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weight and performance calculations for the Tupolev ANT-20
Tupolev ANT-20 “Maxim Gorky”
importance : **
first flight : 19 May 1934 operational : July 1934
country : Russia
design : Andrei Tupolev
production : 2 aircraft
general information :
Built entirely for propaganda. Largest aircraft in the world in the 1930s. It was the
flagship of the Maxim Gorky propaganda squadron. It had a powerful radio broadcast
equipment, known as the “Voice from the sky”. Also it had a library, printing press,
photo lab and a film projector.
On 18 May 1935 the ANT-20 piloted by I.V.Mikyehev and I.S.Zhurov
made a demonstration flight over Moscow, together with three more aircraft. One of
the accompanying aircraft, an I-5 biplane piloted by Nikolai Blagin made loopings
around the ANT-20. On the third loop they collided. The ANT-20 crashed in a
residential area west of the today Sokol metro station. 45 people died in the crash,
including the I-5 pilot, the 2 pilots and 33 passengers aboard the ANT-20 and 9 people
on the ground.
A replacement aircraft was built, indicated as ANT-20bis. It made it’s first flight in
1938. It had now only 6 more powerful Mikulin AM-34FRNV (M.100 ?) engines of 1100
hp and flew with the Aeroflot.
The ANT-20bis crashed 14 December 1942, killing all 36 on board.
users : CCCP
crew : 8 passengers : 72
engine : 8 Mikulin AM.34FRN liquid-cooled 12 -cylinder V-engine 900 [hp](671.1 KW)
normal rating, supercharged engine, low blower, constant power to height : 1000 [m]
dimensions :
wingspan : 63.0 [m], length : 32.9 [m], height : 10.6 [m]
wing area : 488.0 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 42000 [kg]
empty weight operational : 28500 [kg] useful load : 7200 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed :232 [km/u] op 100 [m]
cruise speed :220 [km/u] op 100 [m]
service ceiling : 4500 [m]
range : 1200 [km]
description :
low-winged monoplane with fixed landing gear with tail wheel
tapered wing with no flaps airfoil : TsAGI-6
engines and landing gear attached to the wings, fuel tanks in the wings
construction : all-metal stressed-skin (duraluminium) airplane
airscrew :
eight fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrews with max. efficiency : 0.73 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 4.44 [m]
relative pitch (J) : 0.71 [ ]
power loading prop : 151.16 [KW/m]
theoretical pitch without slip : 3.77 [m]
blade angle prop (fixed) : 19.82 [ ]
reduction : 0.70 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1190 [r.p.m.]
aerodynamic pitch at max. continuous speed 3.16 [m]
blade-tip speed at max.continous speed : 284 [m/s]
propellor noise in flight : 98 [Db]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 7.67 [m] at 50% wingspan
mean wing chord : 7.75 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 7.33 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 8.1 []
seize (span*length*height) : 21971 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 48.3 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 1273.3 [kg/hr] (1737.1 [litre/hr]) at 76 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.17 [km/kg] at 2250 [m] height, sfc : 313.0 [kg/kwh]
estimated total fuel capacity : 10754 [litre] (7883 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry with reduction gear : 5360.0 [kg] = 1.00 [kg/KW]
weight 486.5 litre oil tank : 41.36 [kg]
oil tank filled with 40.3 litre oil : 36.1 [kg]
oil in engine 299.0 litre oil : 268.5 [kg]
fuel in engine 36.6 litre fuel : 26.85 [kg]
weight 738.5 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 110.8 [kg]
weight radiator : 993.3 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 114.8 [kg]
weight Burgess type silencers : 107.4 [kg]
weight starter : 16.4 [kg]
weight cowling 26.8 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) incl. boss & bolts : 1055.3 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 8158 [kg](19.4 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage aluminium frame : 5204 [kg]
cabin layout : pitch : 87 [cm] (2+2) seating in 18.0 rows
weight two toilets : 16 [kg]
weight 4 fire extinguisher : 12 [kg]
weight pantry : 55.0 [kg]
weight garderobe : 36.0 [kg]
weight 38 windows : 34.2 [kg]
weight door : 5.0 [kg]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.07 [m] cabin length : 16.59 [m] cabin height : 1.90 [m]
weight cabin furbishing : 362.4 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 349.5 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 204.5 [m2] duraluminium 2.32 [mm]) : 1243.9 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 65.7 [kg]
weight radio transceiver equipment : 7.0 [kg]
weight Sperry gyro auto-pilot - course control equipment : 1.5 [kg]
weight instruments. : 12.0 [kg]
weight lighting : 18.0 [kg]
weight electricity generator : 18.0 [kg]
weight controls : 17.8 [kg]
weight seats : 400.0 [kg]
weight air conditioning : 108 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 7886 [kg](18.8 [%])
***************************************************************
total weight aluminium ribs (277 ribs) : 1498 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 268 [kg]
weight fuel tanks empty for total 10016 [litre] fuel : 801 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 1.12 [mm]) : 2957 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 2839 [kg]
weight wings : 7293 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 14.95 [kg]
cantilever wing without bracing cables
weight fin & rudder (46.1 [m2]) : 695.4 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (54.9 [m2]): 824.2 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 9883 [kg] (23.5 [%])
*******************************************************************
wheel pressure : 10500.0 [kg]
weight 4 wheels (2030 [mm] by 290 [mm]) : 872.5 [kg]
weight tailwheel(s) : 5.9 [kg]
weight wheel-brakes : 35.7 [kg]
weight shock absorbers : 47.6 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 934.6 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 1896.3 [kg] (4.5 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 27822 [kg](66.2 [%])
weight oil for 6.5 hours flying : 316.3 [kg]
weight ethylene glycol cooling fluids : 869.8 [kg]
calculated operational weight empty : 29008 [kg] (69.1 [%])
published operational weight empty : 28500 [kg] (67.9 [%])
weight crew : 648 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 2547 [kg]
weight catering : 137.5 [kg]
weight water : 55.0 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight empty: 32395 [kg](77.1 [%])
weight 72 passengers : 5544 [kg]
weight luggage & freight : 1656 [kg]
operational weight loaded: 39595 [kg](94.3 [%])
fuel reserve : 2404.8 [kg] enough for 1.89 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 42000 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 63 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 42000 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 7.82 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 6.03 [kg/kW]
![1934 ... Tupolev ANT-20 [USSR] | James Vaughan | Flickr](images/Tupolev_ANT-20/image5.png)
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 8.94 [kg/kW]
total power : 5369.0 [kW] at 1700 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 2.6 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 2.5 [g] ultimate load : 3.8 [g] load factor : 1.4 [g]
design flight time : 3.82 [hours]
design cycles : 3434 sorties, design hours : 13112 [hours]
operational wing loading : 651 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 131 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.26 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 11.87 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.71 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.11 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.26 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.14 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0033 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0532 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0499 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW loaded : 40727 [kg]): 123 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 32772 [kg]): 127 [km/hr]
max. rate of climb speed : 138 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed : 130 [km/u] min.fuel/hr : 753 [kg/hr] at height : 610 [m]
max. range speed : 178 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 5.031 [kg/km] at cruise height :
4267 [m]
cruising speed : 220 [km/hr] at 2250 [m] (power:84 [%])
max. continuous speed : 225.79 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 232 [km/hr] at 100 [m] (power:111 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 283 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 195 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 150.0 [km/u]
static prop wash : 149 [km/u]
take-off distance at sea-level gras field : 301 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 423 [m]
landing run : 198 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 10.08 [ ]
climb to 1000m with max payload : 3.90 [min]
climb to 2000m with max payload : 9.04 [min]
climb to 3000m with max payload : 16.46 [min]
practical ceiling (operational weight empty 32395 [kg] ) : 6300 [m]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 30 min.fuel:41363 [kg] ) : 4900 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 1200 [km] with 8 crew and 5398.6 [kg] useful load and 88.1 [%] fuel
range : 889 [km] with 8 crew and 7200.0 [kg] useful load and 65.3 [%] fuel
range : 1050 [km] with 72.0 passengers with each 10 [kg] luggage and 77.1 [%] fuel
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 75634 [paskm]
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 17613.7 [litre] fuel : 2566 [km]
useful load with range 500km : 10017 [kg]
useful load with range 500km : 72 passengers
production (useful load): 2204 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 15840 [paskm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.60 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.060 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.014 [eur]
economic hours : 12775 [hours] is less then design hours
time between engine failure : 131 [hr]
writing off per paskm : 0.082 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.088 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.250 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.493 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm : 4.934 [eur]
Literature :
Praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 2 page 282,283
Piston-engined airliners page 41
wikipedia
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
Above and below, the ANT-20bis, it had 3-bladed propellors and enormous wheel fairings for better streamline.
(c) B van der Zalm 28 November 2021 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4