Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Rata

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Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Rata

Courtesy Flying Heritage Collection, Seattle, Washington USA.
edited by David Barth, 2 March 2013. Photos were taken by David Barth in July 2010.

Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Rata.
The text is transcribed, below.

The I-16Rata (rat) was the world's first single-wing fighter plane with retractable landing gear. It was not a particularly fast or nimble aircraft, but after its debut, the bi-winged, linen-skinned fighter became a thing of the past.

In 1927, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin demanded a technically superior fighter for the Red Air Force. Designers Nikolai Polikarpov and Dmitri Grigarovich were ordered to create one "under state supervision," while in prison.

The resulting I-16was small, light, and easy to build. Its rugged, all-wood fuselage and metal wings also made the I-16easy to maintain under battle conditions. The plane could withstand tremendous amounts of damage while still remaining airworthy.

For all its simplicity, the I-16 was a difficult plane to fly and it would frequently stall. It had engineering quirks that did not endear it to its pilots. For example, it was extremely difficult to squeeze in and out of the cockpit, and the hand crank that raised and lowered the landing gear required 45 turns.

By World War II, it was evident that the Rata had become technologically obsolete, but it continued to serve on the Eastern Front until 1943.

STATISTICS

ITEM SPECIFICS

Crew 1

Length 20 feet, 1 inch

Wingspan 29 feet, 6 inches

Height 7 feet, 5 inches

Empty Weight 3,049 lbs.

Engine 1 radial engine

Engine Power 900 hp (670 kW)

PERFORMANCE

ITEM SPECIFICS

Maximum Speed 290 mph

Range 275 miles

Ceiling 31,800 feet

Rate of Climb 2,900 feet/minute

ARMAMENT

ITEM SPECIFICS

Guns 4 x 7.62mm machine guns

Bombs Up to 220 lbs.

Rockets 6 x rockets

Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Rata.

Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Rata.