Sukhoi Su-26

History of the Sukhoi Su-26

The Sukhoi Su-26 was a Soviet-era light aerobatics vehicle powered by a single nose engine and piloted by a crew. The design first flew in June 1984 and has been actively used ever since. Related developments include the Sukhoi Su-29 and Su-31 platforms, launched in 1991 and 1992, respectively.

The Su-26 relies on a sleek, aerodynamically efficient, streamlined fuselage that places the pilot under a large windshield amidships. The nose is very long, limiting visibility ahead of the cockpit, and the main aircraft also reduces visibility in the front of the aircraft. The general form of these elements is straight, with the tips cropped and positioned slightly forward in the middle. The dorsal ridge is raised and the entire fuselage tapers to a short tail section, covered by a vertical fin and accommodating a pair of low-mounted horizontal planes.

The "Tail-Dragger" landing gear (with titanium-based arched main legs) is simple and lightweight, and remains fixed during flight - further reducing complexity and maintenance requirements.

The aircraft is powered by a single Vedeneyev M14P series 9-cylinder radial piston air-cooled engine producing 360 hp and driving a three-blade constant velocity propeller unit in the nose. Combined with its streamlined design, the aircraft can reach a top speed of 280 mph, a range of up to 500 miles, and a service ceiling of up to 13,000 feet.

Cruising speed is close to 185 miles per hour with a climb rate of 3,500 feet per minute.

Since its inception, the Su-26 has stood out for its outstanding performance. It won the men's and women's team categories at the 1986 World Aerobatics Championships and took first place at the 2004 European Championships and the 2003 and 2005 World Aerobatics Championships.

The original form of the aircraft in the 1980s was flown using a simpler two-bladed propeller assembly. Since then, several notable improvement/modernization variants have appeared in the series: the Su-26M is a branch of continuous improvement, and among other changes the three-blade propeller arrangement has been introduced.

The Su-26M3 variant resulted in the use of an M9F engine with 430 hp.

Specification

Base

Year of Service

1984

Origins

Soviet Union

Status

Active.

Crew

1

Production

20

Manufacturer

Sukhoi OKB - USSR

Operator

Russia; former Soviet Union

Dimensions and Weight

Length

22. 3 feet

(6.80m)

Width/span

25.6 feet

(7.80m)

Height

9.5 feet

(2.89m)

Cured weight

1,543 lbs

(700kg)

MTOW

1,742 lbs

(790kg)

Wgt Difference

+198 lbs

(+90 kg)

MAINPLANE STRUCTURE

single wing/low mount/straight, tapered

Monoplane

Designed to use a single main wing main aircraft; this is the most popular arrangement of main aircraft.

install low

The main aircraft is mounted low on the side of the fuselage.

Straight

Floor plans involve the use of simple, straight main plan elements.

straight, tapered

The plane uses straight main aircraft elements that taper towards the wingtips.

(The structure descriptor refers to the basic production Sukhoi Su-26)

Performance

Installed:

1 x Vedeneyev M14P 9-cylinder radial piston air-cooled engine producing 360 hp and driving a three-bladed propeller unit in the nose.

Maximum speed

280 km/h

(450 km/h | 243 knots)

Maximum

13,123 feet

(4,000 m | 2 mi)

Area

497 km

(800 km | 1,482 nautical miles)

rate of climb

3,545 ft/min

(1,081 m/min)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None.

VARIANTS

Su-26 - name of the basic series; prototype with twin-blade propeller unit; four fuselage completed. Su-26M - modified version of the MTV-9 series three-bladed composite propeller unit; modified tail surface for improved control. Su-26M3 - with 430 hp M9F engine.