48-010 BEREZNYAK-ISAYEV BI-1

The Berezniak-Isayev IB-1 was a Soviet experimental rocket aircraft from the Second World War. The machine was built in a low-wing configuration, its structure was completely metal, and the undercarriage in the classic configuration - retracted in flight. The prototype's flight took place in 1942. In total, probably 8-10 prototype units were built. The propulsion was provided by a single rocket engine D-1A-1100 . The on-board armament consisted of two 20 mm SzWAK cannons. The IB-1 aircraft was constructed by Alexander Berezniak and Alexei Isaev. The new aircraft was another link in the development of rocket engines, on which the first works in the USSR were carried out at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s. He was also supposed to test the possibility of using a rocket engine to propel an aircraft in practice. Relatively intensive tests with the machine carried out in 1942-1943, but the crash of one of the examples in March 1943 interrupted these tests. They were resumed only in 1945. The tests showed a high maximum speed of the aircraft, but also a relatively short flight range and its very short flight time. German designers encountered similar problems when building the Me-163. Ultimately, the IB-1 project was canceled.