Air Weapons

Medium Bomber (1936)

Ilyushin

DB-3

DB-3

The Ilyushin DB-3 was the progenitor of what would be one of the most important Soviet bombers of World War II, the Il-4. It was originally designed to compete with the Tupolev SB (and replace the much larger TB-3) as a long-range, strategic bomber with the ambitious requirement of carrying a 1,000-kg payload at a range of 3,000 km, this being well in excess of most mid-1930s bombers. Key to the DB-3’s performance was the adoption of license-built Gnome-Rhône Mistral Major radials as well as an all-metal construction which was considerably advanced for its time. It’s long range was made possible by carrying a fuel load equivalent to a third of its take-off weight. Armament was light, consisting of usually just three 7.62-mm ShKAS machine guns, and required one crewperson to switch between gunner positions, but it was believed that speed would make up for it. Handling was superb and the versatility of the design also allowed it to function as a torpedo bomber, transport, and glider tug. The DB-3 first saw action in Chinese hands against Japan from 1939 onward. They were used by Soviet forces during the Winter War with Finland and in the opening stages of World War II where they were notable for being the first Soviet aircraft to bomb Berlin, on August 7th, 1941. By then, production of the more advanced Il-4 had begun and largely replaced it in service throughout the remainder of the conflict.

First flight of the TsKB-26 demonstrator (of mixed wood and metal construction) took place in the summer of 1935 and this was follwed by the all-metal TsKB-30 prototype the following year. The initial production DB-3 featured M-85 engines, with the later DB-3A upgrading to M-86 engines while the definitive DB-3B adopted M-87A engines. Aside from the standard bomber variants, there was the successful DB-3T torpedo bomber as well as the DB-3K transport which could function either as a glider tug or also carry an attached passenger module for up to 10 troops and even rear doors to allow paradropping. Further development resulted in the DB-3F with a redesigned forward fuselage, this was later redesignated Il-4 and is described separately.

Preceded by:

None

Succeeded by:

Il-4 (1940)

Datafile

DesignDB-3DB-3TDB-3B
TypeMedium BomberTorpedo BomberMedium Bomber
Year193619371939
Crew333
Dimensions
Length14.22 m14.22 m14.22 m
Height4.190 m4.190 m4.190 m
Wing Span21.40 m21.40 m21.40 m
Wing Arean/an/an/a
Weight
Empty4,778 kg4,298 kg5,030 kg
Loaded6,500 kg6,498 kg7,745 kg
Maximum9,000 kg0 kg9,450 kg
Wing Loading137.2 kg/m²0 kg/m²144.1 kg/m²
Performance
Speed400 km/h395 km/h439 km/h
Speed S/L327 km/h320 km/h345 km/h
Ceiling8,400 m7,800 m9,600 m
Range4,000 km1,800 km3,800 km
Powerplant
Engine2 x M-85
Tumansky
567 kW
2 x M-85
Tumansky
567 kW
2 x M-87A
Tumansky
708 kW
Thrust/Weight0.290.320.34
Armament
Guns3 x 7.62-mm
2500
3 x 7.62-mm
2500
3 x 7.62-mm
2500
Payload2,500 kg-2,500 kg
Production
Builtn/an/an/a
Total1,528

Gallery