The Sukhoj 'I2M 107' - an asymmetrical WWII fighter design

[Dizzyfugu]

Not only the Germans were creative, but also Russian engineers. Check this beauty:


A future project: the twin-engied, asymmetrical Sukhoj 'I2M 107' fighter from 1943 by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Something I found at literature and what IMHO 'deserves' a model: if not correctly copying the original Suckoj design, then at least as a concept copy and a whif/fantasy airplane. This one would certainly be a good carrier-borne design, with the cockpit that far in front of the fuselage? It has something British about it, I must say. FAA colors would suit the plane well...


Some background (from 'OKB Sukhoj' by Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Kissarov):In early March 1943 the Sukhoi OKB finished work on the design of a high-speed fighter with a unique powerplant arrangement. The aircratt was an all-metal low-wing mono­plane with conventional surfaces. The three-section wings had constant dihedral and basically trapezoidal planform; the sta­bilisers had zero dihedral.

Two Klimov M-107 water-cooled Vee-12 engines, each with a. take-off power of 1 ,600 hp (1,193 kW) and a maximum design power of 1,500 hp (1,119 kW) at 5,500 m (18,045 tt), were mounted in the centre fuse­lage in a staggered-tandem arrangement (the front engine was offset to starboard and of the rear one to port). Thus, the total power was increased but the drag was the same as for a single-engined aircraft, which was expected to increase fight speed consider­ably.

The lett cylinder bank of the front engine and the right cylinder bank of the rear engine were disposed vertically, so that each engine had one set of exhaust stubs on top of the fuselage and one on the fuselage side. Both engines drove a single three­blade tractor propeller of 4.0 m (13 tt 2 in) diameter via parallel extension shafts and a common reduction gearbox.

Both water radiators were located side by side in a chin housing, while the oil coolers were buried in the wings. The total fuel capacity of the four tanks arranged in the centre fuselage was 1,113 litres (244.86 Imp. gal).

Because of the powerplant arrangement and the large ground angle (necessary to give adequate ground clearance for the large propeller) the cockpit was offset to and placed ahead of the wing leading edge to provide better forward visibility on take-off and landing. The cockpit was protected bya bulletproof windscreen, a front armour plate and an armoured backrest; the armour weighttotalled 70kg (154Ib).
The main landing gear units with 800 x 280 mm (31.5x11 in) wheels retracted inwards into the wing roots and the 400 x 150 mm (15.7 x 5.9 in) tailwheel retracted aft.

The fighter's armament consisted of two wing-mounted 12.7-mm Berezin UBS machine-guns firing outside the propeller disc and a single 20-mm ShVAK cannon fir­ing through the propeller hub. The aircraft was never built.

[PR19_Kit]

So THAT'S where the idea of the cockpit for the Canberra B(I)8 and the Sea Vixen came from. 

That looks fascinating, and the idea of the two engines arranged at 60 deg to each other is pure genius. Of course Tophe will LOVE it, even if it's not that visually assymetric. 

[rickshaw]

I was thinking that its not quite as asymmetrical as Tophe has taught us to known such things...   

[andrewj]

Apart from the offset canopy ,it looks remarkably like the RR Eagle engined Westland N11/44 drafts.

[Dizzyfugu]

I have the urge to try to reproduce "something similar" as a 1:72 kit. My first idea is to use a Hawker Tempest Mk. V (or a Typhoon) and widen the fuselage with inserts, moving the cockpit to the front left area and see what comes out. Might receive Russian markings, but an FAA paint scheme appears SO right on this one...

[The Wooksta!]

Better off starting with something like a barrel to start with.  Lavochkin La 15 and invert it? So the wing roots are at the bottom?  MiG 15 could be too wide in diameter, ditto the Supermarine Attacker.  Start with the engine front off a Frog/Novo Shackleton and go from there, as that's going to be your widest point.  Plus it already has contraprops...

Edit: after dashing off to find a Shackleton engine front (the Attackers are to hand!), an Attacker is probably your best bet, given that it's not much wider than a Shack Griffon engine.  Plus it's given me an idea for an Eagle engined Attacker with a mid mounted engine, although I had wanted to keep more of the Attacker nose proper.

[Geoff]

La-5 wings?

[The Wooksta!]

You'd know them better than me, but possibly.  Definitely an Attacker for the fuselage tho, but it'd need shortening and reshaping.  Make sure you get one of the more recent Eastern Express ones as the plastic is better to work with.  The lack of cockpit or any detail makes it ideal whiff fodder.

Pity I don't have the size or I'd try scaling it up.

[Dizzyfugu]

Attacker sounds good as an overall basis,. good idea. The La-15 is a rather slender machine, it would IMHO not be that good.

[Mossie]

La-5 wings?

Yak-3?  Bugatti Model 100 has a good shape if you reduce the sweep angle, could be difficult to get hold of one though.

[The Wooksta!]

And if you've the lottery win to pay for a Planet kit!  Their new MB2 is more expensive for a 72nd kit than the 48th Magna one, although the quality of the former will be streets ahead (I know someone who is mastering a kit for CMR and saw the equivalent Magna kit and said "I can do better!")

Suchoi Su 2 or that high altitude thing?  If you're going the Yak route, an Airfix 9 may be better due to the thick plastic.

[famvburg]

   How about a Yak-25 or its relatives fuselage?

[The Wooksta!]

Eastern Express or ex-Novo attackers are cheaper and you can use the wings for Spitefuls/Seafangs, the latter of which has given me another idea...

[Mossie]

And if you've the lottery win to pay for a Planet kit!  Their new MB2 is more expensive for a 72nd kit than the 48th Magna one, although the quality of the former will be streets ahead (I know someone who is mastering a kit for CMR and saw the equivalent Magna kit and said "I can do better!")

Suchoi Su 2 or that high altitude thing?  If you're going the Yak route, an Airfix 9 may be better due to the thick plastic.

And if you've the lottery win to pay for a Planet kit!  Their new MB2 is more expensive for a 72nd kit than the 48th Magna one, although the quality of the former will be streets ahead (I know someone who is mastering a kit for CMR and saw the equivalent Magna kit and said "I can do better!")

The Planet kit is 1/48.  There are 1/72 kits, although they're hard to come by.  I think there's a vacform, although I can't find it on a search.  More work, granted but if plastic is being hacked anyway it might be worth it to get the shape but like I said, if you can find one.

There's always the Hobby Boss Yak-3 if it's thick plastic that's required.

[jcf]

Bugatti Model 100 has a good shape if you reduce the sweep angle, could be difficult to get hold of one though.

... and it already has the offset engine setup.