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S-22 World's first four-engine bomber
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Igor
I. Sikorsky's S-22 design proved to be the World's first four-engine bomber.
Sikorsky named the aircraft "ILia Mourometz" after a tenth-century Russian folk
hero. Construction started in August, 1913 and first flight was in January,
1914. The aircraft had a wing span of 102 feet, a wing area of 1,700 square
feet, a gross weight of 10,340 pounds and was powered by four 100 horsepower
Argus motors. The cockpit had sufficient space allowing several persons to observe
the pilot. Openings on both sides of the fuselage permitted mechanics to climb
out on the wings to service the engines during flight. A hatch on the left side
provided an exit to the front bridge. Behind the cockpit was a large passenger
cabin with four large windows on each side. Placed at the rear was a stairway
to the upper bridge and a washroom. Further back was a private cabin which included
a berth, small table and cabinet. Lighting was provided by a wind driven generator
and heating was supplied by two long engine exhaust pipes which passed through
the corners of the cabin. In June, 1914, Sikorsky flew an ILia Mourometz on
an historic 1,600 mile round trip flight from St. Petersburg to Kiev. This epic
flight proved the worth of multi-engine airplanes and shortly thereafter the
Army placed an order for ten ILia Mourometz. During World War I over seventy-five
ILia Mourometz aircraft were produced in several versions (S-22 to S-27) and
deployed in a special squadron at the front for bombing and reconnaissance missions.