Alexsandr A. Moskalev never found the level of success that his Soviet World War 2-era (1939-1945) peers found - most of his forward-thinking designs ended their days as mere "paper airplanes". Plenty of contributions were apparent, however, and these ranged from the SAM-1 sesquiplane monoplane fighter of 1930 to the SAM-28 motorized glider of 1943. In-between there lay a plethora of design forms that included the "SAM-23", a single-seat, single-engine ground-attack aircraft of unique design form appearing during the fighting of World War 2 in 1943.
NOTE: The "SAM-23" designation was also used for a later troop-carrying glider of 1944. While incorporating a twin-boom layout, it held a boxy fuselage and was its own design apart from the SAM-23 ground-attack platform detailed in this article.
The aircraft was given a centralized nacelle making up the fuselage and housing the avionics, cockpit, and propulsion system while the tail section was made up of a twin-boom configuration. The single-seat cockpit was positioned just aft of the rounded nose section and covered over in a framed canopy. Views to the rear were obstructed by the raised dorsal spine as well as the wing mainplanes, which were shoulder-mounted atop the fuselage. The engine was seated aft and above the pilot's position in "pusher" configuration and set to drive a simple two-bladed propeller unit - pushing air between the two tail booms. The booms were joined at the aft-end of the aircraft by a single horizontal plane which, rather interestingly, mounted only a single vertical tail fin (two outboard planes were typical of such designs). The undercarriage was fixed and of a tail-dragger arrangement, incorporating two large main wheels forward and a small single wheel aft.
Drive power was to come from 1 x Mikulin M-11 series engine offering 150 horsepower.
One of the more interesting aspects the aircraft was a retracting tail wheel skid that is explained as a rudimentary terrain-following device, lowered and raised as needed.
The aircraft was proposed with armament comprised of 2 x 20mm ShVAK autocannons as well as 2 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns to go along with support for up to 4 x RS-82 air-to-surface rockets. This would have given it considerable killing power for the period, certainly suitable for ground-attack sorties against German convoys and static postions.
Like other Moskalev designs of the period, the radical SAM-23 proposal was not advanced.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
✓X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
Installed:
1 x Mikulin M-11 piston engine developing 150 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller unit in pusher configuration at the rear of the fuselage nacelle.
PROPOSED:
2 x 20mm ShVAK autocannons.
2 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns.
OPTIONAL:
4 x RS-82 air-to-surface rockets.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 4
SAM-23 - Base Project Designation.
General Assessment
Firepower
Performance
Survivability
Versatility
Impact
Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.
Overall Rating
The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.
44
Rating is out of a possible 100 points.
Aviation Era Span
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Soviet Union (cancelled).
