Early domestic tactical missile systems were mainly equipped with solid fuel engines. Several liquid-propellant rockets were created, but they were not widely adopted. In addition, some other versions of the power plant for a rocket capable of attacking targets from a distance of several tens of kilometers were being worked out. So, the rocket complex 036 "Whirlwind" was to be equipped with a ramjet engine.
Created by the mid-fifties of the last century, tactical unguided missiles had some drawbacks. So, the low perfection of solid fuel did not allow obtaining high range indicators, and liquid engines, providing the required range of action, were too complicated, expensive and not reliable enough. Continuing the development of such engines, Soviet designers were engaged in experiments, the purpose of which was to find alternatives with the required characteristics. One of the best options for replacing solid fuel and liquid engines then seemed to be a direct-flow system.
At the stage of preliminary calculations and the formation of requirements for a promising rocket, it was determined that the use of a supersonic ramjet engine (SPVRD) running on standard B-70 gasoline would make it possible to send a 450-kg rocket at a range of up to 70 km. Taking into account the required fuel supply, such a projectile could carry a 100-kg warhead with an explosive charge weighing 45 kg. The big advantage of such a rocket was the ability to change the firing range without changing the elevation angle of the launcher: to achieve the flight parameters required in this situation, it was possible to use a mechanism that turns off the fuel supply to the engine.
Diagram of a self-propelled launcher Br-215. Figure Dogswar.ru
By the beginning of 1958, preliminary work was completed on a promising mobile field reactive system with an unguided missile. It should be noted that the modern classification of military equipment makes it possible to consider this development as a tactical missile system or (with some reservations) a multiple launch rocket system. On February 13, 58th, the Council of Ministers of the USSR issued a decree on the development of a new project for the 036 Whirlwind rocket system. Approximately two months later, the Main Artillery Directorate completed work on the terms of reference. The development of a new project was entrusted to OKB-670, M. M. Bondaryuk.
The goal of the project was to create a missile system capable of striking enemy targets in tactical and near operational depth. The targets of the "Whirlwind" were supposed to be the enemy's reserves in the form of manpower and military equipment, artillery firing positions, headquarters, communications centers, assembly sites for tactical nuclear weapons, rear facilities, etc. To hit such targets with unguided missiles, it was necessary to use the simultaneous launch of several ammunition, which made it possible to bring the probability of hitting enemy targets to acceptable values.
By this time, the development organization already had some experience in creating tactical unguided missiles, which should be used in a new project. The use of experience, as well as some developments on previous projects, allowed OKB-670 specialists to complete the development of the 036 "Whirlwind" project in just a few months. The necessary documentation, for all the complexity of the work, was prepared by the middle of 1958. On June 30, the preliminary design was approved.
For the new missile system, it was required to develop a self-propelled launcher with the desired characteristics. Work on this model of technology began back in November 1957, when the industry was only working on the future appearance of the Whirlwind complex. The designers of the Volgograd plant "Barricades" were engaged in the creation of a new type of combat vehicle. Subsequently, this enterprise completed the assembly of the equipment required for testing.
Scheme of the rocket "036". Figure Shirokorad A. B. "Domestic mortars and rocket artillery"
The self-propelled launcher received the designation Br-215. It was a YaAZ-214 truck with missile guides installed on it. The used chassis had a bonnet configuration and was equipped with a three-axle undercarriage with all-wheel drive. The vehicle was equipped with a YAZ-206B diesel engine with 205 hp. The carrying capacity reached 7 tons. The truck could accelerate on the highway to a speed of 55 km / h. Two 255-liter fuel tanks were enough for 750-850 kilometers.
On the cargo area of the chassis, it was proposed to mount a launcher compatible with promising missiles. Directly on the chassis frame, a support platform was installed with a hinged mount for the swinging artillery unit and outrigger supports. The artillery unit consisted of a support frame and two missile guides. The guides were an openwork structure consisting of cage rings, guide rails and longitudinal load-bearing elements. Unguided missiles of a new type were supposed to receive stabilizers that did not have folding systems. Because of this, it was required to create a launcher capable of protecting the planes of rockets during transportation and during acceleration. The finished structure turned out to be quite large, which is why it was possible to place only two guides on the existing chassis.
On the straight longitudinal beams of the guide, 10 clip rings were attached at different intervals. Rings and beams formed a rigid frame mounted on a swinging base. Screw guides were placed on the inner racks of the rings. During firing, they had to contact the corresponding parts of the missiles and force the ammunition to rotate around its axis. During launch, the stabilizers moved inside the cylinder formed by the rings, so they did not have the opportunity to collide with anything and get damaged.
An interesting feature of the Br-215 launcher was the absence of guidance mechanisms that would change the aiming angles. The artillery unit could only move in a vertical plane, because of which the horizontal aiming had to be carried out by turning the entire vehicle. Vertical guidance was not provided. When firing, the guides could only occupy one position, which ensured the launch of the missiles to the most effective trajectory. Range guidance was planned to be carried out by onboard rockets.
The total length of the Br-215 vehicle was 8.6 m, width - 2, 7 m, height - 3 m. The total mass of a self-propelled launcher with two missiles was 18 tons. Such weight indicators fit into the capabilities of the base chassis, due to which the mobility characteristics remained at the required level.
The structure of the rocket "036". Figure Militaryrussia.ru
Self-propelled launcher Br-215 was supposed to transport and launch missiles of the "036" type. In the design of this product, it was proposed to use several original ideas and solutions, primarily related to the power plant. The required flight characteristics of the rocket were to be achieved using a ramjet engine running on gasoline. In addition, it was proposed to equip the rocket with a starting engine connected to the sustainer.
The rocket "036" had a cylindrical body with a frontal air intake. The air intake device was equipped with a conical central body designed to form two oblique shock waves. A warhead and a fuel tank were located behind the central body. The tail part of the hull was given over to the engines. In the rear of the hull, with a shift forward, were placed X-shaped trapezoidal stabilizers. Pins were placed next to the stabilizers to interact with the helical guides. There were no other protruding parts on the body.
A high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 100 kg was placed behind the central body of the air intake. An explosive charge weighing 45 kg was placed inside the body of this product. A contact fuse with remote cocking was used. Next to the warhead there was a fuel tank for gasoline used by the sustainer SPVRD. Its volume allowed the rocket to carry up to 27 kg of fuel. With the help of pipelines, the tank was connected to the engine located in the rear of the hull. The fuel line was equipped with a clock mechanism, which was responsible for cutting off the fuel supply at a given moment in time.
The basis of the power plant of the rocket "036" was a supersonic ramjet engine RD-036 of its own design by OKB-670. The engine had an inlet diffuser with a diameter of 273 mm and a combustion chamber with a diameter of 360 mm. After acceleration to the required speed, B-70 gasoline, ignited by the existing ignition means, was to be supplied to the combustion chamber. Under normal conditions, the RD-036 product could develop thrust from 930 to 1120 kg. The available fuel supply was enough for 11-21 hours from the operation of the main engine.
The initial acceleration of the rocket, necessary to turn on the main engine, was proposed to be carried out using a starting solid-propellant booster. To save space, a starting engine of the PRD-61 type had to be placed inside the combustion chamber of the sustainer SPVRD and thrown out from where after the end of work. The starting engine had a cylindrical body with a diameter of 250 mm and was equipped with a solid fuel stick weighing 112 kg, which burned out in 3.5 s. The starting engine thrust reached 6, 57 tons.
General view of the machine Br-215. Photo Strangernn.livejournal.com
After running out of solid fuel and dropping the starting engine, the rocket was supposed to include a sustainer power plant. This process was implemented quite simply: at the right time, the fuel system valve was mechanically unlocked, after which gasoline began to enter the combustion chamber, ignited and began to create thrust.
The rocket "036" had a length of 6056 mm and a maximum diameter of 364 mm. The span of the stabilizer is 828 mm. It is interesting that the dimensions of the finished product turned out to be slightly less than those required by the technical specifications. The launch weight of the rocket was 450 kg. According to preliminary calculations, the ammunition with the help of the starting engine was supposed to reach a speed of more than 610 m / s, and the maximum speed achieved with the help of the march was determined at the level of 1 km / s. When passing the active section of the flight, the rocket had to rise to an altitude of 12 km, and the maximum height of the trajectory reached 16, 9 km (according to other sources, up to 27 km). The firing range could vary from 20 to 70 km. At the maximum range, the dispersion of missiles reached 700 m.
For transportation and storage of new unguided rockets, a special closure was developed. It was a wooden box of the required dimensions that protected the rocket from external influences. When preparing the complex for firing, the ammunition should be removed from the capping and then installed on the Br-215 guides. The capping allowed for the storage of the "036" rocket in the warehouse for 10 years.
The use of an unusual propulsion engine led to the formation of the original principles of the rocket complex operation. Arriving at the firing position, determining its position and calculating the guidance angles, the calculation of the 036 "Whirlwind" complex had to turn the SPG in the desired direction and level it using jacks. Then the guides of the launcher were raised to a firing position. At the same time, the vertical guidance angle was the same for firing at any range. Also, a manual installation of the clock mechanism of the fuel supply was carried out, which was responsible for the range of the rocket.
Launcher charging process. Photo Strangernn.livejournal.com
On command from the control panel, the starting engine charge was ignited. For 3, 5 s, it completely burned out, creating the thrust necessary for the rocket to pass along the guide and then leave it. By the time the solid fuel was run out, the rocket had to pick up speed, which made it possible to turn on the sustainer SPVRD. After the combustion of solid fuel, the empty housing of the starting engine was automatically reset and the fuel supply valve opened. With the help of the ignition system, the gasoline was ignited. After moving away from the launcher at a certain distance, the fuse was cocked. During the flight, the rocket was stabilized by rotation with the help of stabilizers installed at an angle to the incoming stream.
Having flown along a predetermined trajectory, a certain predetermined distance corresponding to the required firing range, the rocket independently turned off the main engine and completed the active phase of the flight. Further, the flight was carried out along a ballistic trajectory until the moment of meeting with the target.
Until the end of 1958, the organizations involved in the Vortex project collected prototypes of promising equipment and weapons. Soon, these products went to the test site. The test site was the Vladimirovka training ground in the Astrakhan region. All tests of new weapons were carried out there, both in the original and in the modernized versions.
In parallel with the tests of the prototype 036 missiles and the Br-215 self-propelled launchers, OKB-670 specialists were developing an improved version of the rocket. By improving the design and changing some parts, a new rocket was created, which received the designation "036A". It differed from the original product, first of all, by the increased thrust of the main engine. Under normal conditions, this parameter reached 1100-1200 kg. Other structural elements, such as the clockwork fuel system or the warhead, have not been changed.
Due to the minimal differences from the basic product, which simplified the production of prototypes, the 036A rocket was able to enter testing as early as 1958. During the checks, she confirmed the growth of engine parameters while maintaining the main characteristics at the same level. At the same time, the circular probable deviation at the maximum range increased to 750 m. Otherwise, the improved missile did not differ from the original "036".
A modified version of a self-propelled launcher with an increased number of guides. Photo Strangernn.livejournal.com
Tests of two types of missiles along with the existing launcher continued until 1959. During the tests, about three dozen missile launches were carried out. In addition, a large amount of scientific material was collected, which was planned to be used in the further development of unguided rockets with SPVRD. For example, due to some new ideas, it was possible to achieve a noticeable reduction in the size of stabilizers while fully preserving their functions. This made it possible to reduce the size of the missiles in the capping and facilitate their storage. In addition, it was possible to redesign the design of the launcher by doubling the number of guides. According to some reports, the project of a new launcher with an increased number of guides even reached the construction of a prototype.
After the completion of all tests, the documentation for the Vikhr complex, its 036 and 036A missiles, and the Br-215 launcher was handed over to the customer. The specialists studied the presented data and decided that further work on this project did not make sense. Despite the use of new units, which made it possible to increase the firing range in comparison with existing systems, the 036 "Whirlwind" complex had a number of characteristic drawbacks, some of which were fundamentally unavoidable. In 1960, the Vortex project was officially closed.
The proposed weapon system, with some advantages, turned out to be too complicated to manufacture and operate. In addition, a launcher with two or (in the future) four guides could lead to unacceptable tactical consequences. Given the accuracy and relatively low power of unguided missiles "036" and "036A" to strike at the target, it was required to use an unacceptably large number of self-propelled launchers. Further development of the complex in the absence of control systems did not allow solving the main problems and bringing some important characteristics to the required level.
The presence of noticeable problems and the actual lack of ways to solve them led to the rejection of the further development of the Vikhr missile system. Missiles of the "036" family were not accepted into service and were not used in the army. The topic of unguided ballistic missiles with ramjet engines also did not receive a noticeable continuation, since such power plants did not meet existing requirements. Further development of tactical missile systems and multiple launch rocket systems was carried out using power plants of other classes.
