Myasishchev M-4

what is it?

The Myasishchev M-4 Molot (Russian: Молот (Hammer), USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 37", ASCC reporting name Bison) was a four-engined strategic bomber designed by Vladimir Mikhailovich Myasishchev and manufactured by the Soviet Union in the 1950s to provide a Long Range Aviation bomber capable of attacking targets in North America. The aircraft fell well short of its intended range and was not fully capable of attacking the most valuable targets in the United States. As this became clear, production was shut down.

🔎How to recognise it: 4 jet engines · shoulder wing · 50.5 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 947 km/htop speed
• range 5,600 kmwithout refuelling
• size 181.5 tmax take-off weight
• built 125made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 73 years ago, in 1953.
• 🏎️Top speed is 7.3× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 50.5 m: about 11 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 30 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 🌍Range of 5,600 km: 31× Amsterdam to Brussels.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.2× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1953

introduced

1954

retired

1994

status

retired

number built

125

role

strategic bomber

origin

🇷🇺 Soviet Union

makers

Myasishchev Design Bureau

engines

4× Mikulin AM-3A / Mikulin AM-3

crew

8

length

47.2 m

wingspan

50.5 m

height

14.1 m

max take-off weight

181.5 t

top speed

947 km/h

range

5,600 km

ceiling

11,000 m

wings

shoulder wing

landing gear

tandem gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.