Built Like A Borzoi: Bolkhovitinov S-2M-103 "Sparka"

[@lancerevell5979]

Being an old lifelong aviation buff, I'm pretty familiar with strange aircraft designs. But I hadn't seen this one before. 😎👍

[@mastathrash5609]

Nor I 👍

[@WarblesOnALot]

G'day, Me three. And I be Such an incorrigible Biggles Fetishist and Aeroplanologist, That my First Aeroplane, the "1975, 8-Hp Red Baron Skycraft Scout...;..." (Search YT for that, or my Videos...), Hangs in the (another, later, Video Title...) "National Transportation Museum...; Visiting My First Aeroplane...!". I've long known of the 2 x V-12 Racing Seaplane which Italy was trying to field in the final Schneider Trophy Race in 1936...; but this Thing Was beyond my Ken. Learning is goodly ! Such is life, Have a good one... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !

[@Ozzienuck]

The Italian Macchi M.C. 72, which was designed for the 1931 Schneider Trophy seaplane race, used the same layout with a pair of Fiat AS.5 V12 engines mounted in tandem driving contra rotating propellers. Suffering problems initially, the design didn't achieve success until 1934 when it was flown to a top speed of 440.6 mph, a record that still stands today for piston-engined seaplanes.

[@matteohetzy7599]

This is that engine running kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2aYn3qKmsafppI

[@oxcart4172]

An Italian group recently got one of/both(?) Of that engine running again

[@matteohetzy7599]

@@oxcart4172 Yes, and I was there! (And you can watch the video I captured). The engine restored is not the one installed on the surviving airplane. So the engine restored is one AS.6, that is made up of 2 halfs (basically 2 individual AS.5 front to front, and both halfs run of course)

[@oxcart4172]

@@matteohetzy7599 Fantastic! I'm not jealous, honest! 😂🤣😂

[@tommytwotacos8106]

That they didn't name this plane "The Borzoi" was a tremendous oversight on the manufacturers behalf and likely the central cause of its overall failure.

[@charleselliott8539]

Once I heard you love dogs and have a German Shepard, I had to subscribe. Your great videos secondarily influenced my decision. I recently got a Shiba Inu puppy when he was only 12 weeks old. His name is Rocket and he is now 18 months old. Shiba Inu's are a beautiful Japanese breed, in my opinion. German Shepards are great dogs too. Also, this was an awesome video, keep up the great work and good luck!

[@tovrobi5097]

I looked up this Kondakov cannon, and turns out it's some wacky recoiles gas operated autocannon (if 140 rounds per minute is auto enough for you) that can shoot from BOTH sides. That's making this aircraft even more weird than it is.

[@jamesneufeld-b7e]

The DO-335 was the ne plus of the 2 engines with centerline thrust concept.

[@kyle857]

Ne plus?

[@WarblesOnALot]

@@kyle857 G'day, "Ne Plus Ultra...,! Is a Smartarse Saying "Absolute BIGLY-EST & Most BEST-EST...!" But they're Affecting to say it in LATIN (Vulgate)... Make sense, now ? The OPC was Attempting to sound "Sophisticated" But Got the Quote Wrong, and left a third of it out altogether. I bet they don't know that "Sophisticated" Means "Adulterated & Impure" First applied to fake "paste" Artificial "Gemstones" of Glass, coloured by Impurities added to the mixture before melting. Related to Sophomoric (callow & immature), & Sophomore (anyone beginning their second year of studying ANYTHING, when they THINK they know a lot - Sorcerer's Apprentice stage). Derived from Sophistry (Elegantly constructed and confected NONSENSE....). So, yeah A Sophomoric attempt to Appear to be Better Edumikatered that they Reely Were, In point of actual Fact...(!). Apparently. Such is life, Have a good one... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !

[@mikehoare6093]

O-2 was way better

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

This is fascinating. I would love to build a model of the twin-engined Sparka since I’m very interested in weird or esoteric aircraft.

[@dennisdose5697]

Pretty rare that I haven't heard of a plane before but this is a new one. Obviously, DeHavilland got the fast bomber sorted with a brilliant conventional design. Interesting attempt however.

[@blueaurowana9663]

Me too! I am totally amazed by this configuration!! ...... have been involved with strange planes and am also bush pilot for the last 50 years! Tandem engines is a really unique design. More so driving a set of contra rotating props! Wow. The closest to this approach is the German fighter Donier Do 335 Arrow.

[@williamkoppos7039]

Yep ya learn something new every day. Studying this stuff since birth, never been allowed info in this one. First thought it was going to be a recon job. Looks like something the French would come up with. Thanks for the Vid.

[@louislochner5713]

Brilliant content 👌🏼 Always looking forward to your next video.

[@liamoliverdarroch6482]

Another great ihyls video! I thought the dog thing at the start was a little long and might cause bad retention for new viewers, either way great vid! Can't wait for more!

[@1959Edsel]

There was a French aircraft with dual engines powering contra-rotating props in the nose. That plane had the second engine behind the cockpit.

[@HotelPapa100]

Are you thinking of the Bugatti Project 100? That in fact had both engines behind the pilot. The concept was popular with racing aircraft at the time. Macchi Schneider trophy racers also employed it.

[@1959Edsel]

@@HotelPapa100 Arsenal VB 10.

[@adamrodaway1074]

Never heard of this cool plane. It might have made an effective recce plane.

[@papadopp3870]

The Borzoi I knew the best, Leda, when chasing anything, looked like an SST

[@7thsealord888]

Never heard of this one. Interesting video, and certainly not a bad idea.

[@kyle857]

Ok idea, absolutely horrible implementation.

[@7thsealord888]

@@kyle857 The entire story of Soviet R&D right there. :)

[@crabby7668]

More info on the soviet komet would be interesting as well. This was all new to me. Nice video.

[@alanpennie]

*Everything The Germans do we can do worse...*

[@j.f.fisher5318]

I've felt like a P-38 configuration with inline engines to minimize frontal area would be beneficial. One other advantage to a front and rear engine is the rear engine can protect the crew from fire coming from the rear.

[@tobystaggs9180]

I'm watching this in math class and it's soooo much more interesting, thank you!

[@memofromessex]

Ger back to class!

[@richardsiciliano8539]

Brilliant. One of your best

[@danbenson7587]

Chrysler IV2220 was a V 16 engine made of 2 V8 blocks. Between the blocks was a transfer case that drove the propeller shaft through the vee crotch of the front V8.. (As I understand it). The engine was intended and briefly tested in a P47. War’s end ended it. Smithsonian has one. Detroit Diesel made V12’s and V16’s by combining V6 and V8 blocks. DD engines are like ‘transformer toys’ being configured several ways.

[@alanguest1979]

Reminds me of the EKW C-36, a Swiss aircraft of WW2 vintage.

[@Nlangkirby135]

That's a new plane i have NEVER heard of in my life!

[@atilllathehun1212]

Kawasaki Ki64 also had a form of tandem engine installation. A video on that type please.

[@scottdean7613]

Nice ride down the canine valley.

[@loiclaronche5675]

Never heard about it. Thanks a lot !

[@wbertie2604]

Engines are heavy so balance is a big issue, hence various Heinkel, Dornier, Fairey and a US design I can't remember the manufacturer of put one or both engines nearer the center of gravity, such as mid mounted, side-by-side or staggered. Some of these actually made service. You did note this, just noting other designs briefly

[@davidvavra9113]

Bell P39?

[@wbertie2604]

@@davidvavra9113 only one engine

[@tomellis4750]

No mention of engine cooling. Could that have been a problem?

[@Stroopwaffe1]

I have an Japanese Akita but he's Scottish and I'm English, great upload, great channel, TY.

[@luvr381]

Wouldn't a more equivalent US design be the XB-42 Mixmaster?

[@whalesong999]

It would be interesting if you did a video about the Russian aircraft V-12s (Klimov and Makulin) that were used during WW2. They were large displacement units, one being a family relative of the Hispano-Suiza produced in France during WW1. Both were very large displacement but with low horsepower ratings compared to smaller Allied engines. They also had short TBO times, likely vibrated excessively.

[@aabumble9954]

Congratulations on 64 videos also could your next video be about the Vickers victory bomber?

[@828enigma6]

I wonder if moving the rear most engine rearward and placing the cockpit between them would have been feasible. The rear engine would still power a contrarotating propeller in the front, the pilot straddling the drive shift, rather like the Bell Aracobra. We know the German version with the prop and engine in the rear worked.

[@criggie]

How hard is it to extend the engine, double the number of cylinders instead of entraining two distinct engines ?

[@JohnSmith-oh9ux]

Never heard of it. Thanks!

[@LucaFabbri-i5y]

Could they be inspired by 1933 Macchi Castoldi MC72 Schneider Cup hydroplane which Is still the faster hydro with piston engine?

[@Tom-Lahaye]

You could put one of the engines behind the center of gravity but still have the props at the front, by having the mid/rear engine in a P63 like arrangement driving one of the props via a long shaft. But they had already issues with the relatively short shaft from the second engine vibrating, so if they could get a longer shaft working without vibrations?

[@Pushing_Pixels]

I wonder if the tandem engines driving a contra-rotating prop concept would've worked better with radial engines. Yeah, you would have a wider nose, but it would be a LOT shorter, which would make the plane easier to balance and, more importantly, mitigate the second driveshaft vibration issues by shortening it (assuming it's possible to run another shaft through a radial). Might've been lighter overall, which could offset the extra drag or allow it to carry more ordnance.

[@pencilpauli9442]

I always like to say hello to dogs. I always ask owners and the dog first.

[@MrPellington]

Good stuff. Keep it up.

[@iskandartaib]

Where else have I seen a tandem engine airplane like this? There was an article in Model Aviation many years ago about a series of pulp novels from the 1930s - or maybe they were radio dramas, or both - for the life of me I can't remember the name. The main protagonist flew something that had tandem engines like this. There was a picture in the article. Have there been others in real life?

[@badscrew4023]

That's one wacky plane! As someone who speaks Russian a little, one note for the others who don't: a "Sparka" word has nothing in common with a "spark" but rather with a Russian word пара "para" that means "two", and спарка "sparka" meaning "two coupled in one"

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

They might have rigged up a single engine version to test shafts, this way the could just open the hood and look at what happened during flight too different alloys and designs. If I was going to keep the nose and only have one engine, I would use the shorter shaft that works and fill that space behind with a fuel cell for long range reconnaissance or guns and ammo.

[@ErikssonTord_2]

The Do X had massive problems with keeping the rear engines cool enough, no matter what setup that was tried, but watercooled engines worked somewhat better!

[@restitvtororbis5330]

*this is a guess for the riddle at the end* Didn't the inventor of the Segway (probably spelled wrong) drive one off the side of a canyon? Does it mean that a design is so similar looking (uncanny) to something else that nobody can take it seriously and the project dies because of it (like the Segway inventor)

[@thingamabob3902]

not the inventor Dean Kamen died, it was the owner of the company Segway Inc. Jimi Heselden who fell down a canyon

[@jamesdeath3477]

Isn't this just a bit of a copy of the Macchi Castoldi MC72? That used a similar trick. They could have easily pushed the motors backwards on the airframe if they wanted a shorter tail.

[@bullthrush]

No mention of the Macchi M.C.72

[@wbertie2604]

To me a strong engine is one you can hit with a hammer and it might still work. Lots of horsepower - powerful.

[@wbertie2604]

I don't make a regular habit of hitting engines with hammers, by the way

[@ptonpc]

You had me at 0:07 :D

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

Looks like something out of Crimson Skies.

[@thingamabob3902]

great game, I still have the board game and also played the computer game. The what-if aircraft pictures were dazzling

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

I think the Swiss built something similar to this but cant remember manufacturer.

[@Bob-qk2zg]

I wonder about Soviet aviation fuel. Americans used a high octane fuel which gave our engines a much higher manifold pressure than the German planes. Thus, better performance.

[@kellyswoodyard]

You like dogs, I see. That's excellent. I also love our 4 legged mates. Shep's are a wonderful pup, I had one, when I was about 20 or so. Long, long, ago. I now have 2 Staffie cross kids. A boy and a girl. Both adopted, but 3 years apart. I love them both very deeply. And if you're ever in our bit of Australia 🇦🇺, you can pat Sputnik and Kay, any time you wish, for as long as you like. Cheers, Shane.

[@delavan9141]

Seems like more of a passion project for some engineers who had too much time on their hands. I'm amazed they were able to play around with the design for as long as they did, especially considering they doubled-down with a single-engine experiment, which was way worse than the original concept. You never mentioned fuel consumption, it must have been horrendous and a large part of the reason so little payload could be carried. Then there is the extremely light skin and frame, a little flak would render it unusable for some time. Which brings up the maintenance cost of the thing! Specially trained mechanics would be needed as well, and with the drive shaft problems, the cost and time of maintenance, and the aircraft downtime, really all adds up to a huge waste of time and resources.

[@JamesNetwood]

I was waiting for the news of bad. A design that doesn't work in this time period usually ends with a unwelcome fate.

[@jaimepowell5033]

This comment won't be about the aircraft. But about your love of the German Shepherd. I'm a retired technician. I took a job maintaining systems at a dog rescue. They had a GS come in. Rescued by soldiers in Afghanistan, she had severe dysplasia in both hind legs. She was basically a "dragger." Donations came from all over the US. She got her surgeries. In the course of my duties I watched her rehab. It wasn't going well. She tired easily & was discouraged. I took over. "Come on Liberty a little more" became a mantra. I would pull her to my side & ruffle her head & rub her sides. She would soldier on. There was a pool at the rescue. I asked for a float coat for her. It magically appeared. Now, after her walks, she got time kicking in the pool. Soon, we were trotting on her walks. One day she told me she didn't want or need the float coat anymore. A few days later she ran ahead of me & as soon as she saw me catching up she LEAPT into the pool. She was now a complete German Shepherd. Strong, happy, & ready to face the world. She had the most beautiful head I've ever seen on a dog. Big, long nose, powerful jaws, bright intelligent, loving eyes shining out of it. She went back to the family who received her from the soldiers. But, I know if I could walk up to her today she'd grin at me & give me links with that huge tongue. What a good dog.

[@SubCapt]

Funny... the Swiss F+W C-3605s, that is WWII-era C-36s re-engined in the early 70s with Lycoming turboprops for use as target tugs, ended up looking quite similar, but for different reasons : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%2BW_C-3605

[@808bigisland]

Grew up next to the airfield where the 36 were stationed. Slow, lumbering planes with a great engine drone. The 3605 was an entirely different beast. Sleek and fast.

[@rogerrinkavage]

What an intro 😂👍

[@federicomalignani4957]

In 1934 Francesco Agello set the world speed record on the Macchi Castoldi MC72,flying on the Garda Lake,in Italy,at an average speed of 709 km/h. The MC 72 was innovative because of the powerplant,with a Fiat AS6 engine composed by two V12,twin spark,four valves per cylinder supercharged units moving two counter rotating propellers. The shaft of the rear engine passed inside the shaft of the front engine. The Sparka seems to be a copy to that idea. The Macchi MC 72 still holds the speed record for piston engined seaplanes. On October 22,in Desenzano del Garda,its Fiat AS6 engine was fired again for the first time in 89 years.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

The Klimov engine looks like a Jumo knockoff. Is that possible?

[@luisgimenez8660]

Soviet development from licenced Hispano Suiza engines.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

Thx@@luisgimenez8660

[@hughmarloweverest1684]

Thank you. Boy, we sure bailed the USSR out with lend lease, didn’t we.

[@davidjernigan8161]

Seems like a better configuration would be like the Doriner arrow

[@engineerskalinera]

"Fuck it, Borzoioplan" -Bolkhovitinov, 1937 (colorized)

[@superflyer991]

Ahh yes the "Let me fly it for you." plane.

[@notbobrosss3670]

Poor Ivan got lucky. Didn’t have to lay on his back, in the tail and fire a 37mm.

[@t44e6]

Cool video! Props don't pivot. They rotate on an axis.

[@IAmTheAce5]

[Corsair side-eye intensifies]

[@i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b]

I love these videos, thanks! Somehow I knew it wasn't going to be more then a one off, maybe after you mentioned the rocket plane in the beginning.

[@puppetguy8726]

I prefer the Arsenal VB 10 when it comes to this concept

[@mikepj67]

Good idea for rubber power

[@guidor.4161]

Weight doesn't affect max speed all that much...

[@scootergeorge7089]

Seems it should have been faster in level flight than it was. Rate of climb would probably have been poor, making it unacceptable as an interceptor.

[@teehasheestower]

A very good borzoi.

[@Iamthestig42069]

FYI. Pima Air and Space Museum allows dogs. Planes! Dogs! Need I say more?

[@AnthonyHandcock]

Ah... A dog lover. I knew you was a good egg! Always wanted a Borzoi but I think I've run out of time. I'm not fit enough these days to do one justice. I've had a Saluki though and they're slightly more gorgeous.

[@LastGoatKnight]

This plane looks like an ordinary fighter/dive bomber/attack aircraft just elongated WAAAAAAAAY too much

[@Marce159951]

It was really a bizarre aircraft

[@DekkerDave]

The snoot plane!

[@lancerevell5979]

The Jimmy Durante of airplanes! 😂

[@allangibson8494]

This aircraft looks strongly like the WW2 Swiss EKW C-36 Escort Fighter particularly in its later C-3605 turboprop variant… The Germans also built a number of aircraft with twin side by side inline engines too. The DB-606 and DB-610 being examples of these.

[@javierpatag3609]

You get a Like just for saying you love dogs.

[@BOEHHO89]

Like the old saying goes ,if it looks right it is right well this thing don't look right .

[@kranzonguam]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@stephensowell9578]

Bazaar fits.

[@DraftySatyr]

Fascinating and well-researched video. But I struggled with your speech style. Not every sentence needs to have a rising intonation at the end!

[@g412bb]

The Sparka did pizza when it should have french fried, obviously it had a bad time.

[@Sophocles13]

Why would you go through all the trouble of making the airframe accept two inline engines, Just to rip one out and fill the empty space with ballast? So absurd. And the rationale that they did it to make room for a gun firing through the prop is absurd, since other single engine fighters had guns shooting through the prop just fine.

[@thingamabob3902]

who knows how many russian ideas were borne from vodka ^^

[@prowlus]

Looks like the russian answer to the swiss c-36

[@lampshade6967]

BORZOI MENTIONED

[@jwoody8815]

Im a cat person, but I love all Animals, (But sorry Vegetarians I still like eating them also, within reason) raised with Cats and Dogs. But something about cat breeds seem to make epic titles for Planes and etc. (BTW I have the same urge of wanting to pet most animals I run across, though I dont, bad idea. Especially cats, I dont blame you, lol.)

[@Mumbamumba]

I'm more of a cat person but dogs are great, too.

[@chonqmonk]

You'd LOVE my dog, Chonq; he's a McNab Cattledog, super intelligent, yet he's always happy and loves everybody no matter what species they are. I think he's the Doggi Lama.

[@RemusKingOfRome]

If that one did get into production, I can image it's nick name it would probably get - "Flying telegraph pole" ! If you reversed everything - 2 engine in the mid/rear section, with dual pusher props, and the pilot right up the front ... maybe ?

[@josephglatz25]

Lord Foog the 2st joke goes here.

[@kidmohair8151]

sort of puts the lie to that meme of everything being grey, boring, standardized and un-individual in the Soviet Union, doesn't it.

[@Flies2FLL]

You know, the Russians really didn't have a clue back then. Nor to they now~

[@Legitpenguins99]

*rabid vatnik noises

[@Flies2FLL]

@@Legitpenguins99 Sure thing gopnik.

[@CanalTremocos]

Easy to land, in 3rd person view.

[@huntergray3985]

More like a dog's dinner!

[@PeteSampson-qu7qb]

The configuration wasn't new or unique. And learn your dogs! I've learned to read dogs and their owners so, with permission of course, I pet strange dogs. I usually even carry some treats which I also only give out with permission. I can't currently have a dog so I have to get petting somewhere!

[@HaroldParks-bd7ng]

Too bad so many bad pics.

[@dougmoore4326]

I love your content. Please stop the intentionally sing song narration, I can’t watch you content because the narration makes me nuts