Modern jet aircraft. The first jet plane

Modern youth, and even mature citizens, it is difficult to understand what kind of enthusiasm these fanciful, flying machines seemed to evoke. Silvery droplets, rapidly dissecting the blue sky behind them, excited the imagination of young people in the early fifties. A wide inversion track left no doubt about the type of engine. Today, only computer games like War Thunder, with their offer to purchase a jet aircraft of the USSR, give some idea of this stage of development of domestic aviation. But it all started before.

What does "reactive" mean

There is a reasonable question about the name of the type of aircraft. In English it sounds brief: Jet. The Russian definition hints at the presence of some kind of reaction. Clearly, this is not about oxidation of fuel - it is present in conventional carburetor engines. The principle of operation of a jet aircraft is the same as that of a rocket. The reaction of the physical body to the force of the ejected gas jet is expressed in giving it an oppositely directed acceleration. All the rest - already subtleties, which include different technical parameters of the system, such as aerodynamic properties, scheme, wing profile, engine type. Here, the options are possible, to which engineering bureaus came in the process of work, often finding similar technical solutions, independently of each other.

Separating rocket research from aviation in this aspect is difficult. In the field of propellant accelerators, set to reduce the length of take-off and afterburner, work was carried out even before the war. Moreover, the attempt to install a compressor engine (unsuccessful) on the Coanda airplane in 1910 allowed inventor Henri Coande to affirm the Romanian priority. True, this design was initially inoperative, which was confirmed by the first test, during which the aircraft was burnt.

First steps

The first jet, able to conduct in the air for a long time, appeared later. The Germans became pioneers, although scientists from other countries - the United States, Italy, Britain and Japan, which was technically backward at that time, achieved certain successes. These samples were, in fact, gliders of conventional fighters and bombers, for which engines of a new type were installed, lacking propellers, which caused surprise and mistrust. In the USSR, engineers also dealt with this problem, but not so actively, focusing on proven and reliable screw technology. Nevertheless, the reactive model of the Bi-1 aircraft equipped with a turbojet engine of the design of AM Lyulka was tested immediately before the war. The device was very unreliable, nitric acid used as an oxidizer, fueled fuel tanks, there were other problems, but the first steps are always difficult.

Hitler's "Sturmphogel"

Due to the peculiarities of the Führer's psyche, hoping to crush the "enemies of the Reich" (to which he counted the countries of almost the rest of the world), in Germany, after the outbreak of World War II, work was begun on creating various types of "miracle weapons," including jet aircraft. Not all areas of this activity were unsuccessful. To successful projects it is possible to carry «Messershmit-262» (he is «Sturmfogel») - the first jet plane in the world, produced serially. The device was equipped with two turbojet engines, had a radar in the bow, developed a speed close to the sound speed (over 900 km / h), and proved to be quite effective in combating the high-altitude B-17 (Flying Fortresses) of the Allies. The fanatical belief of Adolf Hitler in the extraordinary possibilities of new technology, however, paradoxically played a bad role in the combat biography of the Me-262. Designed as a fighter, he, on instructions from "above", was converted into a bomber, and in this modification he did not show himself fully.

"Arado"

The principle of a jet aircraft was applied in the middle of 1944 for the construction of the bomber Arado-234 (again by the Germans). He managed to demonstrate his extraordinary combat capabilities, attacking the position of the allies that landed in the vicinity of the port of Cherbourg. Speed of 740 km / h and a ten-kilometer ceiling did not give the chances of antiaircraft artillery hit this target, and American and British fighters simply could not catch up with it. In addition to bombing (very inaccurate for obvious reasons), Arado made aerial photography. The second experience of using it as a shock weapon took place over Liège. The Germans did not suffer a loss, and if the resources of fascist Germany were greater, and the industry could produce more than 36 copies of the Ar-234, then the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition would have to be tight.

«Ю-287»

German developments fell into the hands of friendly countries during the Second World War after the defeat of Nazism. Western countries have already begun to prepare for the coming confrontation with the USSR already during the final stage of hostilities. The Stalin leadership took counter measures. It was clear to both sides that in the next war, if it takes place, jet planes will fight. At that time, the USSR did not yet possess the shock nuclear potential, only work was proceeding on the creation of the technology for the production of an atomic bomb. But the Americans were very interested in the captured Junkers-287, which had unique flight data (combat load 4000 kg, range 1500 km, ceiling 5000 m, speed 860 km / h). Four engines, negative sweep (prototype of future "invisible") allowed to use the aircraft as an atomic carrier.

The first post-war

Jet aircraft did not play a decisive role during the Second World War, so the bulk of Soviet production capacity focused on improving designs and increasing the production of conventional screw fighters, ground attack planes and bombers. The question of the prospective carrier of atomic charges was difficult, and it was solved operatively, copying the American Boeing B-29 (Tu-4), but the main goal remained to counteract possible aggression. For this, first of all, fighters were required-high-altitude, maneuverable and, of course, high-speed ones. The development of the new direction of aviation technology can be judged from the letter of designer A. S. Yakovlev to the Central Committee (autumn 1945), who found a certain understanding. A simple study of trophy German technology party leadership felt insufficient measure. The country needed modern Soviet jet aircraft, not inferior, but superior to the world level. At the parade in 1946 in honor of the anniversary of October (Tushino) they had to be shown to the people and foreign guests.

Temporary Yaks and MiGs

The show was like that, but it did not work out: the weather let in, there was a fog. The demonstration of new aircraft was moved to May Day. The first Soviet jets, produced in a series of 15 pieces, were developed by Mikoyan and Gurevich (MiG-9) and Yakovlev (Yak-15). Both samples differed by a redundant scheme, in which the tail part from below is washed by jet jets emitted by the nozzles. Naturally, to protect against overheating, these sections of the plating were covered with a special layer made of refractory metal. Both aircraft differed in mass, number of engines and purpose, but on the whole they corresponded to the state of the Soviet aircraft building school of the late forties. Their main purpose was to switch to a new type of power plant, but in addition, other important tasks were fulfilled: flight crew training and working out of technological issues. These jet aircraft, despite the large volumes of their release (hundreds of pieces), were considered as temporary and subject to replacement in the very near future, immediately after the appearance of more advanced designs. And soon this moment came.

Fifteenth

This plane became a legend. It was built unprecedented for peacetime in series, both in combat and in a paired training version. In the MiG-15 design, many revolutionary technical solutions were applied, for the first time an attempt was made to create a reliable rescue system for the pilot (catapult), it was equipped with powerful cannon armament. The speed of the jet aircraft, small but very effective, allowed him to defeat the armadas of heavy strategic bombers in the skies of Korea, where war was waning soon after the appearance of the new interceptor. A certain analogue of the MiG was the American "Saber", built according to a similar scheme. During the fighting, the technology fell into the hands of the enemy. Soviet aircraft stole a North Korean pilot, lured by a huge cash reward. The padded "American" managed to be pulled out of the water and delivered to the USSR. There was a mutual "exchange of experience" with the adoption of the most successful design decisions.

Passenger reactive

The speed of a jet aircraft is its main advantage, and it is applicable not only to bombers and fighters. Already at the end of the forties the international airliner launched the Kometa liner, built in Britain. It was created specifically to transport people, was comfortable and fast, but, unfortunately, was not reliable: within two years, seven disasters occurred. But progress in the field of high-speed passenger transportation has already been stopped. In the mid-fifties in the USSR appeared the legendary Tu-104, the conversion version of the bomber Tu-16. Despite the numerous flight incidents that have occurred with the new aircraft technology, jet planes increasingly took over the airlines. Gradually formed the face of the prospective liner and the idea of how it should be. Propellers (screw propellers) were used by designers less and less.

Generations of fighters: first, second ...

Like almost any technique, jet interceptors are classified by generation. In total, there are currently five, and they differ not only in the years of release of models, but also in design features. If the concept of the first samples was based on the established base of achievements in the field of classical aerodynamics (in other words, only the type of engine was their main difference), the second generation had more significant features (arrow-wing, completely different form of fuselage, etc.). In the fifties There was an opinion that an air battle would never be maneuverable, but time showed the fallacy of such an opinion.

... and from the third to the fifth

The "dog dumps" of the sixties between "Skyhawks", "Phantoms" and MiGs in the sky over Vietnam and the Middle East indicated the course of further development, marking the arrival of the second generation of jet interceptors. The variable geometry of the wing, the ability to repeatedly exceed the speed of sound and missile armament in combination with powerful avionics became signs of a third generation. Currently, the basis of the Air Force fleet of the most technologically advanced countries is the fourth-generation machines, which have become a product of further development. On the arsenal, even more advanced samples are coming, combining high speed, super maneuverability, low visibility and EW facilities. This generation is the fifth.

Double-circuit engines

Externally and today jet planes of the first samples do not look in their majority anachronisms. The view of many of them is quite modern, and technical characteristics (such as ceiling and speed) do not differ much from modern ones, at least at first glance. However, with a closer look at the TTX of these machines, it becomes clear that in recent decades a qualitative breakthrough has taken place in two main directions. First, the notion of variable thrust vector appeared, creating the possibility of a sharp and unexpected maneuver. Secondly, combat aircraft today are able to stay in the air much longer and travel long distances. This factor is due to low fuel consumption, that is, economy. It is achieved by applying, in technical language, a two-circuit scheme (low degree of two-circuit). It is known to those skilled in the art that this combustion technology provides more complete combustion.

Other signs of a modern jet aircraft

There are several of them. Modern civilian jets are characterized by low engine noise, increased comfort and high stability in flight. Usually they are wide-bodied (including multi-deck). Samples of military aircraft are equipped with means (active and passive) to achieve small radar visibility and electronic warfare. In a sense, the requirements for defense and commercial models today overlap. Efficiency is needed for all types of aircraft, although for different reasons: in one case to improve profitability, in the other - to expand the combat radius. And you need to make noise today as little as possible, both civilian and military.