Tupolev I-12
Tupolev · Soviet Union · first flew 1931 · fighter
The Tupolev I-12 (ANT-23) was a Soviet experimental twin-boom cannon-armed fighter of 1931, designed around the novel concept of recoilless guns firing through the propeller disc. It was an unusual and technically ambitious project.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Soviet experimental biplane fighter of the early 1930s
- Corrugated duralumin Tupolev construction
- Designed as a rival to the Polikarpov I-5
Unusual twin-boom pusher-engined monoplane with a central nacelle, straight mid-set wings, and twin tail surfaces — unmistakable among Soviet experimental types.
Specifications
- The Tupolev I-12 has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.6 m (51 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 300 km/h (186 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The ANT-23 was built to test the concept of aircraft armed with large-calibre recoilless cannon, with twin booms supporting a central nacelle. Technical problems with the weapons and the overall layout led to the project being abandoned after limited testing. It is not to be confused with the VEF I-12 from Latvia.
Variants
A single prototype only; the concept was not pursued further.
Where you'll see it
Never entered service; used solely as an experimental testbed for cannon armament concepts.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.