Polikarpov I-16

Polikarpov I-16 History

Before and during WWII, the Polikarpov I-16 fighter proved to be a fairly small attacker. The system initially fought in the Spanish Civil War, with further battles during the Soviet invasion of Finland and the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

Despite outperforming more powerful and advanced aircraft, the system eventually provided support until 1943.

The I-16 looked a lot like part of a racing car, with an open-air cockpit, large radial piston engine cases, and a short, short fuselage design. Combine the inherent speed of a small aircraft with a large engine and an array of 4 x 7.62mm machine guns, cannons or rockets and you have a decent Defender and/or Aggressor aircraft.

The I-16 provided extensive service to the Soviet Union throughout the war, both in the war of aggression against Finland and in the defense of the homeland against the Third Reich. China has used this type extensively in its campaign against Japanese aggression in the Far East, and the system will eventually bode well, with production of just over 7,000 units.

By 1943, the system was deemed too impractical to continue in use because the aircraft outperformed every new fighter developed around it, and the system was withdrawn from Soviet front-line service. There are other variants, including torpedo dive bombers and dual-control trainers, as well as upgraded models along the way.

In the end, the I-16 proved to be an excellent fighter for a while - at least for the first few years of the war - with excellent handling, maneuverability, and small size and good point of attack firepower.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes