Alekseyev I-215

The Alekseyev I-215 was a Soviet jet interceptor fighter from the late 1940s, a development of the I-211 prototype, modestly redesigned to incorporate the more powerful centrifugal-flow Rolls-Royce Derwent in place of the Lyulka TR-1 axial turbojet originally planned.

Largely identical to the I-211 with the exception of its redesigned engine nacelles and some associated wing structure, the I-215 made its first flight on 31 December 1947. Fatigue cracking in the structure of the wing centre section early in the test programme necessitated a strengthening scheme which also resulted in a change to the undercarriage layout. The first aircraft had its main wheels in wing wells; the second prototype (first flown in spring 1948 designated I-215D, the 'D' signifying "dubler" - 'double') used wider-diameter paired wheels in a bicycle arrangement, retracting into the fuselage, along with small outrigger wheels under the engine nacelles which retracted into fairings. Following testing, the Ministry of the Aviation Industry recommended that the I-215D enter series production.

A tandem two-seat version of this design, with a larger wing and more powerful Rolls-Royce Nene turbojets, was developed as a night fighter under the designation I-212. During preparations for flight testing of this design, Joseph Stalin ordered the disbanding of the Alekseyev OKB-21, ending work on the I-212 and -215. It has been suggested that a comment about the I-212 being a copy of the Messerschmitt Me 262, made by Aleksandr Yakovlev during a meeting at the Kremlin, may have influenced this decision (a resemblance in general layout can also be found between the I-215 and the Gloster Meteor). The straight-wing, two-engine fighter design would be rendered obsolete with the advent of new generation swept-wing fighters, such as the MiG-15 and F-86 Sabre.

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref=
crew=One, pilot
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 11.54 m
length alt=37 ft 10 in
span main=12.25 m
span alt=40 ft 2 in
height main=3.68 m
height alt=12 ft 1 in
area main= 25 m²
area alt= 269 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 4010 kg
empty weight alt= 8,822 lb
loaded weight main= 6890 kg
loaded weight alt= 15,158 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (jet)=Rolls-Royce Derwent V
type of jet=turbojets
number of jets=2
thrust main= 15.6 kN
thrust alt= 3,500 lbf
thrust original= [Quoted as 1590 kgf in original.]
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=

max speed main= 970 km/h
max speed alt=519 kts, 598 mph
cruise speed main= 720 km/h
cruise speed alt=385 kts, 444 mph
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1700 km
range alt=918 nm, 1050 mi
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=3 × 37 mm Nudelman N-37 cannons with 30 rounds each
avionics=

References

* cite book
last=Green
first=W.
coauthors=Swanborough, G.
year=1994
title=The Complete Book of Fighters
location=London
publisher=Salamander Books
id=ISBN 1-85833-777-1
* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fighter/i215.html I-215 at Ugolok Neba site] ru icon

ee also

aircontent
related=
*Alekseyev I-211

similar aircraft=
*Sukhoi Su-9 (1946)
*Sukhoi Su-11 (1947)
*Gloster Meteor
*Messerschmitt Me 262

sequence=

lists=

see also=