Myasishchev DB-108

The Myasishchev DB‑108 was a Soviet experimental twin‑engine bomber developed in the late 1940s by the Myasishchev Design Bureau. Conceived as a high‑altitude, high‑speed strategic aircraft, the DB‑108 first flew on 30 May 1947, representing one of the earliest attempts by the USSR to integrate pressurised cabins and remotely controlled defensive gun turrets. Its distinctive twin‑boom layout housed two powerful Shvetsov ASh‑82 radial engines mounted on the outer wings, while the central fuselage contained a pressurised crew compartment and a bomb bay capable of carrying up to 2 000 kg of ordnance. Innovative features included a tricycle landing gear, retractable flaps that enhanced lift at altitude, and a modern electrical fire‑suppression system. Although the program demonstrated impressive performance—reaching 800 km/h at 10 000 m—it never entered mass production due to changing Soviet priorities and the emergence of jet‑powered designs such as the Ilyushin Il‑28. Nevertheless, the DB‑108 provided valuable data on aerodynamic stability, high‑altitude operation, and crew comfort that informed later Myasishchev projects, including the M‑4 and the experimental M‑55 reconnaissance aircraft, cementing its place as a pivotal stepping stone in Soviet aviation development. history.

Myasishchev Design Bureau

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