First flying soon after the first flight of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, the M-4 initially impressed Soviet officials. The M-4 was first displayed to the public in Red Square, on May Day, 1954. However, it soon became clear that the bomber had an insufficient range to attack the United States and still return to the Soviet Union. Only a few of the original production M-4s were actually put into service.
To remedy this problem, the Myasishchev design bureau introduced the 3M, known to the West as the 'Bison-B', which was considerably more powerful than the previous version. This new model first flew in 1955. Among other things, two of the five original gun barbettes were removed to lighten the aircraft.
General characteristics
- Crew: 8
- Length: 47.20 m (154 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 50.5 m (165 ft 7 in)
- Height: 14.10 m (46 ft 3 in)
- Wing area: 326.35 m² (3,512.8 ft²)
- Empty weight: 79,700 kg (175,700 lb)
- Loaded weight: 138,500 kg (305,340 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 181,500 kg (400,135 lb)
- Powerplant: 4 × Mikulin AM-3A turbojets, 85.75 kN (19,280 lbf) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 947 km/h (588 mph)
- Range: 8,100 km (5,030 mi) ferry; 5,600 km (3,480 mi) combat radius.
- Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,000 ft)
- Wing loading: 425 kg/m² (87 lb/ft²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.25
Armament
- Guns: 9×23 mm NR-23 cannon or 6×23 mm AM-23 cannon in ventral, dorsal and tail barbettes. 1,100 rounds in ventral and dorsal barbettes, 2,000 rounds in tail barbette.
- Missiles: Up to four cruise missiles carried externally.
- Bombs: Typically 9,000 kg (19,840 lb) of internal stores. Up to 24,000 kg (52,910 lb) could be carried, including nuclear and conventional bombs
