In the mid-30s, perhaps, there was no fighter that would have enjoyed such wide popularity among aviators around the world as the I-16. In appearance and flight characteristics, it was sharply different from all its “contemporaries”. The minimal dimensions, barrel-shaped fuselage, small wing and cockpit headrest determined the uniqueness and originality of its design.

The history of the aircraft began in 1933, when, on instructions from the Air Force N.N. Polikarpov began designing a biplane fighter (the future I-15). At the same time, on his own initiative, Polikarpov developed a project for a high-speed monoplane fighter, designated I-16. In the early 30s, aircraft manufacturers and the military were convinced that the concepts of “fighter” and “biplane” were inseparable.

Therefore, disputes about the layout of the I-16, which began at the design stage, did not stop even during serial production and development of the vehicle in combat units.

During the tests, as the designers expected, the monoplane (TsKB-12) showed a speed that significantly exceeded the speed of all known foreign and domestic fighters. However, it was proposed to stop testing because the aircraft was characterized by instability in flight in some modes, and was also more difficult for ordinary pilots to fly than biplanes. Doubts also arose about the corkscrew characteristics. Meanwhile, pilot V.P. During testing, Chkalov repeatedly put the plane into a flat spin and successfully recovered from it. Perhaps only Chkalov’s authority and his positive reviews of the fighter allowed the tests to continue.

The I-1b aircraft was put into serial production, but problems arose during its development in the Air Force. Combat pilots, accustomed to biplanes that were slower and less strict in piloting, did not immediately accept the I-16. After a series of flight accidents (failed takeoffs and landings, careless piloting), which resulted in serious accidents, the new fighter began to be treated with concern. In response to this, five leading test pilots conducted a series of demonstration performances, during which they masterfully performed aerobatic maneuvers (including spins, rolls, flips, loops, etc., as well as synchronized group aerobatics).

The creation in 1936 of the UTI-2 training fighter (a two-seat version of the I-16 type 4) made it possible to increase the safety of mastering the I-16 piloting technique. Soon they believed in the fighter, fell in love with him and began to affectionately call him “donkey.”

Daily operation in combat units showed that the I-16’s concept design contained great technical capabilities even during development. In order to improve the I-16, changes were made that did not affect the design and geometry of the airframe, which made it possible to maintain the fighter at the level of time requirements for a number of years. From series to series, the power (from 480 to 1100 hp) and altitude (from 7130 to 10,800 m) of the engines increased. Weapons changed quantitatively and qualitatively. Different versions could have two or four machine guns; two machine guns and two cannons; four guns. Some modifications carried up to six RS-82 missiles. However, after the changes were made, the weight of the aircraft exceeded 2000 kg.

Over 7 years of serial production (1934-1941), more than a dozen serial and experimental modifications of the I-16 were produced, a total of 8194 vehicles.

By the beginning of the war, the I-16 aircraft was in service in the western districts, accounting for more than 50% of the total number of fighters. The machine, although already outdated, was well mastered by the flight and technical personnel, and remained in service until 1944.

Modifications of I-16

• I-16 type 4. It was put into mass production in 1934. An M-22 engine with a power of 480 hp was installed. (then - M-25). With a flight weight of 1420 kg, the aircraft developed a speed of 362-425 km/h and made a turn in 15 seconds.

• I-16 type 5 with M-25 engine(power 710 hp). It was mass-produced since 1935. The new engine cowling smoothly transitioned to the fuselage, had 9 holes for exhaust pipes and became standard for all subsequent modifications. The propeller was equipped with a fairing. Armament: 2 machine guns in the center section (outside the propeller disk) and 200 kg of bombs on the external sling. Cars of this series were the most numerous.

• I-16 type 10 (1937). An M-25A engine with a power of 730 hp was installed. Armament included two wing machine guns and two synchronized machine guns above the engine (650 rounds each). The new ski chassis was retracted close to the center section. Landing flaps were installed on the wing. The weight increased by 200 kg, but the flight characteristics did not change. A large series was released.

• UTI-4 - (I-16 type 15) (1935)- a two-seat training version of the I-16 type 10. The pilots called it “sparky”. In terms of design and performance characteristics, it was almost no different from a combat aircraft. An M-25A engine with a power of 730 hp was installed. UTI-4 had a maximum speed of 400 km/h. The service ceiling is 9000 m. Some aircraft were equipped with weapons; one of the cabins could be closed with a hood. Not only did young pilots train on the machines, but also experienced pilots trained and mastered “blind” flight. 1,660 UTI-4 aircraft were built. Systematic training on “sparks” increased the skill of flight personnel, reduced the accident rate in combat units and at the same time preserved combat aircraft from premature wear.

• I-16 type 17 (1939) with M-25V engine (750 hp). Two ShKAS machine guns were installed above the engine; ShKAS in the wing were replaced with ShVAK cannons. Up to 200 kg of bombs were suspended. The crutch is replaced by a tail wheel. Produced in series.

• I-16 type 18 (1939)- modification I-16 type 10. Engine M-62 (1000 hp). A two-speed supercharger, a variable-pitch propeller, and 4 ShKAS machine guns were installed. The weight increased by 100 kg. Longitudinal stability on turns and loops, as well as takeoff and landing performance have been improved. Maximum speed - 464 km/h. Produced in series.
• I-16 type 24 (1940)- modification I-16 type 10 and type 18. Engine M-63 (1100 hp). The structure has been strengthened. Two 200 liter external fuel tanks were introduced. Armament: 4 ShKAS machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber. Four ShKAS machine guns and one 12.7 mm BS could be installed under or above the engine. 6 RS-82 shells or up to 500 kg of bombs were suspended. Maximum speed - 489 km/h.

• I-16 type 27 (1940)- cannon version of the I-16 type 18. 2 ShVAK cannons were installed.
• I-16 type 29 (1941)- the latest serial modification of the I-16. Engine M-63. Armament: 2 ShKAS, 1 BS above or below the engine. Up to 6 RS-82s or two 100 liter tanks could be suspended.

Instead of a tail spike, a shock-absorbing wheel was installed. The plane was equipped with a radio station and a photo-machine gun. Flight weight has increased. Depending on the flight altitude, the speed decreased to 419-470 km/h. Performed a turn in 17-19 seconds. Service ceiling - 9800 m.

• I-16 type 28- a cannon version of the I-16 type 24, in which ShVAK cannons were installed in place of the wing machine guns. The most combat-ready modification of the I-16.

Flight technical data of the I-16 fighter

Modification	type 4	type 5	type 10	type 12	type 15	type 17	type 18	type 24	type 27	type 28	type 29
Year of issue	1935	1936	1938	1937	1937	1930	1933	1939	1939	1939	1940
Wingspan, m.	9	9	9,004	9,004	9,004	9,004	9,004	9,004	9,004	9,004	9,004
Height, m.	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,25	3,218
Length, m.	5,86	5,985	6,074	5,985	5,985	6,074	6,074	6,130	6,074	6,130	6,130
Motor	M-22	M-25A	M-25	M-25A	M-25A	M-25V	M-62	M-63	M-62	M-63	M-63
Power, hp	480	730	750	730	730	750	800	900	800	900	900
At altitude, m.	0	2400	2900	2400	2400	2900	4500	4500	4200	4500	4500
93,1	103,5	118	118	100	124	125,5	129	124,2	136,5	130
Flight weight, kg.	1354	1508	1716	1718	1458,2	1810	1830	1882	1807,9	1988	1940
Empty weight, kg.	-	1118,5	1327	1160	1156,2	1425,5	1433,5	1382,5	1335,5	1403,1	196,5
Speed ​​at h=0, km/h	362	390	398	393	398	385	413	410	-	427	419
Speed ​​/ at altitude	346/3000	445/2700	448/3160	431/2400	450/2800	425/2700	461/4400	462/4700	-	463/2000	470/4480
Landing, km.h	107	117	126	129	118	131	134	130,5	131	150	131
Climb time 3000 m, min.	4,4	4 (3400)	3,4	4,36	3,38	4,36	2,9	3,4	-	3,2	3,3
Climb time 5000 m, min.	9,9	7,7 (5400)	6,9	8,9	6,39	8,9	5,4	6,0	-	5,55	5,8
Ceiling, m.	7440	9100	8470	8240	8960	8240	9300	9700	-	9950	9800
Range, km.	680	540	525	520	364	417	485	440	458	-	440
Turn time, sec.	12-14	14-15	16-18	16-17	16-18	17-18	17	17-18	17-18	17-19	16-17
Armament	2 ShKAS	2 ShKAS	4 ShKAS	2 SHKAS, 2 SHVAK	-	2 SHKAS, 2 SHVAK	4 ShKAS	4 ShKAS	2 SHKAS, 2 SHVAK	2 SHKAS, 2 SHVAK	2 ShKAS
Run-up, m.	-	220	260	275	248	280	210	260	230	210	-
Mileage, m.	-	200	288	395 *	278	405 *	475 *	300	405	240	-

* without using brakes or flaps

Design features of the I-16

• Metal tail with fabric covering;
• The wing was covered with canvas and covered with dope;
• An 8-mm armored backrest was installed behind the pilot's seat;
• The sides of the fuselage near the seat had hinged doors;
• Manually retractable landing gear with cable drive from a winch in the cab. The wheels had brakes;
• On the latest series of I-16, the crutch was replaced with a wheel with rubber shock absorption;
• The ailerons had a metal frame covered with fabric. During takeoff and landing, they deviated by 15°, acting as flaps;

Combat use of I-16

I-16 aircraft took an active part in five wars. The fighter underwent combat testing during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1938). In terms of speed and maneuverability, the I-16 had no equal. Only the new one could compete with the Soviet aircraft. During the war, our pilots developed and widely used tactics for separating different types of fighters at altitude. I-16s, being on the “top floor”, with high-speed attacks pushed the enemy down, under the attacks of maneuverable I-15s.

The battles of this period, due to the complete advantage and qualitative superiority of the Bf-109, were defensive in nature. The use of the main tactical technique - formation in a circle - made it possible to reduce losses.

Nevertheless, I-16 pilots continued to win victories over the enemy. Thus, twice Hero of the Soviet Union V.M. Golubev shot down two Bf-109Fs directly over the enemy airfield.

On February 22, on the Kalinin Front, an I-16 unit, while on patrol, discovered at a distance of 10 km a large group of bombers under the cover of eight Messerschmitt Bf-109s. The enemy, stunned by the sudden attack, randomly dropped their bombs and turned back. Four bombers and one Bf were shot down - 109. I-16 had no losses.

Even back in 1942-1943. pilots on I-16 successfully defended the “Road of Life”.

404 I-16 M-25 (types 5, 10, 17) №21 867 1674 716 733 3990 I-16 M-25 (types 5, 10, 17) №153 6 105 264 503 19 897 UTI-4 M-25 №21 424 600 256 1280 UTI-4 M-25 №458 356 83 439 I-16 M-62, M-63 (types 18, 24, 27, 28, 29) №21 407 1607 80 2094

Some statements by combat pilots about the I-16 aircraft are worthy of attention. Thus, it was noted that with the car “it was possible to close a turn around a telegraph pole.” They also talked about the difficulty of piloting. During takeoff and landing, a fighter could make an uncontrolled turn if the pilot did not accurately maintain the direction. This often ended in breakdowns and even accidents. On the other hand, it was taxiing on the I-1b that taught us to maintain direction on all types of fighters. Therefore, the pilots who flew the I-16 subsequently quickly mastered the new technology...

Status withdrawn from service Main operators USSR Air Force Years of production - Units produced 10 292 Images on Wikimedia Commons

1940 is the year of the most massive production - about 2710 cars.

This aircraft gave rise to the I-17 project (the project was frozen) and the promising I-180 - on which Chkalov, and then test pilot T.P., died in the first test flight. Susie.

In 1952, the last I-16s were withdrawn from service with the Spanish Air Force.

Description

The main materials are wood, aluminum, structural steel. A wooden monocoque fuselage (birch veneer covering) of two halves was glued out of plywood and attached with glue (bone or casein) to a power frame (pine or ash) consisting of 11 frames, 4 spars and 11 stringers. The frame was reinforced with steel corners.

The center section included two stacked spars connected to each other by pipes. The center section skin is made of plywood at the front and duralumin at the rear.

The plywood skin of the wing was covered with canvas and then covered with multi-layers of aircraft varnish. Power set of the tail unit (and ailerons) made of duralumin. The controls are covered in canvas. The landing gear legs were retracted manually by rotating the winch wheel (44 revolutions).

The cabin is initially closed, then open. The abandonment of the closed cockpit was partly forced: the canopy was made of insufficiently high-quality material and this impaired the pilot’s visibility; This was partly caused by the complaints of pilots who were accustomed to flying with an open cockpit and were afraid that in the event of an accident they would not have time to open the canopy.

• The aerodynamic design is a low-lift monoplane.
• The landing gear is retractable, with manual drive.
• Additional equipment:
  • hanging tanks
  • RS-82 missiles

Test pilots

• Ekatov, Arkady Nikiforovich
• Stepanchonok, Vasily Andreevich

Main modifications

A total of 10,292 aircraft of all types were produced (excluding production abroad).

Fighting

I-16 in the museum on Poklonnaya Hill.

• - Spanish Civil War. Soviet pilots in cars I-16 type 5 And I-16 type 10 showed good results in battles with German biplanes, and until the advent of the Me-109 they remained the kings of the air. The official name of the aircraft in Franco’s army is “Boeing”, in the Republican troops - Moscow(fly). Unofficially, Luftwaffe and French pilots called I-16 - Rata(rat). 422 I-16s (Soviet-built) fought in the skies of Spain.
• - Second Sino-Japanese War. Deliveries of I-16 to Kuomintang China, about 215 aircraft until 1941. (“Yantzu” - swallow)
• - Khasan battles. I-16s covered the TB-3RN group during the bombardment of Zaozernaya heights.
• - Soviet-Japanese conflict at Khalkhin Gol. Operated together with I-153, according to the military doctrine of those years. According to the plan, the I-16s were supposed to pin down enemy fighters in battle, and the maneuverable Chaikas were entrusted with the task of destruction.
• - The Great Patriotic War . By the beginning of the war, the aircraft formed the basis of the USSR fighter fleet. Many Soviet ace pilots began their service on the I-16.

Aces

Heroes of the Soviet Union Aleksey Alekseevich Malanov, Sergey Fedorovich Dolgushin, Kaberov Igor Aleksandrovich, Golubev Vasily Fedorovich also fought on the I-16.

Production

Data source Maslov M.A., 2008, p. 76.

Factories	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942
No. 39 named after Menzhinsky (Moscow)	50	4	4	-	-	-	-	-	-
No. 21 named after Ordzhonikidze (Gorky)	-	527	902	1881	1070	1571	2207	336	-
No. 153 (Novosibirsk)	-	-	-	6	105	264	503	423	-
No. 458 (Rostov-on-Don)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	356	83
Total	50	531	906	1887	1175	1835	2710	1115	83

I-16 in literature

Nikolai Chukovsky’s novel “Baltic Sky” describes air battles of I-16s against Messerschmitts and Junkers.

The novel by Konstantin Simonov “The Living and the Dead” describes the battle of the Soviet ace Lieutenant General Kozyrev on an I-16 with two Messerschmitts, in which he manages to shoot down the first German, but then he is shot down by the second - the “hawk” was not enough in the battle speed. The ace was forced to fight on an outdated plane, since all the new planes were destroyed by bombing in the first days of the war, as a result of which the battle was lost, and the mortally wounded Kozyrev, mistaking a group of Soviet soldiers for Germans, shot himself. It was made clear that the I-16 was very outdated by that time, and even the aces were sometimes unable to withstand the Germans on them. Also, shortly before this, one of the air battles was described, in which at first one German fell, but then two “hawks” collapsed at once - presumably these were the same “I-16s”, which also bore the unofficial nicknames of “hawks”.

“62 German test pilots came to Shchelkovo to study our aircraft. We spent 3.5 months working on the I-16. Scary car for a beginner. Her eyes are more on the pilot than on the enemy. I was wrong - Khan. The Germans just started flying, and four were killed. The rest gathered and told Bibik (Head of the State Committee of the Armed Forces Research Institute, the best ace at that time, Colonel General): “Let your pilots fly.” This plane is designed only for Russian pilots." - says Soviet ace Ivan Fedorov in the publication “Free Press”

In the book “In Spite of All Deaths,” front-line fighter pilot Lev Zakharovich Lobanov fascinatingly talks about the exploits and victories of Soviet pilots on I-16 aircraft in the first, most difficult months of the war.

Performance characteristics

Data source: Shavrov, 1985, Maslov, 1997.

, kg/m²

TTX I-16 of various modifications
	type 4	type 5	type 10	type 12 I-16P	type 15 UTI-4	type 17	type 18	type 24	type 27	type 28	type 29
Specifications
Crew	1 (pilot)				2	1 (pilot)
Length, m	5,86	5,985	6,074	5,985		6,074		6,13	6,074	6,13
Wingspan, m	9,0		9,004
Height, m	3,25										3,218
Wing area, m²	14,5
Empty mass, kg	961	1 118,5	1 327	1 160	1 156,2	1 425,5	1 433,5	1 490	1 335,5	1 403,1	1 547
Curb weight, kg	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1 353,2	n/a	n/a	1 751	n/a	n/a	1 776
Normal takeoff weight, kg	1 354	1 508	1 716	1 718	1 458,2	1 810	1 830	1 941	1 807,9	1 988	1 966
Payload weight, kg	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	342	n/a	n/a	451	n/a	n/a	419
Fuel weight, kg	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	105	n/a	n/a	190	n/a	n/a	190
Engine	1× M-22	1× M-25A	1× M-25V	1× M-25A		1× M-25V	1× M-62	1× M-63	1× M-62	1× M-63
Power, hp	1×480	1×730	1×750	1×730		1×750	1×800	1×900	1×800	1×900
Flight characteristics
Maximum speed on high, km/h/m	362 / 0 346 / 2 000	390 / 0 445 / 2 700	398 / 0 448 / 3 160	393 / 0 431 / 2 400	398 / 0 450 / 2 800	385 / 0 425 / 2 700	413 / 0 461 / 4 400	410 / 0 462 / 4 700	n/a	427 / 0 463 / 2 000	419 / 0 470 / 4 480
Landing speed, km/h	107	117	126	129	118	131	132	130,5	131	150	131
Practical range, km	680	540	525	520	364	417	485	440	458	n/a	440
Service ceiling, m	7 440	9 100	8 270	8 240	8 960	8 240	9 300	9 700	n/a	9 950	9 800
Rate of climb, m/s	11,4	14,2	14,7	11,5	14,8	11,5	17,2	14,7	n/a	15,6	14,7
Climb time, m/min	3 000 / 4,4 5 000 / 9,9	3 400 / 4,0 5 400 / 7,7	3 000 / 3,4 5 000 / 6,9	3 000 / 4,36 5 000 / 8,9	3 000 / 3,38 5 000 / 6,39	3 000 / 4,36 5 000 / 8,9	3 000 / 2,9 5 000 / 5,4	3 000 / 3,4 5 000 / 5,2	n/a	3 000 / 3,2 5 000 / 5,55	3 000 / 3,3 5 000 / 5,8
Turn time, With	12-14	14-15	16-18	16-17	16-18	17-18	17	17-18		17-19	16-17
Run length, m	n/a	220	260	275	248	280	210	260	230	210	n/a
Run length, m	n/a	200	288	395	278	405	475	300	405	240	93,1	103,5	118		100	124	125	133	124,2	136,5	135
Thrust-to-weight ratio, W/kg	362	353	321	329	360	304	321	353,6	n/a	n/a	350
Armament
Cannon and machine gun	2× 7.62 mm ShKAS		4× 7.62 mm ShKAS	2× 20 mm ShVAK 2× 7.62 mm ShKAS	No	2× 20 mm ShVAK 2× 7.62 mm ShKAS	4× 7.62 mm ShKAS		2× 20 mm ShVAK 2× 7.62 mm ShKAS		1× 12.7 mm UBS 2× 7.62 mm ShKAS

Enemy assessment

« The Luftwaffe study emphasized the superior maneuverability of the I-16 compared to the Bf.109, although it was stated that due to the lag in speed, climb rate and dive characteristics in combat, the I-16 would quickly lose the initiative and be forced to adopt defensive tactics. Only a very experienced pilot could take full advantage of his maneuverability advantage in combat. At high speeds, maneuverability seriously deteriorates. The plane ignited easily when fired from above and from the side." . According to general engineer Otto Thomsen, “ the aircraft's equipment and cockpit design were extremely primitive", and the open cabin was archaic.

Notes

see also

• Project "Link"

Analogues Lists

Gallery

Memory

Commemorative coin of the Bank of Russia.

The Central Naval Museum in St. Petersburg houses the I-16 fighter on which the famous naval pilot, the first sailor during the war years, twice awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, B. F. Safonov, fought in the Arctic.

Notes

Literature

• Maslov M. I-16 fighter. - M.: “Armada”, 1997.
• Maslov M. A. I-16 fighter. The restive “donkey” of Stalin’s falcons. - M.: “Yauza”, “Collection”, EKSMO, 2008. - 176 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-699-25660-0
• Shavrov, V. B. History of aircraft designs in the USSR until 1938. - 3rd. - M.: Mechanical Engineering, 1985. - 752 p.
• Walter Schwabedissen. Stalin's Falcons: analysis of the actions of Soviet aviation in 1941 - 1945. - Minsk: Harvest, 2003. - 525 p. - 5000 copies. - ISBN 095-13-0965-6

I decided to continue assembling WWII aircraft. After building a model of the MiG-Z aircraft, which I wrote about in my feed. I decided to build a model of the I-16. And in my opinion, I succeeded.

The I-16 is built using the same technology as the MiG. I found drawings for balsa on the net and converted them to fit ceiling tiles. Started work. Construction began with the fuselage. Because this is the most difficult and painstaking work. And so I cut out the frames and the platform for them. I made the frames from a double ceiling. The platform for the veneers was also made from a double ceiling. Then I sanded all the parts. And I cut slats from wooden ruler and two 6*6 slats from balsa. I put the frames on the platform. Between the frames I will glue slats of balsa and ruler. Then I installed all the frames with Titan glue. The fifth frame is glued at an angle. I let it all dry. Then I cut the slats to size and glued them in. Reiki sat on cyacrine. Balsa slats are glued along the top and bottom of the veneers. And the slats from the ruler will be glued to the sides.

Next I started making the tail unit. I cut out blanks for the keel and elevator. I will make the tail unit from a double ceiling. For reinforcement, we will glue in carbon fiber rods. On the parts we mark the places for the rods and select the seats.

Then we make a jumper for the steering wheels. I made it from a bicycle spoke. I cut it out at the location of the recess for the jumper and glued it in. Then he proceeded to install the elevators. I prefer to use serpyanka.
Having marked the bend line of the rudders, I glued the serpyanka and pressed it with an iron through a sheet of paper.

Then I glued all the parts together and put them under the press. We ended up with these blanks. Let’s wait until it dries.

After everything has dried, we proceed to the cuts where the elevators bend. Having marked the space, I carefully cut through the ceiling to the serpentine on both sides. Then I cut the corners at 45%.
And this is what I got.

Then I started covering the fuselage with the ceiling. I cut out the blanks. And he bent the ceiling using a rolling pin and a hairdryer.

And I glued all the parts onto the fuselage.

While the fuselage was drying, I started making the main wing. I made it from penoplex using a heated string.

I glued balsa slats onto the leading edge of the wing. the slats will also serve as an amplifier. I cut out places for the ailerons.
And I also glued the slats. You can see them in the photo. I glued the slats onto cyacrine. After everything is glued. I sanded the wing blanks and shaped the leading edge.

Then somehow I didn’t do it neatly, I broke the aileron blank. I had to make the ailerons from a double ceiling. I made the wingtips from foam plastic. Then I hung the ailerons and glued both consoles together. This is what the wing looks like at the moment.

Then I started attaching the wing to the fuselage. The wing will be screwed on at the back, and there will be two pins in the front of the wing. Unfortunately, I got so carried away with the work that I forgot to take a photo.

I cut out blanks for the fairings. It took a very long time to adjust. Then he began installing the fairing blanks in place. Having laid the salafan on the krill, I installed the wing in place. I laid the salafan so that the fairings would not stick to the wing.
And glued the lower parts of the fairing to the fuselage. But not completely. I'll glue the back edges tomorrow when the front part is glued.

Yes, I forgot to tell you about the amplifier that I glued into the console.

Then he continued to finish the wing fairings.

And in the end this is what happened.

I made roundings on the bottoms of the wing.

The wing was made removable. I made two pins on the leading edge. And the wing is attached to a polyethylene bolt. Well, I collected everything to the heap. In the end, this is what happened.

Well, I started adding the filling.

Swing 980mm

Flight weight 690 grams.

I installed all the filling in the nose, since the donkey has a problem with centering.

Then I started covering it with paper. The paper I used was graph paper bought at a craft store. glued it to the aqualac. Like this one.

In terms of strength it is better than using PVA glue, but it is worse when processed with sandpaper. Well, then I painted it with acrylic paints. Well, this is the I-16 I got. Sorry, colleagues, for such a brief outline of the construction. Only the rest of the photos disappeared somewhere.

All you have to do is figure out how to make a lantern and you’re done. And here is the rest of my collection. Soviet aviation during the Second World War.

Now we’ll take a break and I want to start building a model of the La-7 aircraft. And of course, a video of the first flight. Launching by hand, since it is no longer possible to take off from the snow. Yes, and sorry for the quality of the video.

On the eve of the war, the most popular fighter in the Soviet Air Force was the I-16 aircraft, which was nicknamed “donkey” or “donkey” by the pilots. As of June 1, 1941, the five western military districts (Leningrad, Baltic, Western Special, Kyiv Special and Odessa), which were to be the first to meet the enemy, were equipped with 1,771 aircraft of this type. This accounted for more than 41% of the total number of fighters concentrated on the western border of the Soviet Union (4226 vehicles). The percentage of I-16s in naval aviation was approximately the same: in the air forces of the Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets there were 334 “donkeys”, that is, about 43% of the total number of naval fighters (776 aircraft).

I-16 developed in 1933 under the leadership of aircraft designer N.N. Polikarpov, was a very advanced and promising machine for its time. It was a cantilever low-wing aircraft of mixed design with a nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine and main landing gear retractable into the wing. It is worth noting that the in-flight landing gear retraction system was used on this fighter for the first time in the world. The wing center section was made of duralumin, including the skin. The wing consoles, stabilizer, fin and control surfaces had a duralumin power set with a fabric covering (on later modifications the front part of the consoles was covered with duralumin). The fuselage was a wooden “shell” glued onto a blank of birch veneer and reinforced from the inside with an openwork frame made of pine frames and stringers. The engine was attached to a motor mount welded from steel pipes, and the outside was covered with removable duralumin hoods.

Throughout its history, the I-16 was modernized many times; new versions of this vehicle appeared and were put into service almost every year. Let us dwell on those of them who happened to take part in the Great Patriotic War. Comprehensively complete information about the pre-war presence of “donkeys” in units, broken down by modification, has not been preserved, but based on the available data, we can conclude that the majority of them (about 40%) were the later and most advanced representatives of the I-16 family from 900 - strong M-63 engines, designated “type 24” and “type 29”. In second place in number (approximately 22%) were the old and rather worn-out “donkeys” of the 5th and 10th types with low-power 730-horsepower -25 engines. Even fewer (about 18%) were cannon I-16s of types 17, 27 and 28. The remaining 20% ​​were mainly two-seat trainers UTI-4.

The main and most dangerous air opponent of the I-16 in the Patriotic War was the German fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 - an all-metal cantilever low-wing aircraft with a retractable landing gear, a closed cockpit and a two-row 12-cylinder V-shaped liquid-cooled engine. Created in 1934, almost simultaneously with the I-16, before the start of the war with the Soviet Union, it also managed to undergo a number of modernizations, primarily with the aim of improving flight characteristics.

Leaving the pre-war versions out of the picture, we note that by June 1941, the front-line units of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) had two modifications of this fighter - the Bf 109E and Bf 109F, which, in turn, were divided into several submodifications. Of the total number of 1026 single-seat Messerschmitts concentrated near the Soviet borders by the evening of June 21, 579 (56.4%) were the latest versions - Bf 109F-1 Bf 109F-2, launched into mass production at the beginning of 1941. Ibid. there were 264 earlier Messerschmitts Bf 109E-4, E-7 and E-8. Another 183 aircraft of obsolete E-1 and E-3 models were part of the so-called combat training groups, which were considered parts of the second line and, as a rule, did not take part in combat operations.

Starting a comparison of the flight technical, combat and operational data of the I-16 and Bf 109, it should be noted that both of these machines were created at the end of the “biplane era” that reigned in world fighter aviation for almost two decades. Both of them seemed to stand out from the general range of their contemporaries, and this was explained primarily by the fact that their creators sought, first of all, to achieve the highest speed and rate of climb, although such a desire to a certain extent prevented the provision of good horizontal maneuverability and takeoff and landing characteristics.

This contradicted the concept of air combat that was then dominant in the minds of aviation theorists as a “tight” battle at close ranges, in which each participant strives to “remaneuver” the enemy on turns in order to get behind him and take an advantageous position for aimed shooting. This was the main tactic of fighters in the First World War, which received the nickname Dog Fight in English-speaking countries. But both Messerschmitt and Polikarpov understood that such tactics would fetter the pilot, deprive him of initiative, and besides, a highly maneuverable but not very fast fighter would not be able to intercept bombers, whose speeds increased sharply in the early 30s of the 20th century.

Hence the desire of both designers to reduce aerodynamic drag as much as possible, which was expressed in the choice of the same design of a strutless cantilever monoplane, the use of a closed cockpit (although Polikarpov later had to abandon it) and retraction of the landing gear.

However, this is where the similarities between the projects ended and the differences began. Polikarpov decided to take the path of maximally “shrinking” the geometric dimensions of the car in order to reduce weight and reduce aerodynamic drag. The result was perhaps the shortest fighter of the Second World War with a thick, barrel-shaped fuselage.

Of course, this is partly due to the use of a radial engine, which is much shorter than an in-line engine, but has a wide “forehead”. However, nothing prevented Polikarpov from moving the engine forward, lengthening the nose and, accordingly, the tail of the aircraft to make the fuselage more elongated and streamlined. Meanwhile, the designer “shortened” the car deliberately. He believed that in this way frictional resistance would be reduced by reducing the area of ​​the wetted surface. Polikarpov considered an additional advantage of such a scheme to be improved maneuverability by reducing the spread of mass relative to the center of gravity and the short reach of the stabilizing and steering surfaces. Despite the desire for speed, Polikarpov did not want to deprive his product of the ability to conduct maneuverable air combat, especially since the Air Force leadership and the majority of combat pilots did not approve of this. For the same purpose, according to the designer’s plan, the “donkey” had a rear centering (more than 30% of the average aerodynamic chord), which made it more maneuverable and sensitive to the slightest movement of the handle.

In addition, Polikarpov did not dare to sharply reduce the size and area of ​​the I-16 wing relative to the “biplane” values ​​of the specific load per unit area of ​​the load-bearing surface. This again made it possible to maintain good horizontal maneuverability and a relatively short takeoff and landing distance even without the use of wing mechanization, because the I-16 initially had neither flaps nor flaps. The functions of the flaps in early modifications were partly performed by hovering ailerons, which synchronously deflected down upon landing, thereby increasing the curvature of the profile, but during combat maneuvering such use was impossible. Starting with the I-16 type 10, landing flaps appeared on the aircraft, but their design was unsuccessful; during flight, the flaps were “sucked away” by the air flow, which sharply reduced the speed of the aircraft. In addition, when the flaps were extended, control became difficult, the plane lifted its nose, and when they were retracted, it “fell” down. As a result, at airfields these flaps were often locked in the raised position, and the drive mechanisms were removed.

Nevertheless, the I-16 still managed to achieve what was considered a completely acceptable combination of maneuverability speed. The main production modifications accelerated to 450-470 km/h and turned in 16-18 seconds. It’s just that the methods by which this combination was achieved can hardly be called optimal. As already mentioned, Polikarpov sought to reduce friction drag by reducing and shortening the I-16 fuselage to the limit, but the disproportionately large wing and tail of the vehicle minimized the result of his efforts, adding also excessive profile drag. In addition, the short, thick fuselage with a flat frontal cut, which only slightly refined the propeller spinner, contributed to an increase in pressure resistance. But in the end, the maximum speed of the I-16 turned out to be much lower than what could be expected with a given aerodynamic design and engine power. The speed was further reduced by the absence of a cockpit canopy, which, starting with the 10th modification, had to be replaced with simple visors in response to the pilots' complaints about cramped conditions in the cockpit and demands for improved visibility.

On top of that, the extremely rear centering made the plane excessively “fidgety”, unstable and very difficult to pilot. The I-16 suffered from so-called yaw, it was difficult to drive in a straight line, and this made aiming very difficult, leading to frequent misses and increased ammunition consumption.

Wili Messerschmitt took a different approach to resolving the contradiction between speed and maneuverability, and this is immediately noticeable even with a quick glance at the Bf 109 and I-16. The German aircraft designer, earlier than many others, realized that an in-line liquid-cooled engine is more profitable for a high-speed fighter. Although such engines with radiators and associated units are usually heavier than radial engines of equal power, they have a very important advantage - a nice “specific forehead” (the ratio of cross-sectional area and developed power), which makes it possible to reduce the drag coefficient of the machine, and therefore - increase speed.

Messerschmitt was not bothered by the fact that a water-cooled engine is more vulnerable than an air-cooled one. Combat damage to any element of the cooling system (cylinder jackets, pipelines, pumps, radiator) leads to fluid leakage, rapid overheating and engine shutdown. Air-cooled “stars,” on the contrary, can work for a long time even with several holes in the upper or side cylinders, although, of course, they lose a lot of power (shots in the lower cylinders are more dangerous for them: the engine soon “jams” due to oil leakage).

Based on the elongated shape of the engine, the German aircraft designer designed a fighter with a thin spindle-shaped fuselage, sharply contrasting with the “browed” and short-haired “donkey”. It is no coincidence that Soviet pilots, when they first saw the Messerschmitt, immediately gave it the nickname “thin”. A comparison of the numbers gives an equally vivid picture. The fuselage of the “one hundred and ninth” is almost three meters longer, and the specific load on the wing is on average one and a half times higher than that of the Polikarpov machine. If the I-16 had (depending on the modification) from 93 to 136 kg of take-off weight for each square meter of the load-bearing surface, then the Bf 109 had from 111 to 210 kg. In particular, the Bf 109E-4 and F-2, with which the I-26 in 1941-1942, had, respectively, 159,163 kg/sq.m. At the same time, the load per unit of power of the Messerschmitt engine is also higher, although not so significant: Bf 109E-4N - 2.22 kg/hp; Bf 109F-2 - 2.23 kg/hp. I-16 type 24 - 2.09 kg/hp; I-16 type 29 - 2.15 kg/hp.

Here it is necessary to make one clarification: in an extremely simplified form, the flight characteristics of an aircraft depend on two main parameters: the specific load on the engine power and the specific load on the bearing surface area. The first parameter affects the speed and rate of climb, the second - horizontal maneuverability. In other words, the lower the power load (other things being equal), the faster the aircraft gains altitude and the higher the level flight speed it can achieve. And the lower the load on the wing area, the faster and with a smaller radius it turns.

Of course, there are many other conditions (the aerodynamic quality of the machine, the efficiency of the propeller, the ratio of areas and angles of deflection of the control surfaces, the magnitude of the loads on the controls, the presence or absence of wing mechanization, etc.) that influence (and sometimes quite significantly) the flight data. But the two proportional criteria indicated in the previous paragraph are still considered fundamental. We will build on them in further analysis, making adjustments for certain additional factors if necessary.

The “donkey” pilots could only passively defend themselves, dodging attacks due to the good maneuverability of their aircraft, and mutually cover each other, forming a “defensive circle.” It was not for nothing that this type of air combat was used so often by them, as both Soviet and German pilots pointed out.

To what has been said, we can add that the Messerschmitt, again due to better aerodynamics and greater weight, accelerated faster in a dive, and therefore German pilots always had the opportunity, in an unfavorable situation for themselves, to leave the battle and break away from pursuit. However, in fights with I-16, there was, as a rule, no need to use this technique. Even with numerical superiority, the Soviet I-16 pilots could not fight the Messerschmitts in an active attacking manner. They could only rely on the surprise of their attack (similarly, on January 16, 1943, a “donkey” that suddenly jumped out from behind a cloud shot down the famous German ace Alfred Graslavski), or on the mistakes and inattention of the German pilots.

All of the above applies to an even greater extent to the later modification of the Messerschmitt - the Bf-109G, with which the I-16 had to fight in 1942 - 1943, at the end of its “career”.

In terms of onboard armament, most Messerschmitts were also superior to Donkeys. The Bf-109E-4 had two wing-mounted 20 mm MGFF cannons and two synchronized 7.92 mm MG-17 machine guns. The mass of a second salvo was approximately 2.37 kg. The most widespread modification of the I-16 type 24 was armed with two synchronous and two wing-mounted ShKAS machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber with a total mass of a second salvo of 1.43 kg. The I-16 type 29 carried three synchronized machine guns: two SHAKS and one large-caliber 12.7-mm BS. The mass of a second salvo of this fighter is even less - 1.35 kg.

The Bf 109E's superior firepower was compounded by the I-16's already mentioned instability in flight, which made it more difficult for its pilot to hit the target. "Messerschmitt", on the contrary, was considered a very stable and stable "weapons platform". In addition, the machine gun ammunition of the German fighter was 1000 rounds per barrel (plus 60 rounds per gun), while the I-16 had 450 rounds for each ShKAS and 250 for the BS.

The “cannon” modifications of the I-16 - type 17, 27, and 28 had weapons similar to the Messerschmitt Bf109E-4 - two wing-mounted 20-mm ShVAK cannons and two synchronized Shkas rifle-caliber machine guns under the hood. However, due to the higher rate of fire of Soviet air machine guns and air cannons, the mass of a second salvo was higher - 3.26 kg. Unfortunately, relatively few of these “donkeys” were produced - 690 of them, and not all of them “survived” to see the war with Germany, and they were used mainly as attack aircraft against ground targets.

However, the weapons of the “Frederick” were much weaker than those of the “Emil”. In order to lighten the vehicle, the Germans abandoned the wing guns, replacing them with one motor cannon installed between the engine cylinder blocks and firing through the hollow propeller axis. On the Bf 109f - 1 it was the same MGFF as on the ground, and on the F02 they installed a new 15-mm MG-151/15 cannon with 200 rounds of ammunition. Compared to the MGFF, it had a higher rate of fire and better ballistic characteristics. Nevertheless, the mass of the fighter's second salvo dropped sharply, amounting to only 1.04 kg for the Bf109A-2, that is, even less than that of the purely machine-gun modifications of the I-16.

True, the effective firing range of the MG-151 was higher than that of the ShKAS, and in addition, starting with the modification of the Bf 109F-4, the Messerschmitt had the opportunity to install two additional MG-151/20 (MG-151/15) cannons under the wings with a main barrel of 20 mm caliber) in special streamlined containers. The containers were easily suspended and removed in the field by airfield personnel. This modification increased the weight of the fighter's second salvo more than threefold - up to 3.6 kg. However, it worsened its flight performance and, according to pilots, had a negative impact on controllability.

When comparing the combat potentials of the I-16 and Bf-109, it is necessary to dwell on one more important point. By the beginning of World War II, all Messerschmitts were radio-equipped and had on board completely reliable and trouble-free FuG-7 transceiver radio stations. This allowed German pilots to coordinate their actions during battle, warn each other about danger or detection of targets, and also receive commands and target designations from ground-based aircraft controllers. The vast majority of Soviet pilots did not have this opportunity. Indeed, out of almost three thousand “donkeys” in service with the Soviet Air Force at the beginning of June, the RSI-3 “Eagle” radio stations had no more than one and a half hundred. And although the I-16 Type 29, produced in 1940, had special compartments for radios behind the cockpits, almost all of them were empty because the radio factories could not provide the supply.

And on those few machines on which the Eagles were installed, it was almost impossible to use them due to the low reliability and poor noise immunity of these stations. Despite the fact that their range, according to factory documentation, was 150 km, due to interference created by the engine ignition system and other aircraft electrical equipment, the actual reception range usually did not exceed 30 km, and pilots usually heard only crackling and hissing in their headphones ..

Comments 1 : 05.03.2019 15:06 It remains to explain one “paradox”: in 1941-42, air units armed with the Yak-1 and LaGG-3 “knocked out” faster than those who fought in “donkeys”. It was the Yaks and LaGGs that topped the list of combat losses, but these were aircraft built on the “ideology” of the Bf-109! In terms of their performance characteristics, the I-16 of the latest series and the Bf-109E were approximately equal, if only because with similar engine power, the Emil was almost a quarter heavier. The German's speed advantages were revealed at altitudes of more than 5 km, where air battles rarely took place. : 10.09.2018 20:26 I quote Nikolai Ivanovich But Gereng’s vultures also felled on I16m. It was not for nothing that they nicknamed him the rat. And the order was issued from a distance for the Luftwaffe not to get involved in a single battle. They were afraid of the bitches. They should have let 185 into the series. And not this trash YAK1.7.9.LAGG3.LA5.7. God, what a fool you are. : 19.03.2017 21:32 I quote Dormidont Evlampevich Certainly. The Bf-109, for example, had an unsuccessful chassis design and there were plenty of losses during takeoffs and landings. After the war, a group of pilots was returning home and at one German airfield they discovered a whole Messerschmitt. One of our pilots tried it. On takeoff it’s like a snake, on landing it’s as easy as on the Po-2. No wonder Baron Munchausen is from the Germans. But the Germans specifically destroyed planes. : 19.07.2016 19:59 I quote Kldim absolutely right. Once Pokryshkin almost put on trial one of the experienced pilots who claimed 2 were shot down, when it turned out that he had expended 7 shells (although 37mm shells are theoretically possible). when one of the German aces was told that he spent 100 shots from cannons and machine guns to shoot down almost an entire squadron, those around him admired and only... comments are unnecessary - they take the gentlemen at their word))) : 19.07.2016 10:31 You are probably right - here I screwed up... But still, for some reason the Germans really don’t believe it... Knowing the genetic greed and slowness of our bureaucracy, you believe ours! If only the “rear rats” were worthy of admitting 63 shot down!!! They PAID real rubles for each... It’s more likely that there were more people shot down, they just hogged the rest of the loot!... But with the Germans, everything has a touch of some kind of infantile fanfare... What a show-off... Emelya’s shallows, like, Truman allows it. ..

Did not allow a serial fighter to exceed the speed limit of 500 km/h. For some time it was believed that higher performance could be achieved with the new M-64 engine, which had a takeoff power of 1200-1300 hp. Designers expected the appearance of the M-64 (there was also an M-65) until 1941, but this engine, which was the last single-row nine-cylinder star, was never completed.

I-16 type 24 fighter being tested at the Air Force Research Institute.

I-16 type 24 fighter being tested at the Air Force Research Institute.

I-16 type 24 fighter being tested at the Air Force Research Institute.

I-16 type 24 fighter being tested at the Air Force Research Institute.

Fighter I-16 type 24 with outboard gas tanks in the parking lot.

Parking of I-16 fighters of the 4th Guards Aviation Regiment of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet at the Novaya Ladoga airfield. The short-range fighter in the photo is I-16 type 24, squadron commander, Guard, Senior Lieutenant G.D. Tsokolaev. The photograph was taken, presumably, in the spring of 1942. During the war years, G.D. Tsokolaev flew more than 500 combat missions. He stormed enemy troops and equipment more than 100 times, destroyed 10 boats with crews in the Baltic Sea, shot down 26 enemy aircraft in air battles (6 personally and 20 in a group), and conducted 82 reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines. By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated June 14, 1942, for the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown, Gennady Dmitrievich Tsokolaev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. (No. 651).

I-16 type 24 fighter in the parking lot. Budogoshch airfield. Leningrad Front, 1942

Fighter pilot Boris Safonov and photojournalist Evgeny Khaldey at the Vaenga airfield. A photo with the background of the plane of Senior Lieutenant Alexander Kovalenko - I-16 type 24, tail number 11 “For Stalin!”, serial number 24Р21891. Military unit - 72nd SAP (mixed aviation regiment) of the Northern Fleet aviation. On top of the fuselage behind the cockpit there is a PAU-22 photo-machine gun, which was not common at that time. This photo is also interesting because in a couple of minutes there will be a raid of German planes on the airfield and a machine-gun burst will fall literally a few steps from the photographer.

Pilots N.F. Murashov A.G. Shirmanov and technician N.P. Starostin for the release of the Combat Leaflet. In the background is an I-16 type 24 fighter. July 1941.

In the background is an I-16 type 24 fighter in the parking lot.

I-16 type 24 taxis to the start.

I-16 type 24 fighter on display at the aviation museum.

Cockpit of I-16 type 24 fighters.

Cockpit of I-16 type 24 fighters.

Cockpit of I-16 type 24 fighters.

Cockpit of I-16 type 24 fighters.

Cockpit of I-16 type 24 fighters.