Su-27 Super Flanker

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The Su-27 is a big long-range air superiority fighter, comparable to the U.S. F-15 but superior in many respects. It is a twin-engined aircraft with a blended wing and fuselage, and twin tail fins. At airshows the Su-27 demonstrated an exceptional controllability at high angles of attack. A shipboard version of the Su-27, also known as the Su-33, with canards and folding wings, has been tested on Russia's first big carriers, and there also is a two-seat attack version, the Su-27IB or Su-34, with side-by-side seating in a reshaped nose.

Function: fighter Year: 1986 Crew: 1 Engines: 2 * 12500 kg Lyulka AL-31F Wing Span: 14.70 m Length: 21.93 m Height: 5.93 m Empty Weight: 22500 kg Max.Weight: 30000 kg Speed: Mach 2.35 Ceiling: 18000 m Range: 4000 km Armament: 1*g 30mm msl

In 1969 Russia decided that they need a new fighter which is capable of outperforming all current U.S. aircraft including the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Falcon. Sukhoi OKB won the contract, and with that they began their task of constructing what was to become the world’s best fighter jet. The name designated to the development project was T10. The aircraft produced had to be capable of lookdown/shootdown capability, and be capable of destroying targets at long ranges. May 20, 1977 the first prototype designated T10-1 took off. After an evaluation it was discovered that the T10-1 did not fulfill its requirements for maximum range, and maneuverability, and thus proved inferior to its western counterparts. The prototype had aerodynamics problems, engine problems and fuel consumption problems. The second prototype the T10-2 crashed because of a fly-by-wire software failure which resulted in the death of the test pilot. After such disappointing results the from the T10 program Sukhoi seemed to stop T10 development, because there were no more T10 prototypes tested. They didn't, by 1981 a new design was introduced loosely based on the old T10. The new aircraft was designated T10S which was to become what today is known as the Su27 Flanker. The T10S prototype flew on April 20, 1981. The T10S showed it self to be a masterpiece of engineering having no equal anywhere in the world in range, maneuverability, and combat effectiveness.