Polikarpov I-16
Pic @
http://www.orgsites.com/ca/cafsocalphoto/01.jpgFrom the site
http://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.co.nz/article_2006.asp?id=aircraftIn the Soviet Union, the I-16 was one of the most famous and loved aeroplanes. First flown in December 1933, it was the first fighter in the world to go into service combining cantilever monoplane wings with retractable landing gear. Blooded in the Spanish Civil War, the I-16 also saw service with the Chinese as well as becoming the mainstay of the Russian Air Force. Operated by them against the Japanese and in the Winter War against Finland, by 1941 the I-16 was still the most numerous Russian fighter. The German attack on Russia was to be the swan song for this nimble aircraft and many were destroyed on the ground. A total of 7,005 singleseat and 1,639 two-seaters were produced.Six wrecks were restored in Russia for Sir Tim Wallis and are the only flying examples in the world.
From
http://www.aviation-history.com/polikarpov/i16.htmlSpecifications:
Polikarpov I-16 Type 18
Dimensions:
Wing span: 29 ft. 6.5 in (9.18 m)
Length: 6.13 m (20 ft 1.25 in)
Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m)
Weights:
Empty: 3,110 lb. (1,412 kg)
Operational: 4,034 lb (1,831 kg)
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 288 mph (463 km/h)
Service Ceiling: 29,500 ft. (8,998 m)
Range: 500 miles (805 km)
Powerplant:
Shvetsov M-62R 1,000 hp 9-cylinder radial.
Armament:
Two 7.62 mm machine guns with two 20 mm cannon.
From Wikipedia:
Specifications (I-16 Type 24)
General characteristics
Crew: one pilot
Length: 6.13 m (20.1 ft)
Wingspan: 9.00 m (29.5 ft)
Height: 2.25 m (7.38 ft)
Wing area: 14.54 m² (156.5 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,383 kg (3,049 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,882 kg (4,149 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 2,050 kg (4,520 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Shvetsov M-63 air-cooled radial engine, 670 kW (900 hp) driving a two-blade propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 460 km/h (290 mph)
Range: 440 km (275 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,700 m (31,800 ft)
Rate of climb: 14.7 m/s (2,900 ft/min)
Wing loading: 129 kg/m² (26 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.36 kW/kg (0.22 hp/lb)
Armament
4× fixed forward-firing 7.62 mm (.30 cal) ShKAS machine guns, a total of 3,100 rounds of ammunition.
6× RS-82 rockets or up to 100 kg (220 lb) of bombs
As an FYI about half of all produced I-16s were still in service in 1943 when they were finally replaced.
I'd rather see the Type 18.