Tupolev MTB-2
Tupolev · Soviet Union · first flew 1937 · bomber
The Tupolev MTB-2, also known as the ANT-44, was a Soviet four-engine flying boat built in the late 1930s as a heavy naval bomber.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 22.42 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Shoulder-mounted gull wing
- Four engines on the wing with a two-step hull divided into seven watertight compartments
- Wire-braced tailplane
A big four-engined flying boat with a gull-shaped shoulder wing, nose and tail turrets and a wire-braced tailplane.
Specifications
- The Tupolev MTB-2 has a length of 22.42 m (74 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 36.45 m (120 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 355 km/h (221 mph).
- Typical crew: 7-8.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Requirements were issued in March 1935, and Tupolev produced an all-metal flying boat with a shoulder-mounted gull wing. The first prototype flew on 19 April 1937 and sank after a heavy landing in February 1939.
Variants
Two prototypes were built. The second, the ANT-44bis, incorporated the changes made to the first, including the M-87A engines.
Where you'll see it
The programme was cancelled in 1940 but the second aircraft set several flying-boat world records. After June 1941 it flew bombing missions against Romania and later evacuated wounded troops until lost in 1942.
Related aircraft
- Tupolev ANT-35
- Tupolev ANT-41
- Tupolev ANT-29
- Tupolev ANT-37
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- Arado Ar 195
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