Tupolev I-12

I-12 (ANT-23)

Role: Fighter
National origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Tupolev
Designed by: Viktor Chernyshov
First flight: 1931
Status: Retired
Number built: One

The Tupolev I-12 (also known as ANT-23) was a prototype Soviet fighter aircraft that never reached production. I-12 was of unconventional design with twin booms made of water pipes containing recoilless rifles and two engines in a push-pull configuration. The aircraft first flew in 1931 but did not enter production due to disappointing performance and operational difficulties such as the inability for the pilot to escape the aircraft without hitting the propeller arc behind him. The second prototype, designated ANT-23bis was never completed.

Specifications

Data from Shavrov 1985

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 15.6 m (51 ft 2 in)
Height: ()
Wing area: 30 m² (322.9 ft²)
Loaded weight: 2,400 kg (5,291 lb)
Powerplant: 2x— Gnome-Rhx´ne 9K radial engines, 392 kW (525 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 300 km/h (162 kn, 186 mph)
Wing loading: 80 kg/m² (16 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 326 W/kg (0.2 hp/lb)

Armament

2 x— 76.2 mm (3 in) APK recoilless rifles

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Source: WikiPedia