Russian fighter jet designer Simonov dies at 81
11:54 04/03/2011 MOSCOW, March 4 (RIA Novosti) - Mikhail Simonov, the former chief designer at the Sukhoi aircraft design bureau who was known as the father of the Su-27 family of fighter jets, died on Friday aged 81.
Simonov served as Sukhoi's chief designer from 1983. During his time at Sukhoi, he worked on the Su-24 strike aircraft and Su-25 ground-attack jet, as well as setting up the company's sport aircraft division, but will be best remembered for his work on the Su-27 fighter, which went on to set world records and became one of the best-selling military aircraft of the post-Soviet era.
Variants of the Su-27 family remain in production today.
Simonov was awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation (1999) and Lenin Prize (1974), and held the Order of the Red Banner. He was a doctor of technical science, and professor of the Moscow Aviation Institute.
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