| Technical data | |
|---|---|
| Type | TSh-3, TsKB-4 |
| Function | Ground attack |
| Year | 1933 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Engines | 1*750/830hp M-34F |
| Length | 10.75m |
| Wingspan | 16.5m |
| Wing area | 45.04m2 |
| Empty weight | 2665kg |
| Loaded weight | 3557kg |
| Wing Load (kg/m2) | 79.5 |
| Power load (kg/hp) | 4.7 |
| Speed at 0m | 247km/h |
| Speed at 1000m | 243km/h |
| Landing Speed | 95km/h |
| Range | 470km |
| Flight Endurance | 2h30min |
| Ceiling | 5800m |
| Climb | |
| 3000m | 10.7min |
| Armament | |
| Guns | 11*7.62mm ShKAS |
| Bombs | ? assorted |
TSh-3, TsKB-4 S.A.Kocherigin and M.I.Gurevich
 |
Heavy armored ground attack monoplane aircraft, built following the TTKh of the VVS command. Monoplane scheme was chosen by S.A.Kocherigin (head of attack aircraft brigade at the TsKB) after TSh-1 and TSH-2 failed satisfy the requirements and biplane solutions became obviously obsolete.
Airforce requirements included speed of 250km/h and ceiling 4000m. Aircraft had to carry strong armament in different combinations.
TSh-3 was built of metal and fabric. Front fuselage was a steel armor box held together by duralumin profiles frame. Front armor plate was 8mm thick. Side, bottom and back plates: 6mm, top plate: 5mm. Engine was not protected from the top. Retractable underfuselage radiator was protected by 6mm armor too. In the retracted ('attack') position cooling air was sucked in through the armored 'scoop' intake under the propeller, fraction of the heat also was absorbed by 106kg of water in the cooling system. Specially for this purpose radiator was made with oversize.
Tail section (behind the gunner's turret) was simple steel tube frame covered with fabric. It provided less than 10% of the airframe weight (55kg). Wing had duralumin frame and fabric cover. Each wing carried five ShKAS machineguns and three cartridges for six small shrapnel bombs each. Hardpoints were integrated into wing structure and could carry heavy bombs and Special Aircraft Mounted Devices (stays for chemical agent dispensers). Ailerons served also as a flaps.
TSh-3 was flown in 1932 by V.K.Kokkinaki. Performance was well above requirements of 1932. But... Trials and refinements continued until Spring 1934. Fast progress of aircraft designs made speed 250km/h already insufficient. Angular shape of the armor shell was the major obstacle.
The main purpose of the armored attacker was not well defined yet, and TSh-3 did not enter series production.
It took almost 8 years before Ilyushin's Il-2 emerged as an fully operational heavy armored aircraft with exceptional performance.
| References | Links |
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