Bartini began design work in October 1934 on an aircraft to meet the larger 10/12 passenger specification.

Initially Bartini intended the Stal-7 to use a steel tube truss airframe, with fabric covering, but problems with complexity and the flexibility of the truss structure led Bartini to re-design the aircraft with a light-alloy monocoque structure.

Flight testing began in the spring of 1937 piloted by N. P. Shebanov, revealing high efficiency in speed, range and load.

The Stal-7 crashed on take-off during full load testing, prompting the arrest of Bartini who was imprisoned in a sharashka in Bolshevo led by fellow inmate Andrei Tupolev.

[1] Repair of the Stal-7 was carried out under Vladimir Yermolaev's direction in 1939 and the aircraft continued to demonstrate excellent cruise performance during a 5,068 kilometres (3,149 mi), Moscow – Sverdlovsk – Sevastopol – Moscow, non-stop flight averaging 405 kilometres per hour (252 mph).