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M-50 Variants

Before disbanding the OKB, work on other bombers was in full swing.

1. At the suggestion of Khrushchev designers considered an unmanned M-50 aircraft , in which the fuselage was mounted nuclear weapon ultra power (was not implemented).

2. Immediately after the M-50, work started on designing the M-52 modification, in which underwing nacelles were installed at a considerable angle to the plane of the wing, along with several other external pylons. The M-52 had an additional horizontal tail on top of the keel, conducted internal improvements. Probably planned to install air refueling. Armament consisted of four air-to-ground missiles. Designers considered placing long-range missiels in a semi-flush position under the fuselage or four UR-type X-22, arranged in pairs on the sides of the fuselage. The first copy of the M-52, equipped with engines "16-17", was built, but had not been tested and went for scrap.

3. The M-53 Project was a "Vysokoplan" made on a "duck" design, with four engines in two underwing nacelles, tricycle main chassis (was not implemented).

4. The M-54 project was only on paper and in models. It was distinguished From the M-50 by a small wing sweep on the trailing edge. It also analyzed the various options for the location of the engine nacelles.

5. The M-56 strategic bomber design work began in 1959-1960, with a cruising speed in the range M = 2.5-3.25, range of up to 10,000 km and a takeoff weight of about 250 tons. The plane was a carrier wide-body, flanked by six engines installed in two "packages", to which were attached small turning console. It had a "duck" aerodynamic lineup with two vertical tails, but it was not the usual "duck". At subsonic speeds canards did not affect the stability characteristics. In the transition to supersonic speed the horizontal tail provided longitudinal stability of the machine when changing the distribution of aerodynamic forces on the wing. This design eliminated the complex system of pumping fuel. Maximum design speed corresponded to M = 3.25; normal takeoff weight of 185,000 kg; maximum range of 12,000 km.

6. The M-56 passenger version based on the M-55 had various M-sub-options in 55A, M-55B, M-55B, differing size and number of engines. The first one was designed for 40 passengers, the second - 85, and the third - 120. M-55A had two engines, M-55B - four, and M-55B - six.

7. The M-60, an aircraft with a nuclear power plant, which was designed by AM Design Bureau, car did not go beyond the project stage.

8. M-70 . For the Navy designers workedon the creation of a supersonic (M = 1.7) flying boat with a normal takeoff weight of 240,000 kg and swept wing. Two turbojets supposed to be placed over the wing on pylons, and two - on either side of the keel. For the take-off retractable hydroplanes were supplied .

M-50/M-52 Bounder - Disposition

In November 1969 US analysis of satellite and ground photography revealed that the USSR's three known Bbounder aircraft, each of which had unique identification features, had been moved since late 1967.

1. The Bounder which had been in the Myasishchev area of the Ramenskoye flight test center (55-33n 038-07e) since September 1963 was missing from that area in March 1968, and was now on display at the air museum at Moscow / Monino airfield (55-50n 038-10e).

2. The second Bounder aircraft, which had been at Moscow/Fili airfield (55-45n 037-29e) since March 1963, was now in the Myasishchev area of Ramenskoye. It was observed being disassembled at Fili on ground photography of September 1967 and was not present there on satellite photography of November 1967. It was seen at Ramenskoye in June 1968 and was still there in March 1968.

3. The remnants of the third bounder (most of the wing and aft fuselage section) were moved probably from a hangar in the Myasishchev area at Ramenskoye, to the structural test / derelict area where they were then located. Movement of this third bounder was probably necessitated by the arrival of the second on from Fili. Because the Bounder now in the Myasishchev area at Ramenskoye had underg one several design modifications while it was at Fili, it was easily distinguishable from the Bounder moved from Ramenskoye to Moscow / Monino. The modifications consisted of: a) shorter engine nacelles, b) removal of a section of the trailing edge of each wing tip at which point pods were attached, c) tapered trailing edge of wing , d) swept trailing edge of vertical stabilizer.