ANT-31bis, I-14bis, P.O.Sukhoj (A.N.Tupolev bureau)

Series I-14bis (b/w 44k) "History of aircraft construction in the USSR" by V.B.Shavrov, Vol.1 p.490

uccessful trials of the I-14 allowed the team to proceed with upgraded prototype, I-14bis. Design included several changes:

cockpit became open with long narrow windscreen - result of pilot's resistance to enclosed cockpit;

all aircraft skin became smooth;

landing gear attachment was moved to the fuselage, retracting outwards to the wings.

Pre-series I-14bis was powered with 640hp Wright-Cyclone 9 engine and armed with two APK-37 cannons.

Production aircraft had 712hp Wright-Cyclone SGR-1820-F-3 or its Soviet-built copy M-25. Armament was increased to pair of 45mm APK-11 and two 7.62mm ShKAS machineguns.

Performance was high, but spin delays of the I-14 were not eliminated. Narrow wheel base was also a disadvantage - all Soviet fighters for decades will be designed to operate from unpaved airstrips.

Assembly of 55 aircraft was started, but only 18 were transferred to fighter units, because powerful competitor - famous Polikarpov I-16 rolled out. And it was superior to ANT-31bis in all respects, except stability on tight turns.

References:

"History of aircraft construction in the USSR" by V.B.Shavrov, Vol.1 p.490-491;

Technical data

Type

I-14bis, ANT-31bis

Function

Fighter

Year

1934

Crew

Engines

640hp Wright-Cyclone 9

712hp Wright-Cyclone SGR-1820-F-3 or M-25

Length

6.1m

Wingspan

11.2m

Wing area

16.9m²

Empty weight

1169kg

1170kg

Loaded weight

1524kg

1540kg

Wing load

89.7kg/m²

90.5kg/m²

Power load

2.38kg/hp

2.17kg/hp

Speed at 0m

323km/h

375km/h

Speed at 3000m

414km/h

449km/h

Turn time

14.0sec

Landing Speed

146km/h

Landing Roll

320m

Takeoff Roll

230m

Ceiling

7200m

9430m

Climb

5000m

9.6min

6.5min

Armament

Guns

2*37mm APK-37

2*45mm APK-11
2*7.62mm ShKAS

Modified January 27, 1998
by Alexandre Savine
and Sergey Andreev;

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