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Soviet Polikarpov I-16 fighter1,2
Polikarpov I-16 fighter2:
Polikarpov I-16 fighter:
Design
Polikarpov started to design the successor to the I-15 while in a labor camp.1 The Polikarpov I-16 was a rival to the ANT-31.1
When the I-16 first was produced it was the first low wing cantilever monoplane with a retractable undercarraige.1,2
Wood and metal made up the construction of the I-16.2
The I-16 was nicknamed the Rata (rat).2
Cockpit
The cockpit was very narrow and open.1
Engines
The early Polikarpov I-16s had Wright Cyclone radial engines that were imported and license built.1 These drove a two pitch Hamilton propellar.1
After the I-16 Type 6 the engines were the M-25A.1
Late I-16s had M-62 or M-63 engines with superchargers.1
Undercarriage
The undercarriage required 44 hand cranks to raise them.1 As each crank went it got harder to rotate the handle.1 Sometimes the gear jammed half way when lowered.1
In winter the wheels would be replaced by skis that could retract flat against the wings.1
Prototype
The TsKB-12 prototype first flew on December 31, 1933.2 The prototype had a Soviet M-22 engine.1,2 The second prototype had an imported Wright Cyclone engine installed.2
Production
Deliveries of the I-16 began in early 1935.2 Production originally ended in 1940 but was restarted in 1941.2
- I-16 single seat: 7,0052
- I-16 Type 27 and I-16 Type 29: ~4502
- I-16UTI: 1,6392
- Total: >8,0001, 8,6442
Variants
- TsKB-12: Prototype.2
- I-16:
- I-16 Type 5 SPB: Was used as a dive bomber that had special dive brakes.1
- I-16 Type 6: M-25A engines.1
- I-16 Type 17: Two ShKAS MGs and two ShVAK cannons.1 First version to fire RS-82 rockets.1 Saw combat against the Japanese in August 1939.1
- I-16 Type 18: Produced starting in 1938.2 Had M-62 engine with two speed supercharger.2
- I-16 Type 24: Had M-63 direct geared engine.2
- I-16 Type 27: Produced during second production run from 1941 to 1942.2
- I-16 Type 29: Produced during second production run from 1941 to 1942.2
- I-16P: One was built with four powerful cannons.1
- I-16UTI: Tandem two seat trainer.2
Usage
China, Finland, Spain, and the Soviet Union used the Polikarpov I-16.2
Spanish Civil War
278 I-16s were used by the Spanish Republican forces.1,2 Hispano-Suiza also license built I-16s.1
Was known as "Mukha" (fly) in Spain.1
Against Japan
In 1939 the I-16 fought against the Japanese on the Manchurian border.1,2
Soviet ace, Grigori Ravchenko shot down three Japanese aircraft in China and led an I-16 unit in Mongolia.1
Finland
Finland used captured I-16s.1
Invasion of Soviet Union
When the Germans invaded in June 1941 the I-16 was the most numerous fighter in the Soviet arsenal.1 Approximately 2/3 of the fighter force were I-16s.2
Some I-16s remained in service until 1943 when it was finally withdrawn due to its obsolesence.1,2
| Polikarpov I-161,2 | Polikarpov I-16 Type 12 | Polikarpov I-16 Type 42 | Polikarpov I-16 Type 52 | Polikarpov I-16 Type 102 | Polikarpov I-16 Type 172 | Polikarpov I-16 Type 18 2 | Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Fighter1,2 | Fighter2 | Fighter2 | Fighter2 | Fighter2 | Fighter2 | Fighter2 | Fighter2 |
| Crew | 11,2 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Engine (Type) | Shvetsov M-251 | Shvetsov M-25A (Wright R-1820 Cyclone)2 | Shvetsov M-25B/V2 | Shvetsov M-25B/V2 | Shvetsov M-25B/V2 | Shvetsov M-622 | Shvetsov M-622 | |
| OR | Shvetsov M-632 | Shvetsov M-632 | ||||||
| Cylinders | Radial1 | Radial 92 | Radial 92 | Radial 92 | Radial 92 | Radial 92 | Radial 92 | |
| Cooling | Air1 | |||||||
| HP | 7751 | 7252 | 750 - 7752 | 750 - 7752 | 750 - 7752 | M-62: 1,0002 M-63: 1,1002 |
M-62: 1,0002 M-63: 1,1002 |
|
| Propeller blades | 21,2 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | |
| Fuel capacity | ||||||||
| Dimensions | ||||||||
| Span | 30'1 9.14 m1 |
29' 1.5"2 8.88 m2 |
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| Length | 19'1 5.79 m1 |
20' 1.5"2 6.13 m2 |
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| Height | 8'1 2.44 m1 |
7' 10.75"2 2.41 m2 |
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| Wing area | 156 ft2 1 14.49 m2 1 |
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| Weight | ||||||||
| Empty | 2,970 lb1 1,347 kg1 |
3,252 lb2 1,475 kg2 |
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| Loaded | 3,773 lb1 1,711 kg1 |
4,542 lb2 2,060 kg2 |
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| Performance | ||||||||
| Speed | 304 mph1 489 kph1 |
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| Speed @ 15,750' / 4,800 m |
304 mph2 489 kph2 |
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| Climb to 16,405' / 5,000 m |
5.8 minutes2 | |||||||
| Service ceiling | 27,125'1 8,268 m1 |
31,070'2 9,470 m2 |
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| Range | 373 miles2 600 km2 |
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| Armament | ||||||||
| Upper fuselage | 4: 7.62 mm Shpital'ny-Komaritsky ShKAS MG1 | |||||||
| Nose | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | |
| Wings | 2: 7.62 mm MG2 | 2: 20 mm2 | 2: 20 mm2 | 2: 20 mm2 | ||||
| Under wings | 2: 20 mm ShVAK cannon1 | |||||||
| 6: 82 mm rockets2 6: RS-82 rockets1 |
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| OR | 6: Der-31 bomb containers1 | |||||||
| OR | 441 lb bombs2 2: 220 lb bombs1 200 kg bombs2 2: 100 kg bombs1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
