Myasishchev M-17, M-34 and M-55 projects (Geophysica, etc.)

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Myasishchev M-17RP/RP2 - stealthy Soviet 'Dragon Lady'
 

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I agree - very cool. Do you have anymore details?

Regards,

Greg
 
M-17RP and it's later mod, RP2 MDVS (multi-purpose subsonic high-altitude aircraft) with large side-looking radar in large underbelly container, were Myasishchev OKB's guys way of thinking of M-17 Stratosphere follow-on in beginning of 80th (M-55 Geophysica in fact won the in-firm ideas contest). Unusual was stealth implication based of what we know that times about F-117 and ATB programs. Interesting that navigation radar compartment on the nose and side-looking radar container should be filled with cold ionised plazma to prevent hostile radar detection. RP2 was a later iteration with more emhpasis on stealth. After decision was made in favor of M-55, all works were shoot down.

Specs:

Wingspan - 39.00
Lenght - 20.2
Height - 4.8
Wing area - 138.5 m2
TOW max - 22 000 kg
Payload weight - 2 000 kg
Speed max - 850 km/h
Ceiling - 21.0 km
Duration of flight - 4.5
Powerplant - 2xD-30-based turbojets

Source (c) Krylya Rodiny No6-2004
 

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Very interesting indeed - it does look pretty stealthy, although those access panels could do with some treatment.
 
It's very impressive to see them ! Thanks for posting !

Especially I never knew that Myasishchev developed such "stealthy" designs ... would be interesting if there were any "stealth" bombers or fighter-bombers on the drawing board !?!

Cheers, Deino
 
Myasishchev M-67 AIRBORNE SURVEILLANCE TESTBED (AST) analog
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=293.0
...and a whole bunch of other things we are to see one day
 
:-\
Hmmm....Very much like the U2...Right down to the wing shape. Compare to a three-view of the Angel.
 
Else several early iterations M-17 (55) (on classical scheme)+canard)
1-2) variants with two engines D-30 by P.SOLOVIEV
3-7) variants with one engine P.KOLESOV RD-36-51А
from:A.Brook, K.Udalov, S.Smirnov "Illustrated encyclopedia planes V.Myasishchev's" Vol.3. Chapt.1
 

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Hi all!
Several months have past for preparing materials about MDB high altitude aircraft: M-34 - M-17 - M-55 - M-61 chain. Now I can show only pix of famouse Jozef Gatial, because our site is under reconstruction till mid september. Anyway everybody may visit it now - www.avicopress.ru

So about M-34. Study of high altitude aircraft for shooting air-balloons began from the very first days of reorganising MDB late in 1966 and valid till now (M-55).
There were 8 different configurations before final variant of M-34 and basic variant of M-17. They are below.
 
Dear Mr. Ucon: M-17RT as I understand can be attributed to the first draft of M-55. And you can increase the size of the photo by at least 50%.
 
You are not right, dear Mr. Igor-mich
Size is quite OK. If you need original size - it will be in the forthcoming book.
 
Oh wow! Mr. Gatial has outdone himself once again! And with my favorite Soviet design bureau to boot!

I had not heard of most of these variants before. The M-34 designation is especially new to me, as previous sources always listed it under M-17 as the Чайка ("t'shy-kuh" or Seagull) from 1970. Was it that early, anyway? Did it fly or did it remain a project, as said sources claim? And is the name Чайка correct? I'd love to know more about it.

Also, I want to clarify one more thing: this "M-34" designation is from the second "M-" series, also known as the "EMZ" series, which was started in the latter part of the 1960s. It is not to be confused with the 1953 M-34 supersonic strategic heavy bomber project from the first "M-" series (which ran from 1951 to the mid-sixties — M-25 to M-71). I'm attaching it here for comparison.
 

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Dear Stargazer2006!
Of course it is understandable that M-34 high altitude aircraft is belong to MDB, not OKB-23.
By the way, the drawings you have posted are from "Illustrated Encyclopedia of MDB aircraft" vol.5 by Avico Press and I am one of the author of that book. Please don't forget to give a link. Thanks a lot.

More M-55 variants will follow.
 
Hi all!
Next M-55 variants
1. M-55P hassenger aircraft for 6-8 passengers or 4 operators
2. M-55RD - record aircraft, "Our answer to Rutan"
3. M-55LL for K-85 UAV complex
4. M-55 Geophisica-2
 
Looks like the M-55 is an all-out perfect basis for many different types of missions!
I'm impressed by the number of proposed variants and especially the amount of work Jozef Gatial put into this project.
Were any of these many versions actually built?
 
ucon said:
Interesting M-55 variants for study of resonance waves

"Resonance waves" ???

Regards & all,

Thomas L. Nielsen
Luxembourg
 
ucon said:
M-55P,PV (M-61)

I'm getting confused now... I've got the M-61 and M-65 as the M-17P and M-17PV, respectively, not M-55!
 
Don't be confused, dear Stargazer2006, in the very first official documents they have designation M-17P and PV, you are right.
This describes in the book and you will find there explanation why it is happened)))
 
Neat stuff as always. Does your site being reconstructed mean it will be more reliable & more user friendly? Will we be able to order reliably as well?


ucon said:
Hi all!
Several months have past for preparing materials about MDB high altitude aircraft: M-34 - M-17 - M-55 - M-61 chain. Now I can show only pix of famouse Jozef Gatial, because our site is under reconstruction till mid september. Anyway everybody may visit it now - www.avicopress.ru

So about M-34. Study of high altitude aircraft for shooting air-balloons began from the very first days of reorganising MDB late in 1966 and valid till now (M-55).
There were 8 different configurations before final variant of M-34 and basic variant of M-17. They are below.
 
Hi,

the Myasishchev Subject 34 Chaika (Gull) was a single-seat
fighter to destroy the CIA high-altitude reconnaissance balloons,
powered by one RD-36-52 engine and it had a supercritical wing
profile as inverted gull-wing and twin boom configuration,it
was never built as a fighter,but later changed as a recce
aircraft (M-17).

Source; the Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft.
 

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Thanks hesham for starting this topic. Here's a series of side and front views of all M-17 variants. Clearly the Chaika is given as the first of the M-17 series. All pictures © Avico-Press
 

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Please resize M-17 drawings to 500 pixels at wide side. Put (c) Avico-Press and original source. These are from book by forum member Ucon - Konstantin Udalov. Respect copyright and note that practically all EMZ stuff elsewhere comes from Avico that got exclusive rights from EMZ for publishing stuff from their archives. Thank you.
 
An old question of mine: Was the initial M-17 design unarmed? Or did it still have the possibility for a mobile gun like in subject 34?

The earliest drawings seem to show a dorsal blister.

I'd also be curious as to any opinions about its design and use. It is supposed to have superior high altitude maneuverability (even if it is slower and less efficient than the U-2/Tr-2).
I've always thought it was one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built.
 

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