In the middle of the last century, the design bureau A. S. Yakovleva. It has consistently developed several projects of transport helicopters, and was also looking for fundamentally new solutions. In the sixties, this search led to an unusual proposal. The new project, called VVP-6, envisaged the construction of a heavy helicopter capable of becoming a new element of air defense.
Unfortunately, not too much is known about the VVP-6 project. In open sources, there is only a brief description of it and the only photograph of a large-scale model. Nevertheless, this allows us to draw up an acceptable picture, as well as evaluate the hypothetical capabilities of the proposed machine and understand why it was not brought even to the stage of technical design.
The only known image of the VVP-6 model
The VVP-6 project proposed the construction of a heavy multi-rotor helicopter designed to carry a special payload. While other rotary-wing vehicles were intended to transport soldiers, weapons, ammunition and equipment, the new model was supposed to take on board the S-75 anti-aircraft complex missiles - and together with launchers. In fact, an original version of an anti-aircraft missile system on a rotary-wing platform was proposed, suitable for quickly organizing air defense in a dangerous direction.
Specific tasks seriously affected the appearance of the helicopter. In terms of its architecture and layout, it had to be noticeably different from other machines, both of its time and later. It was proposed to use a fuselage of large cross-section, capable of accommodating a special payload. To obtain the required carrying capacity, six independent propeller-driven groups were used, located on six planes.
The basis of the glider VVP-6 was an unusual fuselage. The breadboard shows that it should have had a large elongation. For most of the length, the same section, close to rectangular, was preserved. In the forward part of the vehicle there was a cockpit with a characteristic "balcony" of the canopy. There could be fuel tanks and some kind of load inside the fuselage. In particular, the sources mention the possibility of placing additional ammunition inside the vehicle.
From the aerodynamic point of view, the glider VVP-6 was made by the so-called. longitudinal triplane. Three wings were placed in the nose, central and aft parts of the fuselage. Each plane had a straight leading edge. Inside the wing and on its surface, it was planned to place different units of the propeller-driven group - one on each half-wing. Perhaps, in horizontal flight, the wings were supposed to create significant lift and partially unload the propellers.
Apparently, it was planned to place the main rotor gearbox inside the wing. There were two pylons under the wing, on which the engineers placed two turboshaft engines. What type of engine was proposed for use is unknown. Each wing had four motors and a gearbox that provided a six-blade propeller drive. The length of the main rotor blades was chosen so that the swept disk would not overlap the fuselage projection and would not threaten the payload.
Having six half-wings with a propeller-driven group on each, the VVP-6 helicopter had to have six identical rotors at once. Their drive was carried out by 24 separate motors, interconnected by means of special gearboxes. How it was proposed to organize the control of the machine is unknown. All screws could be equipped with swash plates to change the thrust parameters. In addition, a differentiated change in engine speed could be used for maneuvering.
Retractable landing gear supports were located under the front and rear fenders. Provided for the use of four supports, two on each side. Probably, in flight, they could retract into the niches of the fuselage.
Its payload is no less interesting than the VVP-6 helicopter itself. To accommodate it, the upper part of the fuselage was made in the form of a flat rectangular platform with sides. On such a site - in line with the wings - it was proposed to mount missile launchers. Between a pair of half-wings were placed two lifting rails with a rocket on each. Thus, an unusual-looking helicopter could carry and launch six S-75 air defense missile systems. The use of missiles of modifications B-750 and B-755 was envisaged.
The main components of the S-75 air defense system: the V-750 rocket and the SM-63 launcher
Some sources claim that the target load of the VVP-6 could also include additional ammunition, a radar station and fire control devices. Unfortunately, the well-known photo of the layout does not allow us to understand where and how all these products could be placed - first of all, additional missiles and radars.
It can be assumed that the VVP-6 helicopter could indeed receive all the necessary devices to turn it into a full-fledged anti-aircraft battery. Otherwise, the radar detection and control, as well as other components of the complex would have to be placed on a different platform. As a result, a fully functional anti-aircraft battery had to consist of several VVP-6 with different equipment and different functions.
According to known data, the length of a promising helicopter along the fuselage should have reached 49 m. The width, taking into account the swept discs of the propellers, could be approximately half as much, the width of the fuselage - about 6 m. The calculated weight parameters of the helicopter are unknown. Depending on the model of the missiles used, the ready-to-use ammunition load weighed 13-14 tons. Additional B-750/755 missiles could almost double the total payload mass. Considering the level of weight perfection of helicopters of that time, it can be assumed that the maximum take-off weight of the VVP-6 should have reached the level of 45-50 tons. The flight performance is unclear.
The combat qualities of an air defense helicopter of the type VVP-6 were to be directly dependent on its flight characteristics and the type of missiles used. The speed and range of flight determined the possible boundaries of the deployment of mobile air defense systems. Helicopters with missiles could arrive at predetermined positions in a minimum time, land and deploy anti-aircraft weapons.
Depending on the type of missiles installed and the mode of operation of the guidance systems, the VVP-6 helicopter could hit aerodynamic targets at ranges up to 20-25 or 40-45 km and altitudes from 3 to 30 km. To destroy the target, a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 190 kg was used. The B-750 and B-755 missiles were equipped with a radio command control system.
Thus, in the shortest possible time, an anti-aircraft barrier, built using the most modern S-75 missile system, could appear on the way of enemy aviation. After repelling the raid and destroying enemy aircraft, the VVP-6 helicopters were able to take off and leave the position in the shortest possible time, reducing the risks of a retaliatory strike.
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The concept of an air defense helicopter armed with anti-aircraft missiles and equipped with the necessary control devices could be of interest to the military. A rotary-wing aircraft of the type VVP-6, in theory, gave the army special opportunities, and with them an advantage over a potential enemy.
The main advantage of GDP-6 was its high mobility. In this regard, the helicopter with missiles was utterly superior to all existing and future air defense systems of the traditional appearance. It is not hard to imagine how quickly the helicopter could reach the indicated position and how much it could overtake the S-75 air defense missile system on standard vehicles. In terms of mobility, only fighters with air-to-air missiles could be compared with a helicopter, but in this case there were other differences as well.
At the cost of a reasonable increase in the size and weight of the helicopter, it was possible to obtain a substantial ammunition load, ready for use. In addition, there were opportunities to transport additional missiles. Thus, in terms of its firepower, the helicopter link consisting of several vehicles turned out to be a replacement for the ground anti-aircraft battery.
Serial trucks were the standard means of transportation for the S-75. In the photo, the air defense system of the Korean People's Army
An important advantage of the GDP-6 project was its unification with the existing air defense missile system for ammunition. The project involved the use of B-750 and B-755 missiles, used by numerous S-75 complexes. Thus, the construction and deployment of a promising helicopter complex did not require the development and production of special missiles for it.
However, the original project had a number of different kinds of problems. The main thing is unnecessary complexity. The proposed machine was distinguished by its large size and weight, which required the use of 6 propeller-driven groups with 24 engines - a kind of record among domestic projects. The design of such a machine was an extremely difficult task in technical and technological terms. It remains only to guess how long it would take to create a technical project, and then build, test and refine an experienced helicopter.
There were also tactical problems. A mobile air defense missile system based on a helicopter, distinguished by its high combat qualities, will certainly become a priority target for the enemy. Aviation and artillery had to take all necessary measures to detect and destroy VVP-6 in flight or in position. At the same time, enemy anti-aircraft weapons could also participate in the suppression of helicopter air defense.
The dense stowage of missiles on the fuselage of the VVP-6 helicopter led to a characteristic problem. It did not allow the use of launchers with large horizontal guidance angles. Because of this, there could be problems with preliminary guidance and target acquisition. Turning the missiles at relatively large angles required turning the entire vehicle - not the easiest operation requiring takeoff. The transportation of part of the ammunition inside the fuselage posed a new challenge for the designers. It was required to equip the helicopter with some built-in means of reloading missiles onto launchers.
Thus, the proposed VVP-6 anti-aircraft missile carrier helicopter had both characteristic advantages and significant disadvantages. Hypothetically, he could effectively solve his combat missions, but at the same time it turned out to be extremely difficult. As a result, the original project was considered unpromising from the point of view of real application. Design Bureau A. S. Yakovlev did not receive an order for its further development, and the project went to the archive, where it was lost for several decades. In the future, they did not return to such ideas. Even the progress in the field of anti-aircraft missiles, which reduced their size and weight, did not contribute to the emergence of anti-aircraft helicopter projects.
Several conclusions can be drawn from the history of the project of the special heavy helicopter VVP-6. Firstly, it shows that on the basis of well-known and well-mastered solutions and components, an unusual concept can be built to solve familiar problems. In addition, the project confirmed that there is often unnecessary complexity involved in achieving outstanding results. As a result, the bold technical proposal was rejected as unpromising. However, the VVP-6 project deserves a separate place in the history of Russian aviation.
