Korolyov RP-318
The slider Korolev RP -318 -I ( also: Raketoplan or Bolchowitinow RP -318 ) was the first rocket aircraft with liquid engine in the history of Soviet aviation. The first flight took place with liquid engine of the world, the German Heinkel He 176 seven months after the first rocket aircraft.
Development
Sergei Korolev designed the 1934 rocket research institute ( RNII ) the sailors SK -9 ( for Sergei Korolev ) along with Alexei Shcherbakov. However, his experience came to him as a designer of glider types, especially the SK -4, benefit. The SK- 9 should serve as a support aircraft for the 1936 developed by Valentin Glushko rocket engine ORM -65. The system operated with nitric acid and kerosene liquid engine developed a thrust of 1717 N and a combustion chamber pressure of 2.5 MPa. 1937/38, were performed about 30 test runs. For installation in the SK- 9, it was modified by Leonid Dushkin for RDA 1-150 with variable thrust. The resulting rocket glider was given the designation RP -318 -I (Russian Ракетны Планёр, Raketny Planjor for rocket gliders). It was designed as a mid-wing and had an open cockpit. As a main blade chassis served under the fuselage and a tail skid. The wingspan was 17 meters and the length of seven meters. The mass was 657 kg.
Even before the glider could be completed, Korolev was denounced and arrested in June 1938. The work then led away Viktor Bolchowitinow.
First flight
On February 28, 1940 Vladimir Fyodorov started with the RP -318 -1 in the vicinity of Moscow for the first flight. The aircraft was placed in the aero-tow with a Polikarpov R-5, with observers on board in the air. At the height of 2,800 meters, it broke away from the tow plane and pilot Vladimir P. Fyodorov turned on the engine, which burned for 110 seconds. In this case, the aircraft accelerated after five seconds from 80 to 140 km / h Finally, it reached a top speed of 160 km / h There have been a number of test flights. The experiments eventually led to the rocket fighter BI - 1 of 1941.