Polikarpov BDP-2 was a Soviet transport glider developed by Polikarpov during World War II.

Design

After Polikarpov's initial design for an assault glider, given the designation BDP (Boyevoi Desantnyi Planer – troops assault glider), to compete with the Antonov A-7 and Gribovskii G-11 was rejected, the design was re-surrected, in modified form, in 1942, as the BDP-2.^[1]

The BDP-2 was an all-wood high wing glider capable of carrying 20 troops and a pilot. The BDP-2 took-off on jettisonable twin wheel dollies and landed on large wooden skids either side of the fuselage.^[1]

Specifications

Data from Aircraft of the Soviet Union : the encyclopaedia of Soviet aircraft since 1917,^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 20 troops
• Length: 13.5 m (44 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 20 m (65 ft 7 in)
• Height: 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 44.72 m² (481.4 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,923 kg (4,239 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,000 kg (6,614 lb)

Armament

• Guns: 7 × light infantry machine guns