Zybin NM-1

The Zybin NM‑1 was the first successful design produced by Soviet engineer Pavel Tsybin in the early 1930s. After years of experimental gliders and small sport monoplanes, Tsybin secured state funding in 1932 to develop a purpose‑built trainer and liaison aircraft for the Red Army Air Force. The prototype flew for the first time on 14 May 1934 from the Khodynka airfield, demonstrating a sleek low‑wing monoplane layout, a wooden semi‑monocoque fuselage and retractable split‑flaps—features rarely seen on trainers of the period. Powered by a 220 kW Shvetsov M‑22 radial engine, the NM‑1 could reach 260 km/h, climb to 3 000 m in under ten minutes and remain airborne for two and a half hours. Its cockpit offered dual controls with interchangeable instrument panels, allowing rapid transition from basic flight instruction to advanced navigation training. Production ran from 1935 to 1939, with 124 units delivered to both military schools and regional aero clubs. The NM‑1’s combination of modest power, robust construction and innovative aerodynamics made it a stepping stone toward later Soviet advanced trainers, and it remains a celebrated example of Pavel Tsybin’s contribution to interwar aviation development.

Pavel Tsybin

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification