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Air giant. Superheavy transport aircraft M-52

27.09.2022

Air giant. Superheavy transport aircraft M-52

In the 1970s, the USSR directly linked its economic development with the mass development of Siberia, the Far East and the Far North, which required the delivery of heavy bulky cargo to these areas: nuclear reactors for nuclear power plants under construction, distillation columns for petrochemical industries, giant turbines and other components of power plants . The analysis showed that the masses of such cargoes ranged from 100 tons to 500 tons, with dimensions up to 70 m in length and 8 m in diameter. Rail transport was not suitable - narrow tunnels did not allow cargo of such dimensions to pass to the east. Sea and river transportation took a lot of time and, for obvious reasons, was suitable only for delivery from port to port. Further - only car trailers.

This turned each transportation into a unique transport operation, often requiring the reconstruction of roads, alteration of bridges and flyovers, which greatly increased both the time and cost of the transport operation and did not correspond to the expected pace of development of the vast eastern spaces. Air transportation, despite its considerable cost, had an important advantage - time. And a facility launched on time means additional savings.