Polikarpov I-16
The Polikarpov I-16 was designed in 1933. The first flight of the prototype took place at the turn of 1933 and 1934, and in 1934 the first I-16s were put into service. However, it turned out that the take-off distance of the aircraft was too long, which required the restoration of airports, and that it was difficult to pilot it. To make matters worse, the landing gear was hidden by a hand lever, which required the pilot to turn the crank 44 times.
Despite these shortcomings, the aircraft was very modern. Depending on the model, the weapons included: 2 SzKAS machine guns and 1 7.62mm BS machine gun or 2 20 mm SzWAK guns and 2 SzKAS machine guns and 1 7.62mm BS machine gun, 200-kilogram bombs or 6 unguided RS-82 missiles. He reached a speed of 462 km per hour.
In 1935, a two-seat unarmed UTI-4 training variant was developed. A total of 6,555 vehicles were built in both versions (or 7 005 + 1 639 ).
In 1936, the I-16 began to be delivered to Spain, with a total of 259 aircraft. The last of them served in training units until 1955. In 1937, some of the aircraft arrived in China during the war with Japan. I-16 then participated in the wars with Japan, Poland, Finland and Germany. After the wars in Spain and Finland, some cars fell into the hands of the Nazis. These fighters served in the Red Army until 1943 in infantry units and until 1946 in training units.
Polikarpov I-15 bis / I-152
The Polikarpov I-15 bis (I-152) was a development of the I-15 project. It had only a few differences in the design of the upper wing, cabin and was equipped with a different engine. The prototype first flew in 1937. The armament still consisted of 4 machine guns and up to 100 kg of bombs or unguided rockets. The maximum speed has increased to 375 km/h.
A total of 2,408 fighters of this type were produced, and they were the main equipment during the war with Poland, Finland and in the first months of the war with Germany.
Polikarpov I-153 Seagull
The design of the I-153, an analog of the I-152, was based on the I-15 fighter. The prototype, designated I-15 ter, took off in 1938. The main changes were the attachment of the upper wing directly to the fuselage and the installation of a retractable landing gear. This increased the maximum speed to 427 km per hour.
The first I-153s entered the army in early 1939 and were used in the war with Japan, which helped the USSR achieve air superiority. The latter were used as early as 1942. During this period, several different models were created: the BS, armed with two 12.7mm machine guns, the P, armed with two 20mm cannons, and the I-190 with a more powerful engine.
A total of 3,437 I-153s were built. They also served in China. The 1xbet welcome package includes 130% bonus on initial deposit, limited to €130. This offer applies to newly registered accounts making qualifying deposits. The 1xbet promo code bonus amount will be credited following the established procedures. Various restrictions apply to bonus usage. The promotion has expiration date. Full terms published on the platform.