| Technical data |
| Type |
BICh-7A
|
| Function |
Experimental |
| Year |
1932
|
| Crew |
1 |
| Engines |
1*100hp Bristol-Lucifer |
| Length |
4.74m |
| Wingspan |
12.2m |
| Wing area |
30.0m2 |
| Empty weight |
627kg |
| Loaded weight |
880kg |
| Wing Load (kg/m2) |
29.3 |
| Power load (kg/hp) |
8.8 |
| Speed at 0m |
165km/h |
| Landing Speed |
70km/h |
Sluggish on takeoff, the BICh-7 was rebuilt. Now aircraft had conventional fixed landing gear. Wingtip rudders and skids were deleted. Enclosed cockpit was integrated into tailfin, same way as it was done on the BICh-3.
Those efforts resulted in aircraft with superior handling, very stable on sharp turns. First flights (pilot N.A.Blagin) also revealed strong reaction force on the control stick due to large area of control surfaces. This problem was quickly solved by minor changes in ailerons/elevators shape.
Real problem of the BICh-7A was the engine. As in other attempts to use the 3-cylinder 140hp Bristol-Lucifer, the power had to be restricted to 100hp due to heavy vibration. Yet with this lower power engine allowed only to perform few test flights, and production could not be considered. It is very unfortunate that domestic M-11 was not fitted.
| Predecessors |
Modifications |
|
BICh-7
|
? |
