Sukhoi Su-10

The Sukhoi Su‑10 was a Soviet experimental jet bomber developed in the late 1940s as part of the USSR’s effort to create a high‑speed, high‑altitude strategic aircraft. Designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau under the leadership of Pavel Sukhoi, the Su‑10 first flew on 9 March 1949, demonstrating the potential of a twin‑engine, swept‑wing configuration powered by two Lyulka TR‑1 turbojets. Its all‑metal airframe incorporated a 35° wing sweep, a pressurized cockpit, and a retractable tricycle undercarriage, giving it a maximum speed of roughly 950 km/h and a service ceiling above 14,000 meters. The aircraft could carry up to 2,000 kilograms of bombs internally, and its defensive armament included remotely operated tail guns. Although the Su‑10 showed promising performance, shifting Soviet priorities toward larger, four‑engine bombers such as the Ilyushin Il‑28 led to its cancellation after only a handful of prototypes were built. Nevertheless, the Su‑10 contributed valuable data on swept‑wing aerodynamics, engine integration, and high‑altitude flight, influencing later Soviet fighters and bombers and marking an important step in Sukhoi’s transition from piston‑engine designs to jet‑powered combat aircraft. The program also demonstrated the feasibility of using composite control surfaces to reduce weight, a feature later adopted in the Su‑27 family.

Sukhoi

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