MiG-17 Flight Testing

In July 1949, the plant N155 completed assembly of the first instance of the SI (I-330), but the finishing continued for several months, and the airfield in Zhukovsky Flight Research Institute for factory test aircraft passed only at the end of the year. Test pilot was appointed HSU I.T.Ivaschenko, who joined in the OKB-155 in 1945, he received the title of Hero of the first four Soviet pilots honored him for the development of jet technology. Ivashchenko was actively involved in the work on the final design of the emergency evacuation of the MiG-15, so that the CI was in the hands of an experienced pilot familiar with the many surprises the first jet engines.

The first flight of the prototype took place on January 14, 1950 At the beginning of production tests, it was found that the maximum speed SI exceeds that of the MiG-15bis for about 40 km / h. The maximum aerodynamic efficiency decreased from 13.9 to 13.6, which led to a reduction in the flight range with the same with the MiG-15bis refueling at 35 km. During the test work has been done on the final design of the machine (in particular, to improve its tightness), which gave a little extra speed boost.

On 01 February 1950 Ivashchenko flew at an altitude of 2200 m and the plane broke up in 1114 km / h. Soon at a height of 10,200 m was able to receive the maximum velocity of 1077 km / h, which corresponds to the number M = 1.0. Identify and other benefits to the modified fighter MiG-15bis of the basic flight characteristics. But hold froze all the characteristics of SR in Vol. H. Runway, did not have time. March 17 Ivashchenko went to another flight. Dialing 11000 m, he carried out the program and, not having found in the behavior of the aircraft is nothing new, down to 5000 m. Suddenly, the plane went into a steep dive. Despite all his experience, the pilot was unable to cope with the situation and did not even have time to broadcast the word. SI hit the ground with great speed. The pilot was killed, and the aircraft were only small fragments.

To understand the causes of the incident, it was necessary to continue the flight experiments. Even before the death of I.T.Ivaschenko, Mikoyan OKB invited military test pilot G.A.Sedova, worked in the GK NII VVS. Since March 1950, he began flights on the experimental SI-2, the construction of which ended at the beginning of the year. In one of the flights Sedov was in conditions similar to those that led to the death of Ivashchenko. After exceeding a speed of 1000 km / h kept flutter stabilizer, whereby the elevators are largely destroyed - from which left about 40% of the external parts were cut off on both sides symmetrically. The pilot managed to translate fighter climb, lower the engine speed and to slow down.

G.A.Sedov later recalled: "I was preparing for this regime in advance, so we knew that the destruction of the horizontal tail on the first prototype took place at the speed of 1020-1044 km / h. The quick reaction of the pilot is not to blame. When it all occurred, the aircraft was in a normal position, and even got a little perk. I tried the elevators - the machine complies. However, during the landing approach when fall speed, there was a danger that the area of the remaining rudder is not enough, but nothing happened, and experienced machine was saved. " Also flutter during factory testing of SR-2 Sedov discovered the phenomenon of reverse aileron. To carry out the necessary modifications of the aircraft at the end of 1950 the test had to be interrupted.

The following year, at the Gorky aircraft plant N21 produced two prototypes, it is simultaneously the head of the serial aircraft (factory code - "article 54").

February 16 completed the assembly of the aircraft SR-02 (second head serial, serial N54210002), and the construction of the fourth machine SI-01 (the first head serial, serial N54210001) ended only in May. In the spring of 1951 in Zhukovsky on SR-02 were continued factory testing, during which completed 44 flights. In April, the aircraft was transferred to the Air Force Institute of the Civil Code on state tests (GI). The first phase was completed on July 1 by the time the pilots Institute L.M.Kuvshinov, Yu.A.Antipov, V.S.Kotlov and others raised 75 times and the air prototypes. The Act on the results of this phase of the GOP noted that in general, the fighter met the requirements.

These shortcomings were quickly eliminated, and July 10 has begun the second phase of the testing. The testers concluded that the characteristics of stability and controllability of the airplane slightly different from the MiG-15bis. However, several deteriorated horizontal maneuverability. Bottom and takeoff and landing performance, but it did not attach much importance, t. To. Fighter could operate from the same airports as the MiG-15. The second stage of state tests ended August 8th. In the final act, the Commission wrote: "The modified MiG-15bis with swept wings 45 deg., And the new tail has advantages over the serial MiG-15.

1. Increase the maximum speed at 46-56 km / h.
2. Increased number M to 1.08 instead of 0.92.
3. Increased maneuverability at high altitude.
4. Reduced the time of climb of 10,000 m for 20-30 seconds. "

The tactical fighter was recommended for series production. The aircraft was designated MiG-17. Factory testing prototype SI-01 began on 1 June and ended on 23 of the same month. In August, Sedov tested the aircraft to spin, and from September 11 to October 10, similar to flying in the Air Force Institute performed pitcher. As a result, it was concluded that corkscrew and the withdrawal of the MiG-17 was safer and easier than the MiG-15. The pilots noted that the plane could go into an inverted spin, or an inverted spiral only for gross errors in the technique of piloting.