# Polikarpov Fighters (Pic heavy)



## Nightwitch (Feb 22, 2009)

Here is the I-15bis at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, VA:


























































I-153























































































































































I-16:


































































































































































I apologize for my poor camera skills, but I hope these pics give you some impression of the beauty of 1930s Soviet fighter aircraft. I'm in love with the I-16, it's so wonderful in person.


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## Micdrow (Feb 22, 2009)

Great pictures there Night Witch. Many thanks!!!!


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## BombTaxi (Feb 22, 2009)

Great pics! I presume from the labelled instrument panels and modern looking seatbelts that these a/c are still flyable?

And do you have any info about the Spitfire in the background of the I-15bis shots? I have never seen a code like that before


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## Nightwitch (Feb 22, 2009)

These are, as far as I know, still flyable airplanes. Nearly every AC at the Military Aviation Museum is flyable. However, I don't think they get a lot of stick time since being brought in from New Zealand.

As to the Spitfire, I don't know anything about it, other that it is a MkIXe. I didn't intentionally take any pics of it. Sorry.


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## GrauGeist (Feb 22, 2009)

Great detail shots, Nightwitch! 

Thanks for posting them!


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## BombTaxi (Feb 22, 2009)

Nightwitch said:


> These are, as far as I know, still flyable airplanes. Nearly every AC at the Military Aviation Museum is flyable. However, I don't think they get a lot of stick time since being brought in from New Zealand.
> 
> As to the Spitfire, I don't know anything about it, other that it is a MkIXe. I didn't intentionally take any pics of it. Sorry.



Thanks for the info. They are excellent shots in any case 8)


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## Nightwitch (Feb 22, 2009)

BombTaxi said:


> Thanks for the info. They are excellent shots in any case 8)



Thanks. I was actually so focused on the Polikarpovs that I didn't even see that blue and yellow glider until I saw it in some of the photos today. I saw the placard right next to the I-16 for the glider and was like "Oh I guess they moved it." I didn't even think to look directly above me, and every time I glanced in its direction my gaze was riveted to the I-16.


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## FLYBOYJ (Feb 22, 2009)

Great Photos! It looks like they are original airframes restored of course, I heard about these aircraft but never knew they were all brought to the US. I think an I-16 was at Camarillo (Eric could shed some light on that) I'm wonder if that was the same one.

The glider is a TG-3 I think.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Feb 22, 2009)

Great shots Night Witch. Isn't the museum on Princess Anne Road. I use to work at Colonial Chevrolet not far from there. Thanks for posting.


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## Nightwitch (Feb 22, 2009)

Aaron Brooks Wolters said:


> Great shots Night Witch. Isn't the museum on Princess Anne Road. I use to work at Colonial Chevrolet not far from there. Thanks for posting.



Yeah, 1341 Princess Anne Road. It's kind of tucked away off the road, but it has a nice paved drive, pretty easy to find once you get out there.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Feb 22, 2009)

Now that I think about it, I believe I looked at it the other night on Google Earth. Small grass field with several large hangers on sight. Next time I'm out there visiting friends I think I'll go out and have a look if they will let me.


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## Venganza (Feb 22, 2009)

Great pictures, Nightwitch! I've seen that I-153 in person, at the Wings Over Houston Airshow several years ago. Amazing - never thought I'd see one in person, much less flying. I also saw a Rata, although it wasn't painted like the one here. That I-15bis is great - I'd love to see that - I didn't know there was one in the U.S. By the way, from where I'm sitting now, I can see an old model of mine, an I-153 done in winter camouflage. I may have to get another one to do in that wonderful green over silver scheme though. I also have a Rata coming in the mail, probably this week, that I'll probably do in a winter scheme also. That'll go with my I-153, my Li-2 and my 3 Shturmoviki all done in various winter schemes. As you may have guessed from this and previous posts, I'm a bit of a GPW fanatic (actually pretty much all Soviet planes from the '20's to the present).

Venganza


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## Nightwitch (Feb 22, 2009)

Venganza said:


> Great pictures, Nightwitch! I've seen that I-153 in person, at the Wings Over Houston Airshow several years ago. Amazing - never thought I'd see one in person, much less flying. I also saw a Rata, although it wasn't painted like the one here. That I-15bis is great - I'd love to see that - I didn't know there was one in the U.S. By the way, from where I'm sitting now, I can see an old model of mine, an I-153 done in winter camouflage. I may have to get another one to do in that wonderful green over silver scheme though. I also have a Rata coming in the mail, probably this week, that I'll probably do in a winter scheme also. That'll go with my I-153, my Li-2 and my 3 Shturmoviki all done in various winter schemes. As you may have guessed from this and previous posts, I'm a bit of a GPW fanatic (actually pretty much all Soviet planes from the '20's to the present).
> 
> Venganza



Hey, that's fantastic! I tried modeling as a kid but I wasn't patient enough for it really. I might try it again, but I have a feeling I'll just end up gluing my fingers together. Still, I'd love to do a Pe-3bis, maybe as a night fighter, as there's a kit that does that. Plus, the Yak-1b in Lily Litvyak's colors is also a nice choice. I'd love an I-16, maybe Pokryshkin's MiG-3, there's just too many to choose from. Nice to see another big fan of the Soviet stuff.

This museum is running on airshow in May call Warbirds over the Beach. They may (or may not) have the Russian fighters flying for that. They also have a MiG-3 coming in the mail, as I understand it. So I'll definitely drop back by to see their MiG-3.


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## Gnomey (Feb 23, 2009)

Excellent pics, thanks for sharing.


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## Geedee (Feb 23, 2009)

Thats a great set of shots there !. Love the internal shots.

I've attached a shot of one these querky looking little planes taken here at Flying Legends at Duxford...didn't get any decent flying shots (more's the pity !)... for comparison on markings and general paint.


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## Lucky13 (Feb 23, 2009)

Great pics! Love those tiny Polikarpovs!


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## Nightwitch (Feb 23, 2009)

I love that I-15bis photo, Gary. Thanks for posting it!


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## Milos Sijacki (Feb 23, 2009)

I-153.... my favourite WW 2 biplane.

Nice photos there, excellent job.

Cheers


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## Venganza (Feb 24, 2009)

Nightwitch said:


> Hey, that's fantastic! I tried modeling as a kid but I wasn't patient enough for it really. I might try it again, but I have a feeling I'll just end up gluing my fingers together. Still, I'd love to do a Pe-3bis, maybe as a night fighter, as there's a kit that does that. Plus, the Yak-1b in Lily Litvyak's colors is also a nice choice. I'd love an I-16, maybe Pokryshkin's MiG-3, there's just too many to choose from. Nice to see another big fan of the Soviet stuff.
> 
> This museum is running on airshow in May call Warbirds over the Beach. They may (or may not) have the Russian fighters flying for that. They also have a MiG-3 coming in the mail, as I understand it. So I'll definitely drop back by to see their MiG-3.



The Peshka's on my short list of kits to get. Doing Lily Litvyak's Yak-1b - now there's an idea. I like the later Yaks more (I'm doing a Yak-9M now), but I might just have to do that Yak-1b. You mention a MiG-3 - is that original and/or flyable?!

Venganza


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## Geedee (Feb 24, 2009)

Hope you dont mind but I've added a few shots from the CAF Airsho' last year.

This one didn't actually leave the ground during the weekend....real shame !...but to give the ground crew credit, they where working flat out on her in the sun !.


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## Wurger (Feb 24, 2009)

Cool stuff here.THX for uploading.


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## Nightwitch (Feb 24, 2009)

Venganza said:


> The Peshka's on my short list of kits to get. Doing Lily Litvyak's Yak-1b - now there's an idea. I like the later Yaks more (I'm doing a Yak-9M now), but I might just have to do that Yak-1b. You mention a MiG-3 - is that original and/or flyable?!
> 
> Venganza



The MiG-3 coming to the museum is, as far as I am aware, both original and flyable. It is, at the very least, flyable. They have some pics of it in flight at the museum but they haven't brought it to the states from Russia just yet. I'm really looking forward to it. The MiG is a beautiful plane and it is also highly underrated. It wasn't the best performer at the beginning of the war, but if aces like Pokryshkin liked it, then there was definitely something to it.


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## Nightwitch (Feb 24, 2009)

Geedee said:


> Hope you dont mind but I've added a few shots from the CAF Airsho' last year.
> 
> This one didn't actually leave the ground during the weekend....real shame !...but to give the ground crew credit, they where working flat out on her in the sun !.



Thanks again for the photos, Gary. I'll take as many I-16 photos as you can throw at me. Besides, I think you've got this warbird photography thing down better than I do.


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## gekho (Jan 5, 2010)

I would like to contribute to this thread with these pictures; a Polikarpov I-16 Mosca/Rata (Fly/Rat) and a Polikarpov I-153, both of them based in Spain. The first one belongs to "Fundacion Infante de Orleans", Madrid, and the second one is owned by "Fundació Parc Aeronàutic de Catalunya", Sabadell. Both of them were adquired to the New Zealand pilot and entrepreneur Tim Wallis' Alpine Fighter Collection.

You can find more pictures here: AviationCorner.net - Fotografía aeronáutica - Punto de encuentro para spotters en español

PD: The Polikarpov I-153 Chaika never took part in the Spanish Civil War


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## imalko (Jan 5, 2010)

What great photos! Thanks to all contributors for sharing them with us.


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## evangilder (Jan 5, 2010)

Yes, we had an I-16 visit Camarillo a couple of years ago, but it was a different one. Neat stuff, Nightwitch.


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## wheelsup_cavu (Jan 6, 2010)

Great photos!


Wheels


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## Night Fighter Nut (Jan 22, 2010)

Nice photos. I like seeing all the upclose detail. I saw that one of the planes had Elena written on it (I can read Russian). Was this plane one of the Night Witches planes?


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## Night Fighter Nut (Jan 22, 2010)

Saw an I-16 in St. Petersburg a couple of years ago at the Naval museum. They had it hanging on the ceiling, I think I have a picture of it somewhere. I'll post it if I can find it.


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