Sukhoi Su-1 (I-330)

Pavel O Sukhoi established his own OKB, or Experimental Design Bureau, in December 1938, and, early in the following year, was assigned the task of designing an advanced single-seat high-altitude fighter. Initially designated I-330, the fighter was of mixed construction, with a single-spar all-metal wing of comparatively high aspect ratio with flush-riveted light alloy skinning, and a wooden semi-monocoque fuselage with shpon, or bakelite-ply, skinning. Power was provided by a Klimov M-105P 12-cylinder liquid-cooled Vee-type engine rated at 1,100hp for take-off and fitted with a pair of TsIAM-developed TK-2 exhaust-driven turbo-superchargers, the radiator being accommodated in the fuselage aft of the cockpit and exhausting over the rear decking. Armament consisted of one 20mm cannon and two 7.62mm machine guns. Factory testing commenced late 1940, by which time the designation Su-1 had been adopted, State testing being performed in the following summer. The turbo-superchargers proved capricious and the Su-1 was flown on several occasions with the TK-2s removed. Although the fighter met its specified performance with the turbo-superchargers functioning, their failure frequency was unacceptable and the TsIAM had failed to improve reliability by October 1941, when the OKB was evacuated from Moscow to Novosibirsk, the Su-1 being damaged in the process. This prototype was not rebuilt, development continuing with the Su-3.

3-View

A three-view drawing (1640 x 1193)