Sukhoi Su-7BKL "Fitter-A" - The Mastermind of the Early

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

The Su-7BKL is the last and definitive Su-7 Fitter-A modification/variant; sporting a good variety of secondary ordnance, unlike the Su-7A. 

 

Fans of ground RB will surely have an interest in this variant when it comes to the game. 

 

This could possibly carry missiles also, however the sources are questionable. On the other hand, it may have very well been possible later on in its service life. Many planes get revised later on; for example leading edge slats and a pulse-doppler radar were introduced for the F-4J in the 1980s revision. 

 

The history of this particular variant is short, because secondary ordnance is what made it different to the Su-7A. For full history on the Su-7, check this link.

 

Quick overview:

 

 

Spoiler

 

The Su-7BKL "Fitter-A" is a Soviet jet fighter-bomber that emerged from the earlier Su-7A, after realization came to the fact that the Su-7 was not well-designed for the role of interception. 

 

After the noticeable failure of the Su-7 in aerial combat, the aircraft was soon recommissioned for tactical bombing and close air support. Starting with the Su-7B series, the inclusion of a variety of rocketpods and bomb loadouts emerged. 

 

Furthermore, it received an engine change to the more powerful AL-7F1-250.

 

 

 

 

History, design and development:

 

 

Spoiler

 

Even before the Su-7B entered first-line service, the VVS was asking for more range. The result was the "Su-7BM", the "M" standing for "modernizeerovanniy (modernized)", with the wing tankage altered to bring the internal fuel load to 3,755 liters (991 US gallons). The wing pylons were also made "wet" to permit carriage of four of the 620 liter drop tanks for ferry flights.

Other fixes included a system to reduce the threat of foreign object damage, using engine bleed air routed to a vent in the underlip of the engine intake to blow the path clear in front of the aircraft; an autopilot; improved avionics; an AL-7F-1-150 engine, with about 5% greater afterburning thrust, updated in later production to an AL-7F-1-200 engine with longer service life; and a KS-3 ejection seat. The Su-7BM entered VVS service in 1963, with 274 built into 1965.

 

The Su-7BM was followed in production by the "Su-7BKL", the primary change being modified landing gear for rough-field operation, with a larger hydraulically-steerable nosewheel, and main gear with auxiliary skids for operation on soft or snowy ground. The larger nosewheel required bulges in the nosewheel doors. The "KL" stood for "kolyosno lyzhnoye" or "wheel-ski landing gear". Incidentally, trials were also performed with pure ski main landing gear; it worked surprisingly well, but the wheel-ski landing gear was adopted instead.

Internal fuel load was raised again by modifying one of the fuselage tanks, to a total of 4,030 liters (1,063 US gallons). Larger external tanks, with a capacity of 950 liters (251 US gallons) were also supported, to later be replaced by 1,150-liter (303 US gallon) external tanks; in either case, only two of the large tanks could be carried, one on each wing pylon. Landing gear was reinforced to handle higher take-off weights. Other changes included:

 

A brake parachute system with twin parachutes, moved to a distinctive fairing at the base of the tail.
 

Provision for fit of twin rocket-assisted take-off (RATO) boosters on the rear fuselage.
 

A KS-4 ejection seat, the first of the KS series with zero-level capability, though it still required a forward speed of 140 KPH (75 KT) to operate safely.
 

An AL-7F-1-250 engine, with the same thrust as its predecessor but longer time between overhauls.
 

Improved hydraulics and updated gunsight.
 

A rear-view mirror mounted on top of the cockpit, introduced in late production. It was apparently retrofitted to other variants, though it is uncommon to see pictures of any "Fitter-A" machines with the mirror.
 

Late production also featured a new stores pylon added to each wing, outboard of the main wing fence. The new stores pylon was also retrofitted to many earlier-built "Fitter-As" still in service.

By the late 1960s, Su-7s often carried an SPS-141 (or -142 or -143) radar jammer pod as an external store. The Su-7BKL went into service in 1965, with 267 built into 1971.

 

 

 

 

 

Internal Components:

 

Spoiler

 

This shows cannon installation. Twin 30mm NR-30 with 70 rpg, 140 total.

 

 

 

Cockpit:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camouflages:

 

 

Specifications

 

 

Spoiler

 

Sukhoi Su-7BKL "Fitter-A"

 

 

General Characteristics

 

First flight: DD.MM.1961 (S22-4 prototype)

Number built: 274 (Su-7BKL)

Role: Fighter-bomber

Status: Production, canceled 

Crew: 1

Length: 18.06 m (59.25 ft)

Wingspan: 9.31 m (30.54 ft)

Wing area: 34 m² (365.973 ft²)

Height: 4.99 m (13.61 ft)

Empty weight: 8,890 kg (19,559 lbs)

Loaded weight: 12,550 kg (27,668.014 lbs)

Max. takeoff weight: 15,090 kg (33,267.755 lbs)

Fuel capacity: 1,850 kg (4,078.5 lbs)

Powerplant: 1 x Saturn AL-7F1-250 afterburning turbojet:

• without afterburner: 6,850.45 kgf (67.17 kN, 15,102.6 lbf)
• with afterburner: 9,600 kgf (94.14 kN, 21,163.5 lbf)

 

Performance

 

Maximum speed:

• at sea level: 1,150 km/h (714.5 mph, 621 kts) (full power)
• at 10,668 m (35,000 ft): 2,150 km/h (1,336 mph, 1,161 kts) (full power)

Cruise speed:  790 km/h (491 mph, 426.5 kts)

Rate of climb: 160 m/s (525 ft/s) (full power)

Service ceiling: 18,750 m (61,515.7 ft)

Range: 1,875 km (1,165 mi, 1,012 nmi)

Wing loading:

• Empty weight: 210.147059 kg/m² (43.04 lb/ft²)
• Loaded weight: 271.911765 kg/m² (55.69 lb/ft²)
• Max. takeoff weight: 319.382353 kg/m² (65.41 lb/ft²)

Thrust/weight (without afterburner):

• Empty weight: 0.77
• Loaded weight: 0.54
• Max. takeoff weight: 0.45

Thrust/weight (with afterburner):

• Empty weight: 0.92
• Loaded weight: 0.76
• Max. takeoff weight: 0.63

 

Armament

 

Guns: 2 x 30mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 autocannons (70 rpg, 140 rds total)

Missiles: N/A

Bombs:

 

• FAB 100

or

• OFAB-100

or

• ZAB-100

or

• FAB-250

or

• OFAB-250

or

• FAB-500

or

• RBK-100

or

• RBK-250

or

• RBK-500

Rockets:

 

• 32 x S-3K unguided rockets in two UB-16-57 rocket pods (16 rockets per rocket pod)

or

• 64 x S-5K unguided rockets in two UB-32-57 rocketpods (32 each)

or

• 2 x S-24 unguided rockets

Other: 2 x 23mm GSh-23L double-barreled autocannons in 2 x UPK-23-2 gunpods (250 rpg, 500 rds total)

Electronics:

• Izumrud ("Emerald") RP-2 radar
• SRD-5M Baza-6M gun ranging radar
• ASP-5NM/-5ND gunsight
• PBK-1 bombing sight
• ARK-10 ADF
• Kremniy-2/-2M RHAWS (Radar Homing And Warning System)
• SPO-2 Sirena-2 RWR

 

 

 

Sources/References:

 

 

Spoiler

 

http://www.airvectors.net/avsu17_1.html

Gordon, Y.: Sukhoi Su-7/-17/-20/-22, Aerofax 2004
History of aircraft construction in the USSR 1951 - 1965

Anthology of the Su-7 - Igor Prikhodchenko

 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by EpicBlitzkrieg87

[leroyonly 4,311]

Open for discussion. 

[kamikazi21358 998]

+1

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

+1 but no comparable missile to the bullpup in his arsenal ?

[Milocat 4,857]

This would be a great addition to the attacker line.  +1.

[Ein79 5,752]

Strongly supported, I hope for it in 1.93.

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 24/09/2019 at 17:08, MonkeyBussiness said:

+1 but no comparable missile to the bullpup in his arsenal ?

 

No Kh-66 Groms sadly

 

 

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

18 hours ago, EpicBlitzkrieg87 said:

 

No Kh-66 Groms sadly

 

 

sad , we need the MiG-21S , 4 missiles , able to carry the KH-66

[Borotovas 4,500]

+1

[Ein79 5,752]

+1

Maybe in 1.97? Ofc with more camouflages than just boring, bare-metal skin:

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

On 25/12/2019 at 14:56, Einherjer1979 said:

+1

Maybe in 1.97? Ofc with more camouflages than just boring, bare-metal skin:

having the last model of the Su-7 next patch is not a good idea excepet if they add some earlier variants with it , wich i doubt will happen

[Z3r0_ 4,128]

I'll support adding this, though I would actually consider placing this on the attacker line, since the Su-7 was primarily used as a strike fighter (probably because Sukhoi realized that MiG already made the better fighter in the form of the MiG-19), mostly attacking surface targets and occasionally getting into dogfights.  You'd get Su-7s and Su-17s at rank 6 following the Il-28Sh, and then after them you'd have the Su-25.

Edited December 27, 2019 by Z3r0_

[User94998549 2,838]

This plane is vital to my interests, though I fear USSR will never see jet CAS if Gaijin has anything to say about it.

[Submarine6 32]

+1. And also In my opinion, It should be in "lavochkin" line because I dont see any fighters from that company. And its a Fighter/Bomber isnt it? If it can be fighter and we dont have any for lavochkin line why not?(except La-176)

 

Also how about adding "Su-17"for soviets(Su-7's future development) and Su-20 or Su-22 for germans?(Su-17's export version)

Edited January 6, 2020 by Submarine6

[Z3r0_ 4,128]

On 06/01/2020 at 00:35, Submarine6 said:

+1. And also In my opinion, It should be in "lavochkin" line because I dont see any fighters from that company. And its a Fighter/Bomber isnt it? If it can be fighter and we dont have any for lavochkin line why not?(except La-176)

 

Also how about adding "Su-17"for soviets(Su-7's future development) and Su-20 or Su-22 for germans?(Su-17's export version)

 

The Lavochkin line would probably transition into a general 'interceptor' branch, with stuff like the Su-15 and MiG-25 eventually (if you're wondering about the MiG line, I'm thinking they stick more to air superiority fighters, with the MiG-21s eventually being followed by the MiG-23).  The Su-7 and Su-17 would be better off in the ground attack line.

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 06/01/2020 at 10:35, Submarine6 said:

+1. And also In my opinion, It should be in "lavochkin" line because I dont see any fighters from that company. And its a Fighter/Bomber isnt it? If it can be fighter and we dont have any for lavochkin line why not?(except La-176)

 

Also how about adding "Su-17"for soviets(Su-7's future development) and Su-20 or Su-22 for germans?(Su-17's export version)

 

The Lavochkin line could be developed much further, it could also have one supersonic jet

 

I think both deserve independet lines and I have no stance on the export Su-17s

[m_a_r_v 27]

+1

[User94998549 2,838]

+1

 

USSR badly needs CAS-capable planes and this would be a good addition!

[Laskin_BG 55]

We will see it in 1.99, just saw it on the russian stream, Cheers!

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

7 hours ago, Laskin_BG_Hinkel said:

We will see it in 1.99, just saw it on the russian stream, Cheers!

not the same variant but pretty close

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

On 15/05/2020 at 18:51, Laskin_BG_Hinkel said:

We will see it in 1.99, just saw it on the russian stream, Cheers!

 

I wish it was actually this variant though  it's more relevant

[whosmans 70]

+1

[ALIEN109 1,321]

 

[leroyonly 4,311]

As the SU-7BKL has been added as per update 1.101 Raining Fire,

 

Moved to Implemented Suggestions.