Myasishchev DB-108

Myasishchev · Soviet Union · first flew 1944 · bomber

The Myasishchev DB-108 was a 1940s Soviet experimental long-range bomber, developed by Vladimir Myasishchev from the Petlyakov Pe-2. Three prototypes were built and two of them flew.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.47 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Developed from the Petlyakov Pe-2, with a glazed or semi-glazed nose
Two Klimov V-12 engines in long fairings ahead of the mid-mounted wing, which also house the main undercarriage
Mid-mounted tailplane carrying oval endplate fins

A twin-engine mid-wing monoplane with the engines in long fairings ahead of the leading edge, a glazed nose and a mid-mounted tailplane with oval endplate fins. The layout shows its Pe-2 ancestry.

Specifications

The Myasishchev DB-108 has a length of 13.47 m (44 ft).
It has a wingspan of 17.8 m (58 ft).
Its maximum speed is 583 km/h (362 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

After Petlyakov's death in January 1942, Myasishchev continued development of the Pe-2 with the DB-108. The first prototype, the VM-16, flew on 30 December 1944 with two Klimov VK-108 V-12 engines and a crew of two. The VM-17 was ground-tested and later converted into the VB-109, and the larger VM-18 flew in 1946.

Variants

The VM-16 was a two-seater with one remotely operated 12.7 mm tail gun. The VM-17 had three crew and more guns, and the VM-18 had four crew, a longer span and more defensive armament.

Where you'll see it

The DB-108 never entered service, and the programme was cancelled before flight tests of the VM-18 were completed.

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