Polikarpov I-180
The Polikarpov I -180 (Russian Поликарпов И -180) was a single-engine fighter aircraft of the Soviet designer Nikolai Polikarpov.
Development
It was built using modules of the successful Polikarpov I-16 as well as the experimental fighter aircraft Polikarpov I- 17th For the first time died in a Soviet plane, an adjustable three-bladed propeller used. She was equipped with an M -88 radial engine.
The first flight of I- 180-1 took place on 15 December 1938 and ended in disaster. The engine sat out on landing and the aircraft crashed; the famous pilot Valery Chkalov Pavlovich was killed. The second machine I -180 2 received an M- 87B engine and an enlarged to 105 cm wingspan. As this aircraft also crashed in testing, Josef Stalin was about to be set the program and Polikarpov fell into disfavor. Nevertheless, even flew a third prototype with an enclosed cabin and it was a small pre-series of ten I- 180S built. As the final out for the I -180 was decided to Polikarpov turned to their successors I- 185.