Under the plane

Virtual tour: Monument to the front-line fighter-bomber Su-7B. Monument to the front-line fighter-bomber Su-7B near the military airfield. Previously, he stood a few hundred meters from this place - at the intersection of the Eastern Highway and 60th Anniversary of October Revolution Avenue. This area of the city was even informally called "Airplane". However, due to the construction of a powerful junction, the monument was first dismantled, and the plane was transported to the courtyard of the district air defense headquarters. About this event even flashed a brief note in the central press with the general installation that Khabarovsk residents are unhappy that the city has lost a monument. Fortunately, in the fall of 2005, the monument to the famous plane was reopened, albeit somewhat away from the busy avenue. The boring and massive pedestal of gray concrete was replaced, it seems to me, much more interesting in terms of design and general perception of the decision. For an aircraft, especially a battle one, a “dynamic” pedestal is better suited than a heavy, monumental one.

The development of the Su-7 prototype, the C1 aircraft, began in the Sukhoi Design Bureau as early as 1953. Three years later, taking into account foreign experience, the concept of a fighter-bomber was already being worked out with might and main. The Air Force needed an aircraft capable of quickly overcoming the enemy’s air defense zone and delivering a nuclear charge or ordinary medium-caliber bombs to the target. At the same time, such an aircraft was supposed to carry powerful airborne armament, capable of not only effectively hitting ground targets, but also leading a battle with enemy fighters. Serial production of the aircraft, which received the official designation of the Su-7B, began at the plant number 126 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Far Eastern Machine-Building Plant) in the second half of 1960. However, the first fighter-bombers arrived at the armament of the Air Force units deployed in the European part of the USSR. Su-7B for many years became the main tactical fighter-bomber of the Soviet Air Force, it was delivered to many countries of the Soviet camp and the allies of the USSR. The closest foreign counterparts of this aircraft were the American North American F-100C / D Super Saber and Fairchild F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers. According to the NATO classification, the Su-7B was designated Fitter-A.

Some more reference data on the Su-7B: wingspan - 16.6 m, empty aircraft weight - 8370 kg, maximum take-off - 13043 kg, maximum speed - 2120 km / h, flight range - 1130 km.