In 1936, the Plant started manufacture of the SB aircraft (high
speed bomber) created by the design team headed by
A. A. Arkhangelsky who worked under the leadership of
A. N. Tupolev. This aircraft decided the destiny of the Plant as
the manufacturer of twin-engine aircraft.
The three-seater bomber was powered by Ì-10Î engines, each
860 hp in power, and, further, by more powerful engines,
types AA-100A. M-103 and M-105 fitted with variable-pitch
propellers.
Since 1937 the SB aircraft was one of the best bombers in
Europe. It fought in Spain during the civil war and later took
part in combats with the Japanese in China, in Halhin-Got and
in the Soviet-Finland war of 1939—1940.
The aircraft was built under licence in Czechoslovakia, was
adopted by the Air Forces of Bulgaria, Finland, Slovakia,
China. It was manufactured in a mail-cargo version. 837
aircrafts out of the total number of 6650 were produced at the
Irkutsk Aircraft Plant.
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