WRG - Allied Aviation Annex

Type: Single-Seat Fighter
Origin: Polikarpov
First Flight: December 31, 1933
Service Delivery: Early 1934
Final Delivery: Late 1942
Number Produced: 7,005

Powerplant:
Model: Shvetsov M-62
Model: 9-Cylinder air cooled Radial
Number: One Horsepower: 1,000 hp

Fuel:
Capacity: 56 Imperial Gallons.

Dimensions:
Wing span: 29 ft. 1¼ in. (8.88m)
Length: 19 ft. 9¾ in. (6.04m)
Height: 7 ft. 10¾ in. (2.41m)
Wing Surface Area: 161 Sq. Ft.

Weights:
Empty: 3,252 lbs. (1475 kg)
Typical: 4,215 lbs.
Max. Take-Off: 4,546 lbs.

Performance:
Maximum Speed:
    326 mph at sea level
    304 mph (490 km/h) at 3,000m (9,845 ft.)
    286 mph at 14,765 ft.
Economic cruise speed: 186 mph
Initial climb: N/A
Service Ceiling: 31,070 ft. (9470m)
Range:
    Internal Fuel: 250 miles
    With two 22 gallon auxiliary tanks): 435 miles

Armament:
Two 7.62mm ShKAS machine gun in fuselage
Ammunition: 450 r.p.g.
Two 7.62mm ShKAS machine gun in wings
Some variants replace wing MG's with Two 20mm ShVAK cannon with 90 r.p.g.

Bomb Load:
Underwing racks for up to 441 lb. (200kg) of bombs or up to six RS-82 rockets.

Avionics:
RSI-1 or RSI-3 radio

Comments:
Developed in 1933, the I-16 proved to be a handful to fly. It's speed and rate of climb were impressive enough however to see it developed further and put into production. In October of 1936, supplies of the type were supplied to the Spanish Republican Air Arm. Eventually 278 I-16's of various models were supplied to Spain with a further 10 being licensed built before the government surrender in March 1939.
The type was thoroughly obsolescent by the time of the German invasion but the pilots fought hard against the Luftwaffe despite heavy losses. It became reknowned for Taran ramming attacks where it's innate ruggedness helped the ramming pilot survive ramming attacks that would have demolished most other aircraft.

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