Originally posted by Karnak
I-16s, Gladiators, I-153s and CR.42s?
Hey... I WANT the I-16... so here we go with my little I-16 spiel again...
I've been begging for this thing forever.
The Polikarpov I-16 was produced in both high and low wing monoplane versions, both with and without enclosed cockpits, and in both single and two set trainer versions. Quite the versitile airframe.
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
Built from 1933 through 1941 with over half still in service in 1943 the Polikarpov IL-16 was a historically significant aircraft. I was the worlds first monoplane fighter, the first with retractable landing gear, and the first with a closed cockpit (some versions). It was built in many varients over it's lifespan but the type 24 was the most used varient in WWII. The type 28 replaces two of the 7.62 mm ShKAS with to 20mm ShVAK cannons.
