The Petlyakov VI-100 (Visotnyi Istrebitel – high altitude fighter) was a fighter/dive bomber aircraft designed and built in the USSR from 1938.

Development

The VI-100 was first conceived in 1938 by a team led by Vladimir Petlyakov at STO-100, it was an aerodynamically-clean all-metal monoplane with turbo-supercharged engines. Constructed using light alloy stressed skin the VI-100 had electrical servo-motors in the flying controls and automatic adjustment of the gunsight with angle of attack, as well as pressure cabins for pilot and radio-operator/gunner, and an extensive 28V DC electrical system. Originally intended to carry a 3in calibre gun with 24 rounds in a drum, the large calibre gun was replaced by racks under centre-section to carry 100(220 lb),200(440 lb) or 500 kg(1,100 lb) bombs as well as two ShVAK and two ShKAS in the nose and a handheld ShKAS on a flexible mounting in the rear cockpit. Due to delays in the production of its unique pressurised cockpit, the aircraft was not built until late 1939, with the first flight, piloted by P.M. Stefanovskiy with I.V. Markov as engineer, on 23 December. During the 1940 May Day Parade the VI-100 was rolled in front of the dais with the undercarriage extended, but interest in a dedicated high-altitude interceptor waned during 1940 and Petlyakov's team were assigned the priority task of transforming the VI-100 into the PB-100 three seat dive bomber by 1 June 1940.^{[citation needed]}

Specifications

Data from Gunston, Bill. "The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 – 1995". London, Osprey. 1995. ISBN 1-85532-405-9

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 12.6 m (41 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 17.16 m (56 ft 3.67 in)
• Wing area: 40.50 m² (436 sq ft)
• Gross weight: 7,260 kg (16,005 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Klimov M-105 + TK-2 turbo-chargers , 783 kW (1,050 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 535 km/h (332 mph, 289 kn)
• Range: 1,400 km (870 mi, 760 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 12,200 m (40,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 12.25 m/s (2,412 ft/min)

Armament

• 2 x 20mm ShVAK cannon fixed forward firing in the nose.
• 2 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine-guns fixed forward firing in the nose.
• 1 x 7.62mm ShKAS on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit, (only for use with rear cockpit depressurised)
• 2 x FAB-100, FAB-200 or FAB-500 bombs on external racks.