Tupolev ANT-20

The Tupolev ANT-20 (also known as the Maxim Gorky) (Туполев АНТ-20 "Максим Горький" in Russian) was a Soviet 8-engine airplane, the largest in the 1930s.

The ANT-20 was designed by Andrei Tupolev and constructed between July 4, 1933 and April 3, 1934. It was the only airplane of its kind ever built by the Soviets. The airplane was named after Maxim Gorky and dedicated to the 40th anniversary of his literary and public activities. It was intended for Stalinist propaganda purposes and, therefore, equipped with a powerful radio set called "Voice from the sky" ("Голос с неба", golos s neba), printing machinery, radiostations, photographic laboratory, film projector with sound for showing movies in flight, library etc. For the first time in aviation history, this airplane was equipped with a ladder, which would fold itself and become a part of the floor. Also, for the first time in aviation history, the airplane used not only direct current, but alternating current of 120 volts, as well. The airplane could be disassembled and transported by railroad if needed. The giant aircraft set a number of carrying capacity world records.

On May 18, 1935 the Maxim Gorky (pilots - I.V.Mikheyev and I.S.Zhurov) and three more planes (Tupolev ANT-14, R-5 and I-5) took off for a demonstration flight over Moscow. The Maxim Gorky soon crashed into a residential neighborhood as a result of an unplanned loop maneuver around its wing, performed by an accompanying I-5 fighter (pilot - Nikolai Blagin), which would break the wing apart. As a result, 45 people died, including crew members and 33 family members of some of those who had built the airplane. Blagin died as well.

A replacement aircraft, designated ANT-20bis was constructed the following year, similar in configuration but with "only" six engines.

Specifications (ANT-20)

General Characteristics