Sukhoi Su-8

Sukhoi OKB

Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1939
Headquarters	Moscow , Soviet Union
Products	Military aircraft

Template:Infobox aircraft

The Sukhoi Su-8, also known as DDBSh (Russian: Су-8 ДДБШ - Двухмоторный Двухместный Бронированный Штурмовик, meaning Twin-engine two-seat armored ground attack aircraft), was a Soviet experimental ground-attack plane developed during World War II.

Development

Simultaneously with the refinement of the lighter Sukhoi Su-6 attack aircraft, the Sukhoi OKB engineered the considerably larger and more heavily armed and armored Su-8. In May 1942, Soviet military leadership identified the necessity for an aircraft capable of supporting ground operations far from airbases and targeting enemy supply lines behind the frontline. Design efforts were expedited, with construction of the airframe beginning in August 1942, even prior to the completion of design blueprints on 20 September 1942.

By 1943, two prototype units were assembled at Plant Number 19 in Molotov, with the first completed in May and the second in August. Development faced challenges due to the German invasion and the subsequent relocation of the Sukhoi Design Bureau to Tushino. The initial flight trial occurred on 11 March 1944, followed by ongoing evaluations throughout that year. Testing experienced delays caused by shortages of Shvetsov M-71 engines. Despite successful trials, mass production was not authorized as Soviet forces had advanced to Germany’s borders, reducing demand for a long-range attack aircraft beyond what the existing Ilyushin Il-2 provided.

Efforts to equip the Su-8 with Mikulin AM-42 powerplants did not progress beyond initial stages.

The Su-8 featured a mixed-material design: its cockpit was armored; the mid-fuselage was constructed from aluminum while its tail section utilized a wooden monocoque structure. Wings combined steel and aluminum frameworks with plywood outer panels. The twin vertical stabilizers were fabricated entirely from metal. Protection extended beyond the cockpit to cover engines, fuel tanks, and oil coolers, totaling an armor weight of 1,680 kg (3,705 lb)—more than double that of the armor plating on an Ilyushin Il-2.

External links

• Sukhoi Su-8 – Sukhoi Company Museum