Sukhoi Su-15 (1949)

Infobox Aircraft
name=Su-15


caption=
type=Interceptor
manufacturer=Sukhoi
designer=Pavel Sukhoi
first flight=11 January 1949
introduced=
retired=
status=Prototype
primary user=Soviet Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=1
unit cost=
variants with their own articles=

The Sukhoi Su-15 (Aircraft P) was a prototype Soviet all-weather interceptor. The name was later reused for an entirely different 1960s interceptor, see Sukhoi Su-15.

Development

The Su-15 was an early attempt at an all-weather jet-powered interceptor. Its development was ordered by the Soviet government in March 1947. The first prototype was completed on 25 October 1948 — only four months after production had started. It flew on 11 January 1949. In testing, Su-15 reached 1032 km/h (557 knots, 641 mph; Mach 0.888) at 4550 m (14,925 ft) and 985 km/h (532 knots, 612 mph; Mach 0.926) at 10950 m (35,925 ft), but experienced excess vibration at speeds in excess of Mach 0.87. During 39th flight on 3 June 1949, the aircraft developed severe vibration, forcing the test pilot S.N. Anokhin to eject. The program was subsequently terminated, and the second prototype was not completedcite book|author=Shavrov V.B.|year=1994|title=Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR, 1938-1950 gg. (3 izd.)|publisher=Mashinostroenie|id=ISBN 5217004770] .

The Su-15 was an all-metal mid-wing monoplane with a 35° swept wing. The aircraft had several very unusual design features. Its twin Klimov RD-45 engines were positioned in tandem rather than side-by-side, due to their large diameter. The front engine sat low with exhaust under the middle of the fuselage. The rear engine nozzle was at the tip of the aft fuselage. The cockpit had to be offset to the left to make room for the air intake ducting for the rear engine.cite book|last=Green|first=W|coauthors=Swanborough, G|year=2001|title=The Great Book of Fighters|edition=|publisher=MBI Publishing|location=|id=ISBN 0760311943]

Operators

;USSR
*Soviet Air Force

pecifications (Su-15)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet

ref=Shavrov and Green
crew=1
capacity=
length main=15.44 m
length alt=50 ft 8 in
span main=12.87 m
span alt=42 ft 3 in
height main=
height alt=
area main=36 m²
area alt=388 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main=7409 kg
empty weight alt=16,334 lb
loaded weight main=10437 kg
loaded weight alt=23,009 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (jet)=Klimov RD-45F
type of jet=turbojet
number of jets=2
thrust main=22.2 kN
thrust alt=5,000 lbf
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=

max speed main=985 km/h
max speed alt=532 knots, 612 mph
max speed more=(Mach 0.926) at 10950 m (35,925 ft)
range main=1050 km
range alt=565 nm, 650 mi
ceiling main=15000 m
ceiling alt=49,210 ft
climb rate main=2.5 min to 5000 m
climb rate alt=16,405 ft
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=0.43
more performance=

armament=
* 2× 37 mm (1.45 in) Nudelman N-37 cannon, 110 rounds

avionics=
*Toriy radar

References

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=
*Mikoyan-Gurevich I-320
*Lavochkin La-200

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see also=