Zveno project

The Zveno project, conceived by Soviet aeronautical engineer Vladimir Vakhmistrov in the late 1930s, was an unconventional multi‑aircraft system that combined a heavy ‘mothership’ bomber with up to three smaller fighters mounted underneath its wings. Development began in 1939 at the Yakovlev Design Bureau, initially using a Polikarpov TB‑3 as the carrier and I‑16 or I‑153 fighters as parasites. The concept aimed to extend the fighters’ range, allowing them to strike distant targets without the need for long‑range fuel tanks. Operational trials in 1940 demonstrated that the TB‑3 could release its parasites at altitude, after which the fighters engaged enemy formations independently. In August 1941, a Zveno formation successfully bombed the Romanian oil refinery at Ploiești, marking the only combat use of a composite aircraft. Key features included robust attachment pylons, a central release mechanism, and synchronized control lines that permitted limited in‑flight adjustments. Although the project was ultimately abandoned due to logistical complexity and the advent of longer‑range single‑seat fighters, Zveno remains a landmark in aviation history, illustrating innovative thinking in extending combat reach and influencing later concepts such as aerial refueling and carrier‑based strike groups.

Vladimir Vakhmistrov

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Production & History

Design & Classification