The Grigorovich DI-3 (Russian: Григорович ДИ-3), (Dvukhmyestnyi Istrebitel - two-seat fighter), was a prototype two-seat fighter developed in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. It was intended to be a long-range escort fighter developed from the DI-2 with improved range and performance comparable to single-seat fighter aircraft of the time. DI-3 was a single-bay biplane of mixed construction with a twin-rudder tailplane of variable incidence.

DI-3
Role Fighter
National origin Soviet Union
Manufacturer Grigorovich
First flight August 1931

Although initial tests demonstrated flight characteristics comparable to Polikarpov I-5, the addition of armament and operational equipment caused significant degradation in performance and DI-3 did not enter mass production. The prototype was subsequently fitted with an enclosed cockpit and used as a VIP transport.[1]

Specifications (DI-3)

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Data from Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR do 1938 [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)
  • Wingspan: 11.8 m (38 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 30.1 m2 (324 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 1,487 kg (3,278 lb)
  • Gross weight: 2,122 kg (4,678 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × BMW VI 7.3z V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 545 kW (731 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 256 km/h (159 mph, 138 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 6,300 m (20,700 ft)
  • Time to altitude: 5,000 m (16,000 ft) in 17 minutes 30 seconds
  • Wing loading: 70 kg/m2 (14 lb/sq ft)
  • Power/mass: 0.26 kW/kg (0.16 hp/lb)
  • Horizontal turn time: 13 sec

Armament

References

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  1. ^ a b Shavrov V.B. (1985). Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR do 1938 g. (3 izd.) (in Russian). Mashinostroenie. ISBN 5-217-03112-3.