Tupolev SB High Speed Bomber
Technical Information

Background
Known in Russian as Скоростной бомбардировщик - Skorostnoi Bombardirovschik (high speed bomber). The SB was the first modern stressed-skin aircraft produced in quantity in the Soviet Union and probably the most formidable bomber of the mid-1930s.

Wartime History
SB bombers served in Spain, China. Used in the Battle of Lake Khasan during July-August 1938 and eastern Mongolia during the Battle of Khalkhin Gol / Nomonhan Incident during May-September 1939. Also, used in the WInter War with Finland. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, the SB were 94% of bombers in the Red Army Air Force.

Production
A total of 6,945 were built. Three prototypes were built by Tupolev Design Bureau. A total of 5,695 were built at Factory No 22 in Moscow before it was evacuated to Kazan. A total of 1,136 were built by Factory No 125 in Irkutsk. Aero Vodochody in Czechoslovakia built 45. Avia in Czechoslovakia built 66.

Technical Details (SB 2M-103)
Crew  Three
Engine  2 x Klimov M-103 liquid-cooled V12 engine, 716 kW (960 hp) each with three bladed propellers
Span  20.33 m (66 ft 8 in)
Length  12.57 m (41 ft 2¾ in)
Height  3.60 m (11 ft 9¾ in)
Maximum Speed  450 km/h (243 knots, 280 mph) at 4,100 m (13,450 ft)
Range  2,300 km (1,243 nmi, 1,429 mi)
Armament  4 × 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns (two in nose, one in dorsal and one in ventral position)
Bombload  6 × 100 kg (220 lb) or six 50 kg (110 lb) bombs in bomb bay, 2 × 250 kg (550 lb) bombs on wing racks