Antonov A-11
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Soviet Union |
The Antonov A-11 is a high-performance, single-seat sailplane constructed entirely from metal, developed in the Soviet Union during the late 1950s. A total of 150 units were manufactured.
Design and development
Marking Antonov's initial venture into all-metal glider construction, the A-11 departed from previous wooden-framed designs. It features a cantilever mid-wing monoplane configuration with wings that taper straight and exhibit a slight trailing edge sweep. The wings incorporate a modest dihedral angle of 1.5° but do not include washout. Structurally, the wing comprises a single main spar with a metal-skinned leading edge ahead of it, while fabric covers the rear portion; the rounded wingtips are reinforced by dual spars. The ailerons are fabric-covered, slotted, and equipped with recessed hinges along with mass balance weights; they can be drooped collectively by 8° to function as flaps. Closer to the fuselage, slotted flaps are installed on the trailing edges, supplemented by upward-opening gapless spoilers positioned near mid-chord.
The fuselage adopts a pod-and-boom monocoque design crafted from metal, featuring a smooth transition between the two sections. The tail assembly consists of an all-metal, straight-edged V-tail set at a 90° angle, with control surfaces balanced by external weights. The cockpit is enclosed by a three-piece canopy that extends seamlessly from the nose to beyond mid-chord without any stepped windscreen interruption. Ground handling is facilitated by a retractable monowheel landing gear with spring suspension but lacking brakes; this is supported by a rubber-mounted skid located ahead of the wheel and a tail bumper formed by a short ventral fin.
The A-11 took to the skies for its maiden flight on 12 May 1958 and received certification for aerobatic maneuvers, spinning, and flying under instrument flight rules in cloud conditions.
Aircraft exhibited
Details sourced from Ogden[1]
Antonov A-11 specifications
Related topics
Notes
References
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
<ref> tag with name "OSTIV" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.Bibliography
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).