DB-3B

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This page is about the Soviet bomber DB-3B. For other versions, see DB-3 (Family).
db_3b.png
GarageImage DB-3B.jpg
DB-3B
Research:7 900 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:10 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

The Ilyushin DB-3 (Дальний бомбардировщик - Long-range Bomber) was introduced in the Soviet Union in 1936 and quickly became the core of the Soviet long-range bomber fleet. The aircraft carried up to 2,00 kg of bombs and had three 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns for defensive armament. It was powered by two Mikulin M-85 engines, each producing 850 horsepower, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of 390 km/h and giving it a range of more than 2,000 kilometers. During the early stages of World War II, the DB-3 aircraft played a decisive role due to its specialized use in night bombing missions against German targets, resulting in significant damage to infrastructure and military installations. Its long-range capability allowed it to penetrate deep into enemy territory, making it a valuable asset for air raids. The DB-3B variant represented an upgrade over the original model. In line with the typical Soviet upgrade initiatives of that time, the objective was to outfit the aircraft with more powerful engines, specifically the Tumansky M-87A/B, which boosted the maximum engine power to 950 hp.

The Ilyushin DB-3 was introduced in Update 1.67 "Assault". Although it may not be the fastest bird in the sky, it more than compensates with its impressive array of loadouts. Whether you need to do a multitude of tasks, ranging from precision bombing missions to engaging enemy aircraft and even destroying naval vessels, the DB-3B has the tools and armament to get the job done. However, its Achilles’ heel lies in its limited maneuverability, which can make it a tempting target for enemy fighters.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 6 250 m406 km/h
Turn time34 s
Max altitude9 400 m
Engine2 х Tumansky M-87B
TypeRadial
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight15 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 6,250 m)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 389 374 9400 35.0 35.8 7.1 7.1 326
Upgraded 429 410 33.0 33.8 12.5 9.8

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
600 320 N/A N/A 280 ~6 ~3
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 280 < 240 < 300 > 270

Survivability and armour

Crew4 people
Speed of destruction
Structural600 km/h
Gear320 km/h
  • 6 mm steel behind pilot
  • Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 in each wing)

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB468 → 752 Sl icon.png
RB785 → 1 262 Sl icon.png
SB1 188 → 1 910 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications6 910 Rp icon.png
6 760 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost530 Ge icon.png
Crew training3 000 Sl icon.png
Experts10 000 Sl icon.png
Aces125 Ge icon.png
Research Aces160 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
30 / 70 / 140 % Sl icon.png
112 / 112 / 112 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
460 Rp icon.png
Cost:
450 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
460 Rp icon.png
Cost:
450 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
510 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
510 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
440 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods oil.png
95 octane fuel usage
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
440 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
440 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods engine extinguisher.png
EFS
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
440 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
shkas_turret_belt_pack
Research:
460 Rp icon.png
Cost:
450 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
Der-19
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
510 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods turret gun.png
shkas_turret_new_gun
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
Der-20
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon torpedo.png
T-18
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
440 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Suspended armament

List of setups (8)
Setup 110 x 50 kg FAB-50sv (forged) bomb
Setup 210 x 100 kg FAB-100sv (forged) bomb
Setup 32 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bomb
Setup 410 x 100 kg FAB-100sv (forged) bomb
2 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bomb
Setup 52 x 500 kg FAB-500sv (welded) bomb
Setup 61 x 1000 kg FAB-1000 (welded) bomb
Setup 72 x 500 kg FAB-500sv (welded) bomb
1 x 1000 kg FAB-1000 (welded) bomb
Setup 81 x 450 mm 45-36AN torpedo
Main article: 45-36AN (450 mm)

The DB-3B can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • 10 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (500 kg total)
  • 10 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
  • 2 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
  • 2 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs + 10 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (1,500 kg total)
  • 2 x 500 kg FAB-500sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
  • 1 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000 bomb (1,000 kg total)
  • 1 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000 bomb + 2 x 500 kg FAB-500sv bombs (2,000 kg total)
  • 1 x 450 mm 45-36AN torpedo

Defensive armament

2 х Turret7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun
Ammunition1000 rounds
Fire rate1800 shots/min
Turret7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun
Ammunition500 rounds
Fire rate1800 shots/min
Main article: ShKAS (7.62 mm)

The DB-3B is defended by:

  • 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, nose turret (1,000 rpg)
  • 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, dorsal turret (1,000 rpg)
  • 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)

Usage in battles

In Simulator, the DB-3 has distinct pros and cons. It is a brilliant base / airfield-bombing plane with a maximum bombload of 1x 1,000 kg + 2x 500 kg bombs, allowing it to easily finish a base or cripple airfield modules in one run. The bombs drop one by one, allowing flexible targeting. (Note that the 1,000 kg bomb drops slightly in-front of the 500 kg bombs.) It is also one of the few USSR planes with torpedoes. It has greatly improved handling and stability comparing with the previous SB 2M, making flying a lot easier. However the DB-3 is quite slow, making it an easy target to pick on. It also has next to no defensive firepower: only 3 x 7.62 mm MGs in total; the one in the nose has great coverage, however most opponents are not likely to take head-ons. The top turret cannot even aim horizontally nor directly at the tail, meaning that the seemingly suicidal tactic of tailing a bomber can actually destroy a DB-3. The belly gun has good negative angle but its horizontal guidance is too limited. Therefore you can only target opponents at your front, upper half and lower rear.

When taking off, the DB-3 will shift to the right, so it is best to set separate keybind for left and right brakes to counter the torque. Given your weak guns, you can only survive if the room is rather empty or if the opponent also has weak firepower. If you are bombing a base, fly at treetop level to force any attacker to engage you from above so you can fight back. Bombing airfield is more dangerous, as you are not only exposed to AAA fire, but also attackers hiding in your gunner's deadzones. Climb to at least 2,000 m before approaching the airfield, then target the modules of fuel sector (surrounded by 4 towers), residential area (a bunch of tents) and hangar (6 giant houses). Bombing the airstrip is the easiest but it seems to give less rewards. If you see an attacker trying to shoot at you, you will have to nudge the plane so that the target is within your gunner's guidance which is very awful. The bullets will not do lots of damage as the target might constantly get into your deadzones. Most of the times against manoeuvring or heavily armed / armoured attackers, you will not survive long.

Landing is easy and similar to the style of the SB 2M. Line up with the airstrip when it occupies around 1/3 of your windscreen and descent to treetop level. Cut throttle to around 0-40% to drop speed to 200 km/h, and deploy landing flaps and gears. Control the throttle so that the touchdown speed is around 140km/h. Like the SB 2M, if you don't slow down enough the DB-3 will bounce off again and again which might lead to a crash. Once you have landed, you can keep braking as the nose will not dip down and cause a propeller strike.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Not auto controlled
Controllable
Not auto controlled
Not controllable
Not auto controlled
Separate Not controllable
1 gear
Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Great maximum bombload of 2 x 500 kg + 1 x 1,000 kg bombs allows you to finish a base in one go, or even have spare bombs for other targets
  • Has a wide range of bomb combinations, meaning that you can choose between large and small targets
  • Can break continuously until full stop, its nose will never strike the ground
  • Nose turret has wide coverage

Cons:

  • Extremely weak defensive firepower: terrible gun coverage at the rear/bottom, you cannot aim at planes on your side, tail, or underside, gunners are unprotected, and the 7.62 mm MGs lack damage
  • Quite slow and large, making it an easy target
  • Below average climb rate
  • Only has landing flaps
  • Negative deflection of elevator will not pitch the plane down at >390 km/h

History

After Sergei Ilyushin's BB-2 failed to compete with Tupolev's SB bomber in 1934, Ilyushin converted the BB-2 into a long-range bomber to compete again against Tupolev's DB-2 in order to recover the resources, energy, and time he had invested in the BB-2. He redesigned the BB-2, using a high-performance engine licensed by the Soviet Union in 1934, to exceed military standards.

Ilyushin began designing the prototype of the DB-3 bomber, the TSKB-26, in 1934. The TSKB-26 was actually a proof-of-concept, featuring a largely wooden fuselage, and made its first flight in the summer of 1935. It flew well and was the first Soviet aircraft to perform double aerobatics, tested by test pilot, V. K. Okkinaki. The real prototype of the DB-3 bomber, the TSKB-30, was completed in March 1936. Compared to the TSKB-26, it had an all-metal structure, extended nose, sliding cockpit canopy, fixed windshield, improved engine fairing and more. The prototype TSKB-30 was demonstrated over Moscow's Red Square on May 1, 1936, performing a 360-degree somersault with test pilot Kirkinarsky at the controls, impressing Stalin and accelerating production. On September 7, the same year, another TSKB-26 prototype set a ceiling record of flying to 11,005 metres with a payload of 2,000 kg.

From 1938 to 1939, the DB-3 bomber's aero-development system gradually changed to the Tumansky M-87A engine and VISH-3 variable pitch propeller, which became the DB-3 2M-87A (DB-3B). The M-87 had the same take-off power, but more high-altitude power output.

Media

Skins
Videos

See also

External links


Ilyushin Design Bureau (Илью́шинa Опытное конструкторское бюро)
Bombers  DB-3B · IL-4
Jet Bombers  IL-28* · IL-28Sh
Strike Aircraft  IL-8 (1944)
Il-2  IL-2 (1941) · IL-2 (1942) · IL-2M type 3 · IL-2M "Avenger" · IL-2M (1943) · IL-2-37 · IL-2 M-82
Il-10  IL-10 · IL-10 (1946)
Export/Captured 
Bombers  ␗DB-3A · ◊IL-28 · ◔IL-28
Strike Aircraft  ▀IL-2 (1942) · ␗IL-10 (1946) · ◔IL-10
  * The Chinese Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation built unlicensed copies of the Il-28 known as the H-5.

USSR bombers
SB and Ar  SB 2M-100 · SB 2M-103 · SB 2M-103 MV-3 · SB 2M-103U · SB 2M-103U MV-3 · SB 2M-105 · Ar-2
Yer-2 (petrol)  Yer-2 (M-105) · Yer-2 (M-105) TAT · Yer-2 (M-105R) TAT · Yer-2 (M-105R) LU
Yer-2 (diesel)  Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (e) · Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (l)
Tu  Tu-2 · Tu-2S · Tu-2S-44 · Tu-2S-59 · Tu-4
Pe  Pe-2-1 · Pe-2-31 · Pe-2-83 · Pe-2-110 · Pe-2-205 · Pe-2-359 · Pe-8
IL  DB-3B · IL-4
Po  Po-2 · Po-2M
Other  MBR-2-M-34 · TB-3M-17-32 · Yak-4 · Be-6
Lend-Lease  ▂PBY-5A Catalina · ▂Hampden TB Mk I · ▂A-20G-30 · ▂B-25J-30