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

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

in the early 1930s. It was the first Soviet aircraft to exceed 300 km/h (162 knots, 186 mph) 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 fighter between its introduction in 1931 through 1936, after which it became the standard advanced trainer. Following Operation Barbarossa, which destroyed much of the ...

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 12-cylinder vee liquid-cooled aircraft engine. Representing a more powerful version of the Curtiss D-12, the engine entered production in 1926 and flew in numerous aircraft.Gunston 1989, p. 46. Design and de ...

engine, and no domestic equivalent was available.

Specifications (I-8)

References

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