1/72 72001 Amodel Sukoi T-4 Sotka High Speed Reconnaissance / Anti-Ship and Strategic Bomber
Plastic Model Kit, Box Condition: Good++
Very limited edition model of this unique Soviet prototype aircraft. Features all recessed panel lines, very good tandem cockpit, optional position crew hatches, separately molded control surfaces, detailed landing gear and more. Never started. The parts are still in the internal factory sealed bags and includes decals and instructions. The Sukhoi T-4 'Sotka' is a Soviet high-speed reconnaissance, anti-ship and strategic bomber aircraft. It is also called 'Aircraft 100', 'Project 100' and even Su-100. Four aircraft were built but only the first prototype flew. In 1963, the Soviet government held a request for proposal among the aircraft design bureaus. The Sukhoi design had a very high cruise speed of 3,200 km/h (2,000 mph) and was favored over the designs submitted by Yakovlev and Tupolev. After a preliminary design review in June of 1964, the building of a prototype was authorized. Development of the T-4 required massive research efforts to develop the technologies necessary, including the manufacturing technologies to machine and weld the materials (much of titanium) necessary to withstand sustained Mach 3 flight. Nearly 600 patents or inventions are attributed to the program. The first flying prototype was finally completed in the autumn of 1971. The first T-4, designated "101", first flew on 22 August 1972. The test pilot was Vladimir Ilyushin, son of famed aircraft designer Sergei Ilyushin, and the navigator was Nikolai Alfyorov. Testing continued to 19 January 1974. The T-4 flew only ten times for a total of 10 hours and 20 minutes. Work continued on an additional three airframes (one for static testing) through 1975. In 1974, the Ministry of Aviation Industry (Soviet Union) ordered work suspended on the T-4 project, which was then officially scrapped on 19 December 1975. One T-4 survives. Aircraft '101' (the flying prototype #1) is on display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino near Moscow.
$179.00