SAM-9 'Strela' by A.S.Moskalev

12k b/w "History of aircraft construction in the USSR", Vol.2 p.107

As mentioned in the story of the SAM-4 project, interest to Moskalev's 'Sigma' concept was galvanized in 1936 by 'American Factor'. GUAP ordered light prototype-analog of the 'Sigma' interceptor!

This project under designation 'Strela' ('Arrow') SAM-9 was done in 3 (three) days. No wonder - it was thought about for many years, and was actually pre-stored ready in designer's drawer. It took 70 days to built small plane. In meantime additional wind tunnel tests of the mockup were performed by V.P.Gorsky at TsAGI. All looked fine, and during Spring 1937 trial program started. 'Strela' was installed on skis, later - on wheels.

First (factory) trials, including taxi and six 'hoops' were performed by pilot A.N.Gousarov at Voronezh. Results were promising, and aircraft was transported to TsAGI. There SAM-9 controls were handed over to young test-pilot N.S.Rybko (later - Hero of The Soviet Union). Result of the first flight was shocking - aircraft refused to climb above 20m!

Fortunately, problem was not in the plane. Standard pilot training program recomended to keep attack angle in range 8° to 10° during initial climb. This was fine for conventional airplanes, but for 'Strela' with its low aspect ratio wing it had to be at least 22°! Once this was figured out, small weird-looking prototype was brought to 1500m by N.S.Rybko.

12k and 13k b/w drawings "History of aircraft construction in the USSR" Vol.2 p.107

Conclusion of trials was positive, and NKAP ordered Moskalev to develope a project of interceptor with 0.975 wing aspect ratio. Designer at the time was occupied with more conventional projects, and PM-1 (SAM-19) was project was ready only in 1944, in evacuation.

Predecessors	Modifications
SAM-4 'Sigma'	SAM-29 'PM-1'