FS98 Anadwa Salmson VKh light bomber, 1917
------------------------------------------ by Stephan Scholz, July 2011
Instructions:
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Unzip "AnsalVKh.zip" into a temporary folder and copy the "AnsalVKh" folder into the FS98 aircraft directory.
The real Anadwa Salmson VKh:
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The Anadwa Salmson VKh was a 5-seat, twin-fuselage, twin-engined light bomber biplane built in 1917 by Vassili Nikolayevich Khioni, former chief designer of the Anatra Aircraft factory.
It was an improvement over its predecessor, the Anadwa VKh. Two more robust Anatra DS or Ansal (Anatra-Salmson) fuselage were used, and more powerful 140hp water-cooled Salmson radial engignes with water-radiators fixed to the sides between the fuselages were fitted. Top speed was 140 km/h - 76 kt. The engine was cowled with aluminum, the fuselage covered in plywood, and the tail and wing surfaces were fabric-covered. Also, the two inner elevators were joined into one piece, and as before, the aircraft had vertical vanes between the wings towards the outer tips for directional stability.
The crew was increased from 3 to 5 members: Pilot and one rear gunner sat in the left fuselage, observer and the second rear gunner in the right, and the forward gunner in a nacelle on the upper wing. Thus, the aircraft had an excellent defence capability. The aircraft was reputed to take off soon, be manoueverable and easy to fly, with a very good rate of climb.
Technical experts of the time regarded Khioni´s dual-fuselage biplanes "one of the best large aircraft in possession of Russian aviation". Fifty units were ordered to compensate supply shortages of the Ilya Mouromets in 1917, but was never fulfilled because of the political situation. A small number were built, some units after the October Revolution under Bolshevik order.
Anatra was an aircraft manufacturer founded in 1913 by Artur Antonovich Anatra at Odessa, Ukraine, then Russian Empire, which manufactured several light aircraft designs until 1917 when it was nationalised shortly after the Bolshevik revolution. In June 1918, the factory was destroyed by its former workers. Vassili Nikolayevich Khioni went on building several of his own designs after the company's demise. Many of these are often referred to as Anatra-VKh or Anatra-Khioni models. In 1920 he became chief designer in the aircraft manufacturing plane in Odessa - State Factory No. 7.
Anadwa Salmson VKh Specifications:
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Crew: 5: Pilot, observer and 3 gunners
Length: 25.3 ft
Wingspan: 62.3 ft
Wing area: 667 sq ft
Endurance: 3.0 h
Max Speed: 76 kt
Range: 228 nm.
Engines: 2x140 hp Salmson water-cooled radial engines
MTOW: 4620 lb
Empty: 2866 lb
Payload: 1760 lb
Ceiling: 13500 ft
The virtual model:
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Built with Abacus Aircraft Factory 99 and animated with Abacus Aircraft Animator. Parts count is at 133.6%, very close to the AF99 compiling limit due the complicated design. Fortunately, however, bleedthrough is at a transitory minimum. Pilot, observer and the 3 gunners with their machine-guns can be made to appear by pressing the "l" key.
Flight Dynamics:
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Take-off: The aircraft will lift off by itself at around 40 kt.
Cruise: 60 Kt
Max Speed: 76 kt
Approach: 50-60 Kt
Landing: 45-55 kt
Stall: 35 kt.
Textures:
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Special thanks to Udo Entenmann for his expertise on the textures and for their general enhancement.
Sounds and panel:
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Default Sopwith Camel.
Legal stuff:
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This aircraft is freeware, and cannot be sold. No responsibility is taken for any loss or damage incurred directly or indirectly from its use. The original unaltered aircraft files may be freely distributed, uploaded, downloaded
and shared. Please maintain proper credit, of course, and make no financial gain whatsoever.
