| Designed by Pavel O Sukhoi when a brigade leader of Andrei N Tupolev's AGOS (Aviatsiya, Gidroaviatsiya i Opytnoye Stroityelstvo - Aviation, Hydro-aviation and Experimental Construction) collective within the TsAGI (Tsentralnyi Aero-gidrodinamicheskii Institut -Central Aero and Hydro-dynamic Institute), the ANT-5 was the first Soviet all-metal fighter. A single-seat sesquiplane powered by a nine-cylinder Gnome-Rhone Jupiter radial of 420hp, the first prototype performed factory testing between 10 August and 25 September 1927. A second prototype, or dubler, with a 480hp Gnome-Rhone Jupiter 9ASB, was flown in July 1928, and underwent state testing between 1 December 1928 and 4 April 1929, series production of the type having meanwhile been initiated as the I-4. The first series I-4 underwent state testing between 15 October and 26 November 1929, subsequent aircraft having the 480hp M-22 engine, a licence-built version of the G-R Jupiter 9ASB, and an armament of twin 7.62mm guns. Second series aircraft had the 4.00m2 lower wing removed, controllable slats occupying 44.5% of the remaining wing's leading edge, and a Townend ring-type engine cowling incorporating cylinder helmets. Designated I-4bis in this form, the prototype was tested by the NIl VVS, the Air Force's Scientific Research Institute, between 11 and 23 September 1931. No further development of the I-4bis was undertaken. Three I-4s were fitted with very much smaller lower wings for aerial launch and retrieval trials from 31 December 1931 by Vladimir S Vakhmistrov utilising a TB-1 bomber as an Aviamatka, or "mother aircraft". Also in December 1931, one I-4 was tested with a 76mm Kurchevski recoilless cannon mounted beneath each upper wing half. A total of 369 I-4s was built to January 1934, these equipping 18 eskadrii at their service peak; the type remaining in first-line service through 1933 and for tuitional tasks until 1937.
![Tupolev ANT-5 / I-4](../../pictures/russia/m/ant-5-m.gif) | A three-view drawing (1702 x 1158) |
MODEL | I-4 |
WEIGHTS |
Take-off weight | 1430 kg | 3153 lb |
Empty weight | 978 kg | 2156 lb |
DIMENSIONS |
Wingspan | 11.40 m | 37 ft 5 in |
Length | 7.28 m | 24 ft 11 in |
Wing area | 23.80 m2 | 256.18 sq ft |
PERFORMANCE |
Max. speed | 231 km/h | 144 mph |
Ceiling | 7500 m | 24600 ft |
Range | 840 km | 522 miles |
lucy, 20.06.2011 11:04 built to January 1934, these equipping 18 eskadrii at their service peak; the type remaining in first-line service through 1933 and for tuitional tasks until 1937. reply | Sean Brian Kirby, e-mail, 12.03.2009 07:26 Well... was it ever used by the Finns? :) reply | Jarecki, e-mail, 02.04.2008 12:29 No, it wasn't. reply | Darko Simic, 06.03.2007 01:11 Was it used in The Spanish Civil War? reply |
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