Mikoyan-Gurevich I-350

I-350
Role Experimental fighter aircraft
National origin Soviet Union
Manufacturer Mikoyan-Gurevich
First flight 16 June 1951
Number built 2

The Mikoyan-Gurevich I-350 (Izdeliye M), was a Soviet Cold War-era experimental fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet aircraft able to maintain supersonic speed.

Design and development

From 1947, work began on a new axial-flow turbojet by OKB-165, led by Arkhip Mikhailovich Lyulka. OKB Mikoyan-Guryevich designed the I-350 around this engine, the 46.107 kN (10,365 lbf) Lyul'ka TR-3A (redesignated as the Lyulka AL-5). Resembling a scaled-up MiG-17, the I-350 had a long slim fuselage, mid-set 57° swept wings and a wide-chord fin mounting a tailplane at half-span.

Given the OKB designation Izdeliye M, it was the first Soviet fighter able to fly stably at supersonic speeds.[1] Redesignated as the I-350, the I-350M-1 first prototype was fitted with a RP-1 Izumrud airborne interception radar and the second prototype, I-350M-2, was fitted with a Korshun airborne interception radar.

Operational history

The I-350M-1 first flew on 16 June 1951, piloted by Grigoriy A. Sedov, but the engine failed shortly after takeoff, precipitating a hydraulic system failure. Despite battling very heavy control forces, the pilot made a successful landing after lowering the landing gear using the emergency undercarriage extension system. Four more test flights were made, with very poor engine reliability, before the I-350 programme was terminated in August 1951.[2]

Specifications (I-350)

Data from MiG: Fifty Years of Secret Aircraft Design,[1]Gunston[3]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. 1 2 Belyakov,, R.A.; Marmain, J. (1994). MIG: Fifty Years of Secret Aircraft Design. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. pp. 163–164. ISBN 978-1557505668.
  2. ↑ Gordon, Yefim; Komissarov, Dmitry (2009). OKB Mikoyan. Hinkley: Midland. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-85780-307-5.
  3. ↑ Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995 (1st ed.). London: Osprey Publishing. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-85532-405-3.
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