40 years ago, the first prototype of the T-10 fighter took off near Moscow, and today it has become the best-selling heavy fighter on the planet under the name Su-27.
On May 20, 1977, Soviet test pilot Vladimir Ilyushin made the first flight of a prototype of the T-10-1 fighter. Seven years later, it was redesigned and named the Su-27 and has since become the most popular fighter in the history of world military aviation.
Sukhoi is a major Russian aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Moscow, involved in both military and civil aviation. The company was founded in 1939 as the Sukhoi Design Bureau, by Pavel Sukhoi.
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Su-27 in a demonstration flight. |
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T-10 prototype in Russian aircraft museum. |
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People visit a Su-27 of the Black Sea Fleet, Russia. |
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The Russian Knights aerobatic team performs with Su-27. |
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Su-33 (near) and MiG-29K (far) fighters on the deck of a Russian aircraft carrier. |
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Su-27M fighter in the air. |
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Su-27 participates in exercises in Russia's Eastern Military District. |
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Su-30MK, a development version of Su-27. |
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Close-up of Su-30M fighter. |