Lonely "Golden Eagle": why Su-47 was out of work

August 1999, the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow region. The fourth international aerospace salon MAKS. Among the Russian aircraft, which was already on display at MAKS-97 a year ago, a unique guest unexpectedly appeared - an experimental plane with a backward-swept wing.

At the beginning of the 80-s, the leading powers of the United States and the USSR began research on the possibility of using wing-wing aircraft in aircraft technology. The first in this case was the Americans. In 1981, the aircraft manufacturer Grumman received an order from the Pentagon to build two experimental aircraft, which received the designation X-29. Three years later, the first flight took place. However, the Americans quite quickly came to the conclusion that the design of the wing was hopeless, and all the work was curtailed by the beginning of the 90s.

At about the same time, a similar project was launched in the USSR. It was a personal initiative of the Sukhoi Design Bureau. But due to the collapse of the Union, work on an unusual aircraft slowed down significantly. However, in 1997, the Su-47, nicknamed "Golden Eagle", first rises into the sky.

Comments

[svp67]

The first in this business was the Americans. In 1981, the aircraft manufacturer Grumman received an order from the Pentagon to build two experimental aircraft, which received the designation X-29.

In America, the F-16 also flew with reverse sweep ...
In general, the pioneers were the Germans, who created the Junkers Ju-287 back in WWII

[donnick74]

Well, I once heard about Germans, BUT about F-16 for the first time !!!
Although it looks like installation, but thanks anyway !!!

[svp67]

Quote: donnick74

Although it looks like a montage,

As a schoolboy, in the early 80s, in the "Foreign Military Review" had to read about him. If interested, then he has the code of the project "SFW / F-16" on his keel, type it in net, yes read it ...

[Engineer]

Well, before the Germans there was our glider and Belyaev's bomber, but of course the Germans were the pioneers, where are we going ...

[svp67]

Quote: Engineer

Well, before the Germans there was our glider and Belyaev's bomber, but of course the Germans were the pioneers, where are we going ...

Actually, interest in the "reverse arrow" was shown even before the WWII, but okay. Apparently, one should not forget our "hard worker" Il-14, he has the same "reverse arrow"

[Relic Empire]

IL-14 (according to NATO codification: Crate - “Box” or “Container”) is a Soviet short-range aircraft. Designed in the late 1940s to replace the obsolete Li-2 aircraft. Sweep angle -3 degrees along the 1/4 chord line.

[polpot]

The reverse sweep of the wing has been known since the 30s-40s of the last century, tailless airplanes are also a novelty from the 30s, the massive use of similar systems does not give special advantages over conventional schemes, if there were advantages of the reactive over the piston level everyone would have flown on such aircraft for a long time.

[Falcond]

Well, why not at work! ?? The aircraft is experimental, and it fulfilled its function with dignity! The title of the article does not match the content ...!

[Simon]

I think that our industry will develop durable plastic materials for this aircraft and similar aircraft will go into our series. Our science does not stand still!

[Borik]

No, he won’t go into the series. He has many unsolved problems. Perhaps years later, through .... eleventh and will return to a similar scheme. But it will be a completely different plane.

[mvg]

On this aircraft, Sukhoi for the first time in Russia experienced the great use of carbon fiber in construction. Before that, he was practically not in the Union. The fact that the scheme is unpromising came to this quickly. Experiment.

[Arakius]

I read that the reverse sweep wing is experiencing too much overload on supersonic sound, because the wings of the Su-47 were made of a durable composite. But the disadvantage of such wings is that in case of combat damage you cannot make holes in them, as in a duralumin wing, you will have to change the whole wing, and this is an unacceptable cost, this was one of the reasons why the project was recognized as unpromising

[donnick74]

Dear now, not the 40s, I brewed it and won’t go into battle, believe me, although I’m not an aviation specialist, but a specialist in the repair and storage of armored vehicles, it’s ALWAYS cheaper and easier to put in a tank or a tank !!! replace the composite, but like 2 fingers ..!

[Arakius]

It would be nice to have a tank with composite armor, but the BMP then brew a hole in the armor plate, what's the problem?

[kan123]

That's the whole point: "Americans create something" - the Sukhoi general designer, probably considering them to be deities (we all then bowed to the power of thought, s, having seen enough of Hollywood), begins to "copy advanced science." First, the Americans riveted "stealth", which today everything is in the trash - this wise guy from Sukhoi, cut off before su - 27, like, and screwed this cabin there - there was a ladder "and they’ll climb like pendants in stealth" - like our answer is cherished . Then our American geniuses took up sweep - the Sukhoi general tractor decided to keep up again - he was even painted in "stealth color", this dry - 57, the paint was gone, probably not a single barrel. And now they have created the "fifth generation" - "Aviation into the air" - "All?" - "Two okeys!" Incidentally, Mig - as he flew 30 km - and they sawed him, developing a show. I do not want to say anything, but the 90s was a period of chaos and, unfortunately, betrayal.

[Nitochkin]

What mushrooms overeaten?

[ver_]

Quote: Arakius

I read that the reverse sweep wing is experiencing too much overload on supersonic sound, because the wings of the Su-47 were made of a durable composite. But the disadvantage of such wings is that in case of combat damage you cannot make holes in them, as in a duralumin wing, you will have to change the whole wing, and this is an unacceptable cost, this was one of the reasons why the project was recognized as unpromising

... why the opposite sweep, when the engines with variable thrust vector proved to be excellent ..?

[Augustine Gladyshev]

[b] [/ b] Reverse SWAG of the wing, INCREASES MANEUVERABILITY of the aircraft, BUT, AND MAKES a lot of problems during HIS FIRMING (also LIKE VERTICAL TAKE-OFF devices. Undoubtedly, this design of FASTENING OF THE WING will REMAIN RESIDENTLY FLIGHT)!

[Vol4ara]

Criminal reflector fly, he has no future

[myobius59]

It seems that there was information about the purchase of such an apparatus for training cadets, CP-10, the production of a private company. He was supposed to replace the "Czech". But something has calmed down lately.

[Vdi73]

Beautiful car, it is a pity that it was not possible to bring to life.

[Dzafdet]

His wings fall off from overloads ...

[Larum]

And they screamed - a super-plane, a super-plane. Models are sold everywhere. But in reality - 1 model for experiments