Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1
Bolkhovitinov OKB (Bereznyak-Isayev) · Soviet Union · first flew 1942 · fighter
The Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 was the Soviet Union's first rocket-powered interceptor aircraft, designed for point defence using a liquid-propellant rocket motor, with extremely high speed but only minutes of powered flight available. It represented a dead end in Soviet interceptor design but was an important experimental milestone.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × rocket, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.4 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Soviet Union's first rocket-powered aircraft — liquid-propellant engine in the tail
- Very short endurance: under 15 minutes of powered flight
- Wooden construction with a conventional monoplane layout but no conventional engine
A small, compact wooden monoplane with a conventional layout but no visible piston engine — the rocket exhaust exits at the tail, and the very short fuselage gives it a stubby appearance compared to contemporary piston fighters.
Specifications
- The Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 has a length of 6.4 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.48 m (21 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 800 km/h (497 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed in just 40 days in 1941 by Alexander Bereznyak and Alexei Isayev, the BI-1 first flew under rocket power on 15 May 1942 piloted by Grigory Bakhchivandzhi. The programme was cancelled after the seventh prototype was lost in a fatal dive in 1943, likely due to compressibility effects at high speed, and the more practical jet engine was pursued instead.
Variants
Several prototypes (BI-1 through BI-7) were built with incremental modifications; no production variant entered service.
Where you'll see it
Never reached operational service; flew only in the experimental role at Soviet test establishments. Grigory Bakhchivandzhi, the chief test pilot who died in the BI-7 crash, is honoured in Russia as a pioneer of rocket aviation.
Related aircraft
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