Kalinin K-12
Kalinin Design Bureau · Soviet Union · first flew 1936 · bomber
The Kalinin K-12, also called the BS-2 or Zhar-Ptitsa (Firebird), was a proof-of-concept tailless bomber built by the Kalinin Design Bureau in the 1930s. It had a crew of three and two Shvetsov M-22 radial engines.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tailless flying wing of welded steel tube with fabric covering
- Painted in a garish bird colour scheme, earning the nickname Zhar-Ptitsa (Firebird)
- Two radial engines in the wing and dummy nose and tail gun turrets
A broad tailless wing with two engines, painted in a bright bird-like scheme.
Specifications
- The Kalinin K-12 has a length of 8 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18 m (59 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 240 km/h (149 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
A subscale glider to test the K-12's layout flew in 1934. The full-size aircraft flew in autumn 1936 and was demonstrated at Tushino in August 1937. It was cancelled after Konstantin Kalinin was arrested and executed.
Variants
Only the one prototype was built.
Where you'll see it
It never entered service. It carried dummy turrets in the nose and tail and was designed for a 500 kg bomb load in a vertical rack.
Related aircraft
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