The Real Flying Fortress

Kalinin K-7

The biggest every aircraft by 1933, this soviet experimental aircraft was really showing the full potential as well as the real meaning of the Soviet Union which was big guns and even bigger machines. Not only being a Flying Fortress it was also able to hold 9500kg bombs however, but this would also cut away from the fly time. Not only this but we are also looking at 8 250mm cannons that were meant for warships and never for an aircraft. This was a mean and scary thing that has actually started a small arms race between America, this thing scared the world however, many did not believe that it could actually take off as it looked nothing near aerodynamic or having enough powerful engines to take off.

It is imperative to remember that this plane was never meant to be fast as speed would not help to aim those big guns. At the same time the plane was not meant for high altitudes as (again) it would make it difficult to hit any ground targets. Believe it or not, the problem of this plane was not taking off (as you would assume) but, it was actually landing the plane. The sheer size, weight and shape made it very difficult to land and it required along as well as wide enough runway to actually land it safely. This plane weighted 24 tones (to be precise 24,400 kilograms) empty, whilst loaded it weighed almost 39 tones (38,800 kilograms).