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UB-5000F "Condor" Experimental guided bomb (1954 - 1955)

According to the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 3969-1815, on December 15, 1951, in the HS NII-642, under the guidance of Chief Designer A. D. Nadiradze, they began to develop radio-controlled high-explosive air bombs UB-2000F Chayka and UB-5000F Condor. Work on the UB-2000F "Chaika" went ahead of work on the "Condor", which in the main design and circuit design was an enlarged version of the UB-2000F. It was assumed that the main problematic issues would be resolved when working out easier in all respects "Chaika". The large-scale factor, which determines, in particular, the higher flight speed of the heavy Condor, was tried to be taken into account by strengthening the structure. In particular, initially, apart from the size, the main difference in the "Condor" was the oblique braces, which supported the plumage. Besides, The Condor differed from the Seagull in the purely conical shape of the tail section, which did not have a cylindrical part. On the wings and tail, they installed a double number of spoilers.

The flight tests of the Condor UB-5000F began in September 1954 by dropping two experimental bombs from a Tu-4. The tests, during which the speed of the bombs reached a value corresponding to the number M = 0.9, were satisfactory. In order to reduce the cost, on bombs of the factory party they switched from the traditional for aviation riveted wing construction with plating and power set to monolithic wings made of duralumin plates. In 1955, 18 bombs of visual guidance from the factory party and two mockups for overflights on the Tu-16 were sent to the test site, which were completed early the following.

Launched in March 1956, the dropping of bombs from the Tu-16 presented unpleasant surprises. By increasing the altitude of the carrier to 11 km and speeds of up to 800 km / h, heavier than the “Seagull”, “Condor”, falling, accelerated to supersonic speeds (of the order of M = 1.1). During the development of the control team along the control channel along the course, the bomb lost its lateral stability and began to rotate. After that, on all subsequent bombs, the roll control interceptors were increased. During the second discharge, it turned out that the changed distribution of aerodynamic forces determined the excessive static stability along the pitch channel, which made it difficult to guide the target while simultaneously controlling the course control commands.

To improve the controllability of the pitch channel, the transverse V angle was increased from 24 to 31. However, a bomb drop in June showed insufficient stability along the course with spontaneous access to large sliding angles. After installing small aerodynamic surfaces - “flippers” at the wing tips and shifting the centering from 28 to 30% of the wing chord, satisfactory dynamic parameters of the bomb were achieved throughout the entire speed range, which was confirmed by four ballistic faults.

Practically from the very beginning, the development of the UB-5000F "Condor" was carried out in relation to two options: with a visual radio command guidance of the "Seagull" type and with television guidance. To test the second version in 1954, one Tu-4 was equipped with television reception equipment. It was envisaged that, watching the image of the target on the ground transmitted from the bomb, the operator would use the joystick to issue control commands for transmission to the Condor UB-5000F controls. In addition to improving the accuracy of targeting and reducing dependence on weather conditions, the use of television equipment increased the survivability of the aircraft carrier, eliminating the need for its passage directly over the target.

In August 1955, the first five UB-5000F "Condor" with television equipment were delivered to the landfill. Until the end of the year, three of them were able to test with positive results. However, by that time, it was decided to carry out further work on television equipment in relation to the newly developed five-ton controlled bomb of the internal BWB-5 suspension.

The ammunition was supposed to be equipped with both high-explosive and armor-piercing combat units. The transition to the creation of a new bomb was determined by the progress of aviation of those years: the era of supersonic aviation began. When placing rather cumbersome "Seagulls" and "Condors" on the only possible external suspension for them, the aerodynamic drag was significantly increased, and the speed and range of the aircraft carrier deteriorated. Therefore, the development of the UB-5000F Condor and BWM-5 could not be completed due to a number of both clearly subjective and relatively objective circumstances.