| Technical data | |
|---|---|
| Type | I-12, ANT-23 |
| Function | fighter |
| Year | 1931 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Engines | 2*420/525hp Bristol Jupiter IV |
| Wing Span | 15.60m |
| Length | 9.50m |
| Wing Area | 30.00m2 |
| Maximum Weight | 2400kg |
| Speed at 0m | 300km/h |
| Speed at 3000m | 280km/h |
| Armament | 2*76mm APK-4 |
ANT-23/I-12 'Baumanskij Komsomolets', V.N.Chernyshov/ A.N.Tupolev
 |
The I-12 had a central nacell with a pusher and a tractor engines, and very slender twin tail booms. It was armed with two recoilless 76mm cannons, incorporated in the hollow tail booms! I-12 was proposed and designed by V.N.Chernyshov, working at the AGOS section of the TsAGI.
Aircraft took of at the end of 1931, but refinements lasted until 1933. Aircraft failed to pass factory tests due to poor flight characteristics. Tall fixed landing gear, poor aerodynamics of engine cowlings, corrugated ('gofre') metal wing skin produced huge drag. Plus a common mess of tandem engines - pusher propeller efficiency drops in air flow disturbed by the tractor propeller.
But the worst was that there were no way for pilot to bail out. Pusher propeller had no emergency stop/drop system, and the cockpit was not equipped with catapult.
On May 19 (March 12?, 21?), 1932 first attempt to fire cannons. One APK-4 exploded, damaging tail boom. Test pilot I.F.kozlov landed crippled aircraft safely. Pilot was awarded Order of The Red Banner.
Aircraft was repaired and modified.' Trials continued until September 28, but never flown again.
Only one prototype was built. Second ANT-23bis, equipped with emergency systems was not finished. It was scheduled for December 1933 and had to be powered with two M-22 engines.
Sources [6], Vol.1 p.439-440;
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