I-207
From OnAirpower.org
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The Borovkov & Florov biplane fighter design that would later be designated as the I-207 was to have an 800 h.p. M-85 engine and reach 480-500 km/hr. The first prototype of the design was completed in spring, 1937 and assigned the number "7211", representing type "7" produced at Factory #21, example number 1[1]. On May 6, 1937 test pilot L. M. Maksimov began flight testing the biplane[1]. It reached a maximum speed of 416 km/hr, considerably lower than its target. On June 22, 1937 test pilot Eh. Yu. Preman experienced an engine failure during a familiarization flight, which caused a fatal crash. Nevertheless, examples of the biplane were ordered to be produced for testing by the Air Force, but for some reason that did not happen[2].
In Summer, 1938 Borovkov & Florov moved to Factory No. 207 in Dolgoprudniy outside of Moscow. Their biplan design officially received the I-207 designation, and the first example began flight testing in June, 1939. The I-207 turned out to be slower than the I-153, which had already entered production, but development continued. The constructors used the more powerful M-63 engine along with retractable landing gear in the third example of the I-207, which first flew in fall, 1939. The I-207's speed increased, but still didn't reach 500 km/hr[2].
One last attempt was made to save the I-207 by re-purposing it as a dive-bomber, but ultimately that attempt failed due to competition from attack aircraft being constructed by Ilyushin and Sukoi[2].
[edit] Timeline
- May 6, 1937 Flight testing of the first prototype of the Soviet I-207 biplane fighter design begins[1].
[edit] Sources
- I-207 at airwar.ru in Russian
