1939: Polikarpov I-153 v.s. Mitsubishi A5M4 "Claude"

[ShVAK]

We know that the I-153 was introduced by 1939, in time for the Khalkhin Gol border disputes in Mongolia. It was up against the Ki-27 "Nate," a fixed gear IJAAF fighter which dominated the original I-15 bis and early I-16's. From the limited info I've come across it appears the I-153 did fairly well and at least achieved parity with the Nate, and the later I-16 variants beat it handily.

In the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) the A5M "Claude," another fixed gear fighter from the IJN, participated from the war's onset and Japanese pilots proved themselves the better of Chinese Boeing P-26's and at least held their own against the faster and more heavily armed I-16's fielded by the Soviet forces. However, there seems to be no data on whether the I-153 was ever pitted against the Claude.

So it's hypothetical time for these two early war fighters, who would be the victor? Here are the specs:

Polikarpov I-153 Chaika

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 6.17 m (20 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 10.00 m (32 ft 9½ in)
Height: 2.80 m (9 ft 2¼ in)
Wing area: 22.14 m² (238.3 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,452 kg (3,201 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,960 kg (4,221 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,110 kg (6,652 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Shvetsov M-62 radial engine, 597 kW (800 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 444 km/h (243 knots, 280 mph) at 4,600 m (15,100 ft)
Cruise speed: 297 km/h (160 knots, 184 mph) at 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Range: 470 km (254 nmi, 292 mi)
Service ceiling: 10,700 m (35,105 ft)
Rate of climb: 15 m/s (2,985 ft/min)
Climb to 1,000 m (3,300 ft): 0.85 min
Climb to 7,000 m (23,000 ft): 8.3 min

Armament

Guns: 4 × 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, 2,600 rounds of ammunition total

Mitsubishi A5M4 "Claude"

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 7.55 m (24 ft 9¼ in)
Wingspan: 11.0 m (36 ft 1 in)
Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 17.8 m² (191.6 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,216 kg (2,681 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,705 kg (3,759 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 1,822 kg[19] (4,017 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Kotobuki 41 9-cylinder radial engine, 585 kW (785 hp) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft)

Performance

Maximum speed: 440 km/h (237 knots, 273 mph) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft)[19]
Range: 1,200 km (649 NM, 746 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,800 m (32,150 ft)
Rate of climb: ??
Wing loading: 95.87 kg/m² (19.6 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.34 kW/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns: 2× 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns (0.303 in) fuselage-mounted machine guns

 

[steve51]

Although he doesn't give any details of the operations of I 153's in China, Mikhail Maslov states that 100 I 153's were sent to China from Oct 37 to Sep 39 along with 216 I 16 and 347 I 15/I 15bis. It seems strange if they were never used since they were superior to the I 15bis.

 

[Juha]

According to Nedialkov's In the Skies of Nomonhan (2005 2011) Ki-27 was faster (468 vs 426 km/h) and climbed slightly better (5.3 vs 5.7min to 5000m) than early I-153s. VVS lost 145 combat a/c in air combats or to AA and JAAF 88, this incl. 130 and 63 fighters respectively. The fighter losses by type table gives a slightly different figures, according to that table VVS lost in aerial combat 88 I-16s, 16 I-153s and 56 I-152 and JAAF 62 Ki-27s and 3 Ki-10s. But one must remember that the losses were most lobside early in combat, the first combat of I-153s was on 27 Jul. Because VVS strongly reinforced its forces in area, committed besides I-153s newer models of I-16 and sent units reinforced with pilots and leaders with recent combat experience from the Spanish Civil War losses became more even from July onwards and in Sept the tired and badly outnumbered JAAF units in the area suffered greater losses than VVS.

Juha

 

[Vincenzo]

For Hakans page chinese I-153 were deployed in very late 1940 and go in combat the 14th march 1941.

 

[ShVAK]

For Hakans page chinese I-153 were deployed in very late 1940 and go in combat the 14th march 1941.

Anything about losses/victories? I'd like to see those numbers.

 

[Vincenzo]

look you Hkans Aviation page Sino-Japanese Air War 1941

 

[ShVAK]

Can't find anything about I-153 v. Claude, some engagements where I-153's tangled with A6M's and got mauled pretty bad (big surprise ). Looks like most of the A5M's were pulled from China by '41.