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During the Spanish Civil War, Spanish military aviation was divided into the Spanish Republic Air Forces (Fuerzas Aéreas de la República Española-FARE), created by the republican government and the National Aviation (Aviación Nacional), created by the army in revolt.
At first, the republican air forces had the control of the majority of the territory using the Soviet Polikarpov I-16, but the help received by Francisco Franco from Nazi Germany (Condor Legion) and Fascist Italy (Aviazione Legionaria) changed this.
In July 1936, the first German Junkers Ju-52 and Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM-81 arrived. In August Fiat CR-32 and Heinkel He-51 fighters were also deployed. These planes helped the army in revolt to gain full control of the air.
The first serial plane rolled out factory assembly lines mid –summer 1934, and tested from august the 28th. So I wouldn't call that late in 1934, in my own English.Polikarpov I-15 (Chato/Curtiss)
Rehabilitated in the eyes of the Soviet hierarchy by the success of the I-5, Polikarpov initiated design of a potential successor, which, as the TsKB-3 (this designation indicating Tsentralnoye konstruktorskoye byuro, or Central Design Bureau), flew in October 1933. Powered by a Wright SGR-1820-F-3 Cyclone nine-cylinder radial rated at 715hp at 2130m, it was of mixed construction and embodied such refinements as I-type interplane struts, the upper wing "gulled" into the fuselage and cantilever mainwheel legs. Exceptional handling and manoeuvrability re-suited in immediate series production as the I-15 with deliveries of the initial model commencing late in 1934.
Both N°1 and N°39 factories delivered 94 (101 from factories records) planes in 1934 mainly fitted with American Wright Cyclones, the first batch of 50 engines being available since April 1934.This was powered by a 480hp M-22 engine and carried an armament of two 7.62mm guns. A total of 404 M-22-engined I-15s was delivered before, in 1936, the imported Cyclone engine became available,
In 1935 it (the Cyclone) was intended to be replaced by soviet licence made M-25, 660 being delivered from Perm factory at the end of the year. In the meantime M-25 was sometimes replaced by the older M-22 in assembly lines, in order to maintain production, the time for M-25 to be delivered later.this being installed in 59 aircraft before the licence-built version of the Cyclone, the M-25 rated at 700hp at 2300m, was delivered for installation in the final 270 I-15s, production being completed in 1937.
Some 40 late-production I-15s were fitted with twin 12.7mm guns rather than the quartet of 7.62mm weapons.
All produced Chaïka with 4 PV-1 even if replacement by 2-4 even 6 ShKAS was sometimes suggested, and no back seat armor at least for those delivered for spain. Might be retrofitted later in units?In the meantime, armament had been doubled to four 7.62mm guns and an armoured (9mm) seat fitted.
Popularly known as the Chaika (Gull), an epithet resulting from its "gulled" upper wing, the I-15 fought in Spain to where 155 were delivered.
.Popularly known as the Chaika (Gull), an epithet resulting from its "gulled" upper wing, the I-15 fought in Spain to where 155 were delivered
287?During the Spanish Civil War the CASA Getafe factory was located in the Republican zone, it was relocated to Alicante and then opened another in Sabadell (at the end of the war CASA production returned to Getafe). CASA manufacture of the Russian Polikarpov I-15 biplane fighter producing 287 aircraft before that civil war ended.
4 PV-1 machinegunsI-15 was a small biplane fighter, etc... Armament included pair of synchronized PV-1 machineguns and 40kg of bombs (overload).
might be interestingly or not, the first plane only carried 39 - 3 numbers on tail, stricltly no VT letters.[/QUOTE]Interestingly, the tail of the first TsKB-3 carried same letters VT as the VT-11 prototype of the I-5.
Flight tests were performed in October-November 1933 by V.P.Chkalov. The second prototype - on skis - was flown in December. During continuous dive one of skis was lost, and aircraft turned over during landing.
Series production of I-15 started. Early series were powered by Wright-Cyclone engine. Planned production of its license version M-25 was delayed, and during 1934-36 few hundred of I-15 were equipped with M-22. Interestingly, low altitude performance did not suffer despite less powerful engine was used. Since 1936 all production aircraft had M-25 engine, demonstrating improved performance at high altitudes. Production aircraft carried four PV-1 machineguns or (in 1938) pair of 12.7mm BS heavy machineguns.
Stripped etc...As a result N.N.Polikarpov had to convert design back to conventional wing. This conversion forced production delay in 1936 (only 12 I-15 rolled out). But while large series with straight wing started in 1937 (picture below), extensive airdynamic tests at TsAGI proved advantage of the gull wing at high speeds. As a result in 1938 I-15 production continued with (modified) gull wing.
When the Spanish Civil War broke out, almost 500 were put into service with the Republicans. The outstanding maneuverability, firepower and rate of climb, surprised the enemy leading to the opposition nickname of Rata (Rat) and the friendly name Mosca (Fly). Equipped with the Soviet 20 mm cannon it was the most powerful aircraft weapon in front line service with any nation on the eve of World War II. It had a very high rate of fire and was extremely reliable. At this point the I-16 might well have faded into obscurity, if not for the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. This war drew support from all over the world. The Nationalists, supported mainly by German and Italian forces, were the better equipped. Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia and Turkey all sent an assortment of aircraft to the Republican forces, directly or indirectly. But by far the major supporter of the Republicans was the Soviet Union, which supplied 1,409 of the 1947 aircraft contributed by other countries. 475 of these aircraft were Polikarpov I-16s.
They first entered combat in Spain in November 1936. Flown in many cases by Soviet pilots, they proved more than a match for German Heinkel He-51 fighters and Arado Ar-68, but met their equals in the Italian C.R.32 biplanes and were overpowered by Messerschmitt Bf 109s. From March 1937, all remaining I-16s were concentrated into Fighter Group 31, and this was by far the most successful of all Soviet-equipped units.
The "Mosca" of the picture is flying with the foundation "Infante de Orleans" in the airfield of Cuatro Vientos, Madrid. There are only five airworthy Moscas in the world, and one of them is flying here..... we are lucky after all. Soon I will prepare a thread about this foundation and its planes.
03-09-2010, 04:10 PM
Polikarpov I-16 Mosca/Rata
When the Spanish Civil War broke out, almost 500 were put into service with the Republicans.
The outstanding maneuverability, firepower and rate of climb, surprised the enemy leading to the opposition nickname of Rata (Rat) and the friendly name Mosca (Fly). Equipped with the Soviet 20 mm cannon it was the most powerful aircraft weapon in front line service with any nation on the eve of World War II.
It had a very high rate of fire and was extremely reliable. At this point the I-16 might well have faded into obscurity, if not for the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. This war drew support from all over the world. The Nationalists, supported mainly by German and Italian forces, were the better equipped. Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia and Turkey all sent an assortment of aircraft to the Republican forces, directly or indirectly.
But by far the major supporter of the Republicans was the Soviet Union, which supplied 1,409 of the 1947 aircraft contributed by other countries.
Equals on what? Moscas were virtually as nimble as Fiats in serial turning (ToT, but not radius) circles but 100 km/h faster and much better on verticals...They first entered combat in Spain in November 1936. Flown in many cases by Soviet pilots, they proved more than a match for German Heinkel He-51 fighters and Arado Ar-68, but met their equals in the Italian C.R.32 biplanes.
Overpowered by what? They were at the same speed category, (the Mosca was faster at low alts from 0 to 3000m, then advantage went to the 109). But this is rather a narrow margin story, in fact, the "Khudoï" (skinny) as soviets pilots baptized the BF 109 was hugely inferior in manoeuvrability matters.and were overpowered by Messerschmitt Bf 109s.
Maybe Gruppo 21, much later? All a can say, in march 1937 there were only 17 remaining Moscas from the 31 ones that reached Spain in november, 7 in repear, 7 lost for all kind of reasons. The "Aviaescadrilia" was commanded by K Kolesnikov, with two remaining "aviaotriad" (squadrons). No Gruppo number was mentionned from russian archives. Most planes had overpassed their engines TBO on that moment, and were avaiting spare-parts. A strange moment for FARE to be that interested in Moscas, and gave them (why not?) Gruppo (what for?) numbers...From March 1937, all remaining I-16s were concentrated into Fighter Group 31, and this was by far the most successful of all Soviet-equipped units.
Attached ImagesThe "Mosca" of the picture is flying with the foundation "Infante de Orleans" in the airfield of Cuatro Vientos, Madrid. There are only five airworthy Moscas in the world, and one of them is flying here..... we are lucky after all. Soon I will prepare a thread about this foundation and its planes.