The Kamov Ka-22 ''Vintokryl'' (rotor-wing, or literally, (air)screw-wing) (

Cyrillic The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...

: Камов Ка-22 Винтокрыл) (

NATO reporting name NATO uses a system of code names, called reporting names, to denote military aircraft and other equipment used by post-Soviet states, former Warsaw Pact countries, China, and other countries. The system assists military communications by providi ...

: Hoop)Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1963-1964 - Link p.300 was a

rotorcraft A rotary-wing aircraft, rotorwing aircraft or rotorcraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft with rotor wing, rotary wings that spin around a vertical mast to generate lift (force), lift. Part 1 (Definitions and Abbreviations) of Subchapter A of Chapt ...

developed by

Kamov JSC Kamov () is a rotorcraft Aerospace manufacturer, manufacturing company based in Lyubertsy, Russia. The Kamov Design Bureau (OKB, design office prefix Ka) has more recently specialised in compact helicopters with coaxial rotors, suitable for ...

for the

Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...

. The experimental transport aircraft combined the capabilities of a

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...

for

vertical take-off and landing A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-wing ...

with those of a

fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using aerodynamic lift. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft (in which a rotor mounted on a spinning shaft generate ...

for cruise. The Ka-22 carried a large payload, having a hold comparable in size to the

Antonov An-12 The Antonov An-12 ( Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than thr ...

. Eight world records for altitude and speed were set by the Ka-22 in its class, none of which have since been broken."Helicopter Ka-22."
''Kamov Company.'' Retrieved: 5 June 2008.

Development

In order to increase the effective range of a helicopter, Kamov designer Vladimir Barshevsky drew up a design for a helicopter with wings and an aeroplane propulsive system. In 1954 a proposal was agreed to produce three Ka-22s. The programme was delayed and on 28 March 1956 prototypes 2 and 3 were cancelled. The Ka-22 first lifted from the ground on 17 June 1959, and made its first untethered flight on 15 August 1959. Serious control difficulties were encountered, leading to orders being postponed until the problems were solved, and in July 1960 an order was received to manufacture three more Ka-22s.

Design

The Ka-22 was in essence a fixed-wing aircraft with rotors fitted above the wing tips. An engine was mounted on each wing tip, with drive to both a four-bladed tractor propeller and a four-bladed main rotor. The original prototype was powered by 5,900shp Kuznetsov TV-2VK engines, although these were later replaced by the 5,500shp Soloviev D-25VK. The fuselage contained three-seat cockpit above the glazed nose and a main cargo area large enough to contain 80 seats or 16.5 tonnes of cargo. The entire nose could swing open to starboard for loading bulky items. In helicopter mode, the propeller drive was disconnected, and the flaps were lowered to 90 degrees. In fixed-wing mode, the lifting rotors were free to windmill, and the aircraft was controlled by the ailerons and tail surfaces. The twin-wheel landing gear was fixed.

Operational history

During its short operational history, a total of eight

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

s were set by the Ka-22, piloted by D.K. Yefremov and V.V. Gromov."World Records."
''Kamov Company.'' Retrieved: 5 June 2008. In the 1961

Soviet Aviation Day Russian Air Force Day () is a professional military holiday of Russia celebrated on 12 August to honor the active and reserve personnel, as well as veterans of the Russian Aerospace Forces. History Air Fleet Day (), also known as the Air Forces D ...

, this aircraft was on display, making its first public appearance. On 7 October 1961, with spats over the wheels and a fairing behind the cockpit, a class speed record was set at 356.3 km/h. The spats and fairing were then removed and on 24 November 1961 a payload of 16,485 kg was lifted to 2,557 m. On 28 August 1962, while on an intermediate stop during a ferry flight to Moscow for acceptance testing, Ka-22 01-01 rolled to the left and crashed inverted, killing the entire crew. The cause was found to be the starboard rotor collective pitch control linkage, and further inspection found that two of the other three Ka-22s suffered from similar problems. Subsequently, in order to improve stability and control, a complex differential autopilot was installed. This sensed attitude and angular accelerations, and fed into the control system. On 12 August 1964, while involved in

testing, 01-03 was destroyed. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled turn to the right, and in efforts to correct the Ka-22 pitched into a steep dive. The order was given to abandon the aircraft, and three of the crew survived, but Col S.G. Brovtsev, who was flying, and technician A.F. Rogov, were killed. After this, the Ka-22 was abandoned, with the

Mil Mi-6 The Mil Mi-6 (NATO reporting name Hook), given the article number ''izdeliye 50'' and company designation V-6, is a Soviet Union, Soviet/Russian heavy transport helicopter that was designed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, Mil design bureau. ...

having already taken on the heavy helicopter role. Eventually the two surviving machines, 01-02 and 01-04, were scrapped. The Ka-22 was only seen once by western observers during the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

during an Aviation Day display in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

on 9 July 1961.Apostolo 1984, p. 109.

Specifications (Ka-22)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Apostolo, Giorgio. ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters''. New York: Bonanza Books, 1984. . *Everett-Heath, John. ''Soviet Helicopters: Design, Development and Tactics''. Coulsdon, UK: 1988 (2nd Revised Ed.) * Gunston, Bill. ''The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995''. London: Osprey, 1995. . {{Gyrodyne Kamov aircraft Gyrodynes 1950s Soviet military transport aircraft Transverse rotor helicopters High-wing aircraft Turboshaft-powered aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1959 Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft Aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear