The RP-318 or RP-318-1 was USSR's first rocket-powered aircraft or Rocket Glider (Rocketny Planer or Raketoplan) which "RP" stands for in Russian language. Beginning in early 1936, it was first known as RP-218-1 or "Objekt 218" before it was renamed to RP-318-1 in 1938 due to inner reforms of the Rocket Science And Research Institute.
Built at the Reactive Scientific Research Institute in 1936 by Sergei Korolev as an adaptation of his SK-9 glider, the RP-318 was originally designed as a flying laboratory to test rocket engines and ORM-65 designed by Valentin Glushko was the one selected to be used. In 1938, when both Korolev and Glushko were arrested in suspicion of Anti-Soviet activity, development of the RP-318-1 was continued by Alexei Scherbakov ( Щербаков, Алексей Яковлевич) and Arvid Pallo ( Палло, Арвид Владимирович), culminating in the first powered flight on Feb. 28, 1940. Test pilot V. P. Fedorov ( Владимир Павлович Фёдоров) was towed to 2,600 m and cast off at 80 km/h before firing the rocket engine and accelerating the aircraft to 140 km/h and an altitude of 2,900 m. In all, the RP-318 flew nine times before World War II ended its development.
Data from The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Length: 7.44 m (24 ft 5 in)
- Wingspan: 17.0 m (55 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 22.0 m2 (237 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 570 kg (1,257 lb)
- Gross weight: 700 kg (1,543 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × RDA-1-150 rocket, 0.98 kN (220 lbf) thrust 100 kgf
Performance
- Maximum speed: 140 km/h (87 mph, 76 kn)
- ^ Gunston 1995, p. 159
- Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
 | This aircraft of the 1930s article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
The RP-318 or RP-318-1 was USSR's first rocket-powered aircraft or Rocket Glider (Rocketny Planer or Raketoplan) which "RP" stands for in Russian language. Beginning in early 1936, it was first known as RP-218-1 or "Objekt 218" before it was renamed to RP-318-1 in 1938 due to inner reforms of the Rocket Science And Research Institute.
Built at the Reactive Scientific Research Institute in 1936 by Sergei Korolev as an adaptation of his SK-9 glider, the RP-318 was originally designed as a flying laboratory to test rocket engines and ORM-65 designed by Valentin Glushko was the one selected to be used. In 1938, when both Korolev and Glushko were arrested in suspicion of Anti-Soviet activity, development of the RP-318-1 was continued by Alexei Scherbakov ( Щербаков, Алексей Яковлевич) and Arvid Pallo ( Палло, Арвид Владимирович), culminating in the first powered flight on Feb. 28, 1940. Test pilot V. P. Fedorov ( Владимир Павлович Фёдоров) was towed to 2,600 m and cast off at 80 km/h before firing the rocket engine and accelerating the aircraft to 140 km/h and an altitude of 2,900 m. In all, the RP-318 flew nine times before World War II ended its development.
Data from The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Length: 7.44 m (24 ft 5 in)
- Wingspan: 17.0 m (55 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 22.0 m2 (237 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 570 kg (1,257 lb)
- Gross weight: 700 kg (1,543 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × RDA-1-150 rocket, 0.98 kN (220 lbf) thrust 100 kgf
Performance
- Maximum speed: 140 km/h (87 mph, 76 kn)
- ^ Gunston 1995, p. 159
- Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
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| This aircraft of the 1930s article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |