11/30/2009. The design of this armored ground-attack aircraft, authorized as Aircraft 81 (also called OBSh, experimental armoured attacker) was started in late 1941. It made first flight early 1942, designated Su-6, soon followed by an almost identical second machine called A, or Su-6(A). Power plant was a 2,000 hp Shvetsov M-71 (ASh-71) eighteen-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine.

Armament consisted of two 0.9 in (23 mm) VYa-23 machine guns, retaining four 0.787 in (20 mm) ShKAS machine guns further outboard. Internal bay for up to 882 lb (400 kg) bombs, while under the wing ten 3.23 in (82 mm) RS-82 (Reaktivnyi Snaryad, reaction missiles) or ten 5.2 in (132 mm) RS-132 missiles could be carried. Despite excellent performance the aircraft was not taken into production.

Sukhoi developed a two-seat version, designated Su-6(2A) with an extended mid-fuselage where the radio-operator/gunner was seated, operating a 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine gun. In the wings two 1.46 in (37 mm) OKB-16 or 11-P-37 and two 0.787 in (20 mm) ShKAS machine guns were carried. Powered by a 2,200 hp Ash-71F the aircraft showed impressive results during test held in the summer of 1943, but due to the lack of engine production capacity, the aircraft was also not taken into production.

The Su-6(2A/M-42) was fitted with a redesigned wing and powered by a 2,000 hp Mikulin M-42 twelve-cylinder liquid-cooled V-engine, driving a four-bladed propeller. This model was tested in spring 1944, but the Ilyushin Il-10 was chosen as the second-generation ground-attack aircraft.

Span: Length: Wing area: Empty: Loaded: Max speed: Climb: Ceiling: Range:

Su-6(A) 44 ft 3.5 in (13.50 m) 29 ft 11.5 in (9.13 m) 279.86 sq.ft (26 sq.m) 8,216 lb (3,727 kg) 11,574 lb (5,250 kg) 327 mph (527 kmh) to 9,843 ft (3,000 m) 7.3 min 24,934 ft (7,600 m) 450 mls (724 km)

Su-6(2A) 44 ft 3.5 in (13.50 m) - 279.86 sq.ft (26.0 sq.m) 9,120 lb (4,137 kg) 12,200 lb (5,534 kg) 319 mph (514 kmh) to 9,843 ft (3,000 m) 8.2 min 26,575 ft (8,100 m) 605 mls (973 km)

Su-6(2A/M-42) 44 ft 6.6 in (13.58 m) - 307.85 sq.ft (28.6 sq.m) 9,634 lb (4,370 kg) 13,668 lb (6,200 kg) 324 mph (521 kmh) to 9,843 ft (3,000 m) 8.5 min 26,250 ft (8,000 m) 490 mls (790 km)