THILIAI AIRCRAFT PLANT NO. 31

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R005800230007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 21, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: October 12, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

CENTRAL 'ELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSkt (Caucasus)
SUBJECT Tbilisi Aircraft Plant No,, 31.
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PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
TIIIF OOCUNENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFRCTIHO TY.G HATIO:6A6 D2FEIIRI
OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE II2ANING OP INS ESPIONAGE ACT 20
U. B. C.. 31 AND 32. AS AN2940ED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE RUV U.ATIOI
OF ITS CORTURT9 EN ALIT MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PU.RSON 12 PRO.
0IDI6tID BY LAW, REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.,
.A'pproved For Release 2003/08/0rA-RDR82-9:0457RO05800230007-0
CLASSIhiUAIIUN S
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REPORT NO.
CD NO.
NO. OF PAGES 2
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DATE DISTR. 12 Oct., 1950
NO. OF ENCLS. 2
(LISTED BELOW)
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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1. ti.hether the following data concern the single-
seater or the two-seater version of the plane but believed that the production
methods were the same for both types. Contrary to his previous statements,
the production of single-seater, si gle-e ine f' tors of the
Yak-22 type, was in full swing F_ !) and was con- 25X1
tinued until the fall of 19b7, Chien the production of single-.seater, single-
engine jet fighters as started, The designation of this last type was not
known. The production of two-seater, single-engine jet aircraft started in
the summer of 1948. F this 25X1
was a training and reconnaissance plane, 1
2e The assembly shop had a main assembly line and several sub-assembly lines
1(2) While only one aircraft was finally
assembled at' one time, several frames and wings were simultamously fitted.
The frames and wings were transported by trolleys through the assembly to
the paint shop and from tY ere on special carriages through the final assemb-
ly back to the paint shop.
34 The fuselage was constructed With only steel tubings rather than aluminum
parts a Rust was removed from the tubes and grease was removed by sand
blasting, and then they were varnished and assembled. (3) FWs who were
specialists confirmed that the covering of the fuselage was duraluminum 2 to
3 mm thick. The tubes were welded together and no connections were used
for fastening the sections. The rings were connected to the fuselage from
below by tubes. (ti) The ribs were pressed aluminum profiles, 2 to 21- rim
thick. They were connected by
one stringer, an aluminum tube 10 cm in diameter and fastened by rivets. (5)
The fuselage covering was assembled to the structural parts by rivets. The
rids and stringers wore drilled before going to the assembly gigs.
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CLASSIFICATION
NAVY NSRB
AM f ~; psi
.No Chamgs In Class. 0
""a? t^?? To. TS 25X1
Approved For Release 2003/08/05 CIA-R P^8 1004578 21 05?00230607-
the type and number of machines and fixtures to
hold the parts being machined, He knew that the tube was pushed into a
boring machine, fastened,anc? bored and said that a similar method was
used for the other parts. The plant was equipped with various German and
American high speed lathes. Some of the high speed steel was Berman Vidia-
steel. he origin of the other steel was unknown.
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 Approved For Release 2003/08/05 : CIA-RDP82-00457R0058002300Y01
CENT4' INTisLLIGiiNC1' AGENCY
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5. The plant produced all parts for the aircraft except turbines, armament,
and electric equipment. No chamical treatment of sheet metals was observed.
Castings were hardened in electric hardening furnaces. Aluminum sheet did
not crack like duraluminum unless it was formed hour after the heat
25X1 treatment. E__ I Cracked sheets wexe
thrown away. ama^es to aluminum sheets were mostly cracks caused by a lack.
of dilatability and occasionally cracks caused by folding the aluminum.
Stored sheets did not have any coating but were greased.
6. The turbo-jet pottier plant was about 3 meters long and G.,,3 to 1 meter in
diameter. The exhaust had a diameter of 3; to 40 centimeter;,the weight
was not determined. (6) Service ceiling was 11,000 meters 25X1
25X1 IPM and thrust were not known. Endurance was 40 to 0 minutes.
to overhauling of turbines was observed at the plant. The new power plants
were delivered and installed in the aircraft at the plant. Gasoline motors
25X1 were used as starters" the fuselage covering being assembled
t t
7.
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(1)
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o
he airframe by pneumatic riveting;.
Disassembly of the aircraft for shipment was done by about six men and took
two to three hours, (7)
Comments.
The single-engine fighter constructed at Tbilisi up to 1947 is, according to
this report,, the Yak-22. A previous report designated as Yak-22 a two-seater,
jet aircraft produced at Tbilisi since mid-1948. The,single-
engine fighter constructed prior to 1947 is believed to be a training plane9
possibly the Yak-ll? I However, since all fighters were given
uneven series of type numbers (Yak-I, Yak-3, Yak-7, etc.) and combat aircraft
were designated with even numbers (Yak-6, Yak.8, Yak-12, etc.) the Yak-22
should be a training aircraft, probably a jet powered type aircraft because
of its high designation number. A conversion to the production of single-
seater jet fighters and, in summer 1948, to the production of a two-seater
version, agrees with previous information for the period reported. It was
also reported that this.type was utilized as a reconnaissance aircraft.
(2) For sketch of assembly line see Annex 1, sketch 1.
(3) For reproduction of tube frame see Annex 1, sketch 2.
(4) For wing assembly see Annex 2, sketch a.
(5) For reproduction of ribs and stringer see Annex 2, sketches b and c.
.(6) The dimensions of the turbo-jet power plant support the assumption that the
engine is of the Jumo 004 type, See Annex 2, sketch d for jet-engine.
(7) The data on features and production methods of the aircraft type are
considered generally to be correct.
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Approved For Release 2003/08/05 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005800230007-0