soviet fighter aircraft designed flown engines developed service use production reserved fighters production program cancelled january design development designed early based development virtually new design fuselage similarly built birch integral fin considerably longer metal wing smaller thinner wing nearly thin wing root tapered wing tip wing profile skinned powered split flaps leading edge fitted outer wing panels fabric covered control surfaces framed protected imp gal gal fuel tanks mounted wing center section conventional retractable cylinder row radial engine carried steel tubes fitted spinner improve cooling air expelled gills provide additional thrust synchronized armament mounted fuselage machine guns machine guns kilogram bomb carried conditions prototype completed available example provide power prototype modified use experimental engine radial nearly powerful flight tests finally took air january decided waste development await powerful engine fortunate cancelled second prototype completed end cylinder radial engine forward fuselage redesigned accommodate engine armament revised synchronized cannon drawings engine installation passed proved useful designing fighters engine notably prototype built larger heavier radial engine flight tests versions interrupted german invasion june prototypes plus design bureau evacuated flight testing resumed early powered versions included engined prototype proved faster mph sea level mph metres speed mph altitude recommended immediate production began combat trials november aircraft assigned tightly controlled prevent loss prototypes example sorties flown soviet controlled territory required express permission 3rd staff fly pilots reports enthusiastic commander captain wrote soviet foreign aircraft level speed performs maneuvers easily rapidly vigorously best current fighter point control simplicity speed especially climb armament based glowing report air force scientific test institute early preparations began production production standard aircraft built april redesigned engine gross weight increased earlier prototypes reduction drag new significant speed increased mph meters underwent manufacturer tests june october submitted state acceptance tests november flight testing interrupted need replace engine december january new engine failed day aircraft crashed january flight tests ordered continued original prototypes range figures prototype crashed april killing pilot attempted dead stick landing work production cancelled engine required fighter reason cited fuselage production plants involve disruption production lines factor required build short supply time variants began preliminary design updated versions design february engine bubble canopy cannons rockets estimated maximum speed mph improved engine armament fuselage engine specifications general characteristics length wingspan height wing area weight loaded weight powerplant radial engine performance maximum speed mph range service ceiling rate climb min wing loading power mass armament cannons bombs rockets
Polikarpov I-185