Well, this one is a bigger enigma, not only by its size. It appeared some years ago on airwarfareforum.com. Able contributor Ton Meynders (R.I.P.), who owned a large collection of aircraft magazines, took it from a 1940 journal. There, it was labeled “Tupolev ANT-14”.
That can’t be just correct, as we a all know the Tupolev ANT-14 being the well-known “Pravda” propaganda plane. Several attempts to clear the case remained unsuccessfull.
The following theories were told:
A) The picture really is a propaganda fake. The trouble with this explanation is, there is no known propaganda using this aircraft so far.
B) The designation is true, but expired by the aircraft having been unsuccessfull. Its designation was cancelled and transferred to the “Pravda”. This kind of process was told having been not too uncommon within USSR aviation of that time.
Well, the latter explanation shows a bit of logic, if you look at the picture. The general outline shows a resemblance to the Tupolev ANT-16, whose predecessor it might have been. Employing only 5 engines, and regarding its baroque outline, it might have been seriously underpowered and probably given up comparedly soon. You also cannot see it as 5-engined version of the ANT-16, as the differences in window and cabin configuration are too big.
Even Russian experts like Mr. Yuri Kuzmin could not help further. But somebody of you here may. Thank you for your interest!
Regards, RT
By: JT442 - 8th March 2011 at 17:10
Probably the only people who KNOW and have PROOF of what this photo actually is, are long dead. It’s been altered though – no speculation there. Get a high definition copy of it and remov the parts which look as if they have been altered. You’ll find your original aircraft there! (And I’ll put money on it being an ANT 16)
By: Romantic Techno - 8th March 2011 at 16:16
Thank you for your answers. Although I have to state they are speculative and still nobody KNOWS anything about the picture.:rolleyes:
Regards, RT
By: Arabella-Cox - 8th March 2011 at 08:01
For reasons which escape me it appears that there are some who wish to interpret anything Russian/Soviet that they do not understand as some diabolical plot or conspiracy against the world… when, in fact, the answer to this image is likely to have been humour.
This is a clearly manipulated picture– not even with great skill (no serious “propaganda” effort, by any means). It looks to show what is perhaps the nose of the ANT-20bis, then with odd windows drawn in position and huge wheel spats added. The ridiculous engine-cum-engineer’s cockpit is quite amusing. I suspect that was deliberate.
This image bears all the hall-marks of a lampoon by the satirical magazine “Krokodil”. The magazine had a well demonstrated interest in aviation, especially in the 1930’s, and even sponsored their own heavily modified ANT-9 with a crocodile nose bolted on the front and garish paint job.
Had the original caption of this image survived, no doubt it would shed more light on the matter (and confirm the source, I would guess). The fact that it might have been posted in some Western magazine with a spurious designation (and no doubt with some dire warning about evil Soviet bomber threats) is not particularly surprising.
Oh well, so much for Global Conspiracies…
By: Stony - 7th March 2011 at 19:09
the nose glazing is not right…
It looks like some of the nose glazing is painted on… Cannot be sure if it’s painted on the plane or added later on the photo.
Soviet propaganda photo’s were often altered to make it look better or confusing the rest of the world.
edit:JT442 you beat me to it…
By: JT442 - 7th March 2011 at 17:52
ANT-20 with slightly revised nose glazing
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/aircraft/Tupolev-Ant20.html
probably the ANT-20 Makim Gorky in a pre-use staged photo, as the nose glazing doesn’t tie in with the aircraft in its flight phase. Another option is that it is a pre-production ANT-20bis before the omission of the fuselage pod-mounted engines
On reflection… its more like the ANT-16, but again, the nose glazing is not right…
edit: I think I’ve got it… its an ANT-16, BUT its a modified publicity shot – the spats were never fitted in service. The forward fuselage glazing is false – the rear one is painted onto the photo and you can make out the original SQUARE glazing within the fwd painting…The ANT-16’s bomb aimers position and nose turret have been painted over to disguise its role (in the same manner that many WW2 pics were adjusted by censors). The cockpit may hae had physical cover rigged over the original open cockpit, but I think that and the glazing between the pylon engine mount is also fake.
A doctored prototype of the ANT-16 seems like a good theory to me…
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March 7, 2011 at 5:42 pm