Tupolev ANT-29 DIP

A progressive development of the basic ANT-21bis design, the ANT-29 was a DIP (Dvukhmotorny istrebitel pushechny, or twin-engined cannon fighter) designed by Aleksandr Arkhangel'sky's brigade. Of flush-riveted all-metal construction and powered by two 760hp Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs 12-cylinder liquid-cooled engines, the ANT-29 carried a 102mm Kurchevski DRP, a recoilless gun of 4.00m length, the exhaust gases of which were discharged through a steel tube projecting from the rear of the fuselage. This weapon was hand-loaded by the second crew member. In addition, one 20mm cannon was mounted in each wing root and provision was made for a dorsally-mounted 7.62mm machine gun. Priority assigned to other programmes delayed completion, and flight testing of the ANT-29 did not begin until the end of 1935, although the prototype had been rolled out in the previous February. State acceptance testing was scheduled for the first half of 1936, but, in the event, never took place as numerous problems were revealed by factory testing, including serious longitudinal instability. The project was abandoned after a loss of interest in Kurchevski's recoilless guns for which the ANT-29 had been designed. These had suffered repeated failures leading to Kurchevski's arrest and subsequent disappearance.

3-View

A three-view drawing (1653 x 1150)