Ye-150 / Ye-152 / Ye-166 Flipper
The new all-weather fighter-interceptor E-150, planned in KB Mikoyan, had to develop a speed exceeding three times the speed of sound. Therefore before its creation "in the metal" it was necessary to solve the problem of the thermal barrier - to develop and to create more resistant materials, capable of maintaining flight loads at increased temperatures. The usual aluminum alloys simply "flowed" under these conditions. In connection with the high aerodynamic heating of aircraft at the high speeds, the most heat-stressed elements of construction had to be carried out from the thermoresistant materials (for example, made of the stainless steel). It was necessary to learn to make the construction of aircraft from high-temperature steels, titanium alloys and composites, to develop the technology of series production, and it was neccessary to solve these problems within the shortest period of time.
In the summer of 1957 the draft designing of the E-150 interceptor was completed - the first of the "heavy MiGs" - and the directive of the administration for experimental building of aviation equipment of the Air Force was signed in July 1957. Its second version (E-151) with a mobile cannon installation in the fuselage was studied simultaneously. The earliest version of preliminary design was developed in 1956. The basic tasks of the E-150 in the system "U-5" were formulated as follows: passive homing and automatic attack, interception and the destruction of the enemy bombers at supersonic speeds in any meteorological conditions and in the absence optical visibility. The aircraft had to be built in two copies with the following armament: - the first experiment with two radar guided missiles of the type K-6[v] or K-7[v], the installation on one pylon for the suspension of rockets was provided for on the lower surface of each outer plane of wing. The second experiment with the gun installation was mobile in two planes (chief designer [Fonakov]), which consisted of two guns [TKB]-495 of 30 mm caliber.
The E-150 outwardly appeared sharply differenet from all previously constructed machines. The aircraft was a midwing monoplane with a delta wing and round fuselage. The fuselage resembled a pipe from an elementary body of revolution with the practically identical diameter throughout the entire length (cylinder with a diameter of 1600 mm passed in the tail section in the zone of the afterburning engine chamber and its ejector into the cylinder with a diameter of 1650 mm). In the forward fuselage was established "multishock" cone from dielectric material, which consisted of three steps. Three-stage regulation served for the divergence of the shock wave before the air duct. The adjustment of entrance was achieved by the mobile cowling, which had two fixed positions. With reaching of the speed, equal Of [m]=1,65, the cowling automatically was shifted. With a decrease in the velocity it returned to the initial position. Anti-surge folds were placed on the sides of fuselage in the region of cab.
In it was arranged the antenna of the "Uragan-5[B]" radar. This radar with a long range of target detection could work in the regime of survey and target tracking. The radar was combined with the system of the fire control and receiving tele-command, and also autopilot of control. The interaction of these devices was accomplished under any weather conditions and at any time of day or night. It was directed from the earth automatic flight into the assigned zone with the subsequent target lock-on by signals RLS by the fulfillment of attack with the combination of purpose with the marker of the radar sight of aircraft.
The power plant consisted of one R-15-300 engine. This TRD (turbojet engine), which developed thrust by under maximum conditions 6840 kgf and under afterburner of 10,150 kgf, had a special ejector which made it possible to develop gross propulsive effort up to 19,800 kgf at the flight speeds in the range of the numbers of Mach 2.4-2.5 .
By September 1958 the first experimental model of interceptor E-150 stood in to the shop of the experimental production of OKB-155. It did not have identification number. More than six months (until June 1959) were required for the ground checks of the system of control and other systems of fighter. After the installation at the plant of the engine the aircraft again entered the airfield on 30 December 1960. In the process of ground tests it was necessary to replace the engine, and the interceptor proved to be ready for flight only in the middle of 1960 (because of the non-delivery of the engine it was delayed about 18 months). On 08 July 1960 the test pilot of OKB-155 [A]. [V]. Fedotov raised it into air.
In all in the machine they carried out 42 flights. The elements of weapon system were not checked. Because of the delays in the delivery of elements the systems "Uragan-5" of work on this copy were ended, and in further E -150 they used for flight tests and studies of the modernized engine R -15[M]-300 with improved upper-air data. The entire reserve of the second flying copy E-150 was used for the building of aircraft E-152. The machine, which was so necessary for PVO (Air Defense), seemed is at long last created. However, during the tests again there appeared problems with the power plant.
Even prior to the tests E -150 in OKB -156 they began to develop immediately its two modifications. In appearance interceptors E -152 and E -152[a] were very similar, and they were characterized by only aft fuselage section. The first of them - E -152 - had the power plant, which consists of one R15-300 engine. On March 16, 1961 to the flying station arrived the first experimental model of interceptor E -152. According to government task, the fighter was intended for interception and destruction of the aircraft of enemy, which fly with speeds of up to 1600 km/h at the height of 10000 m and with speeds of up to 2500 km/h at the height of 20000 meters.
On the aircraft E -152/1, which was called official name E-166, are established three world records:
- On October 7, 1961. the test pilot OF [A].[V]. Fedotov established the world record of speed along the closed by 100 km route. Is achieved the average speed of 2401 km/h.
- On July 7, 1962. by the test pilot OF [G].[K]. [Mosolovym] is established the world record of speed. The average speed of 2681,7 km/h is achieved on the speed test course 15-25 km in two directions. In one of the approaches the aircraft developed the speed more than 3000 km/h.
- On September 11, 1962. the test pilot OF [P].[M]. [Ostapenko] established the world record of height on the base 15-25 km, equal to 22670 m. in this case was sustained the speed of 2500 km/h.
On the second experimental model E -152-2 they attempted to remove the deficiencies, revealed in the process of the E-152-1 flight tests. E-152-2 entered the flying station on August 8, 1961, and on September 21 its first flight took place. In contrast to the first copy, to the machine they planned to establish weapon system "water spout" (subsequently inculcated on the interceptors Tu-128 and MiG-25[P]) with RLS "TsP -1". After the 16th flight at the beginning July 1962 the tests, conducted by the pilot of OKB [P].[M].[Ostapenko], were ended because of constant troubles in the power plant.
Cancellation of the K-9 missile test program led to the curtailment of the E-152-2. It was decided to re-equip aircraft into the new version E -152[p], which was planned as base aircraft for developing a fighter-interceptor with the more advanced system of navigation and interception. It outwardly differed from E -152-2 in terms of the high fairing, which was increased in connection with the installation of three additional additional fuel tanks on the fuselage after the cockpit.
They appropriated the name E -152[m] to the real machine. After the completion of the tests E -152[m] machine, in July 1967 it was demonstrated at the exhibition in the Domodedovo airport. Its fuselage was decorated with the inscription "E-166" and three small asterisks, which testified about the establishment of world records. However, all this did not correspond to reality. The records were established by the first experiment aircraft E-152-1, and name "E-166" was devised for the IAF for the purpose of the observance of traditional Soviet conspiracy. After the exhibition of E-152[m] it was moved to the museum at Monino, where it is exhibited to this day.
The "heavy MiGs" Ye-150 series proved to be completely successful machines, which for the first time mastered the speeds in excess of 2.5 times the speed of sound. Aircraft reached the static ceiling of more than 22000 m, which told about the possibility of high-altitude interception. New high-temperature aviation materials were used, the technology of production was improved. The experience, obtained by the designers of OKB Mikoyan, made it possible subsequently to create the new heavy interceptor E-155, neglected in the series production and accepted for the armament of air defense aviation under the stamp MiG-25[P].
Modification E -150 Span of wing, m 8.49 Length, m 18.44 Height, m Wing area, [m]2 34.62 Mass, the empty aircraft 8276 the maximum takeoff 12435 Type of engine 1 TRDF (turbojet engine with afterburner) R -15-300 Thrust, kG nonafterburning 1 X 6840 afterburning 1 X 19800 Maximum speed, the km/h 2681 in the earth 1270 at the height 2890 ([M]=2.7) Service range km 1500 Maximum rate of climb m/min 6000 service ceiling m 23250 Crew 1 Armament: 2 [UR] K -7, K -8 ([AA]-3) or K -9
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