Pyro, prop mass and ammo load of the I-16.

[Wmaker]

Hi Pyro!

I flew the I-16 a bit recently and noted similar symptoms in the handling characteristics of the I-16 as there were with the Brewster before you reduced its prop mass. It has a similar tendency to try swapping ends in low speed maneuvering. Again, many of the symptoms are very similar to the rotary engined fighters of the WWI expansion. One good way to note the existence of these effects is to flying the plane normally first and then clip the prop to the runway with high enough speed to have time to test the difference with a couple turns. Overall it makes the plane rather unpleasant to fly over the top of low speed immelmans for example.

Here's a film of the "swapping ends" type of a departure these gyroscopic effects seem to be causing: I-16 departing

The problem is that I haven't seen any physical data on the AV-1 prop of the I-16. If Brewster's prop with the spinner weights 262lbs I would guess that the I-16's two bladed prop is around 2/3rds of that but unfortunately I don't have any hard data about that. Brewster's prop had hollow blades, somehow I don't think AV-1's blades were that "fancy" but I could be wrong. It seems like the diameter was smaller but again, I don't know the diameter either.


Another thing I wanted to mention is the ammo load. Its currently 90rpg. Most sources that I've read mention 150rpg including books written by one of the leading authorities on Russian/Soviet aviation, Mr.Yefim Gordon (Polikarpov's I-16 Fighter - Its Forerunners and Progeny). Admittedly, I don't have any primary source documents at hand to prove this. All I can say is that most sources list the ammo load as 150rpg and that some of them are fairly reliable like Mr.Gordon. There indeed are couple Internet sources that list the load as 90rpg.

[STXAce8]

Thanks maker, I do love the I16 and if the 20mms could have 150 rpg that would be awesome! 

[Mister Fork]

Hi Pyro!

I flew the I-16 a bit recently and noted similar symptoms in the handling characteristics of the I-16 as there were with the Brewster before you reduced its prop mass. It has a similar tendency to try swapping ends in low speed maneuvering. Again, many of the symptoms are very similar to the rotary engined fighters of the WWI expansion. One good way to note the existence of these effects is to flying the plane normally first and then clip the prop to the runway with high enough speed to have time to test the difference with a couple turns. Overall it makes the plane rather unpleasant to fly over the top of low speed immelmans for example.

Here's a film of the "swapping ends" type of a departure these gyroscopic effects seem to be causing: I-16 departing

The problem is that I haven't seen any physical data on the AV-1 prop of the I-16. If Brewster's prop with the spinner weights 262lbs I would guess that the I-16's two bladed prop is around 2/3rds of that but unfortunately I don't have any hard data about that. Brewster's prop had hollow blades, somehow I don't think AV-1's blades were that "fancy" but I could be wrong. It seems like the diameter was smaller but again, I don't know the diameter either.


Another thing I wanted to mention is the ammo load. Its currently 90rpg. Most sources that I've read mention 150rpg including books written by one of the leading authorities on Russian/Soviet aviation, Mr.Yefim Gordon (Polikarpov's I-16 Fighter - Its Forerunners and Progeny). Admittedly, I don't have any primary source documents at hand to prove this. All I can say is that most sources list the ammo load as 150rpg and that some of them are fairly reliable like Mr.Gordon. There indeed are couple Internet sources that list the load as 90rpg.

Wmaker - Let me check my WWII library sources (it's quite extensive) and see what I can find on the I-16 loadouts.  I'll also heck my encyc set of WWII Aircraft I have at home.  I've got 10,000+ pages of WWII equipment spec and operational usage references.

[Wmaker]

Wmaker - Let me check my WWII library sources (it's quite extensive) and see what I can find on the I-16 loadouts.  I'll also heck my encyc set of WWII Aircraft I have at home.  I've got 10,000+ pages of WWII equipment spec and operational usage references.

Thanks Mister Fork!

I've read a few sources myself but coudln't find anything. I have couple sources that might have something but they are in Russian and that's "a dialect" I can't handle very well.