| RSR | |
|---|---|
 Orthographically projected diagram of the Tsybin RSR | |
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissance aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Tsybin OKB-256 |
| Designer | P. V. Tsybin |
| Status | Prototype/project |
| Primary user | USSR |
| History | |
| First flight | 7 April 1959 |
TheTsybin RSR (Reactivnyy Strategicheskiy Razvedchik,CyrillicРеактивный Стратегический Разведчик,Russian for "jet strategic reconnaissance") was aSoviet design for an advanced, long-range,Mach 3strategicreconnaissance aircraft.
In 1954, thedesign bureau headed by Pavel Tsybin started development of aramjet-poweredsupersonicstrategic bomber, theRS. This design proved impracticable, and a smaller derivative, the2RS was proposed, which would achieve intercontinental range by beingair-launched from a modifiedTupolev Tu-95 bomber.[1]
This too was unsuccessful, with the aircraft unable to return to base if used on an intercontinental mission,[1] while being incapable of carrying athermonuclear bomb.[2] The design was therefore revised again to a reconnaissance aircraft capable of operating from conventionalrunways, theRSR. As ramjets could not be used for take-off, they were replaced byturbofans.[1]
The RSR was primarily of aluminium construction, with a long circular-section fuselage, which housed apressurized cabin for the pilot together with cameras and fuel, with thin, low-aspect-ratiotrapezoidal wings. The engines, twoSoloviev D-21turbofans, were mounted at the tips of the wings. The aircraft had a bicycle undercarriage, with outriggers under the enginenacelles. It was planned tocruise at greater thanMach 2 at a height of 20,000 m (65,600 ft) giving a range of 3,760 km (2,340 mi).[3]
A simplified, full-sized aerodynamic prototype for the novel layout, theNM-1 was built in 1957. Intended for low-speed handling tests, the NM-1 had a steel-tube fuselage withduraluminium and plywood skinning.[4] This aircraft, powered by twoMikulin AM-5turbojets first flew on 7 April 1959.[3] Based on the results of these trials, the RSR was redesigned (as theR-020) to make it more manoeuvrable at high altitude (it was proposed to carry outbarrel rolls to avoidsurface-to-air missiles).[5] More conventionalTumansky R-11 turbojets (the engine used in theMiG-21) replaced the unavailable Soloviev turbofans. Five R-020 airframes were virtually complete, only awaiting engines by April 1961, with another 10 planned, when Soviet PremierNikita Khrushchev cancelled the program.
Data fromSoviet X-Planes,[6] The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995[7]
General characteristics
Performance
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