Bartini "Stal-7"
The pre-war slogan "Above all, faster than all, farthest" forced the aircraft designers to go against politicians. Looking ahead, it should be noted that similar "phenomena" accompanied Soviet aircraft construction throughout the entire existence of the USSR, forcing designers to think first of all about the political consequences, and only then about the passenger.
"Steel-7" is the first aircraft connecting high speeds with a long flight range. The new "reverse seagull" scheme and the articulation with the fuselage gave high quality and an air cushion during take-off and landing. The scheme implemented at the "Steel-7" was subsequently used on the aircraft "Blom-FOS" and "Junkers" in Germany, the company "Chance-VOUT" in the United States. On the basis of the "Steel-7", Bartini's students, led by Yermolayev, developed and introduced into the series the DB-240 (Yer-2) aircraft that participated in the Patriotic War in parts of the Air Force and the ADD, they were bombed by fascist Berlin in the beginning and middle of the Great Patriotic War.
At the end of 1935 Bartini worked to develop further and aircraft for arctic surveillance, which could sit on the ice and water. But in spite of the order of the Polar Aviation, it did not go into series production, because of the lack of the necessary tooling and equipment for him. The plane DAR. In the fall of 1935 Bartini designed 12-seater passenger aircraft "Steel-7" with wings "reverse gull". "The construction of "Steel-7" was slow - remember colleagues of Bartini.
"After the arrest of the chief designer workders were endlessly dragged to the investigator: the failure of the timing - the only truth of everything accused Robert. Besides, bartinievskie designs had always been on the verge of a possible. God knows from where it was taken: this is the work of entire institutions! But he did not know how to bring the product to a series production."
In 1937, there were days, weeks or even months, when Bartini suddenly lost interest in the aircraft. And Bartini disappeared somewhere. During this time he did not take phone calls. Sometimes Roberto went somewhere unexpected. One subordinate one night had to seek Bartini as the designer was immediately summoned to the central board, and he was found in the observatory.
In 1936, the aircraft "Steel-7" was exhibited at the International Exhibition in Paris in August 1939 its international speed record at a distance of 5,000 kilometers was established, which was 405 kilometers per hour. But this record was set without the participation of Bartini, as in 1938, the designer was charged with preparing arson at plant number 240, which was to build his aircraft, in connection with Tukhachevsky and spying for Mussolini. When a record marked the Kremlin, Stalin met the crew, and aksed who is the leading designer ? - And who is the chief designer of why he is not here? It was explained to Stalin that the designer was arrested. Voroshilov asked: - it is necessary to let him go, Comrade Stalin.
Stalin asked Beria: - Do you? - Yes.
- He's alive?
- I do not know ...
- Find him, get to work! ..
Meanwhile, in solitary confinement in the Lubyanka, interrogators demanded that Bartini confess to spying for fascist Italy. He was charged in connection with the "enemy of the people" Tukhachevsky, as well as spying for Mussolini, from whom he once ran. He was sentenced to 10 years in the camps and five - "defeat" of rights.
This decade is known much more than previous years. In particular, in the suburban "sharashka" Beria repeatedly came to discuss with the "cons" prospects for the development of Soviet aviation. One prisoner Bartini - boldly and accompanied by Beria's generals - asked for what they put him, "You know, Lavrenty Pavlovich, because I have done nothing wrong." "I know" Beria said, "if there would be blame, you would be shot. ... make a plane - you will receive the Stalin Prize of the first degree and you will be released."
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