Polikarpov VIT-2
{{confusing|date=February 2011}}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=Polikarpov VIT-2 | image=Vit-2-shavrov.jpg | caption= }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Ground attack | national origin=Soviet Union | manufacturer=Polikarpov | designer= | first flight=11 May 1938 | introduced= | retired= | status=Cancelled | primary user= | number built=1 | developed from=Polikarpov VIT-1 | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Polikarpov VIT-2 (Vozdooshny Istrebitel' Tahnkov—Flying Tank Destroyer) was a Soviet twin-engined ground attack aircraft developed before World War II. A single prototype was built in 1938 for evaluation purposes. Although a promising design it was recommended that it be introduced into production as a high-speed dive bomber with a reduced armament to increase its speed.
Development
The VIT-2 was derived from the VIT-1 prototype, but it was given {{convert|783|kW|abbr=on}} Klimov M-105 engines and its structure was revised. It was a low-winged, twin-engined aircraft with a mixed structure. The monocoque fuselage was made in halves of 'shpon', molded birch plywood and a large fuel tank was placed between the pilot and rear gunner. The fuel tank was moved to the rear and the canopy was lengthened in consequence. The wing structure was built from a mix of steel tubes and duralumin with a duralumin skin. The empennage was redesigned as a twin tail. The main legs of the conventional landing gear retracted aft into the engine nacelles and were given fairing to reduce drag when retracted, but the tail-wheel was fixed. The nose was extensively glazed to give the bombardier/navigator good visibility and he was armed with a {{convert|20|mm|abbr=on}} ShVAK cannon with 10° of vertical travel. The rear gunner/radio operator sat in a manually operated turret armed with another ShVAK and he was also provided with a retractable pair of {{convert|7.62|mm|abbr=on}} ShKAS machine guns for ventral defense. Two {{convert|37|mm|abbr=on}} Shpitalnyi Sh-37 cannon and two more ShVAKs were mounted in the wing roots. Up to {{convert|600|kg|abbr=on}} of bombs could be carried internally in the fuselage or a pair of {{convert|500|kg|abbr=on}} FAB-500 bombs could be carried under the wings.Gordon, p. 282
The prototype was first flown on 11 May 1938 by the famous pilot Valery Chkalov and had its propellers replaced by constant speed VISh-61 propellers shortly afterwards. It was submitted for its State acceptance trials in October 1938Gunston, p. 306 where it proved to be faster at sea level than the VIT-1, {{convert|486|km/h|0|abbr=on}} versus {{convert|450|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, but slightly slower at altitude, {{convert|513|km/h|0|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4500|m|0}} compared to {{convert|530|km/h|0|abbr=on}} at {{convert|3000|m|0}}. It was recommended for production as a high-speed dive bomber provided that some of the armament was removed to increase its speed.
Specifications
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Gordon, Soviet Airpower in World War 2
|prime units?=met
|crew=3
|capacity=
|length m=12.25
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=16.5
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|width note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=40.76
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|airfoil=Clark YH
|empty weight kg=4032
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=6302
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Klimov M-105
|eng1 type=liquid-cooled V12 engines
|eng1 kw=783
|eng1 hp=
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=VISh-61
|prop dia m=3.3
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|max speed kmh=513
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|4500|m|0}}
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|range km=800
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=8200
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
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|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
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|more performance=
Max speed at sea level: {{convert|486|km/h|0|abbr=on}}
|guns=
- 2 x 37 mm Sh-37 cannon
- 4x 20 mm ShVAK cannon
- 2x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns
|bombs= up to a total of {{convert|1000|kg|abbr=on}}
|avionics=
}}
{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
}}
References
=Notes=
{{Reflist|2}}
=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- Gordon, Yefim. Soviet Airpower in World War 2. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing, 2008 {{ISBN|978-1-85780-304-4}}
- Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London, Osprey, 1995 {{ISBN|1-85532-405-9}}
{{refend}}
External links
{{commons category|Polikarpov}}
- http://www.ctrl-c.liu.se/misc/RAM/vit-2.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514151727/http://www.ctrl-c.liu.se/misc/ram/vit-2.html |date=2011-05-14 }}
{{Polikarpov aircraft}}
{{Soviet miscellaneous aircraft designations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polikarpov Vit-2}}
Category:1930s Soviet attack aircraft
Category:Abandoned military aircraft projects of the Soviet Union