Friday, August 10, 2012

Red Triplane

This aircraft has nothing to do with the favorite mount of Manfred von Richthofen. Actually, it was painted blue.
The KomTA was designed in Soviet Russia as a replacement for the Sikorsky heavy bomber. The models were tested in wind tunnel, and the construction started on January 1, 1921. The triplane, powered by a pair of Fiat A-12 engines, was ready for flying tests only in March, 1922. After two unsuccessful take-off runs the KomTA was extensively redesigned and rebuilt.
Finally it made its maiden flight in 1923, with Apollinary Tomashevsky at the controls. After a series of tests the KomTA was deemed unreliable, transferred to Serpukhov flight school for use as a non-flyable training device, and then scrapped.

No comments: