First supersonic flight. Supersonic aircraft - development history
Supersonic speed is the speed at which an object travels faster than sound. The speed during the flight of a supersonic aircraft is measured in Mach - the speed of the aircraft at a certain point in space relative to the speed of sound at the same point. Now it is rather difficult to surprise with such speeds of movement, and even some 80 years ago they only dreamed about it.
How it all started
In the forties of the twentieth century, during the Second World War, German designers actively worked on solving this issue, hoping to turn the tide of the war with the help of such aircraft. As we know, they did not succeed, the war ended. However, in 1945, closer to its completion, the German pilot L. Hoffmann, testing the world's first jet fighter Me-262, was able to reach a speed of about 980 km / h at an altitude of 7200 m.
The first to realize the dream of all pilots to overcome the supersonic barrier was the American test pilot Chuck Yeager. In 1947, this pilot was the first in history to overcome the speed of sound in a manned vehicle. He flew the prototype rocket-powered Bell X-1 aircraft. By the way, German scientists captured during the war and their developments contributed quite a lot to the appearance of this device, as well as, in fact, to the entire further development of flight technologies.
The speed of sound was reached in the Soviet Union on December 26, 1948. It was an experimental aircraft LA-176, at an altitude of 9060 m, piloted by I.E. Fedorov and O.V. Sokolovsky. About a month later, on this aircraft, but with a more advanced engine, the speed of sound was not only achieved, but also exceeded by 7000 m. The LA-176 project was very promising, but due to tragic death O.V. Sokolovsky, who controlled this apparatus, the developments were closed.
In the future, the development of this industry slowed down somewhat, as a significant number of physical difficulties arose associated with controlling an aircraft at supersonic speeds. At high speeds, such a property of air as compressibility begins to appear, the aerodynamic streamlining becomes completely different. Wave resistance appears, and such an unpleasant phenomenon for any pilot as flutter - the plane begins to heat up very much.
Faced with these problems, the designers began to look for a radical solution that could overcome the difficulties. Such a decision turned out to be a complete revision of the design of aircraft designed for supersonic flights. Those streamlined forms of airliners that we are now seeing are the result of many years of scientific research.
Further development
At that moment, when the Second World War had just ended, and the Korean and Vietnamese wars had begun, the development of the industry could only take place through military technology. That is why the first production aircraft capable of flying faster than the speed of sound were the Soviet MiG-19 (NATO Farmer) and the American F-100 Super Saber. The speed record was held by an American aircraft - 1215 km / h (set on October 29, 1953), but already at the end of 1954 the MiG-19 was able to accelerate to 1450 km / h.
Interesting fact. Although the USSR and the United States of America did not conduct official hostilities, but the real multiple clashes during the Korean and Vietnam Wars showed the undeniable advantage of Soviet technology. For example, our MiG-19s were much lighter, had engines with better dynamic characteristics and, as a result, with a faster rate of climb. The radius of the possible combat use of the aircraft was 200 km more for the MiG-19. That is why the Americans really wanted to get an undamaged sample and even announced a reward for completing such a task. And it was implemented.
Already after the end of the Korean War, 1 MiG-19 aircraft was hijacked from the air base by Korean Air Force officer No Geum Sok. For which the Americans paid him the due $ 100,000 as a reward for the delivery of an undamaged aircraft.
Interesting fact. The first female pilot to reach the speed of sound is American Jacqueline Cochran. She reached a speed of 1270 km / h, piloting the F-86 Saber.
Development of civil aviation
In the 60s of the last century, after the appearance of technical developments tested during the wars, aviation began to develop rapidly. Solutions were found for the existing problems of supersonic speeds, and then the creation of the first supersonic passenger aircraft began.
The first ever flight of a civilian airliner at a speed exceeding the speed of sound occurred on August 21, 1961 on a Douglas DC-8 aircraft. At the time of the flight, there were no passengers on the aircraft, except for the pilots, and ballast was placed to match the full load of the liner in these experimental conditions. A speed of 1262 km / h was reached when descending from a height of 15877 m to 12300 m.
Interesting fact. Boeing 747 SP-09 of China Airlines (China Airlines) February 19, 1985, making a flight from Taiwanese Taipei to Los Angeles, entered an uncontrollable dive. The reason for this was a malfunction of the engine and the subsequent unskilled actions of the personnel. During a dive from an altitude of 12500 m to 2900 m, where the crew was able to stabilize the aircraft, the speed of sound was exceeded. At the same time, the liner, not designed for such overloads, received serious damage to the tail section. However, with all this, only 2 people on board were seriously injured. The plane landed in San Francisco, was repaired and subsequently carried out passenger flights again.
However, really real supersonic passenger aircraft (SPS), capable of performing regular flights at speeds above the speed of sound, all two types were designed and built:
- Soviet airliner Tu-144;
- Anglo-French aircraft Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde.
Only these two aircraft were able to maintain cruising supersonic speed (English supercruise). At that time, they surpassed even most combat aircraft, the design of these liners was unique for its time. There were only a few types of aircraft capable of flying in supercruise mode, today most modern military vehicles are equipped with such capabilities.
Aviation of the USSR
The Soviet Tu-144 was built somewhat earlier than its European counterpart, so it can be considered the world's first passenger supersonic liner. Appearance of these aircraft, both Tu-144 and Concorde, and now will not leave a single person indifferent. It is unlikely that in the history of the aircraft industry there were more beautiful cars.
The Tu-144 has attractive characteristics, except for the range of practical use: higher cruising and lower landing speeds, a higher flight ceiling, but the history of our liner is much more tragic.
Important! Tu-144 is not only the first flying, but also the first crashed passenger supersonic liner. The accident at the Le Bourget air show on June 3, 1973, in which 14 people died, was the first step towards the completion of Tu-144 flights. The unequivocal reasons have not been established, and the final version of the disaster raises many questions.
The second crash near Yegorievsk in the Moscow region on May 23, 1978, where a fire occurred in flight and 2 crew members died during landing, became the final point in the decision to stop the operation of these aircraft. Despite the fact that, after analysis, it was found that the fire occurred as a result of a flaw in the fuel system of the new, tested engine, and the aircraft itself showed excellent controllability and structural reliability, when the burning one was able to land, the aircraft were removed from flights and taken out of commercial operation. .
How it happened abroad
The European Concorde, in turn, flew much longer from 1976 to 2003. However, due to unprofitability (the aircraft could not be brought to the minimum payback), the operation was also eventually curtailed. This was largely due to the plane crash in Paris on July 25, 2000: during takeoff from Charles de Gaulle airport, the engine caught fire and the plane crashed to the ground (113 people died, including 4 on the ground), as well as the September 11 terrorist attacks 2001 Despite the fact that this was the only aircraft crash in 37 years of operation, and the attacks were not directly related to Concorde, the overall decrease in passenger flow reduced the already missing profitability of flights and led to the fact that the last flight of this aircraft was made at from Heathrow to Filton on 26 November 2003
Interesting fact. A ticket for a Concorde flight in the 70s cost at least $ 1,500 one way, towards the end of the nineties, the price rose to $ 4,000. A ticket for a seat on the last flight of this liner already cost $ 10,000.
Supersonic aviation at the moment
To date, solutions like the Tu-144 and Concorde are not expected. But, if you are the kind of person who does not care about the cost of tickets, there are a number of developments in the field of business flights and small-seat aircraft.
The most promising development is the XB-1 Baby Boom aircraft of the American company Boom technology from Colorado. This is a small aircraft, about 20 m long and with a wingspan of 5.2 m. It is equipped with 3 engines developed in the fifties for cruise missiles.
The capacity is planned to be about 45 people, with a flight range of 1800 km at a speed of up to Mach 2. On the this moment this is still a development, but the first flight of the prototype is scheduled for 2018, and the aircraft itself should be certified by 2023. The creators plan to use the development both as a business jet for private transportation, and on regular low-capacity flights. The planned cost for a flight on this machine will be about $ 5,000, which is quite a lot, but at the same time comparable to the cost of a flight in business class.
However, if you look at the entire civil aviation industry as a whole, then with the current level of technology development, everything does not look very promising. Large companies are more concerned with generating value and profitability of projects than with new developments in the field of supersonic flight. The reason is that in the entire history of aviation there has not been a sufficiently successful implementation of tasks of this kind, no matter how they tried to achieve the goals, they all failed to one degree or another.
In general, those designers who are engaged in current projects are rather enthusiasts who are optimistic about the future, who, of course, expect to make profits, but are quite realistic about the results, and most of the projects still exist only on paper, and there are enough analytics are skeptical about the possibility of their implementation.
One of the few really big projects is the Concorde-2 supersonic aircraft patented by Airbus last year. Structurally, it will be an aircraft with three types of engines:
- Turbofan jet engines. Will be installed in front of the aircraft;
- Hypersonic air-jet engines. Will be mounted under the wings of the liner;
- Rocket engines. Installed in the rear fuselage.
This design feature involves the operation of various engines at certain stages of flight (takeoff, landing, movement at cruising speed).
Taking into account one of the main problems of civil air transportation - noise (standards of the organization air traffic most countries set a limit on the noise level, if the airport is located close to residential areas, this imposes restrictions on the possibility of night flights), Airbus has developed a special technology for the Concorde-2 project that allows vertical take-off. This will make it possible to practically avoid shock waves hitting the ground surface, which in turn will ensure that there is no discomfort for people below. Also, thanks to a similar design and technology, the flight of an airliner will take place at an altitude of about 30-35,000 m (at the moment, civil aviation flies at a maximum of 12,000 m), which will help reduce noise not only during takeoff, but throughout the entire flight, since this height shock sound waves will not be able to reach the surface.
The future of supersonic flight
Not everything is as sad as it might seem at first glance. except civil aviation there is and always will be a military industry. The combat needs of the state, as before, drove the development of aviation, and will continue to do so. The armies of all states need more and more perfect aircraft. From year to year, this need only increases, which entails the creation of new design and technological solutions.
Sooner or later, development will reach a level where the use of military technology may become cost-effective for peaceful purposes as well.
Video
Supersonic Passenger July 14th, 2015
Once sunk into oblivion" Concords» and Tu-144 no one was left on the field of supersonic aviation. It is not clear whether such aircraft are not needed (unprofitable), or whether our civilization has not yet reached such technical perfection and reliability in this direction.
Gradually, small private projects begin to appear.
The American company "Aerion Corporation" from the small town of Reno, Nevada, began taking orders for the creation of a private supersonic aircraft "AS2 Aerion", which is being created with the support of Airbus
It is not clear yet what will come of this, but here are the details ...
The manufacturer claims that its patented laminar flow technology reduces aerodynamic drag over the wings by up to 80%, allowing the three-engine powerplant to cover distances quickly enough. For example, from Paris to Washington, the plane will fly in just three hours, and from Singapore to San Francisco, in just six hours. Supersonic flights over the United States are prohibited, but this does not apply to flights over the ocean. The body of the aircraft is made mainly of carbon fiber and is "sewn" along the seam with a titanium alloy. Without refueling, the plane will be able to fly up to 5400 miles. The release of the first aircraft is planned for 2021.
What projects of supersonic aircraft have not been implemented in reality? Well, for example, from the most serious:
Sukhoi Supersonic Business Jet (SSBJ, S-21) - supersonic project passenger aircraft business class developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. In search of financing, Sukhoi collaborated on this project with Gulfstream Aerospace, Dassault Aviation, and a number of Chinese companies.
The development of the S-21 and its larger modification, the S-51, began in 1981 on the initiative of the chief designer of the Sukhoi Design Bureau at that time, Mikhail Petrovich Simonov. The project was headed by Deputy Chief Designer Mikhail Aslanovich Pogosyan.
An analysis of the commercial operation of Tu-144 and Concorde aircraft showed that with rising prices for jet fuel supersonic aircraft cannot compete with more economical subsonic liners in the mass transportation segment. The number of passengers who are ready to significantly overpay for the speed of movement is small and is determined mainly by representatives of large businesses and senior officials. At the same time, airlines connecting world capitals are priority traffic routes. This determined the concept of the aircraft as designed to carry 8-10 passengers over a distance of 7-10 thousand kilometers (to ensure non-stop flight between cities on the same continent and with one refueling when flying from any to any capital in the world). It was also important to reduce the length of the run so that the aircraft could take all international airports peace.
In the course of work on the aircraft, various layout options were worked out - with 2, 3 or 4 engines. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to the termination of state funding for the program. Sukhoi Design Bureau began searching for independent investors for the project. In particular, in the early 1990s, work was carried out in cooperation with the American company Gulfstream Aerospace - at the same time, a variant with 2 British engines was developed, which received the designation S-21G. However, in 1992, the American side withdrew from the project, fearing unbearable costs. The project has been suspended.
In 1993, investors for the project were found in Russia and the project was resumed. Received from investors 25 million US dollars allowed to reach the stage of completion of the design. Ground tests of engines were carried out, as well as tests of aircraft models in wind tunnels.
In 1999, the aircraft project was presented at the Le Bourget air show, at the same time Mikhail Petrovich Simonov said that about $ 1 billion more would be required to complete all work on the aircraft and begin production of serial liners. With timely and full funding, the aircraft could have taken to the air for the first time in 2002, and the unit cost would have been about $50 million. The possibility of continuing joint work on the project with the French company Dassault Aviation was considered, but the contract did not take place.
In 2000, the Sukhoi Design Bureau tried to find investors for this project in China.
Currently, investments to complete the development and creation of aircraft have not been found. In the state program "Development of the aviation industry for 2013 - 2025" adopted at the end of 2012, there is no mention of the aircraft
ZEHST(short for Zero Emission HyperSonic Transport- English. High-speed transport with zero emissions) is a project of a supersonic-hypersonic passenger airliner, implemented under the leadership of the European aerospace agency EADS.
The project was first presented on June 18, 2011 at the Le Bourget air show. According to the project, it is assumed that the aircraft will accommodate 50-100 passengers and reach speeds of up to 5029 km/h. The flight altitude should be up to 32 km.
The jet system of the aircraft will consist of two turbojet engines used in the take-off and acceleration section up to Mach 0.8, then rocket upper stages will accelerate the aircraft up to Mach 2.5, after which two ramjet engines located under the wings will bring the speed up to Mach 4.
Tu-444- a project of a Russian supersonic passenger aircraft for business aviation developed by JSC Tupolev. It replaced the Tu-344 project and a competitor to the Sukhoi Design Bureau SSBJ project. In the state program "Development of the aviation industry for 2013-2025" adopted at the end of 2012, there is no mention of the project
The design of the Tu-444 began in the early 2000s, and in 2004 the preliminary study of the project began. The development was preceded by a miscalculation of the most profitable specifications for an aircraft of this class. So, it was found that a range of 7500 kilometers is enough to cover the main business centers of the world, and the optimal takeoff run is 1800 meters. The potential market was estimated at 400-700 aircraft, the first flight according to the plan was to take place in 2015
Nevertheless, despite the use in the project of old developments of a number of design bureaus, including Tupolev directly (for example, the Tu-144, it was supposed to use the AL-F-31 engines), the need for a number of technical innovations became clear, which turned out to be impossible without significant financial investments which could not be attracted. Despite the development of a preliminary design by 2008, the project has stalled.
Well, a little more aviation topics for you: let's remember, but here it is. And you know what exists and that's how they flew. Here is another unusual The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -
In OKB them. A.N. Tupolev, developments are underway on a supersonic passenger aircraft (SPS) of the second generation, which was given the name Tu-244.
Work on SPS-2 was and is being carried out at the Design Bureau A.N. Tupolev for 30 years. Over the years, several different Tu-244 projects (Tu-244-400, Tu-244A-200, Tu-244B-200 and others) have been prepared, differing in aerodynamic layout, specific design solutions for the airframe, power plant and flight performance data .
The chief designer on the SPS-2 theme is A.L. Pukhov, technical guidance on the work on the Tu-244 is carried out by M.I. Kazakov.
The Tu-244 aircraft embodies the "tailless" scheme, the absence of horizontal tail, the aircraft will have four turbojet engines, placed one at a time in separate engine nacelles.
The layout of the Tu-244 is subject to ensuring high aerodynamic quality both in supersonic cruising and takeoff and landing modes to reduce noise levels, as well as to create increased comfort for passengers.
The Tu-244 wing is trapezoidal in plan with an influx and has a complex deformation of the median surface and a variable span profile.
In the wing there are fuel caisson tanks, niches for cleaning the main landing gear.
The fuselage consists of a pressurized cabin, nose and tail compartments. The choice of the optimal fuselage diameter depends on the passenger capacity. For the number of passengers 250-320, the optimal fuselage is 3.9 m wide and 4.1 m high.
The plane does not provide for a non-deflectable nose, as on the Tu-144. There is also no ordinary "lantern" of the pilot's cabin. The glazing of the cockpit provides the necessary visibility in flight, and during takeoff, landing and movement on the ground, the required visibility of the runway is provided by an optical-electronic vision system that operates under any weather conditions.
The landing gear consists of a front strut and three main ones, of which the outer ones have triaxial bogies and retract into the wing, and the middle strut has a two-axle bogie and retracts into the fuselage. The prototype of the nose support is the rack of the Tu-144 aircraft.
The SPS-2 Tu-244 project has been worked out quite deeply and, in principle, can be implemented. But money is needed, and a lot of it.
MAIN DATA OF THE AIRCRAFT TU-244A-200
Takeoff weight, kg 325,000
Empty aircraft weight, kg 172,000
Mass of fuel, kg 160,000
Passenger capacity, pers. 268
Cruise speed, km/h М=2 Flight altitude, m 18 000-20 000
Flight range, km 9200
Aircraft length, m 88
Aircraft height, m 15
Wingspan, m 45
Wing area, m2 965
Fuselage diameter, m 3.9
Required runway length, m 3000
Supersonic aviation will find its place on passenger routes. Supersonic airships of the new generation will already be significantly different from their older counterparts (Tu-144, Concorde) in terms of speed, altitude, design, and materials.
The birth of a passenger "supersonic aircraft" that meets all modern international standards and norms is not only a structurally complex task, but also very expensive.
March 17, 1996 at the flight test base of the Design Bureau. A.N. Tupolev in Zhukovsky, a solemn roll-out of the modified Tu-144LL took place. And on November 29, 1996, the first flight of the Tu-144LL took place. He was lifted into the sky by the leading test pilot, chief pilot of the Tupolev company S.G. Borisov and co-pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR B.I. Veremey.
Russia's significant contribution to the development of the SPS-2 was the creation of the flying laboratory Tu-144 L L "Moskva" on the basis of the serial Tu-144D. Work on the Tu-144LL was carried out within the framework of international cooperation with the United States, with active funding from the Americans. For conversion into a flying laboratory, a serial Tu-144D was chosen, on which the RD-36-51A engines were replaced with NK-321 engines (NK-32 modifications of the Tu-160 strategic supersonic bomber). Maximum takeoff thrust - 4x21,000 kg. New engine nacelles with modified air intakes were installed on the aircraft, the wing was reinforced, the fuel and other systems were finalized, and a large number of control and recording equipment were installed on board.
According to the program, it was planned to perform two ground and six flight experiments on the supersonic Tu-144LL. A total of 32 flights and all - in Russia.
After completing the planned research program as part of the creation of the second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-244, the Tu-144LL turned out to be unclaimed, and in 2001 it was sold through an Internet auction to an anonymous resident of Texas (USA) for 11 million dollars. Tu-144 is not the first time sold abroad. In October 2000, a German museum bought one such plane for half a million dollars.
MAIN DATA OF THE AIRCRAFT TU-144LL
Takeoff weight, kg 20 700
Empty aircraft weight, kg 96 810
Flight range, km 6500
Flight altitude, m 18 800
Cruising speed, km/h M = 2
Maximum speed, km/h M = 2.37
Breakaway speed, km/h 370
Approach speed, km/h 280
Fuel reserve, kg 102,000
Crew (in the experimental version), pers. 7
Aircraft length, m 65.7
Wingspan, m 28.9
Wing area, m2 507
Aircraft height, m 12.6
Takeoff run, m 2225
Run length, m 1310
In the second half of the 90s, at the OKB im. A.N. Tupolev, on an initiative basis, the chief designer of the SPS (supersonic passenger aircraft) A.L. Pukhov prepared a technical proposal for the conversion of the Tu-22MZ serial missile-carrying bomber into the Tu-344 administrative supersonic passenger aircraft. They proposed several options for reworking the basic design of the Tu-22MZ. It was supposed to place in the fuselage 10-12 and 24-30 passenger seats for business flights. The expected range of the Tu-344 in subsonic mode is 7700 km.
The most promising project is the Tu-444 supersonic administrative aircraft. This is, in fact, the concept of SPS-2 on a reduced scale.
JSC "Tupolev" formed the image of the supersonic administrative aircraft Tu-444, which will be able to deliver 6-10 passengers to a distance of 7500 km.
Airplane. The Tu-444 is made according to the tailless aerodynamic scheme with a low-lying cantilever wing with developed root influxes. The vertical plumage is single-keel, all-moving.
On the serial Tu-444, it is planned to use the non-afterburning turbojet engine AL-32M manufactured by NPO Saturn.
The aircraft will be equipped with a full range of systems and means of life support for passengers and crew in flight and emergency equipment.
There are great difficulties in the way of creating such an aircraft, the main of which are related to ecology. If the aircraft does not meet the requirements of the CAO for noise on the ground, then the market for it will be extremely narrow. The fact is that in this case the aircraft will be allowed to fly supersonic only over the ocean. Over land, a supersonic executive aircraft will be forced to fly at subsonic speeds, no different from today's business jets.
Serial production of the Tu-444 will begin after the funds necessary for this are found.
Aircraft designers believe that supersonic business jets have a great future, despite their high cost.
Undoubtedly, the implementation of this program will become a real link between the Tu-144 and promising supersonic civil aviation.
MAIN DATA OF THE TU-444 SUPERSONIC ADMINISTRATIVE AIRCRAFT
Maximum takeoff weight, kg 41,000
Empty aircraft weight, kg 19 300 Maximum payload, kg 1000
Maximum fuel weight, kg 20 500 Cruise speed:
Supersonic, km/h 2125
Subsonic, km/h 1050 Practical flight range
with fuel reserve, km 7500
Number of passengers, pers. 6-10 Crew (pilots + stewardesses), pers. 2+1
Number of engines 2
Starting thrust of the engine, kg 9700
Aircraft length, m 36
Wingspan, m 16.2
Wing area, m2 132
Aircraft height, m 6.51
Rowing length V P P, m 1830
Career of the first serial Soviet fighter MiG-19 in domestic aviation turned out to be relatively short. In the USSR, the aircraft was removed from service much earlier than it had exhausted its potential. Meanwhile, in China, direct streams of MiG-19s are still in combat service.
In the development of fighter aircraft in the late 1940s and early 1950s around the world, the main goal was to achieve supersonic flight speeds. In a gentle dive, many fighters, including the MiG-17, reached the speed of sound, but a truly supersonic aircraft must exceed the speed of M=1 in level flight. It is possible to provide an increase in speed by improving aerodynamics, primarily by using a large swept wing and installing more powerful engines.
The standard for the serial MiG-19 was the third prototype of the SM-9 - SM-9/3
Work on the creation of a supersonic fighter at the Mikoyan Design Bureau began in 1950. The first step in this direction was the I-340 (SM-1). I-340 was a prototype of the MiG-17F with a new power plant of two small-sized turbojet engines A.A. Mikulin on AM-5 with a thrust of 2000 kgf. The thrust of two AM-5 turbojet engines was not enough to break through the sound barrier without a significant change in the aerodynamics of the aircraft.
An experienced I-350 interceptor was designed for one turbojet engine designed by A. M. Lyulka TR-3A with a thrust of 4500 kgf. The aircraft featured a thin profile wing with a sweep of 57 degrees along the quarter chord line. Flight tests of the I-350 were not completed due to the underdevelopment of the engine.
On the SM-2 (I-360), the designers returned to the scheme with two AM-5 engines, retaining the thin wing of the large sweep from the I-350. The design of the SM-2 was led by A.G. Brunov. The first aircraft on the SM-2 was carried out by test pilot G. A. Sedov on May 24, 1952.
Prototype SM-9/2
The first prototype of the MiG-19, the SM-9/1, was equipped with a traditional horizontal tail unit with fixed stabilizers and elevators.
During the test, the aircraft showed a tendency to stall into a tailspin due to shading by the wing of the T-shaped horizontal tail. It was possible to “get away” from the spin, move the stabilizer closer to the fuselage. In an updated form, the SM-2 was handed over in 1953 for State tests, during which instability in the pitch channel was discovered in flight at high speeds. SM-2 again went to the alteration. Tests of the SM-2A with the horizontal tail transferred to the fuselage were resumed in the summer of 1953.
The experience of developing and testing the SM-2 was taken into account when designing the SM-9, which became the prototype of the MiG-19. On the SM-2, it was not possible to confidently overcome the sound barrier even after the installation of the AM-5F turbojet engine with an afterburner (afterburner thrust is 2700 kgf.) Two AM-9B turbojet engines were installed on the SM-9. AM-9B with an afterburner thrust of 3250 kgf was developed on the basis of the AM-5F turbojet engine.
The first flight on the SM-9 was performed by G. A. Sedov on January 5, 1954, and in the second flight the pilot overcame the sound barrier in level flight. The aircraft was launched into mass production and, which is extremely unusual, it was recommended to be put into service even before the completion of State tests.
State tests of the MiG-19 took place at the State Research Institute of the Air Force in Akhtubinsk. The leading military test pilot for the MiG-19 was S. A. Mikoyan, the native nephew of the chief designer A. I. Mikoyan.
Design
The MiG-19 aircraft is a mid-wing aircraft with a swept wing and plumage. The airframe is made mainly of aluminum alloys using steel in the most loaded structural elements.
Fuselage: the cross-section of the fuselage of the half-mnokok type changes from round in the nose to close to elliptical in the tail. Structurally, the fuselage is divided into two parts: nose and tail. In the bow is a pressurized cockpit with an ejection seat. The cabin is covered with a transparent drop-shaped lantern. The flat front glazing of the fixed canopy is made of armored glass. The movable segment of the lantern moves back. Starting with the MiG-19S, a pneumatic emergency canopy release system was installed. In the lower nose of the fuselage of the MiG-19 / 19C fighters, a long air pressure receiver rod is mounted. To reduce the parking dimensions of the fighter, the PVD rod turns up. On the MiG-19P / PM interceptors, one PVD rod is installed on each wing console.
In the forward part of the fuselage are the avionics compartments. The tail part of the fuselage is attached to the nose with four bolts, it is made removable to provide access to the engines. The MiG-19 was the first Soviet fighter to be equipped with a drag parachute. The drag parachute container is located at the bottom of the rear fuselage. Air brakes are installed along the sides and on the lower surface of the fuselage.
Wing: single-spar with internal struts, the sweep angle along the line of quarters of the chords is 55 degrees. The wing has a negative transverse V 4 30 '. On the upper surface of each wing console, one aerodynamic ridge is installed. The mechanization of the wing consists of ailerons and flaps. On the MiG-19S and all subsequent variants, spoilers mechanically connected to the electrons are installed on the lower surface of the wing.
Tail unit: consists of a keel with forkeel and rudder and a stabilizer with elevators. Starting with the MiG-19S, an all-moving stabilizer was installed instead of a stabilizer with elevators. The sweep angle of the keel and stabilizer along the leading edge is 55 degrees. A vertical ridge is mounted under the fuselage to increase directional stability.
Chassis: retractable, three-port. All supports are single wheeled. The nose gear is retracted by turning forward into the fuselage recess. The main supports abut against the niches of the wing by turning in the direction of the fuselage.
Power point: engines with an afterburner AM-9B (RD-9B) are installed side by side in the rear fuselage. The frontal air intake, common to both engines, is divided by a vertical partition into two channels for supplying air to the engines. Air channels run through the entire forward fuselage.
The total capacity of the four fuselage fuel tanks is 2170 liters. It is possible to hang two drop tanks with a capacity of 760 l or 400 l each under the wing.
MiG-19PM interceptor from the Air Force Museum in Monino
Flight control system: for its time was very perfect. Irreversible hydraulic boosters are installed in the roll and pitch control channels. Pitch control is duplicated by an electromechanical system. An ARU-2A control control device is included in the pitch channel, which maintains the loads natural for the pilot on the control stick, regardless of the flight speed. Aircraft control in pitch is carried out by the deviation of the elevators or all-moving stabilizer, in the course - by the deviation of the rudder, in roll - by the deviation of the ailerons and spoilers. Traditional controls: RUS, pedals, ores.
The instrumental equipment ensures the performance of flights day and night, in simple and difficult weather conditions, the performance of complex aerobatics. The fighters are equipped with an ASP-5NM optical sight. The interceptors were equipped with an Emerald radio sight combined with an optical sight.
Armament: includes three HP-30 guns of 30 mm caliber (the first MiG-19s had three HP-23 guns of 23 mm caliber). One gun is mounted in the nose of the fuselage at the bottom right, the other two - in the roots of the wing consoles. The MiG-19P interceptors did not have a fuselage gun. Ammunition load of 120 rounds per barrel. On four underwing hardpoints, it is possible to hang NAR and NAR blocks of various calibers, bombs of up to 250 kg caliber. The MiG-19P interceptors were armed with four K-5M air-to-air missiles with a radio command guidance system, guns were not installed.
Cabin SM-7/2 - the prototype of the MiG-19PM interceptor
MiG-19S fuselage, Air Base Museum, Taganrog, mid-2000s.
KM-5 missiles under the wing of a MiG-19PM interceptor, 1970s.
Airbrake in the deflected position, MiG-19PM from the Air Force Museum in Monino.
Photo of the MiG-19PM cockpit, Monino. The glazing of the lantern turned yellow from a long stay in the open air.
Most MiG-19 flights were carried out with external fuel tanks. The picture shows the underwing PTB of the MiG-19PM interceptor, Monino.
MiG-19S, Khodynka field, 2010. The sliding segment of the canopy was lost.
MiG-19PM interceptors were armed with K-5M air-to-air missiles.
The nose support of the chassis of the MiG-19S fighter, Khodynka field.
The tail section of the fuselage of the MiG-19PM interceptor, Monino.
30-mm HP-30 guns were mounted in the roots of the wing planes of the MiG-19S fighters. The NR-30 cannon is easily distinguished from the NR-23 gun by the presence of a muzzle brake. Pictured is a MiG-19S from the Savasleyka Air Base Museum.
The right main landing gear of the MiG-19PM interceptor.
Modifications
SM-2 (I-360)
The SM-2 prototype was designed in accordance with the terms of reference for a front-line fighter capable of flying in level flight at supersonic speeds. CM-2 is made according to the scheme of the medium plan with a T-tail. Power plant: two AM-5A turbojet engines with a thrust of 2000 kgf each, later replaced by an AM-5F turbofan engine with an afterburner thrust of 2700 kgf each. Armament - two 37 mm N-37D cannons in the wing roots. The first flight on the SM-2/1 was performed on May 24, 1952 by G. A. Sedov. In 1953, the horizontal tail was moved to the fuselage, the aircraft was designated SM-2A. After increasing the area of the aerodynamic wing ridges, the aircraft began to be designated SM-2B. The second prototype SM-2/2 was originally built with a horizontal tail on the fuselage. The SM-2 did not show the estimated maximum speed during tests.
SM-9
In the first prototype SM-9/1, by installing two AM-9B turbofan engines, the SM-2B was finalized. The first flight on the SM-9/1 was performed on January 5, 1954 by G.A. Sedov. By a decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated February 17, 1954, the aircraft under the designation MiG-19 was put into mass production at factories No. 21 in Gorky ( Nizhny Novgorod) and No. 153 in Novosibirsk, even before the start of State tests.
The prototypes SM-9/2 and SM-9/3 were equipped with an all-moving stabilizer, an enlarged ventral ridge; armament - three NR-23 guns of 23 mm caliber. On the second and third SM-9, for the first time, a device for changing the gear ratio in the pitch channel - ARU-2A was installed. The first flight on the SM-9/2 was performed on May 16, 1955 by G.A. Sedov, SM-9/3 first took to the air November 27, 1955 K.K. Kokkinaki. The SM-9/3 differed from the SM/9-2 in armament - instead of three NR-23 guns, there were three NR-30 guns. On SM-9/3, the speed M=1.46 was achieved. SM-9/3 became the standard for the serial MiG-19S ("S" - Stabilizer, meaning all-moving stabilizer).
SERIAL MODIFICATIONS OF THE FRONT-LINE FIGHTER
MiG-19
Production version of the SM-9/1. It differed from the prototype in armament of three NR-23 cannons, in the presence of underwing pylons for the suspension of weapons and PTB, as well as in a number of design changes. Factory #21 built about 50 MiG-19s.
MiG-19S
Production version SM-9/3; 2,120 MiG-19S fighters were built at factories in Gorky and Novosibirsk.
MiG-19P (SM-7)
The prototype of the SM-7/1 interceptor was developed on the basis of the SM-9/1 with a horizontal stabilizer and elevators. Four pylons for armament suspension and two pylons for PTB suspension are installed under the wing. Instead of one fuselage PVD, two are installed at the wingtips. The main difference between the interceptor and the front-line fighter was the radar (actually a radio sight) RP-1 "Emerald", the interrogator and responder of the "friend or foe" system and the electromagnetic radiation warning receiver were also installed. In connection with the installation of the radar, the fuselage length was increased by 36 cm. Armament - two NR-23 cannons in the wing roots, up to four NAR RO-57-8 units for eight 57-mm ARCH-57 missiles each. The first flight on the CM-7/1 was performed on August 28, 1954 by V.A. Nefedov. The second prototype CM-7/2 received an all-moving stabilizer and armament of two 30-mm HP-30 cannons, but retained a number of design features inherent in SM-9/1.
In 1955, the SM-7 was put into mass production under the designation MiG-19P ("P" - Interceptor). Interceptors of the first series were armed with NR-23 cannons, later - NR-30. In the process of serial production, the Izumrud-1 radar was replaced with the Izumrud-2 radar.
MiG-19PG
MiG-19P, equipped with a guidance system from the ground command post "Horizon-1"
MiG-19PM (SM7/M)
The SM7 / M interceptor was designed for purely missile armament from four K-5M (RS - 2US) air-to-air missiles, there was no cannon armament. Instead of UR K-5M, the suspension of unguided missiles of various types and calibers was allowed. The Izumrud-2 radar is installed in the forward part of the fuselage. Horizontal tail - type SM-9/1, with elevators.
The SM-7/M made its first flight at the end of January 1956. In 1957, mass production began under the designation MiG-19PM.
MiG-19PML
MiG-19PM/PMU interceptors equipped with the Lazur winter guidance system were sometimes designated MiG-19PML.
MiG-19SV
The MiG-19SV high-altitude interceptor was developed on the basis of the MiG-19S front-line fighter specifically for intercepting high-altitude targets, such as the British Canberra reconnaissance aircraft. The design of the aircraft was lightened, the wing guns were removed (one fuselage gun was left), the wing area was increased by 2 square meters. The power plant consists of two AM-9BF turbofan engines with afterburner thrust of 3300 kgf. A high-altitude compensating suit with a pressure helmet has been developed for the pilot. December 6, 1956 during flight tests N.I. Korovushkin reached a dynamic ceiling of 20,740 m. The MiG-19SV was built in a small series and entered service with the air defense regiments that covered the strategic objects of the USSR.
On the prototype of the CM-7/2 interceptor, a fully-rotating horizontally empennage was installed.
CM-7/2 with released air brakes
The bar at the MiG-19 deviated upward to reduce the length of the aircraft. In the picture - SM-9/1
On the CM-12, an axial air intake with a movable central cone was worked out. Several experimental SM-12s were built, SM-12/2 is shown in the picture.
Experienced SM-12GVE with an additional rocket engine installed in a container under the fuselage. K-5M guided missiles are suspended under the wing.
SM-30 on launcher
EXPERIMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT
More than 50 MiG-19 aircraft, mainly MiG-19S, were used by the Design Bureau as flying laboratories for testing various systems, design solutions, etc. Four MiG-19SUs were equipped with a combined power plant of two AM-9BM turbofan engines and a liquid rocket booster, the container with which was suspended under the fuselage. Several MiG-19SUs were built based on the MiG-19S (SM-50) and based on the MiG-19P (SM-51 and SM-52). On the MiG-19S (SM-10), the refueling system from the Tu-16 bomber was tested. Four modified MiG-19S (SM-20, SM-20 / P, SM-K / 1, SM-K / 2) were used to process the control system of the Kh-20 cruise missile (K-20 "Kometa"), designed by the MiG -19. Exceptionally dangerous tests of the SM-20 were carried out by test pilot Amet-Khan Sultan. X-20 missiles were armed with Tu-95 strategic bombers.
The MiG-19S in the SM-30 version was used to test the concept of a non-aerodrome launch. The takeoff was made from a catapult, made in the form of a car trailer, with the help of powder boosters. The first ejection takeoff on the SM-30 was performed on April 13, 1957 by G.M. Shiyanov. Various models of aviation weapons were tested on the MiG-19, including the air-to-air missile launcher K-13 with a thermal seeker. On CM-12GV/GVE aircraft, an axisymmetric air intake with a central body was tested, later used on the MiG-21 fighter. Work on the MiG-19UTI two-seat training fighter has not left the design stage.
LICENSED PRODUCTION
Czechoslovakia
The MiG-19S fighters were built under license under the designation S-105 by the Aero Vodokhody plant. In 1959-1961, 103 aircraft were built, the first 13 were assembled from Soviet-made car kits.
PRC
In the late 1950s, China received the right to produce MiG-19, MiG-19S and MiG-19P fighters under license; engine - RD - 9B. The aircraft received the designation J-6 in China (export F-6); WP-6 engine. Production was established at an aircraft factory in Shenyang. Priority in China was given to interceptors. The first flight of the MiG-19, assembled in China from Soviet parts, was completed on December 17, 1958. A completely Chinese J-6 first took to the skies on September 30, 1959, mass production was only possible in 1963. The J-6 fighters had a number of differences from the MiG-19S.
Under the MiG-19P (J-6) series, the Nanchang plant was assigned, but they failed to establish mass production. Work on copying the MiG-19PM (J-6A) stretched out for a good fifteen years - the first serial J-6A steel plant only in 1977. The armament of the J-6A consisted of four PL-1 air-to-air missiles (similar to the Soviet K-13).
The PRC developed several modifications of the J-6, the first of which was the J-6III with increased thrust engines, a smaller span wing and an axisymmetric air intake. Several hundred J-6IIIs built. F-6 for the BBC Pakistan differed on-board equipment and the ability to use AIM9 UR; The cockpit has a Martin Baker ejection seat. In November 1970, the JJ-6 (FT-6) trainer fighter made its first flight. Sparka was built in a large series and became the main training fighter of the Chinese military aviation.
The deep development of the J-6 was the attack aircraft Q-5 (A -5) with side air intakes and a new forward fuselage, modified wings and tail. The range of weapons has been significantly expanded with air-to-surface weapons. The composition of the target equipment has been completely changed. Work on the Q-5 began in 1958, but then was repeatedly stopped and resumed. The first flight of the prototype was completed in June 1965, the first production aircraft entered combat units in 1970. Shtkrmovik Q-5 has been repeatedly upgraded. Under the designation A-5, the aircraft was exported to Pakistan, North Korea and Bangladesh.
Serial production of J-6 / F-6 continued until 1986, in total, more than 4,000 J-6 aircraft of all modifications were built, excluding Q-5.
Experienced I-370. The picture clearly shows the original horizontal tail with conventional elevators.
Processing of refueling in the air of the MiG-19S (SM-10) fighter from the TU-16 bomber. Serial MiG-19s were not equipped with air refueling systems.
J-6 Chinese Air Force
Exploitation
The pace of development of a series of new aircraft in the 1950s corresponded to wartime. The first flight of the “true” MiG-19 prototype, SM-9/1, was performed in January 1954, and on July 3, 1955, a group of MiG-19s from the 234th IAP stationed in Kubinsk took part in the air parade in Tushino.
In the USSR, the MiG-19 was armed with fighter regiments of the Air Force, Air Defense Aviation and Navy Aviation. MiG-19s of various modifications received a total of about 60 air regiments. In real conditions, the aircraft was used "for its intended purpose" only by air defense pilots. The first attempts to intercept high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft on the MiG-19 date back to 1956. In the fall of 1957, a MiG-19 of the 9th Guards IAP PVO was raised to intercept an air target from the Andijan airfield (Turkmenistan). The pilot managed to gain a height of “only” 17,000 m and visually detected an aircraft that was flying with an excess of 3,000 m. They did not believe the pilot - the command did not believe in the existence of an airplane capable of flying in the horizon at an altitude of 20 km. Such an aircraft, however, existed - it was a U-2. The hunt for the U-2 (and similar scouts) has become the main task of the air defense for the coming years. In April 1960, four MiG-19Ps unsuccessfully rose from Andijan to intercept U-2s. The point in the flights of foreign reconnaissance aircraft over the deep regions of the USSR was set on May 1, 1960, when a spy plane was shot down by an S-75 air defense system. Unfortunately, not only U-2s were shot down. A pair of MiG-19Ps from the 764th IAP PVO, raised to intercept the intruder, fell under the missile salvo. The fighter of senior lieutenant S.I. Safronov was shot down, the pilot died. The circumstances of the tragedy became known only in the 1990s. The first, but far from the last, victory on the MiG-19P (and the MiG-19 in general) was won on July 1, 1960: in the Arctic near Cape Kanin Nos, an American RB-47 was shot down.
The career of the MiG-19 in domestic aviation turned out to be short. Rearmament for more modern types, Yak-25 interceptors and MiG-21 F-13 fighters, began in the first half of the 1960s, and in the early 1970s, MiG-19 combat units disappeared everywhere.
MiG-19s in front-line fighter and interceptor versions were supplied to the European allies of the USSR: Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia (in addition to licensed S-105s). In addition, the MiG-19 received the BBC of Afghanistan, Egypt, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Syria. Pilots of the Air Force of the countries of people's democracy, like their colleagues from the air defense of the Soviet Union, repeatedly intercepted violators airspace. Egyptian and Syrian MiGs took part in the wars with Israel.
Most of all, the Chinese J-6 / F-6 had to make war. In six years (1965-1971), Chinese J-6s shot down over 20 American and Chinese aircraft, mainly over the Taiwan Strait. The PRC Air Force also suffered losses.
Combat F-6 twins FT-6 were widely exported to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Kampuchea, North Korea, Iraq, Tanzania, Zambia, Sudan, Somalia, Albania. In Vietnam, as in the USSR, the 19th remained in the shadow of the MiG-17 and MiG-21. Vietnamese pilots shot down several American aircraft, but more than one J-6 pilot never became an ace.
Pakistani F-6s were widely used in the war with India (1971). The Pakistani figures are astonishing: one downed F-6 versus 12 downed by F-6s. Pakistani Air Force F-6s have also been used to strike ground targets.
The MiG-19 also had a chance to fight in the Middle East (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan) and Africa (Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda).
Most countries retired the MiG-19 from service in the mid-1970s. The Pakistan Air Force organized a farewell ceremony for its F-6s in March 2002. The PRC Air Force officially retired the J-6 in 2010. The Bangladesh Air Force continues to operate twin FT-6s. Most likely, FT / F-6 will continue to serve in the DPRK Air Force.
J-6 fighters of the Chinese Air Force combat regiment, 1970s.
Pakistan Air Force F-6 fighter, early 1980s.
MiG-19S of the GDR Air Force, 1970s.
Coloring
MiG-19 of the Soviet military aviation and air forces of countries of Eastern Europe They were not camouflaged. Aluminum cladding covered with clear lacquer. The interior of the cockpit and landing gear niches were painted gray or dark green. On the interceptors, the antenna radomes of the Izumrud radar were painted with green radio-transparent paint. The upper surfaces of the aircraft of the air defense aerobatic team, which was personally led by Air Marshal E.Ya. Savitsky, were painted red. For the duration of the exercises or "special operations", temporary stripes of different colors were sometimes applied to the aircraft. For example, before the entry of Soviet troops into Czechoslovakia in 1968, two red stripes were applied around the fuselages of the MiG-19GVK in front of the keel.
Identification marks in the form of red five-kopeck stars with white-red or aluminum-red edging were applied to the keel, upper and lower wing consoles. In the Air Force, Air Defense Aviation and the Navy of the USSR, side numbers were two-digit; numbers were applied to the sides of the fuselage in the cockpit area. The color of the numbers is common for aircraft of the same air regiment - red, blue or yellow; the numerals were bordered in black, usually the color. In the Air Force of the countries of Eastern Europe, tail numbers could be three- and four-digit (depending on the country).
Identification marks on the prototype SM-7/1 were applied on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing, on the fin and on the sides of the rear fuselage. Shortly after the first flight of the SM-7, identification marks on the fuselages of the USSR Air Force aircraft were no longer applied.
F-6 (export version of the Chinese J-6) of the Somali Air Force in camouflage.
Most Chinese J-6s were also operated in natural metal colors. Pakistani F-6s did not originally have Pakistani coloring, but then they were painted with spots and stripes in shades of gray. Egyptian and Syrian MiGs were camouflaged in the color of the desert. Most of the "African" MiG-19s also received camouflage coloring.
The development of a second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft, abbreviated SPS-2, is entering the final phase. By 2025, the first flight of the Tu-244 is expected. The new Russian commercial airliner will be structurally different from the Soviet Tu-144 in terms of characteristics, flight range, comfort, capacity, size, engine power, and avionics. Its supersonic speed of Mach 2 will remain the same as that of the predecessor Tu-144LL Moskva, it is still the best indicator in the world in heavy civil aircraft construction. At an altitude of 20 km, the routes are free.
A limitation for aircraft designers and developers may be the length of the 1st class runway, at least 3 km is required. Such concrete strips are not available at all airports in the world and the country. There can be no illusions that the best aircraft will not be in demand by Western countries, which are more interested in selling their European Airbuses and American Boeings flying at a speed of 700-900 km/h, 2.5-3 times slower. You will have to rely only on the needs of Russia and the BRICS, as well as on wealthy customers who can afford such aircraft.
Project objectives
The first Tu-244 model is expected to see proven NK-32 engines, the same as those of the Tu-160M2 strategic bomber upgraded on 11/16/2017. The very first development of the SPS-2 started too early, in 1973, thanks to the developments of Soviet military designers of the 1950s, who were 50 years ahead of their time. Then there were no such high-quality composite materials to use them in large quantities, and power plants had insufficient traction. In the 1960s there were engines with 20 tons of thrust, in the 1970s with 25 tons, and now 32 tons are already used.
Aircraft designers have 2 main tasks:
Flight range - 9,200 km.
Reduced fuel consumption for this class of equipment.
The first and second tasks can be solved following the example of the Tu-160 and Tu-22M3, apply a variable sweep of the wing, making the aircraft multi-mode. You can analyze the closed projects of T-4 and T-4MS Chernyakov, study Myasishchev's developments on modifications of the M-50, brilliant and fantastic then, more suitable today. The Tupolev Design Bureau has everything for this, here are collected materials from all the leading design bureaus of the USSR involved in heavy strategic aviation, on the basis of which the world's best long-range military "long-range" Tu-22M3M and Tu-160M2 were created.
Advantages of jet aircraft
The advantage of a jet aircraft is speed. This guarantees a comfortable flight and shortens the distance in time. To spend three times fewer hours in a chair is a good feeling for passengers, for example, on the Vladivostok-Kaliningrad flight. Save business time. Using the services of the Tu-244 airliner, you can spend 1 more day on vacation, and, upon arrival, immediately go to work without fatigue. It is also important to receive the moral satisfaction of our citizens from the prestige of the Tu-244, to experience pride in Russia. The release of civil jet aircraft from the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation is more significant than the self-sufficiency of the country's defense enterprises, this is a commercial focus, jobs, a guarantee of stability and the accumulation of profits in harsh market conditions.
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Disadvantages of high-speed passenger liners
In the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s, they noticed that the creation of a civilian supersonic passenger liner according to military principles, it will not work because of the requirements for comfort and safety. In this regard, they began to study the experience of the United States, France and England, which was considered the best, then, according to the plan of the chief designer Alexei Andreyevich Tupolev, went into work. The disadvantages of the first Tu-144 and Concorde include high fuel consumption, engine noise, sonic booms, and the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
The main drawback of the Tu-244 is the commercial, military and political institutions of the West, because their Concordes flew off in 2003, and there are no new ones in the plans, because our paths in aircraft construction diverge. The explanation for this: firstly, NATO does not need strategic supersonic aviation, because. their power is based on an aircraft-carrying ocean fleet, and it is enough to deliver nuclear bombs and missiles by aircraft with a range of 1.5 km (fighters) from military bases scattered around the world, which is why military projects of this class in the West are not very in demand. Also, the rather high cost of a flight sharply narrows the potential market segment for these aircraft, so there can be no talk of mass production. However, a simultaneous order for the military and passenger traffic, this is exactly what can give a serious boost to supersonic passenger aviation.
What will be the Tu-244 in terms of flight performance
The design was delayed, the Tu-144 in the configuration of 1968 reached its first design characteristics by the mid-1970s. Work on its improvement since 1992 - the beginning of the Tu-244 project, since then 25 years have passed, it will take another 10 years to complete what we started. It is clearly seen that the involvement of the USA, England and France in the development of the Tu-244 program with the collapse of the USSR did not what good did not lead, as in all similar cases in the former USSR. Only the collection of scientific data from the Tu-144LL for the NASA military space program and the deceleration of our enterprises in development.
Today, there are many variants of Tu-244 projects. No one can say for sure what the plane itself will be like. Ambiguous information is being circulated from unofficial sources. The characteristics described below are conditional, compiled on the basis of current capabilities. Characteristics: length 88.7 m; wingspan 54.77 m, area 1,200 sq.m., and elongation 2.5 m; wing sweep along the edge - at the center section 75 degrees, - at the console 35 degrees; fuselage width 3.9 m, height 4.1 m, luggage compartment for 32 sq.m.; takeoff weight 350 tons, including fuel 178 tons; engines NK-32 - 4 units; cruising speed 2.05 M; range 10 thousand km; Max. height 20 km.
model tu-244
Tu-244 design
Imagine a trapezoidal wing and a complex deformation of its middle trapezoid. Aileron control in balance, roll and pitch. At the leading edge of the socks are deflected mechanically. In the design of the wing, there is a division into parts, front, middle and console. The middle and cantilever parts are with multi-spar and multi-rib power circuits, while there are no ribs in the front. In the vertical tail, the same as in the wing structure and the guide two-section rudder.
Fuselage with a pressurized cabin, nose and tail compartments - the dimension will be selected on order based on the quantity passenger seats. For 250 and 320 passengers, a fuselage diameter of 3.9 to 4.1 m is suitable. The cabin will be divided into classes, 1st, 2nd and 3rd. In terms of comfort, the Tu-244 will be at the level of the latest modification of the Tu-204. The aircraft is equipped with a cargo compartment. There are four pilots, their chairs with catapults (in Russian), are shot up. On board, everything is newly automated and subordinated to the central program control.
The Tu-244 may lose its deflectable nose, similar to the Tu-144LL, due to the development of the latest optoelectronic equipment and the ability to deflect controlled thrust vectors in modern domestic power plants. In places of maximum load, titanium alloy VT-64 can be used, in the wheel area. The nose strut may remain the same, there will definitely be 3 new main supports for the concrete strip, designed for high loads. The navigation and flight equipment will comply with the meteorological minimum according to the IIIA ICAO international classification.
