Tupolev I-14
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1922 |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Soviet Union |
Template:Infobox aircraft The Tupolev I-14, also known under the designation ANT-31, was a Soviet fighter aircraft developed during the 1930s. This single-seat, single-engine monoplane featured a retractable landing gear and was designed to carry substantial armament, making it one of the era's most technologically advanced fighters. Although it entered limited production, only a small number were completed before the program was discontinued in favor of the competing Polikarpov I-16.
Development and design
In 1932, the Soviet Air Force issued a requirement for a fast monoplane fighter to complement the existing fleet of nimble but slower biplanes. To fulfill this specification, the Tupolev design bureau assigned a team under the leadership of Pavel Sukhoi. This group developed the ANT-31, characterized by its low-wing cantilever monoplane configuration without external bracing, retractable landing gear, enclosed cockpit, and heavy cannon weaponry.
The fuselage utilized a metal monocoque structure, while the wings were constructed from corrugated metal. The conventional landing gear featured main wheels that retracted rearward into the wings, operated manually by cables connected to a handwheel controlled by the pilot. The initial prototype was equipped with an imported 433 kW (580 hp) Bristol Mercury radial engine housed within an NACA cowling, driving a two-bladed wooden propeller. Armament included a single PV-1 machine gun, with provisions for two Leonid Kurchevsky APK-37 recoilless autocannons mounted beneath the wings.
Assigned the air force designation I-14 (from Istrebitel, meaning fighter), the ANT-31 conducted its first flight on 27 May 1933. While demonstrating agility, it proved challenging to handle and was underpowered at low altitudes despite its supercharged Mercury engine. Consequently, development proceeded with a second prototype—the I-14bis (also referred to as ANT-31bis or I-142)—which incorporated a more powerful imported 531 kW (712 hp) Wright R-1820 Wright Cyclone engine, an uncorrugated wing design, and revised landing gear. The I-14bis exhibited superior performance; however, handling difficulties persisted. This led to an order for 55 production units powered by the licensed Shvetsov M-25 version of the Cyclone engine and armed with two 45 mm (1.8 in) Kurchevsky APK-11 recoilless cannons alongside two ShKAS machine guns.
Operational history
Production of the aircraft commenced at the GAZ-125 facility located in Irkutsk, Siberia, with initial deliveries starting in November 1936. At this stage, the fighter's weaponry was updated to include a single ShKAS machine gun alongside a 20 mm ShVAK cannon, as Kurchevsky's recoilless guns had lost favor, and Kurchevsky himself was soon arrested. By then, the competing Polikarpov I-16 fighter had already become widely produced and deployed, leading to the cessation of I-14 production after only 18 units were completed. Consequently, the aircraft was gradually withdrawn from active service.
Operators
Specifications (production I-14)
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Armament
- 1× 7.62×54mmR (0.30 in) ShKAS machine gun and 1× 20×99mmR (0.79 in) ShVAK cannon[3]
See also
Notes
References
- Duffy, Paul and Andrei Kandalov. Tupolev: The Man and His Aircraft. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-85310-728-X.
- Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey, 1995. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
- Williams, Anthony G. and Emmanuel Gustin. Flying Guns: World War II. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-84037-227-3.
Template:Tupolev aircraft Template:Soviet fighter designations