Kraków 2017-01-09
The next turbojets in CCCP
RD-9.
Description to the photo: The description of the engine is below. The RD-9 engine was used to power the MiG-19 fighter planes, which were also used in the Polish Army.
Aleksander Mikulin developed the AM-5 engine. The AM-5 engine was created in 1951 and was a scaled down AM-3 engine. The power, as well as dimensions and weight were reduced, which allowed to place this engine in a fighter class airframe. Alexander Mikulin’s team worked under time pressure. The lag of CCCP in turbojet engines lasted several years and kept growing. During the tests on the dynamometer, AM-5 engines failed frequently. Combustion chambers cracked. Turbine blades were breaking off. There were fires, usually as a result of a leak in the oil system. Almost in absentia, the program was pushed through state trials, leading to the flight test stage. To increase the chance of the program, OKB Mikojan and Guriewicz developed the I-360 (SM-2) airframe, powered by two engines, Alexander Mikulin AM-5 engines with a thrust of 2 x 1,962 kg. The prototype flew on May 27, 1952. Despite this, such a system (two engines in the fuselage + oblique wing airframe) did not provide supersonic speed. The thrust was missing. Alexander Mikulin’s team was already working on a revised version of the engine, which was designated AM-9. The AM-9 engine has a thrust of 2,550 kg. The I-360 (SM-2) aircraft was created. The plane made 132 flights and repeatedly broke the sound barrier in horizontal flight. At that time, the Americans already had F-100 supersonic fighter jets in service. The Kremlin decided to introduce the I-360 (SM-2) as a MiG-19 into service. The shortcomings of the structure were realized, but there was no exit. Other designs in the CCCP were even more delayed. The SM-9/1, which made its first flight on January 5, 1954, became a direct model of the MiG-19 serial aircraft.
In 1955, the designer Aleksandr Mikulin lost his position in OKB-300. The degradation was made by the minister of aviation industry, Pavel Dymitriev (Пётр Васильевич Дементьев). By the way, Paweł Dmitriev was the minister of the aviation industry in the CCCP from 1953 to 1977, when he died. At CCCP, this position was for life !? Aleksandr Mikulin was succeeded by Sergey Tumański (Сергей Константинович Туманский 1901-1973), his deputy. Sergey Tumanski in 30 years worked at the Центральный институт авиационного моторостроения named П.И. Баранова (Central Institute of Aviation Engines). Initially as a senior engineer. In 1938, he was the chief designer of the M-88 piston engine. In 1943, he joined Alexander Mikulin’s team, and from 1955, he was the main designer. In 1956, the AM-9 engine designation was changed to RD-9. The team managed to increase the thrust of the RD-9 engine to 3,300 kG with afterburning.
Basic data of the RD-9 engine: Thrust without afterburning 2 600 kg. Draft with afterburning 3 250 – 3 300 kG. Fuel consumption at a cruising speed of 0.84 kg / kGxh or 1,470 kg / h for the MiG-19. Length 5.56 m. Diameter 0.67 m. Weight 725 kg.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman