In January 1948, the Soviet Union issued a specification for a long-range, all-weather Interceptor, capable of intercepting hostile aircraft far from the attacker's targets by day and night.[1][2] The specification resulted in designs from several design bureaus, including Mikoyan-Gurevich, who proposed the Izdeliya R ("Article R")[3] or I-320, Lavochkin (the La-200) and Sukhoi (the Su-15).[4]
The Mikoyan-Gurevich design, was like the other two competing aircraft, a twin-engined swept-wing aircraft, with the fuselage housing the engines in tandem, with one at the bottom of the forward fuselage and the second in the rear fuselage. The engines were fed from an inlet in the nose, which split into three ducts, the first feeding the forward engine and the other two passing around the cockpit to feed the rear engine. The crew of two (aircraft commander and radar operator, who were provided with dual controls) sat on individual ejector seats in a side-by-side, unpressurised cockpit.[4][5] The wings, which were of similar layout to those of the smaller MiG-15 day fighter,[4] were swept at an angle of 35 degrees,[6] and were fitted with large wing fences.[7] Air intercept radar, at first Toryii and later the much improved Korshun, was fitted in a radome in the upper lip of the air intake.[4][7]
The first prototype, designated R-1, was powered by two 22.25 kN (5,000 lbf) thrust Klimov RD-45Fs, unlicensed copies of the British Rolls-Royce Nene engine, and was armed with two Nudelman N-37 cannon, positioned on either side of the air intake. It made its maiden flight on 16 April 1949.[8] A second prototype, R-2, which differed in having more powerful (26.25 kN (5,900 lbf)) Klimov VK-1 engines, a third N-37 cannon and an improved windscreen and canopy followed in November 1949.[4] The R-2 was badly damaged when a cannon shell exploded, and the aircraft was rebuilt, with the wings modified, adding a third fence, flying again as the R-03 on 30 March 1950.[9]
No production followed, as the specification to which the I-320 was built was superseded by a later requirement that led to the production of the Yakovlev Yak-25. The two prototypes continued in use by the MiG design bureau as testbeds for the development of avionics.[3][4]
Specifications (I-320 (R-2/3))edit
Data from MiG: Fifty Years of Secret Aircraft Design[10]
"Plane Facts: The first all-weather MiG". Air Enthusiast, March 1973, Vol 4 No 3. p. 40.
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January 01, 1970
mikoyan, gurevich, usaf, designation, type, prototype, soviet, long, range, weather, interceptor, aircraft, late, 1940s, early, 1950s, only, were, made, with, production, following, silhouettes, role, weather, interceptor, aircraft, national, origin, soviet, u. The Mikoyan Gurevich I 320 USAF DoD designation Type 18 was a prototype Soviet long range all weather interceptor aircraft of the late 1940s early 1950s Only two were made with no production following I 320 Silhouettes of the Mikoyan Gurevich I 320 Role All weather interceptor aircraft National origin Soviet Union Manufacturer Mikoyan Gurevich First flight 16 April 1949 Status Prototypes Number built 2 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Specifications I 320 R 2 3 3 Notes 4 BibliographyDesign and development editIn January 1948 the Soviet Union issued a specification for a long range all weather Interceptor capable of intercepting hostile aircraft far from the attacker s targets by day and night 1 2 The specification resulted in designs from several design bureaus including Mikoyan Gurevich who proposed the Izdeliya R Article R 3 or I 320 Lavochkin the La 200 and Sukhoi the Su 15 4 The Mikoyan Gurevich design was like the other two competing aircraft a twin engined swept wing aircraft with the fuselage housing the engines in tandem with one at the bottom of the forward fuselage and the second in the rear fuselage The engines were fed from an inlet in the nose which split into three ducts the first feeding the forward engine and the other two passing around the cockpit to feed the rear engine The crew of two aircraft commander and radar operator who were provided with dual controls sat on individual ejector seats in a side by side unpressurised cockpit 4 5 The wings which were of similar layout to those of the smaller MiG 15 day fighter 4 were swept at an angle of 35 degrees 6 and were fitted with large wing fences 7 Air intercept radar at first Toryii and later the much improved Korshun was fitted in a radome in the upper lip of the air intake 4 7 The first prototype designated R 1 was powered by two 22 25 kN 5 000 lbf thrust Klimov RD 45Fs unlicensed copies of the British Rolls Royce Nene engine and was armed with two Nudelman N 37 cannon positioned on either side of the air intake It made its maiden flight on 16 April 1949 8 A second prototype R 2 which differed in having more powerful 26 25 kN 5 900 lbf Klimov VK 1 engines a third N 37 cannon and an improved windscreen and canopy followed in November 1949 4 The R 2 was badly damaged when a cannon shell exploded and the aircraft was rebuilt with the wings modified adding a third fence flying again as the R 03 on 30 March 1950 9 No production followed as the specification to which the I 320 was built was superseded by a later requirement that led to the production of the Yakovlev Yak 25 The two prototypes continued in use by the MiG design bureau as testbeds for the development of avionics 3 4 Specifications I 320 R 2 3 editData from MiG Fifty Years of Secret Aircraft Design 10 General characteristicsCrew 2 Length 15 775 m 51 ft 9 in Wingspan 14 2 m 46 ft 7 in Wing area 41 2 m2 443 sq ft Empty weight 7 460 kg 16 446 lb 4 Gross weight 10 725 kg 23 645 lb Max takeoff weight 12 095 kg 26 665 lb Powerplant 2 Klimov VK 1 centrifugal flow turbojet engines 26 45 kN 5 950 lbf thrust each Performance Maximum speed 1 090 km h 680 mph 590 kn at sea level Maximum speed Mach 0 88 Range 1 205 km 749 mi 651 nmi Service ceiling 15 500 m 50 900 ft Armament Guns 3 37 mm Nudelman N 37 autocannonNotes edit Belyakov and Marmain 1994 pp 154 155 Gunston 1995 pp 191 192 a b Green and Swanborough 1994 p 392 a b c d e f g Gunston 1995 p 192 Belyakov and Marmain 1994 p 155 Air Enthusiast March 1973 p 140 a b Belyakov and Marmain 1994 p 157 Belyakov and Marmain 1994 p 159 Belyakov and Marmain 1994 pp 161 163 Belyakov and Marmain 1994 pp 163 164 Bibliography editBelyakov R A and J Marmain MiG Fifty Years of Secret Aircraft Design Shrewsbury UK Airlife 1994 ISBN 1 85310 488 4 Green William and Gordon Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters New York Smithmark 1994 ISBN 0 8317 3939 8 Gunston Bill The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 1995 London Osprey 1995 ISBN 1 85532 405 9 Plane Facts The first all weather MiG Air Enthusiast March 1973 Vol 4 No 3 p 40 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mikoyan Gurevich I 320 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mikoyan Gurevich I 320 amp oldid 1143292739, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
