Today I present my first build in awhile, Soviet Tu-2RShR with 57mm cannon.
The history of the prototype vehicle, as follows, from airwar.ru:

"Tu-2 No.26 / 46 production aircraft of the plant No.23 was chosen for the new ground attack role. It was decided to use a gun with a barrel of 57 mm - RShR-57. Design Bureau began work on the modification of the Tu-2 in the Tu-2 RShR-57. The main differences were as follows: -for placement of the guns, the nose of the fuselage was changed; - reinforced the design of the central part of the fuselage at the mounting points RShR-57; -were subjected to changes in the shutter doors, electrical and radio wiring in the front cockpit; -Wings and hatch installations VUS-1 were removed. On December 6, 1946, all work related to the modification of the machine was completed. The gun was mounted on a fixed installation in the bomb compartment of the fuselage. At the same time, its trunk protruded by about 500 mm beyond the contours of the nose of the fuselage (somewhat to the left of the plane of symmetry). Automation provided its continuous power.



Factory tests, which took place from December 9, 1946 to February 28, 1947, were carried out by a crew consisting of: test pilot V.P. Marunov, leading weapons engineer M.L. Bazhenov, leading weapons engineer A. Gorokhov. Tests have shown that:


"... 1. For firing during factory tests, the rig strength was sufficient.
2. The pneumatic system worked flawlessly.
3. There were no violations in the electrical alarm system, lighting, etc. ...
6. During firing in all modes, the aircraft resistant and slip with no target.
7. Installation on gun plane RSHR-57 aircraft piloting technique does not complicate. piloting technique in all flight modes pilotage is different from the serial piloting an airplane.
8. Firing of the gun RSHR-57 in air with horizontal flight , cabrio, pikirova and at low altitudes (assault) does not complicate the technique of piloting the aircraft, does not pose a danger to the crew ... "


It was further recommended that after eliminating the defects noted in the report, the car be presented for state tests. They took place at the research institute from April 21 to May 30, 1947.


It was concluded that:


"1. Aircraft automatic 57 mm gun RShR-57 of the design and manufacture of OKB-16 of the Ministry of Armaments has passed the state flight tests and can be recommended for arming fighter-interceptors ..."


However, the Tu-2 with the RShR-57 did not go into the series. The main reason was that live firing showed low effectiveness in the use of large-caliber air guns."

I hope you enjoy this build, this is definitely one of my better builds.