One of the Soviet Unions' most underestimated aircraft, the Myasishchev bomber
usually known as the M-4 'Bison' or 'Molot' has probably been at least as
important to the development of the Long-Range Aviation (DA) and the AVMF
(Soviet Naval Aviation) as the better known Tupolev Tu-95 Bear'.With the
expansion of the Soviet Navy in the 50's and 60's, many Bison-B's were
transferred to the AVMF to serve as long range reconaissance aircraft.The
Bison-B' was one of the first Soviet types to carry a flight-re-fuelling
probe, a number of the 'Bison-As' being converted to tanker configuration.
In 1959 the 201M established a series of impressive world records. Simultaneously
setting a record for zero payload for the same course, the 201M lifted a 55 tonne
payload to 43,036 feet, a record unmatched by any other aircraft until the
appearance of the C-5 Galaxy. It was only realised in the west in 1967 that
the 201M was a Bison' variant.
Production consisted of approximately 45 M-4's (Bison-A), 77 3MN/3MS (Bison-B) and 9 3MD (Bison-C)
Countries of Origin CIS (formerly USSR)
Similar Aircraft , B-52
Crew five
Role: Bomber/Tanker
Armament : 6 x 23mm TKB-495 cannons in 3 powered barbettes
5000kg free fall bombs
