The Tupolev I-8 (also known as the ANT-13) was an experimental interceptor built in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in the early 1930s.

Design and development

The I-8 was the first Soviet aircraft to exceed in level flight. The aircraft was an exercise in developing the

Polikarpov I-5 The Polikarpov I-5 was a single-seat biplane which became the primary Soviet Union, Soviet fighter aircraft, fighter between its introduction in 1931 through 1936, after which it became the standard advanced trainer. Following Operation Barbaross ...

design by a group of engineers led by V. M. Rodionov, each of whom volunteered 70 hours of personal time to the project. The I-8 first flew on 28 October 1930 with M. M. Gromov at the controls. Despite promising performance, the aircraft did not advance beyond prototype phase because there were no plans to acquire the

Curtiss V-1570 The Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror was a V12 engine, V12 liquid-cooled aircraft engine. Representing a more powerful version of the Curtiss D-12, the engine entered production in 1926 in aviation, 1926 and flew in numerous aircraft.Gunston 1989, p. 46 ...

engine, and no domestic equivalent was available.

Specifications (I-8)

References

{{Soviet fighter designations I-08 1930s Soviet fighter aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1930