The Polikarpov I-16 was a fighter-interceptor used by the Soviet Union in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. When it first appeared in 1934, it was a fast and very maneuverable aircraft. However, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, it had already become obsolete and it was not a match for the German Messerschmitt Bf 109. However, it was well armed, with a few Russian aces being able to shoot down German aircraft.
The Polikarpov I-16 was the first low-wing, cantilever monoplane with a retractable landing gear. Its prototype first flew on December 30, 1933, entering service with the Soviet Air Force on November 25, 1934. It would be produced in large quantity, with more than 10,000 aircraft built by 1942, when production of this monoplane was stopped to be replaced by more advanced combat aircraft.
The I-16 first saw combat action in Spain, in late 1936. It was the best fighter in the arsenal of the Republican government during the civil war, engaging in dog-fight Italian and German aircraft. It also saw combat action in China during the Japanese invasion. The Russian pilot, Gregori Ravchenko, managed to shoot down three Japanese fighters in the skies over China. The Polikarpov I-16 would remain in service until mid 1943 as it had been replaced by the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 and LaGG-3 fighter.
Specifications
Type: Single-seat fighter
Length: 5.79 m (19 ft)
Wingspan: 9.14 m (30 ft)
Wing Area: 14.49 square meters (156 sq. ft)
Height: 2.44 m (8 ft)
Power Plant: one Shvetsov M-25, air-cooled, radial engine, delivering 775 HP.
Maximum Speed: 489 km/h (304 mph)
Service Ceiling: 8,255 m of altitude
Armament: four 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns mounted in upper fuselage and wings; two 20mm cannons in wings; two 100-kg bombs.
Below, two photos of the Polikarpov I-16, one taken in the Soviet Union around 1940, the other in Spain in 1937, with Spanish Republican government marking.
Below, a drawing of this famous Soviet combat aircraft.
