VK-1
The first mass-produced Soviet turbojet
On display
The VK-1 grew from the British Rolls-Royce Nene bought in 1947 but was substantially reworked by Vladimir Klimov: thrust was raised, the combustion chambers and turbine changed, new heat-resistant alloys introduced. The centrifugal compressor gave simplicity and robustness at the cost of a larger frontal area.
The engine was built in tens of thousands and powered the MiG-15, MiG-17 and Il-28. On it grew the national school of gas-turbine engineering, which later moved to axial compressors.
On display is a sectioned engine: the centrifugal impeller, the annular combustion chambers and the single-stage turbine are visible.
