The Olchovskij Torpedo was an airplane designed in 1914 heavily influenced by other parasol fighters of the same year like the Morane-Saulnier L or the Pfalz A.I.
It was designed by Captain Vladimir M Ol'khovsky, who was the officer in command of the 5th Air Park at Bryansk. Initially his intention was to design a two-seat observation airplane which he nicknamed the 'torpedo' because of the shape of the fuselage and designing, therefore, the very first monocoque fuselage built in Russia.
Made completely out of wood, the first exemplar was completed in Odessa in February 1917 and was powered by an 80hp Le Rhone 9C engine. After some flight tests, it was decided to turn it into a fighter, and therefore it was refitted with a better 110hp Le Rhone 9J engine. Not only that, but the tail was also modified in order to make it more aerodinamic, the observer seat was removed to make the airplane lighter and, most important of it all a forward firing machine gun was added in the right side of the fuselage.
The flying characteristics of the Torpedo were considered to be good... for 1914, not for 1917 and therefore it was only used as a trainer at the Gatchina flying school in Odessa. The fate of this airplane is unknown and, most likely, it was destroyed.
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