, an airplane could safely conduct air reconnaissance. The aircraft in flight showed rare stability and survivability, pilots and technicians could walk on planes, and a multi-engine scheme even made it possible to eliminate malfunctions arising in engines that were then very unreliable. By the way, they were imported, Argus firms.

Giant station wagon

The largest aircraft in the world had a design that created the conditions for multi-purpose use, which is especially valuable for military equipment. The installation of a gun on it turned the Muromets into an air artillery battery capable of effectively fighting Zeppelins over long distances. After completion and modification, it turned into a hydroplane and could land or take off from the water surface.

Our glory

One hundred years ago, the largest aircraft in the world was built in Russia. Today, of course, it seems archaic. Just do not laugh at him - it was then that the unfading glory of the air fleet of our homeland arose.

Ilya Muromets (S-22 “Ilya Muromets”) is the common name for several series of four-engine solid-wood biplanes produced in the Russian Empire at the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works during 1914-1919. On the plane, a number of records were set for cargo capacity, number of passengers, time and maximum flight height. It is the first serial multi-engine bomber in history.

Development and first copies

The aircraft was developed by the aviation department of the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works in St. Petersburg under the direction of I. I. Sikorsky. The technical staff of the department was constituted by such designers as K. K. Ergant, M. F. Klimikseev, A. A. Serebryannikov, V. S. Panasyuk, Prince A. S. Kudashev, G. P. Adler, etc. “Ilya Muromets” appeared as a result of further development of the “Russian Knight” design, during which it turned out to be almost completely redesigned, only the general layout of the aircraft was left without significant changes. and its wing box with four engines mounted in a row on the lower wing, the fuselage was fundamentally new. As a result, with the same four engines produced by Argus in 100 liters. from. the new aircraft had twice the mass of the load and the maximum flight altitude.

In 1915, at the Russo-Balt plant in Riga, engineer Kireev designed the R-BVZ aircraft engine. The engine was a six-cylinder, two-stroke, water-cooled. Car-type radiators were located on its sides. R-BVZ was installed on some modifications of "Ilya Muromets."

Ilya Muromets became the first passenger aircraft in the world. For the first time in aviation history, it was equipped with a comfortable cabin separate from the cabin, bedrooms and even a bathroom with a toilet. The Muromets had heating (engine exhaust) and electric lighting. On the sides were the exits on the lower wing console. The outbreak of World War I and the Civil War in Russia prevented the further development of domestic civil aviation.

The construction of the first car was completed in October 1913. After tests, demonstration flights were made on it and several records were set, in particular, the capacity record: on December 12, 1913, 1,100 kg (the previous record on the Sommer plane was 653 kg), on February 12, 1914, 16 people and a dog were lifted into the air, with a total weight of 1290 kg The plane was piloted by I. I. Sikorsky himself.

The second plane ( IM-B Kiev) On June 4, smaller and with more powerful engines, it raised 10 passengers to a record height of 2000 meters, set a flight duration record on June 5 (6 hours 33 minutes 10 seconds), and made a Petersburg-Kiev flight with one landing June 17 . In honor of this event, the series was called Kiev. B - 3 more aircraft with the name “Kiev” were produced (one of the G-1 series, the other of the G-2, see below).

Aircraft such as the first and Kiev were called series B. In total, 7 copies were produced.

Use during World War I

  By the beginning of the war (August 1, 1914) 4 "Ilya of Muromets" were already built. By September 1914, they were transferred to the Imperial Air Force.

During the war, the production of aircraft began series B, the most massive (30 units released). They differed from the B series in their smaller size and higher speed. The crew consisted of 4 people, some modifications had two engines. Used bombs weighing about 80 kg, less often up to 240 kg. In the fall, the bombing experience of the world's largest, at that time, 410-kilogram bomb was made.

In 1915, production began g series  with a crew of 7 people G-1, in 1916 - G-2  with a shooting cabin, G-3, in 1917 - G-4. In the years 1915-1916 produced three cars d series (DIM). Aircraft production continued until 1918. Aircraft G-2, on one of which (the third in a row with the name “Kievsky”) reached an altitude of 5200 m (at that time - a world record), they were used in the Civil War.

From the combat report:

... In flight (July 5, 1915) at an altitude of about 3200-3500 m, the plane under the command of Lieutenant Bashko was attacked by three German aircraft. The first of them was seen in the lower hatch, and it was 50 meters below our car. Our plane at the same time was over Shebrin, about 40 miles from the front-line position under the command of Lieutenant Smirnov. Lieutenant Smirnov was immediately replaced by Lieutenant Bashko. The German car, possessing greater speed and a large power reserve, quickly overtook our plane and turned out to be 50 meters higher on the right side in front, opening machine-gun fire on our aircraft. At that time, the work of the crew members in the cab of our car was distributed as follows: Lieutenant Smirnov was near the commander, staff captain Naumov opened fire from a machine gun and co-pilot Lavrov from a carbine. During the first enemy attack with machine-gun fire from the enemy machine, both upper tanks with gasoline, a filter of the right engine group, a radiator of the 2nd engine were broken, both gas pipes of the left engine group were broken, the glass of the right front windows was broken and the commander of the aircraft was injured in the head and leg Bashko. Since the gas pipelines to the left engines were broken, immediately the left fenders from the gas tanks were closed and the gas pump of the left tank was turned off. Further, the flight of our car was on two right engines.

The German plane after crossing the road for the first time, tried to attack us again on the left side, but it was met by machine gun and rifle fire from our plane, turned sharply to the right and with a huge tilt went down towards Zamost. After the attack was repelled, Lieutenant Smirnov replaced Lieutenant Bashko, who was ligated with the second pilot Lavrov. After the bandaging, Lieutenant Bashko again began to fly the plane, Lieutenant Smirnov and the second pilot Lavrov took turns by hand covering the openings of the filter of the right group and took all possible measures to preserve the remaining gasoline in the tanks to continue the flight. When the attack of the first enemy aircraft was repelled, a fully loaded cartridge of 25 was fired from the machine gun, only 15 were fired from the second cartridge, then the cartridge jammed inside the store and further firing from it was completely impossible.

Following the first plane, the next German car immediately appeared, which flew only once above us on the left and fired a machine gun at our plane, and the oil tank of the second engine was pierced. Lieutenant Smirnov opened fire on this aircraft from a carbine, the co-pilot Lavrov was in the front compartment of the cabin near the filter, and staff captain Naumov was repairing a machine gun. Since the machine gun was completely out of order, Lieutenant Smirnov handed the carbine to Naumov, and he replaced the second pilot Lavrov, taking measures to preserve gasoline, since Lavrov had both hands numb from a lot of tension. The second German plane no longer attacked us.

At the front line, our machine was fired from a machine gun by the third German aircraft, marching at a great distance to the left and above us. At the same time, artillery shot at us. The altitude at that time was about 1400-1500 m. When approaching Holm, right-hand engines stopped at an altitude of 700 m, because the entire supply of gasoline came out, so I had to make an emergency descent. The latter was made 4-5 versts from the town of Holma near the village of Gorodishche, near the airfield of the 24th aviation regiment in a swampy meadow. At the same time, the chassis wheels got bogged down to the racks and were broken: the left half of the chassis, 2 racks, the screw of the second engine, several gear levers and slightly cracked the right rear lower spar of the middle compartment. When inspecting the aircraft after landing, in addition to the above, the following machine-gun damage was found: the screw of the 3rd engine was broken in two places, the iron strut of the same engine was broken, the tire was broken, the rotor of the second engine was damaged, the cargo frame of the same engine was broken, the rear rack was broken the first engine, the front strut of the second engine and several holes in the surface of the aircraft. The descent was made personally by the aircraft commander, Lieutenant Bashko, despite his injuries.

• On September 12 (25), during a raid on the headquarters of the 89th Army in the village of Antonovo and Boruny station, a plane (ship XVIth) of Lieutenant D. D. Maksheev was shot down.

Two more Muromets were shot down by anti-aircraft battery fire:

• 11/2/1915 a plane was shot down by the staff captain Ozersky, the ship crashed
• 04/13/1916 the aircraft of Lieutenant Konstenchik came under fire, the ship managed to reach the airfield, but because of the damage it received, could not be restored.

In April 1916, 7 German airplanes bombed an airfield in Segevold, resulting in damage to 4 Muromets.

But the most common cause of losses was technical malfunctions and various accidents - because of this, about two dozen cars were lost. IM-B Kiev made about 30 sorties, later it was used as a training one.

Use after the October Revolution

  In 1918 not a single combat mission of the Muromites was committed. Only in August - September 1919, Soviet Russia was able to use two cars in the Orel region.

Was used

Reflection of the plane "Muromets" in art

• “While the Dream is Crazy” - film - musical comedy by Yuri Gorkovenko, 1978
• “A Poem about Wings” - a film by Daniil Khrabrovitsky about the life and work of aircraft designers A. N. Tupolev and I. I. Sikorsky, 1979
• The Flying Elephant (movie novel from the series “Death at Brudershaft”)  - Boris Akunin, 2008

see also

• Alekhnovich, Gleb Vasilievich - worked as a test pilot at the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works in St. Petersburg, tested the Ilya Muromets plane.
• Spirin Ivan Timofeevich - pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union. He worked as an aerologist at the 2nd combat detachment of the heavy ship squadron Ilya Muromets, then head of the technical unit of the aviation detachment.
• Russian hero Ilya Muromets

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Notes

Literature

1. : ,
3. Katyshev G.I., Mikheev V.R.  Wings of Sikorsky. - M.: Military Publishing House, 1992 .-- ISBN 5-203-01468-8.
4. Khayrulin M.A.  "Ilya Muromets". Pride of Russian aviation. - M.: Collection; Yauza; EKSMO, 2010 .-- 144 p. - (The war and us. Aviation collection). - ISBN 9785699424245.

References

Excerpt characterizing Ilya Muromets (airplane)

In an unfinished house on Varvarka, below which was a drinking house, drunken cries and songs were heard. On the benches by the tables in a small dirty room there were about ten factory workers. All of them, drunk, sweaty, with muddy eyes, straining and wide-open mouths, sang some sort of song. They sang apart, with difficulty, with effort, obviously not for what they wanted to sing, but only to prove that they were drunk and walking. One of them, a tall blond fellow in a clean blue cocktail, stood above them. His face with a thin straight nose would be beautiful, if not for thin, pursed, constantly moving lips and muddy and frowning, motionless eyes. He stood over those who sang, and, apparently imagining something to himself, solemnly and angularly waved a white hand rolled up over their heads, whose dirty fingers he unnaturally tried to spread. The sleeve of his chuyka was constantly descending, and the small one diligently with his left hand rolled it up again, as if something was especially important in that this white sinewy waving hand was certainly naked. In the middle of the song, in the hallway and on the porch, screams of fights and blows were heard. The tall fellow waved his hand.
  - Sabbat! He shouted imperiously. - Fight guys! - And he, without ceasing to roll up his sleeve, went out onto the porch.
  Factory went after him. The factories, who drank in a tavern this morning under the leadership of a tall minor, brought the tselovnik skin from the factory, and for this they were given wine. The blacksmiths from the neighboring smithy, having heard the gulba in the tavern and believing that the tavern was broken, wanted to break into it by force. A fight broke out on the porch.
  The tselnik at the door fought with the blacksmith, and while the factory went out, the blacksmith broke away from the tselnik and fell face down on the pavement.
  Another blacksmith burst at the door, breasts leaning against the kisser.
  The small man with his rolled up sleeve still hit the blacksmith tearing at the door and screamed wildly:
  - Guys! our beat!
  At this time, the first blacksmith rose from the ground and, scratching the blood on his broken face, cried out in a crying voice:
  - The guard! Killed! .. A man was killed! Brothers! ..
  - Oh, priests, they killed to death, they killed a man! Squealed a woman who came out of the neighboring gate. A crowd of people gathered around the bloodied blacksmith.
  “Not only did you rob people, take off your shirts,” someone's voice said, addressing the tselovnik, “why did you kill a man?” Rogue!
  The tall fellow, standing on the porch, with muddy eyes led either to the kisser, or to the blacksmiths, as if wondering who should now be fought.
- The murderer! - Suddenly he shouted at the kisser. - Knit it guys!
  - Well, he tied one such thing! - the Tselovnik shouted, dismissing the people who attacked him, and, tearing off his hat, he threw it to the ground. As if this action had some mysterious threatening significance, the factory ones, which surrounded the kisser, stopped in indecision.
  - The order that I, brother, I know very well. I'll get to the private. Do you think I won’t reach? They’re not telling anyone to rob anyone! Shouted the Tselovnik, raising his hat.
  - And let's go, you go! And let's go ... you are! - repeated one after another the tselnik and the tall fellow, and both together moved forward along the street. A bloody blacksmith walked beside them. Factory and strangers followed them with a scream and a scream.
  At the corner of Maroseyka, against a large house with locked shutters, on which was a sign of a shoemaker, stood with sad faces about twenty shoemakers, thin, weary people in dressing gowns and ragged chuikas.
  - He will disappoint the people properly! Said the thin artisan with a fluid beard and frowning eyebrows. “Well, then, he sucked our blood - and even even.” He drove us, drove us - all week. And now he brought it to the last end, and he left.
  Seeing the people and the bloodied man, the artisan who spoke was silent, and all the shoemakers with hasty curiosity joined the moving crowd.
  - Where are the people going then?
  - It is known where, to the heads goes.
  “Well, hasn't our power really taken it?”
  - And you thought how! Look at what the people say.
  Questions and answers were heard. The tselnik, taking advantage of the increase in the crowd, lagged behind the people and returned to his tavern.
  The tall fellow, not noticing the disappearance of his kisser enemy, waving his bare hand, did not stop talking, drawing general attention to himself. It was mostly the people who pressed on him, intending to obtain permission from him for those who occupied all issues.
  - He show the order, show the law, put on that bosses! Am I saying Orthodox? Said the tall fellow, smiling a little noticeably.
  - He thinks, and no bosses? Is it possible without superiors? And then rob it is not enough of them.
  - What empty talk! - responded to the crowd. “Well, they will leave Moscow then!” They told you to laugh, but you believed. How many of our troops are coming. So they let him in! To that superiors. Look here, that the people are playing, - they said, pointing to the high small.
  Near the wall of the city of China, another small group of people surrounded a man in a frieze overcoat holding paper in his hands.
- Decree, read the decree! The decree is being read! - was heard in the crowd, and the people rushed to the reader.
  A man in a frieze overcoat was reading a poster on August 31st. When the crowd surrounded him, he seemed to be embarrassed, but to the demand of a tall fellow who had pressed himself before him, he began to read the poster first with a slight trembling in his voice.
  “I will go early tomorrow to the High Prince,” he read (brightening! - solemnly, smiling with his mouth and frowning eyebrows, repeated the tall fellow), “in order to talk with him, act and help the troops exterminate the villains; we will become the spirit of them ... ”the reader went on and stopped (“ Seen? ”shouted triumphantly the guy.“ He will untie you the whole distance ... ”) ... - to eradicate these guests to hell; I’ll come back to dinner, and get down to business, we’ll do it, we’ll finish it and we will finish the villains. ”
  The last words were read by the reader in perfect silence. The tall fellow lowered his head sadly. Obviously, no one understood these last words. In particular, the words: “I will come tomorrow for dinner”, apparently, even upset the reader and listeners. The understanding of the people was tuned in a high fashion, and this was too simple and unnecessarily clear; it was the same thing that each of them could say and that therefore could not speak a decree emanating from the highest authority.
  Everyone stood in dismal silence. The tall fellow drove his lips and staggered.
  “He would have to ask! .. That’s it himself? .. Well, I asked him! .. Well then ... He’ll indicate ...” - suddenly I heard in the back rows of the crowd, and the general attention was paid to the police master’s drove to the square accompanied by two horse dragoons.
  The police officer, who was driving this morning on the count’s order to burn the barges, and, on the occasion of this order, bailing out a large sum of money, who was in his pocket at that moment, seeing a crowd of people moving towards him, ordered the coachman to stop.
  - What kind of people? He shouted at people scattered and timidly approaching the trembling. - What kind of people? I'm asking you? - repeated the police master, who did not receive an answer.
  “They, your nobleness,” said the clerk in a frieze overcoat, “they, your highness, according to the announcement of the most exquisite count, not sparing their stomachs, wanted to serve, and not that some kind of rebellion, as said from the most exquisite count ...
  “The count has not left, he is here, and there will be an order about you,” said the police chief. - Let's go! He said to the coachman. The crowd stopped, crowding around those who heard what the authorities said, and looking at the dropping shakes.
At that time, the police officer looked around in dismay, said something to the coachman, and his horses rode faster.
  - Cheating, guys! Lead to yourself! - shouted the voice of the high small. - Don’t let go guys! Let’s report! Hold on! - the voices shouted, and the people ran for a shiver.
  The crowd after the police master with a noisy clang went to Lubyanka.
  “Well, gentlemen, yes, the merchants went up, and we disappear for that?” Well, we are dogs, eh! - heard more often in the crowd.

On the evening of September 1, after his meeting with Kutuzov, Count Rastopchin, upset and insulted that he was not invited to the military council, that Kutuzov did not pay any attention to his proposal to take part in the defense of the capital, and was surprised at the new look that opened to him in the camp , in which the question of the calmness of the capital and its patriotic mood turned out to be not only secondary, but completely unnecessary and insignificant, - distressed, offended and surprised by all this, Count Rastopchin returned to Moscow. After dinner, the count, without undressing, lay down on a canapé and in the first hour was awakened by a courier who brought him a letter from Kutuzov. The letter said that since the troops were retreating to the Ryazan road outside Moscow, would it be nice for the count to send police officials to conduct troops through the city. This news was not news for Rastopchin. Not only from yesterday’s meeting with Kutuzov on Poklonnaya Hill, but also from the battle of Borodino, when all the generals who came to Moscow unanimously said that it was impossible to give another battle, and when the count’s property was taken out every night and the inhabitants were half have gone, - Count Rastopchin knew that Moscow would be abandoned; nevertheless, this news, reported in the form of a simple note with an order from Kutuzov and received at night, during the first dream, surprised and annoyed the count.
Subsequently, explaining his activities during this time, Count Rastopchin several times wrote in his notes that he then had two important goals: De maintenir la tranquillite a Moscou et d "en faire partir les habitants. [Keep calm in Moscow and carry out it’s inhabitants.] If this double purpose is admitted, all the actions of Rastopchin turn out to be impeccable. Why didn’t the Moscow shrine, weapons, ammunition, gunpowder, stocks of bread be removed, why are thousands of residents deceived that Moscow will not be surrendered and ruined? ” to keep calm in the capital, answers Count Rastopchin’s explanation: Why were piles of unnecessary papers taken from public places and Leppich’s ball and other items taken out? ”“ To leave the city empty, Count Rastopchin’s explanation is answered. One has only to admit that something threatened public peace, and any action becomes justified .
  All the horrors of terror were based only on concern for public peace.
  What was the basis of Count Rastopchin’s fear of public peace in Moscow in 1812 based on? What was the reason for the outrage in the city? Residents left, the troops, retreating, filled Moscow. Why was the people supposed to rebel as a result?
  Not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia, when the enemy entered, nothing like resentment happened. On September 1 and 2, more than ten thousand people remained in Moscow, and, apart from the crowd gathered in the courtyard of the commander in chief and attracted by himself, there was nothing. Obviously, even less had to expect unrest among the people if, after the Battle of Borodino, when the abandonment of Moscow became obvious, or, at least, probably, if instead of worrying people with distributing weapons and posters, Rastopchin took measures to the removal of all the shrine, gunpowder, charges and money, and would have directly announced to the people that the city was leaving.
Rastopchin, an ardent, sanguine person who always revolved in the highest circles of administration, although with a patriotic feeling, did not have the slightest idea about the people whom he thought to govern. From the very beginning of the enemy’s entry into Smolensk, Rastopchin in his imagination made up for himself the role of the leader of the popular feeling - the heart of Russia. It not only seemed to him (as it seems to every administrator) that he controlled the external actions of the inhabitants of Moscow, but it seemed to him that he controlled their mood through his appeals and posters, written in that yernik language, which in its midst despises the people and which it does not understands when he hears it from above. Rastopchin liked the beautiful role of the leader of the popular feeling so much, he became so entranced with it that the need to leave this role, the need to leave Moscow without any heroic effect took him by surprise, and he suddenly lost the ground on which he stood, decidedly did not know what should he do. Although he knew, he did not believe wholeheartedly until the last minute in the abandonment of Moscow and did nothing to this end. Residents traveled against his will. If public places were taken out, then only at the request of officials, with whom the count reluctantly agreed. He himself was occupied only with the role that he had done for himself. As often happens with people gifted with an ardent imagination, he knew for a long time that Moscow would be left, but he knew only by reasoning, but with all his heart he did not believe in it, was not transferred by imagination to this new position.
  All his activity, diligent and energetic (how much it was useful and reflected on the people is another question), all his activity was aimed only at arousing in the inhabitants the feeling that he himself experienced - patriotic hatred of the French and confidence in itself.
  But when the event took its present, historical dimensions, when it was not enough to only express its hatred of the French with words, when it was impossible even to battle to express this hatred, when self-confidence turned out to be useless in relation to one issue of Moscow, when the whole population, as one person abandoning his possessions, flowed out of Moscow, showing with this negative action the whole strength of his popular feeling - then the role chosen by Rastopchin suddenly turned out to be meaningless. Suddenly he felt lonely, weak and funny, without soil under his feet.
Having received, awakened from sleep, a cold and imperative note from Kutuzov, Rastopchin felt all the more annoyed the more he felt guilty. In Moscow, all that was exactly what was entrusted to him remained, all that was official that he had to take out. It was not possible to take everything out.
  “Who is to blame for this, who allowed this? He thought. “Of course not me.” Everything was ready for me, I kept Moscow like that! And that's what they brought the matter to! Bastards, traitors! ”He thought, not identifying well who these bastards and traitors were, but feeling the need to hate these traitors who were to blame for the false and ridiculous situation in which he was.
  All this night, Count Rastopchin gave orders, for which came from all sides of Moscow to him. The close ones never saw the count so gloomy and annoyed.
  “Your Excellency, they came from the patrimonial department, from the director for orders ... From the consistory, from the Senate, from the university, from the educational house, the vicar sent ... he asks ... How do you order the fire brigade? The ranger from the prison ... the ranger from the yellow house ... ”- they reported to the count all night, without stopping.
  The count gave short and angry answers to all these questions, showing that his orders were no longer needed, that all the carefully prepared business he had now spoiled by someone, and that this someone would bear all responsibility for everything that would happen now.
  “Well, tell this nerd,” he answered a request from the patrimony department, “so that he would remain on guard of his papers.” Well, what are you asking nonsense about the fire brigade? There are horses - let them go to Vladimir. Do not leave the French.
  “Your Excellency, the warden came from the insane asylum, how do you order?”
  “How do I command?” Let everyone go, that's all ... And let the crazy people out in the city. When we have crazy army commanders, so God ordered.

The first multi-engine heavy bomber was created by the great Russian aircraft designer I.I.Sikorsky in 1913. The device, called "Ilya Muromets", appeared on the basis of the previous development of Sikorsky - the world's first four-engine aircraft "Grand Baltic", or "Russian Knight", but it was a larger aircraft with a larger wing and four engines mounted in a row on the lower wing. The new device had flight data that significantly exceeded its predecessor. He had a number of significant improvements and was originally intended for military use. The design of the aircraft for several years ahead of its time, was revolutionary and became a model for all subsequent machines of this class. For the first time, the fuselage had a closed, comfortably equipped cockpit.
  This plane got its name in accordance with the patriotic moods prevailing in Russian society, after the name of the epic hero Ilya Muromets. Subsequently, this designation became common to all its varieties, with the addition of capital letters corresponding to a certain type (series).
  The rectangular fuselage of the wooden truss, the nose is sheathed with 3 mm plywood, and the tail is covered with canvas. The fuselage spars were made of ash timber with a cross section of 50 x 50 mm in the bow and 35 x 35 mm at the tail. The pieces of the spar were connected to the mustache with a braid on the carpentry glue. Racks and braces were made of pine, and braces were made of piano wire (double). The cab floor was made of plywood 10 mm thick. The inner lining of the cabin was also made of plywood. On the left side, behind the edge of the wings, sometimes on both sides, an entrance sliding door was located.
  The front of the fuselage was a spacious, enclosed cockpit: width 1.6 m, height from 2 m to 2.5 m, length 8.5 m. The total volume of the cockpit of about 30 m3 allowed for free internal movement of the crew, without any difficulty placing defensive weapons and bomb cargo. The frontal part of the cabin, originally curved, was glued out of veneer, and later became multifaceted, with an ever-increasing glazing area. Single control, using the helm, with the placement in the center of the cabin. It was believed that in the event of a wound, another crew member would take the pilot’s place - this was exactly what happened in combat conditions.
The wings of the aircraft are two-spar, significantly larger area compared to (in the first instance, the wing area was 182 m2), the transverse profile is thin, of significant curvature, the ailerons are only on the upper wing. The wing was split in scope and consisted of parts connected by bolts. The upper wing usually consisted of 7 parts: a center section, two intermediate elements on each half-span and two consoles. The lower wing consisted of four parts. The span, chord, and wing area varied from type to type, although structurally they remained the same.
  The box section spar was made of pine and plywood and had a section of 100 x 50 mm. The thickness of the shelves is from 14 to 20 mm, the thickness of the plywood walls is 5 mm. Spars gathered on glue and screws. On the wings of the larger chord, a third spar was sometimes placed in front of the ailerons. Ribs were made of pine slats 6 x 20 mm and 5 mm plywood. Holes were made in the plywood walls to reduce weight. The ribs step is 0.3 m. The covering is bilateral, was carried out by a cloth, which was covered with dope. The fenders, like many other fasteners, are made of mild steel, sometimes welded - sometimes in the form of flat overlays - in any case of a simple rational design.
  The wing posts are wooden, drop-shaped, sections 120 x 40 mm along the entire length and 90 x 30 at the ends with a smooth transition. The racks were hollow inside. The end struts of the wing had the same section, but a greater length. Braces were made of piano wire with a diameter of 3-3.5 mm and were paired. A 30 mm thick wooden rail was inserted between the two wires, and the whole structure was wrapped with braid, which significantly reduced the resistance of the structure. Secondary stretch marks were single, and the most loaded ones were made triple.
  The horizontal plumage had a bearing profile and a rather large area (up to 30% of the wing area). The two-spar stabilizer had a design similar to a wing, but was thinner. Attached with braces to the “boar” and struts to the fuselage. Braces are single. The all-turning steering rudders were originally three: the middle main and two small lateral ones. With the advent of the machine gun tail, two spaced rudders with axial compensation were mounted, and the middle rudder was discontinued. The design of the steering surfaces is wooden, with a close-fitting canvas.
The chassis was installed under the internal engines and consisted of V-shaped struts, runners and braces. In the spans they were mounted in pairs on short axles with rubber cord cushioning. In the absence of wheels of sufficient size, wheels with a diameter of 670 mm were used, pairwise assembled (and lined with leather) in four-wheeled carts to get a wide rim that allows you to land and take off from fairly loose soil. Crutch - ash timber with a cross-section up to 80 x 100 mm and a length of more than 1.5 m. The wing had an installation angle of 8–9 ·, and the plumage - 5–6 ·, this was caused by the almost horizontal position of the machine in the parking lot (to ensure the necessary take-off characteristics). The engines were mounted on wooden struts and struts above the lower wing and were very diverse, but all were mostly liquid cooled.
  Engines without fairings, for their maintenance and repair on the lower wing, reinforcement was made in the form of a plywood track with wire railing. In practice, at a fairly low flight speed, within 100 km / h, this device really made it possible to correct the engine in flight and thereby save the plane.
  The gas tanks are brass, at first cigar-shaped, and on the last machines - flat, located mainly above the fuselage, sometimes above the engines or above the upper wing. The control of the machine is cable, from the helm and pedals. The armament was very diverse both in quantity and in places of installation, and intensified from type to type. In general, we can say that the design was simple, reliable and expedient, and the working conditions of the crew could be called comfortable. The placement of the crew has become a classic for most heavy bombers to this day. In the bow there is a shooter-gunner, followed by a pilot (or pilots), and after him - a navigator (flight engineer) and gunners onboard weapons.
  Standard bomber weapons consisted of 150 - 250 kg of bombs placed inside the fuselage on the starboard side in special cartridges. The maximum bomb load was estimated at 80 pounds (480 kg) and even more.
In 1914, for the alleged fights with the German, she tested\u003e the installation of artillery weapons on a special gun platform located in the landing gear area, under the front of the fuselage. Tests of the 37-mm Hotchkiss cannon and the recoilless gun of Colonel Delvig (had two barrels, a charge was sent forward, and a balancing recoil force of a blank flew back) did not bring satisfaction. Low rate of fire, the presence of additional artillery crew, promised unnecessary trouble with unconvincing combat advantages. Therefore, during the combat use of the guns were not used.
  Standard defensive weapons at first included: two machine guns, two machine guns and two pistols. Arrows were placed on the sides of the fuselage, in its upper central part and in the space between the upper wings. In the later series, when the number of airborne machine guns reached 6-8, the gunners mastered the front hemisphere from the cockpit, the ventral space and the tail in the tail area. In this version, c ensured almost complete circular firing of onboard machine guns.

The first prototype, No. 107.
  The first one built at RBVZ, which received factory number 107, was laid in August 1913, and already on December 10, 1913 it first took off. No. 107 was distinguished by the presence of an additional middle wing in the space between the main wings and the tail. Under this middle wing was an additional chassis in the form of a farm equipped with runners. The tests did not reveal the need to install an additional wing, so it was immediately dismantled. As a rudimentary reminder of this wing in the central part of the fuselage, there was a platform with a railing, which could be accessed in flight.
  The power plant of the aircraft consisted of 4 inline engines of 100 hp. with pulling propellers.
  Experienced at the beginning of 1914 made a number of successful flights, among which there were record achievements of carrying capacity. February 12, 1914 No. 107, ruled by I.I. Sikorsky, lifted 16 people into the air - the weight of the lifted cargo amounted to 1290 kg.
  The flights showed that the continuation of horizontal flight is possible even when two engines are stopped. During the flight, people could walk along the wing without disturbing their alignment. In winter, the plane flew with ski landing gear. Engines - four "Argus" of 100 liters. from..
Successful trials and record achievements impressed the Main Military Technical Directorate, which on May 12, 1914 signed a contract with RBVZ for the supply of 10 type aircraft for military aviation.

In the future, "Ilya Muromets" was mass-produced in many versions until 1919. The machine is constantly upgrading and improving, although a constant problem was the lack of engines with the necessary power. In total, according to various sources, from 79 to 83 units were built.

The first "Murom" arrived on the Russian-German front in the autumn of 1914. At first, the plane was chased by failures: breakdowns, accidents, fire damage from its own anti-aircraft artillery. Nevertheless, the pilots remained confident in the prospects of the flying giant.
  In December, the so-called Aircraft Squadron (EVK) was created - the world's first combat unit of heavy multi-engine aircraft. According to the state, the Squadron included 12 "Murom": 10 combat and 2 training. This unit successfully conquered until the fall of 1917.
  Ilya Muromets airplanes were used as long-range reconnaissance aircraft, less often bombers. They were equipped with powerful defensive weapons, with almost a circular firing sector, and could fly without fighter escort. The cabin was equipped with control and navigation devices, bomber sights, and a radio station could also be installed. Aircraft became role models for designers of other countries, but were not completely copied by anyone. The plane was difficult to fly, slow and manoeuvrable. By the middle of the war, its characteristics no longer corresponded to increased requirements and new foreign apparatuses. Many options for bomb load were at the level of single-engine bombers.
  In total, during the war, about 50 Muromites operated on the Russian-German front. Their crews made over 300 sorties for reconnaissance and bombing, dropping 48 tons of bombs. Only one "airship" was shot down in battle by German fighters, and the Muromtsev arrows managed to destroy at least three enemy vehicles.
  To the above, it must be added that the crew of the “Murom” did not always fly with a full set of machine guns. Often, instead of "trunks" and ammunition, an additional supply of bombs was taken.
After the October Revolution and the conclusion of the Brest Peace between Germany and Russia, the Squadron ceased to exist. Most of its aircraft went to the newly formed Ukrainian state, but due to poor storage conditions it quickly became worthless.

End of practical use
  The initial period of the Civil War, accompanied by anarchy, anarchy and the dissipation of military property, led to the fact that individual copies of the Muromites were in the hands of different owners: in the Red Army (Northern Group of Aircraft - SGVK), in the aviation of independent Ukraine, in aviation 1 Polish corps (one copy). At the same time, out of the 20 Ilya Muromets vehicles that were available in the Squadron at the beginning of 1918, not a single copy was properly used in the current situation. Almost all of these machines in a short time perished in a revolutionary mess.
  Only in 1919, after the manufacture of 13 different types of copies at the RBVZ, the Reds managed to start reconstructing the compound called DVK (Airborne Division). These devices were assembled from old factory facilities, therefore, they had separate structural elements from types G-1 and G-3. In total, with RBVZ in the period 1918 - 1920. the aircraft division received 20 Ilya Muromets aircraft. The DCK was initially based in Lipetsk, and later, from August - September 1919, in Sarapul.
  For the whole of 1919, the Muromets of the DCK made several combat flights on the Southern Front against the army of General Denikin and the cavalry of General Mamontov.
  In July 1920, the “Muromets” with red stars made two sorties against the Polish army in the Bobruisk area, and in August 1 several successful sorties on the South-Western Front against the troops of General Wrangel. These episodic attacks, due to the low reliability and dilapidation of the equipment used, primarily dangerous for the aircraft crews themselves, were the last combat episodes in the history of "Murom".
  In 1921, according to the decision of the Soviet government, the Moscow-Kharkov postal and passenger line was opened for the maintenance of which 6 pretty worn-out “IM” Airborne Division were allocated. During the summer period, before the line was closed on October 10, 1921, 76 flights were carried out, in which 60 passengers and more than 2 tons of cargo were transported.
In early 1922, due to the deterioration of aircraft and the lack of new arrivals, the Aircraft Division was disbanded, and the remaining property was transferred to create a flight school in the city of Serpukhov (School of Aerial Firing and Bombing - "Shooting"), In the period 1922 - 1923. pilot B.N. Kudrin made about 80 flights on the last flight copy of the IM No. 285 in the Serpukhov area.

Flight and technical specifications || No. 107
Span of the upper wing (m) || 32.0
Span of the lower wing (m) || 22.0
Length (m) || 22.0
Wing Area (m2) || 182.0 (210.0 - with the middle wing)
Empty weight (kg) || 3800
Flight weight (kg) || 5100
Flight speed (km / h) || 95
Ceiling (m) || 1500
Flight range (km) || 270
The total engine power || 400l.s. (4 x 100 h.p.)

V. Shavrov The history of aircraft designs in the USSR until 1938

The Ilya Muromets plane was a direct development of the Russian Knight, and only the general layout of the aircraft and its box of wings with four engines mounted on the lower wing remained without significant changes. The fuselage was fundamentally new: for the first time in world practice, it was made solid, solid without a protruding cockpit, tetrahedral cross-section, taller than human height, without truss reinforcements. The front of it was occupied by a cabin. "Ilya Muromets" was the prototype of all further military and civil aircraft, with the fuselage enclosing the cabin in a streamlined body.

A number of improvements in aircraft design allowed with the same four engines, the Argus 100 l. S., as in the "Russian Knight", to achieve significantly better results: twice the mass of the load and ceiling of the aircraft. The wing area of \u200b\u200bthe first Muromets (182 m2) was one and a half times the wing area of \u200b\u200bthe Vityaz, and the empty mass was only slightly larger. Cabin length 8.5 m, width 1.6 m., Height up to 2 m.

It is interesting that the designers did not immediately come to the final aircraft layout. Initially, the plane had between the box of wings and the plumage one more, middle, wing with boars for fastening its braces, and additional skids were made under the fuselage ("middle landing gear"). At first, even a whole biplane box was installed (as suggested by K. K. Ergant) and the first approaches were made in this form. However, the additional wings did not justify themselves, the carrying capacity did not increase from this, and they were removed.

From the removed middle wings, a platform with a railing remained on the fuselage, on which it was possible to stand in flight.

There was originally another feature in the layout of the aircraft. Given the military purpose of the Muromets and intending to use a 37-mm cannon and two machine guns for its armament, the designers put a “gun-machine gun platform” on the middle runners of the chassis, placing it in front of the nose of the fuselage, not a meter lower than it, almost near the ground in the parking lot . The shooter was supposed to crawl out onto the landing from the cockpit during the flight. The platform was fenced with a railing. Later (after the first series) it was abolished.

The layout of all the Muromites was generally the same - a six-post biplane with wings of very large scope and elongation (up to 14 - the upper wing). Four internal racks were paired together and engines were installed between their pairs, which stood completely open, without fairings. All engines were provided with access in flight, for which there was a plywood track with wire rails along the lower wing. There were many examples when this saved a plane from an emergency landing. On several planes, four engines were delivered in two tandems, and in several cases the training "Murom" had only two engines. The design of all "Murom" was also almost the same for all types and series. Its description is given here for the first time.

The wings were two-spar. The upper wingspan is from 24 to 34.5 m, the lower one is 17-27 m, respectively. The length of the chords is from 2.3 to 4.2 m. The total surface of the wings, depending on their size, is from 120 to 220 m2. Spars were placed on average 12 and 60% of the length of the chords. The profile thickness of the wings ranged from 6% of the chord in the narrower wings to 3.5% of the chord in the wider ones. The profile of the wings was built primitively. Their upper and lower contours were parallel from the toe to the rear spar and outlined in an arc of a circle. From the rear spar, the lower profile contour went approximately in a straight line to the trailing edge. The profile toe was outlined in a semicircle. The profile arrow was 1 / 22-1 / 24.

The side members were box-shaped. Their height was 100 mm (sometimes 90 mm), width 50 mm, plywood wall thickness 5 mm. The thickness of the shelves varied from 20 mm in the center section to 14 mm at the ends of the wings. The material of the shelves was originally imported Oregon pine and spruce, and later, ordinary pine. In the lower wing side members under the engines, the shelves were made of hickory wood. Spars were assembled on wood glue and brass screws. Sometimes a third was added to two spars - behind the rear, an aileron was attached to it. Crosses of braces were single, located on the same level, made of 3 mm piano wire with thunder.

The wing ribs were simple and reinforced - with thickened shelves and walls, and sometimes with double walls of 5 mm plywood, with very large elongated relief holes, shelves - from a 6x20 mm pine battens with a groove 2-3 mm deep, which included a rib the walls. The ribs were assembled on carpentry glue and nails. The spacing of ribs everywhere was 0.3 m. In general, the wing structure was light.

The sections of the struts of the box are wing-drop-shaped, 120x40 mm, with a decrease to the ends to 90x30 mm. On the latest types of "Muromets" these sizes were larger. Racks were made of pine, glued from two halves and were hollow. The thickness of the strut material after milling was 9 mm in the central struts (for engines) and 8 and 7 mm in the rest. Of the same section were the terminal struts of the upper wing.

The wing box braces were made of piano wire (3.5-3 mm) and almost all were paired - of two wires with a 20 mm wide rail inserted between them with a braid on adhesive. Thunder in all braces were placed at their lower ends. An adjacent pair of thunders was attached to the intermediate eye, which in turn was bolted to the cup assembly at the base of the uprights. Minor braces were single, but the most loaded were made and triple.

The wings were made split in scope. The upper one usually consisted of seven parts: a center section, two intermediate parts on each half-span and two consoles; the bottom consisted of four parts. The connector assemblies were box-shaped, welded, made of mild steel (s \u003d 40 kgf / mm2). Like all other components in the aircraft, they were of a very simple and expedient design. Many nodes represented the simplest flat overlays. Assembling units with wooden parts was carried out on bolts with an inch thread. The largest bolts were conical with a hex head, under which the diameter of the bolt was 12-14 mm, and at the end 8 mm.

The design of the fuselage was a brace with plain skin of the tail and with plywood (3 mm) skin of the bow. The frontal part of the cockpit was originally curved, glued from veneer, and in later Muromets it was multifaceted with a simultaneous increase in the glazing surface. Part of the glazing panels was opening. The fuselage midship in the latest types of “Muromets” reached 2.5 m in height and 1.8 m in width. Cabin volume reached 30 m3.

The fuselage frame consisted of four ash spars with a section of 50x50 mm in the front and middle parts (at the tail up to 35x35 mm). Docking of pieces of spars was done on a mustache on carpentry glue with braid. The transverse elements of the frame were made of pine, the braces were made of piano wire, everywhere double. The cabin was lined with plywood from the inside. The floor is made of plywood up to 10 mm thick. In the floor behind the pilot's seat was a large window with thick glass for sighting devices. On the left side (or both), there was an entrance sliding door behind the lower wing. In the later Muromets, the fuselage behind the wing box was detachable.

The horizontal plumage of “Muromtsev” was bearing and had a relatively large size - up to 30% of the wing area, which is rarely found in aircraft construction. The profile of the stabilizer with elevators was similar to the profile of the wings, but thinner. The stabilizer is two-spar, the spars are box-shaped, the rib spacing is 0.3 m, the rim is pine. The stabilizer was divided into independent halves, attached to the upper side members of the fuselage, the tetrahedral boar and to the top of the crutch pyramid. Braces - wire, single.

There were usually three rudders: the middle main and two lateral ones. With the advent of the rear shooting point, the side rudders were widely spaced along the stabilizer, increased in size and provided with axial compensation, and the middle rudder was abolished.

The ailerons were only on the upper wing, on its consoles. Their chord was 1-1.5 m (from the rear spar). The rudder levers were 0.4 m long, and sometimes a special pipe with braces up to 1.5 m long was added to such levers.

The Muromtsev chassis was mounted under medium engines and consisted of paired N-shaped struts with runners, in the spans of which wheels on short axles with rubber cord cushioning were mounted in pairs on hinged blocks. Eight wheels were paired with leather. It turned out dual wheels with a very wide rim. The landing gear was unnaturally low, but everyone had the conviction that an unusual landing gear for pilots could be the cause of landing accidents because of the difficulty in determining the distance to the ground.

The crutch was an ash timber with a cross section on a support of 80 X 100 mm and a length almost of a person’s height. The upper end of the crutch was screwed with a rubber cord to the transverse brace of the fuselage, and the lower was a large spoon. In the first Muromts there were two parallel crutches of smaller sizes.

The fuselage in the parking lot occupied an almost horizontal position. Due to this, the wings were installed at a very large angle of 8-9 °. The position of the aircraft in flight was almost the same as on the ground. The angle of horizontal tail was 5-6 °. Therefore, even with an unusual aircraft layout with the center of gravity behind the wing box, it had a positive longitudinal V of about 3 ° and the aircraft was stable.

Engines were installed on low vertical trusses or on beams, consisting of ash shelves and braces, sometimes sewn up with plywood.

Gas tanks - brass, cylindrical, with pointed streamlined ends - usually hung under the upper wing. Their bow parts sometimes served as oil tanks. Sometimes gas tanks were flat and fit on the fuselage.

Engine control was separate and general. In addition to the gas control levers of each engine, there was one common “autologue” lever for the simultaneous control of all engines.

Aircraft control - cable. The helm frame was originally made, later - the Control column was always single. It was believed that if the saw was killed or wounded, it could be replaced by another crew member, which subsequently happened more than once in a combat situation. Foot control - pedals Control wiring - sometimes doubled.

The entire structure of the aircraft, as well as its scheme, for 1913-1914. must be recognized as advanced, manufacturing simple and appropriate.

The first instance of the Ilya Muromets aircraft was completed in October 1913. The first factory flights, during which experiments were performed on the middle wings, were not entirely successful. After the aircraft could be considered tested, it began to make demonstration flights. A number of records were set. On December 12, Ilya Muromets lifted a load of 1,100 kg (the previous record on a Sommer plane was 653 kg). The take-off run on test flights sometimes did not exceed 110 m. The plane was piloted by I. I. Sikorsky After a series of flights with different loads, on February 12, 1914, a flight was made with 16 passengers on board (and with a dog), the weight of the lifted load was 1290 kg . During February and March, there were several dozen flights with a total duration of 23 hours.

In the press of those years, it was noted that people could walk “on the wings” during a flight without disturbing the balance of the apparatus. The stop of even two motors does not make the device descend without fail. It can continue to fly even with two engines running. "All this at that time was completely new, unprecedented and made a great impression on the participants and witnesses of the flights.

However, despite the success, numerous flights have shown that the engine power is insufficient

Flights were made in winter, and the aircraft was mounted on a ski chassis. For the first time in the world, skis were built for such a large aircraft, which had the form of paired runners and mounted on two boars each, with rubber cord cushioning. There were two crutches too.

Airplane || (No. 107) / MI with the middle wing (No. 107)
Year of manufacture || 1913/1913
Number of engines || 4/4
Engine, brand || /
  Power. l s. || 100/100
Aircraft Length, m || 22/22
Wingspan (upper) (lower) || 32.0 (22.0) / 32.0 16 (cf)
Wing Area, m2 || 182.0 / 210.0
Empty weight, kg || 3800/4000
The mass of fuel + oil, kg || 384/384
Mass of full load, kg || 1300/1500
Flight weight, kg || 5100/5500
The specific load on the wing, kg / m2 || 28.0 / 26.0
Specific power load, kg / hp || 13.8 / 14.8
Weight return,% || 25/27
Maximum speed near the ground, km / h || 95/85
Landing speed, km / h || 75/70
Climbing time 1000 m, min || 25 /?
The ceiling is practical, m || 1500/500
Flight Duration, h || 3.0 / 3.0
Flight range, km || 270/250
Take-off run, m || 300/400
Mileage, m || 200/200

G. Haddow, P. Grosz The German Giants (Putnam)

The world "s first four-engined aeroplane, designed by the Russian, Igor Sikorsky, had a great influence on the aeronautical community throughout the world. The early" Le Grand "and" Russkii Vitiaz "machines visibly demonstrated that it was possible to operate four engines in unison and that a large aircraft could be readily controlled in flight. As stated in the Introduction, here was the true promise of flight: a vehicle to conquer long distances at high speeds in relative safety. Because of the influence of the Sikorsky "giants", particularly the "Ilia Mourometz" bombers, a short description of the latter is included in this book.
  Developed from Igor Sikorsky "s record-breaking" Le Grand "and" Russkii Vitiaz "passenger-carrying machines of 1913, the slightly larger" Ilia Mourometz "was flown for the first time in January 1914. In the summer of that year the Russian Army placed an order for ten machines of the "Ilia Mourometz" class. ("Ilia Mourumetz", a legendary Russian hero, was the name given to the first machine only, but later it was used to designate the whole series and each machine was given a number, ie, IM.IX, IM.XIV.)
  The first operational bomber (actually the second one built) was completed in the spring of 1914. On February 15, 1915 the "Kievsky", as the machine was named, took-off from Jablonna airfield to bomb German forces stationed near Plotsk. On this, its first operational mission, it carried a crew of five and bomb load of 600 kg. Nine days later it bombed the railroad station at Willenberg, returning the next day to destroy two ammunition trains detained by the previous day "s attack.
As more "Ilia Mourometz" class bombers reached active service, they were grouped into a special squadron known as the E.V.K. (Eskadra Vozdushnyh Korablei). This squadron moved from one front sector to another as required, several additional E.V.K. squadrons were formed as the number of available bombers increased. During 1916 as many as ten bombers would fly on a single mission, and an even greater number in 1917. Available records for the first sixteen operational "Ilia Mourometz" bombers state that they flew 422 sorties between February 1914 and October 1917. A total of 2300 bombs were dropped and 7000 aerial photographs were taken during this period.
  The ruggedness of these bombers must have impressed the Germans who met them in combat. The bombers were quite difficult to shoot down; one machine returned to base with 374 shrapnel and bullet holes and one wing strut shot away. Other aircraft returned safely with one or two engines out of action. The crews of the "Ilia Mourometz" could also hit back if their claim for thirty-seven enemy aircraft shot down is correct.
  Of the seventy-three "Ilia Mourometz" class bombers constructed, about half were used at the front; the remainder were placed into service primarily as trainers. In thirty-two months of active service only four bombers were lost: two through enemy action, one spun into the ground, and one was lost as a result of Bolshevik sabotage. With the disintegration of the Russian Front at the time of the revolution many of the "Ilia Mourometz" bombers were destroyed to prevent their capture by the Germans. It is claimed that thirty machines were burned by their own crews at the Vinnitz airfield.
The "Ilia Mourometz" bombers had a span of about 31 1 meters (102 feet), a wing area of \u200b\u200b158 square meters (1700 quare feet) and an overall length of 20 2 meters (66 feet 3 inche). The most striking characteristic was the small amount of fuselage projecting ahead of the wings, giving the bombers a sawn-off appearance. Production was taken by the Russo-Baltic Wagon Works in Riga. The basic design was progressively modified; for instance, the original machine was provided with four German 120 h.p. Argus engine, but later type were fitted with British and French engines totalling 880 h.p. Similarly, wing area and weight were increased. The total weight of later types was 17,000 lb., of which 6600 lb. was useful load. The "Ilia Mourometz" bombers were the first to have a tail-gun position, which the gunner reached by riding a trolley on rails running along the inside of the fuselage. At least one "Ilia Mourometz" was fitted with floats for tests with the Russian Navy.

Flight Magazine

FOREIGN AVIATION NEWS.

A New Sikorsky Biplane.

A NEW giant biplane, to take fifteen passengers, has now been built by Sikorsky, and during its first trials it carried four, six, and eventually ten passengers, together with petrol and oil, totalling to 384 kilogs. The machine has a span of 37 meters, it is 20 meters in length, while the lifting surface is 182 sq. meters, and the weight, empty, 3,500 kilogs. The fuselage resembles in general appearance that of the Nieuport monoplane. On each side of the fuselage are arranged two 100 h.p. Argus motors. As during these first tests the ground was covered with snow, the wheels were removed and the skids relied upon for landing.

Flight, March 7, 1914.

FOREIGN AVIATION NEWS.

More Passenger Records by Sikorsky.

IT is announced from St. Petersburg that on the 26th ult., Sikorsky, on his latest "Grand" biplane, carried sixteen persons, the weight lifted being 1,200 kilogs., For a period of 18 mins. He had previously flown with eight and with fourteen passengers. The next day, with eight passengers, he flew from St. Petersburg, by Gatchina, to Tsarkoie-Selo and back, the flight taking 2 hrs. 6 mins.

Flight, May 3, 1917.

THE "TOTALLY ENCLOSED" AEROPLANE.

<...>
Instead of rebuilding the damaged "Grand," Mons Sikorsky set to work and produced a second machine of somewhat different design, which he named the "Ilia Mourometz." This machine was finished towards the end of 1913, and although its initial trials were not very successful the designer continued to experiment and alter various details, and during the early part of 1914 succeeded in getting some excellent flights out of it. One of the best known of these is the flight made on February 25th, 1914, when Sikorsky made a flight of some 18 minutes "duration accompanied by 15 passengers. In the" Ilia Mourometz "the body was very much deeper than that of the" Grand, "so that the cabin did not project above the body proper. Windows were fitted in the side, and extended some distance back of the trailing edge of the wings. The cabin, entered through a side door, which can be seen in our illustration, extended from this door right up to the bows, where the pilot was seated.
  Very few particulars of the "Ilia Mourometz" are available, but it appears that it had four engines developing something like 500 h.p. Concerning the machines of this type built since the outbreak of war nothing may, of course, be said, except that some of these were slightly smaller and had only two engines.
<...>

On February 12, 1914, the first passenger plane, Ilya Muromets, set a world record for the maximum number of passengers on board.

Aircraft "Ilya Muromets"

16 people and an airdrome dog named “Shkalik” were lifted into the air. A whole crowd gathered to watch the plane, unusually large for that time. The designer of "Ilya Muromets" Sikorsky I.I. was confident in his plane, and flew over the city at a low altitude for that time - only 400 meters. At that time, pilots of single-engine aircraft avoided flying over cities, because in the event of a motor failure, an emergency landing in urban conditions could be fatal

Four engines were installed on the Muromets, so Sikorsky was confident in the safety of the aircraft. Stopping two of the four engines does not have to force the plane down. During the flight, people could walk along the wings of the plane, and this did not upset the balance of Ilya Muromets (Sikorsky I. I. himself made the exit during the flight to make sure that, if necessary, the pilot can repair the motor directly in the air). At that time it was completely new and made a great impression.

Test aircraft

It was Ilya Muromets that became the first passenger aircraft. For the first time in aviation history, he had a separate compartment from the cockpit. The salon had bedrooms, heating, electric lighting and imagine, even a bathroom and a toilet.

Separate salon

Tsar Nicholas II praised the success of Sikorsky and his plane. The State Duma awarded the designer a huge cash prize in the amount of 75,000 tsarist rubles. Translated into modern money, this is equal to $ 2,296.50 or 1,404.75 pounds.

2013 - 2019 Digest of events.

Ilya Muromets - the plane, named after the Russian epic hero, began to be created in August 1913. The name of Ilya Muromets became the common name for various modifications of this machine, which was built by the Petrograd branch of the plant from 1913 to 1917.
  The prototype was ready by December 1913, and its first flight took place on the 10th. On this apparatus, between the box of wings and the plumage there was a middle wing with boars for attaching braces, and an additional middle chassis was made under the fuselage. The middle wing did not justify itself and was soon removed. After successful tests and a number of achievements of the first constructed device, the Main Military Technical Directorate (GVTU) concluded on May 12, 1914, a contract 2685/1515 with RBVZ for the construction of another 10 airplanes of this type.
  Test flights of Sikorsky on Ilya Muromets were conducted in adverse winter conditions. During thaws, the ground became wet and viscous. It was decided to equip Ilya Muromets with skis. Only in this way could an aircraft take off. Under normal conditions, the takeoff of Ilya Muromets required a distance of 400 steps - 283 meters. Despite the large dead weight, Ilya Muromets was able to lift 1100 kg cargo to a height of 1000 meters on December 11, 1913. The previous record on the Sommere plane was 653 kg.
In February 1914, Sikorsky took Ilya Muromets into the air with 16 passengers on board. The weight of the lifted load was already 1,190 kg that day. During this memorable flight, there was another passenger aboard, a favorite of the entire airfield - a dog named Shkalik. This unusual flight with many passengers was an unprecedented achievement. The payload during this flight over St. Petersburg was 1300 kg. Following Grand’s example, Ilya Muromets made many flights over the imperial capital and its suburbs. Quite often, Ilya Muromets flew over the city at a low altitude - about 400 meters. Sikorsky was so sure of the safety provided by several aircraft engines that he was not afraid to fly at such a low altitude. In those days, pilots who piloted small single-engine planes usually avoided flying over the city, especially at low altitudes, because engine shutdown in the air and the inevitable emergency landing could be fatal.

During these flights made by Ilya Muromets, passengers could sit comfortably in a closed cockpit and watch the majestic squares and boulevards of St. Petersburg. Each flight of Ilya Muromets led to a stop of all transport, as whole crowds gathered to look at the huge plane with its engines making a loud noise.
  By the spring of 1914, Sikorsky built the second Ilya of Muromets. It was equipped with more powerful Argus engines, two internal engines, 140 hp, and two external, 125-horsepower. The total power of the engines of the second model reached 530 hp, which was 130 hp more than the power of the first Ilya Muromets. Accordingly, a large engine power meant a large carrying capacity, speed and ability to reach a height of 2100 meters. During the initial test flight, this second Ilya Muromets carried 820 kg of fuel and 6 passengers.
  June 16-17, 1914 Sikorsky made a flight Petersburg-Kiev with one landing in Orsha. In honor of this event, the series was called Kiev.

By design, the aircraft was a six-post biplane with wings of very large wingspan and elongation (up to 14 at the upper wing). Four internal racks were paired together and engines were installed between their pairs, which stood completely open, without fairings. All engines were provided with access in flight, for which there was a plywood track with wire rails along the lower wing. There were many examples when this saved a plane from an emergency landing. On several planes, four engines were delivered in two tandems, and in several cases, training Muromets had only two engines. The design of all Muromtsev was also almost the same for all types and series. Its description is given here for the first time.
  The wings were two-spar. The range of the upper one, depending on the series and modification, was from 24 to 34.5 m, of the lower one - 21 meters. Spars were placed on average at 12 and 60% of the length of the chords. The profile thickness of the wings ranged from 6% of the chord in the narrower wings to 3.5% of the chord in the wider ones.
  The side members were box-shaped. Their height was 100 mm (sometimes 90 mm), width 50 mm, plywood wall thickness 5 mm. The thickness of the shelves varied from 20 mm in the center section to 14 mm at the ends of the wings. The material of the shelves was originally imported Oregon pine and spruce, and later, ordinary pine. In the lower wing side members under the engines, the shelves were made of hickory wood. Spars were assembled on wood glue and brass screws. Sometimes a third was added to two spars - behind the rear, an aileron was attached to it. Crosses of braces were single, located on the same level, made of 3 mm piano wire with thunder.
  The wing ribs were simple and reinforced - with thickened shelves and walls, and sometimes with double walls of 5 mm plywood, with very large elongated relief holes, shelves - from a 6 × 20 mm pine slat with a groove 2-3 mm deep into which included the edge of the wall. The ribs were assembled on carpentry glue and nails. The spacing of ribs everywhere was 0.3 m. In general, the wing structure was light.
  The design of the fuselage was a brace with plain skin of the tail and with plywood (3 mm) skin of the bow. The frontal part of the cockpit was originally curved, glued from veneer, and in later Muromets it was multifaceted with a simultaneous increase in the glazing surface. Part of the glazing panels was opening. The midsection of the fuselage in the latest types of Muromets reached 2.5 m in height and 1.8 m in width.
In the later types of Muromets, the fuselage behind the wing box was detachable.
  The horizontal plumage of Muromtsev was bearing and had a relatively large size - up to 30% of the wing area, which is rarely found in aircraft construction. The profile of the stabilizer with elevators was similar to the profile of the wings, but thinner. The stabilizer is two-spar, the spars are box-shaped, the rib spacing is 0.3 m, the rim is pine. The stabilizer was divided into independent halves, attached to the upper side members of the fuselage, the tetrahedral boar and to the top of the crutch pyramid. Braces - wire, single.
  There were usually three rudders: the middle main and two lateral ones. With the advent of the rear shooting point, the side rudders were widely spaced along the stabilizer, increased in size and provided with axial compensation, and the middle rudder was abolished.
  The ailerons were only on the upper wing and were located on its consoles. Their chord was 1–1.5 m (from the rear spar). The steering levers were 0.4 m long, and sometimes a special pipe with braces up to 1.5 m long was added to such levers. The Muromtsev chassis was mounted under the middle engines and consisted of paired N-shaped struts with runners, in the spans of which were mounted on hinged blocks pairwise wheels on short axles with rubber cord cushioning. Eight wheels were paired with leather. It turned out dual wheels with a very wide rim.
  The fuselage in the parking lot occupied an almost horizontal position. Due to this, the wings were installed at a very large angle of 8–9 °. The position of the aircraft in flight was almost the same as on the ground. The installation angle of the horizontal tail was 5–6 °. Therefore, even with an unusual aircraft layout with the center of gravity behind the wing box, it had a positive longitudinal V of about 3 ° and the aircraft was stable.
  Engines were installed on low vertical trusses or on beams, consisting of ash shelves and braces, sometimes sewn up with plywood.
  Gas tanks - brass, cylindrical, with pointed streamlined ends - usually hung under the upper wing. Their bow parts sometimes served as oil tanks. Sometimes gas tanks were flat and fit on the fuselage.
  Engine control was separate and general. In addition to the gas control levers of each engine, there was one common autologue lever for the simultaneous control of all engines.

By the beginning of the war (August 1, 1914) four Ilya of Muromets had already been built. By September 1914 they were transferred to the Imperial Air Force. By that time, all the airplanes of the warring countries were intended only for reconnaissance, and therefore Ilya Muromets should be considered the world's first specialized bomber aircraft.
  On 10 (23) December 1914, the emperor approved a resolution of the military council on the creation of a squadron of bombers Ilya Muromets (Squadron of air ships, EVK), which became the first bomber formation in the world. Its chief was M.V.Shidlovsky. The Office of the Airborne Squadron Ilya Muromets was located at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander in the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander. He had to start work almost from scratch - the only pilot who could fly on the Muromtsev was Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky, the rest were distrustful and even hostile to the very idea of \u200b\u200bheavy aviation, they had to be retrained, and the cars should be equipped and refitted.

For the first time, a squadron flew on a combat mission on February 14 (27), 1915. During the entire war, the squadron made 400 sorties, dropped 65 tons of bombs and destroyed 12 enemy fighters, losing only one plane directly in battles with enemy fighters. (September 12 (25), 1916) 09/12/1916 during a raid on the headquarters of the 89th Army in the village of Antonovo and Boruny station, a plane (ship XVI) of Lieutenant D. D. Maksheev was shot down. Two more Muromets were shot down by the fire of anti-aircraft batteries: on 11/02/1915 the plane of Captain Ozersky was shot down, the ship crashed, and on 04/13/1916 the plane of Lieutenant Konstenchik fell under fire, the ship managed to reach the airfield, but was not subject to recovery due to the damage received. In April 1916, seven German airplanes bombed an airfield in Segevold, resulting in damage to four Muromets. But the most common cause of losses was technical malfunctions and various accidents. Because of this, about two dozen cars were lost. IM-B Kievsky itself made about 30 sorties and was later used as a training one.
  During the war, the production of B-series aircraft, the most massive (30 units), was launched. They differed from the B series in their smaller size and higher speed. The crew consisted of 4 people, some modifications had two engines. Used bombs weighing about 80 kg, less often up to 240 kg. In the fall of 1915, the bombing of a 410-kilogram bomb was carried out.
In 1915, the production of the G series began with a crew of 7 people, the G-1, in 1916 the G-2 with a rifle cabin, the G-3, and in 1917 the G-4. In 1915-1916, three D-series machines (DIM) were produced. Aircraft production continued until 1918. G-2 aircraft, one of which (the third with the name Kiev) reached an altitude of 5200 m, was used in the Civil War.
  In 1918 not a single combat mission of the Muromites was committed. Only in August-September 1919 was the Soviet republic able to use two cars in the Orel region. In 1920, several sorties were made during the Soviet-Polish war and military operations against Wrangel. November 21, 1920 the last combat mission of Ilya Muromets took place.

May 1, 1921 the first in the RSFSR postal and passenger airline Moscow-Kharkov was opened. The line was served by 6 Muromites, very worn out and with exhausted engines, due to which it was eliminated on October 10, 1922. During this time, 60 passengers and about two tons of cargo were transported.
  In 1922, Socrates Monastyrev made a flight along the Moscow-Baku route by plane Ilya Muromets.
  One of the mail planes was handed over to the School of Air Shooting and Bombing (Serpukhov), where about 80 training flights were performed on it during 1922-1923. After this, the Muromets did not rise into the air.