The store will not work correctly when cookies are disabled.
This website may use cookies to store information on your computer. Some help improve user experience and others are essential to site function. By using this website, you consent to the placement of these cookies and accept our privacy policy.Learn more.
The Polikarpov I-16 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of revolutionary design; it was the worlds first low-wing cantilever monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear to have attained operational status and as such represents a significant advance in fighter design. The I-16 was introduced in the mid-1930s and formed the backbone of the Soviet Air Force at the beginning of World War II. The diminutive fighter, nicknamed "Ishak", "Ishachok" ("Donkey", "Burro") by Soviet pilots, prominently featured in the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Battle of Khalkhin Gol and the Spanish Civil War.
Light and easy to build, the I-16 was both practical and exceptional. Early variants were known for their aerobatic capabilities, including a 1.5 second barrel roll, and later versions lay claim to the title of fastest production fighter, with superior climb rates and a top speed of 282 mph.