NIAI LEM-3

The LEM-3,, was a transport aircraft designed and built in the USSR from 1936.

Development

In 1930 the LIIPS formed a UK GVF, in turn the UK GVF formed the NIAI which became the focus of several good design engineers who were given command of individual OKB.
The LEM-3 was designed by Yuri Vladimirovich Domrachayev & Leonid Sergeyevich Vild'grub as a very high efficiency transport akin to a motor-glider, with high aspect ratio wings and a low-powered engine. The all wood LEM-3 had a conventional tricycle undercarriage, long span wings were supported by a truss running from approx 1/3 span to the bottom of the u/c legs to the other wing. The initial version had a side-by-side open cockpit, for the two pilots, and an eight-seat cabin with four bench sets under hinged roof access panels with small windows as well as four cargo compartments in the enlarged wing roots. The engine drove a U-2 Propeller, with which the flight tests began in 1936. The factory testing was completed by early 1937 when the aircraft was flown to Moscow for testing at the NII GVF, unfortunately the aircraft suffered a forced landing on arrival at the NII GVF airfield and further work was abandoned. A modified version with a large enclosed cabin, trousered main undercarriage, anti nose-over skid and Townend ring cowling, was mooted in a contemporary drawing, but there is no evidence that this version was built, modified, or flown.