About the fighter and 16 bis. History of creation

I-16 (TsKB-12), nicknamed donkey, donkey - Soviet single-engine piston monoplane fighter of the 30s, created at the Polikarpov Design Bureau.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The I-16 fighter, due to its characteristic silhouette, is probably familiar to everyone and everyone, especially the older generation. At one time, these small planes could be said to be media stars of the era, they starred in films, twisting unimaginable figures and capturing the imagination of the audience, flocks of I-16s filled children's books, and quite often the plane appeared on posters depicting the leaders of the mighty Soviet state. It is no exaggeration to say that the I-16 fighter was the most famous, popular and beloved military aircraft in the USSR.

The I-16 fighter was designed and built in the design bureau of N. N. Polikarpov in 1933. This aircraft was created as a high-speed fighter - a monoplane of a new generation, which at the same time had to have high combat maneuverability. The resulting aircraft was a free-carrying monoplane with retractable landing gear, and was small in size, which provided it with small moments of inertia when performing aerobatics. But in reality, it turned out that the rear balance (more than 30%) and small dimensions made the aircraft unstable in flight, which required more attention from the pilot, as the aircraft reacted to the slightest movement of the handle. But the pilots who were able to master the sophisticated control of the I-16 well, as a rule, mastered other machines without any problems.

Aircraft designer Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov

On December 31, 1934, an experienced I-16 fighter, under the control of the famous test pilot V.P. Chkalov, made its first flight.

On tests, the aircraft showed excellent speed characteristics. And already in 1934, the I-16 was put into mass production. The fighter had many modifications, after each modification, the speed, ceiling and armament (including rapid-fire aircraft guns and rockets, which was the first time on fighters) of the aircraft constantly increased. Since 1936, the I-16 began to be produced with a more powerful M-25A engine. From about that time, various modifications of the I-16 began to be designated as a type of aircraft. So the I-16 version with the M-25A engine was called the I-16 type 5. Until 1937, the USSR was the only country in the world that had high-speed fighters in service.

Despite the fact that the new fighter flew and climbed much faster than all its predecessors, the pilots of the I-16 combat units did not cause much enthusiasm. It was thanks to the high speed that the new fighter was much more difficult to control, he did not forgive the pilots even the slightest mistakes, which the low-speed biplanes simply “did not pay attention to”. As a result, there were several serious accidents, which further undermined the credibility of the new high-speed monoplane.

But there were also pilots who immediately saw in the new combat vehicle a new milestone in the development of a fighter aircraft. Such pilots were, for example, fighter pilots Pyotr Stefanovsky and Stepan Suprun, who decided to prove to their colleagues that the I-16 has no equal in combat qualities: speed, maneuverability, rate of climb ...

… The legend goes like this: This demonstration performance was like a circus trick. Hundreds of pilots who had gathered at the test airfield watched with surprise as the pilots for some reason tied the wings of five I-16 fighters with bright red ribbons. A short run - and the five soars into the air. The dizzying cascade of aerobatics was done so smoothly and cleanly that not one of the four ribbons turned out to be torn!

This sensational performance of the "red five" and subsequent demonstration flights in the Air Force changed the attitude of the pilots to the new aircraft. The pilots realized that the new aircraft required a qualitatively different approach.

Fighter I-16 in the classroom at the Air Force School of the Red Army

I-16 received its baptism of fire in Spain during the civil war. The Republicans nicknamed the I-16 "Mosca" (Fly), and the Nazis - "Rata" (Rat). The first batch of I-16s arrived in Spain on October 25, 1936. The first battle took place on November 9, our fighters got out of it without loss. In the skies of Spain, they were fought with the enemy by Soviet volunteer pilots, as well as Spanish pilots who had been trained.

I-16 with identification marks of the Spanish Republic.

In October 1937, the I-16 with the pilots went to China. On November 21, 1937, the first battle of the I-16 with the Japanese took place (Nanjing region). The first combat loss of the I-16 in the Sino-Japanese war (during the bombing, the plane of Kao Chi-Khan, the commander of the IV tattoo, was destroyed, the pilot died.
October 1937 Departure of the first I-16s with pilots to China
November 21, 1937 The first battle of the I-16 with the Japanese (Nanking area). The first combat loss of the I-16 in the Sino-Japanese war (during the bombing, the plane of Kao Chi-Khan, the commander of the IV tattoo, was destroyed, the pilot died)

March 1, 1938 Start of official deliveries of I-16s to China.
March 1938 The first I-16 captured by the enemy (Spain, I-16 type 5)
March 1938 Start of deliveries of I-16 type 10 to Spain.
March 23, 1938 The first battle of I-16 type 10: four enemy aircraft were shot down without loss.
May 31, 1938 Anton Gubenko's ram in the sky of China.
August 1938 Construction of I-16 RCF-54 fighters in Spain
October 20, 1938 Flight of captured I-16 type 5 in the Luftwaffe test center in Rechlin.

May 1939. A deserter pilot flew an I-16 to Western Manchuria, the aircraft was captured by the Japanese and circled.
May 22, 1939 The first collision of the I-16 with Japanese fighters during the conflict at Khalkhin Gol. One I-16 was shot down, pilot I. T. Lysenko died.
June 22, 1939 A turning point in the air war at Khalkhin Gol.
August 11, 1939 A protocol was signed between the USSR and China on the construction of an I-16 assembly plant in the Urumqi region.
August 20, 1939 The first combat use of aircraft rockets. In the area of ​​the Khalkhin-Gol conflict, pilots of a flight of missile-carrying fighters consisting of five I-16s fired RS-82 shells at Japanese fighters from a distance of about a kilometer. Two enemy aircraft shot down.

Soviet pilots next to the I-16 fighter at Khalkhin Gol

Until the end of the 30s, when new modern high-speed Messerschmitt Bf-109E and Hurricane MK-1 appeared, wherever the high-speed I-16 fought, it had superiority over enemy aircraft

December 1, 1939 The first air battle between the Red Army Air Force and Finnish aviation. Losses of the parties - one I-16 and one Bristol Bulldog. January 10, 1940 The last victory of the Soviet volunteers on the I-16 in China (pilot K. Kokkinaki)

May 1, 1940 Three I-180S take part in the parade over Red Square.
May 5, 1940 I-16 fighters from the 67th IAP shot down a Romanian "Hurricane"
September 13, 1940 The first battle of the I-16 with the Japanese fighter A6M "Zero" (China, Kuomintang Air Force).

June 22, 1941 I-16 and Messerschmitt met again in the sky. At 3.30 am, over Brest, a flight of Lieutenant Mochalov (33rd IAP ZapVO) shot down one Bf.109 (perhaps the first in this war). At around 0400 Oberleutnant Oleinik (JG.1) shot down an I-16 (the first air victory for the Luftwaffe during the Great Patriotic War).
June 24, 1941 The first victory of the Northern Fleet Air Force: Squadron commander Senior Lt Safonov (72nd SmAP) shot down a German Ju.88 bomber in an I-16 type 24.
June 25, 1941 The first victory of the KBF Air Force: the pilot-inspector of the 13th IAP Captain Antonenko shot down a German Ju.88 bomber in an I-16 type 29.
On July 8, 1941, I-16 pilots Mikhail Petrovich Zhukov, Stepan Ivanovich Zdorovtsev and Petr Timofeevich Kharitonov (all from the 158th IAP of the LenVO) were the first in the Great Patriotic War to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
On September 8, 1941, UTI-4 was captured by the Finns in the area of ​​the Svir River. Now it is in the Aviation Museum in Helsinki and is the only surviving I-16 in the world.

1942 The first donkeys entered service with the Mongolian Air Force.
June 6, 1943 Presumably the last victory of the I-16 in China (over the Burma road, the commander of the 41st Chantai, Chen Zhaoji, shot down a Japanese army fighter Ki.43 "Hayabusa").

November 28 - December 1, 1943 Two squadrons of I-16 fighters of the 481st IAP carry out the task of air escorting the Soviet delegation led by I.V. Stalin to the meeting of the allies in Tehran.
April 1943 The 4th GvIAP KBF, one of the most successful I-16 regiments, was retrained for the La-5 fighter.

Mid-1945. The 888th IAP of the Far Eastern Front, the last I-16 regiment in the USSR, was retrained for the P-63 Kingcobra fighter.

FIGHTER I-16

The I-16 aircraft had a mixed design. The fuselage was of wooden semi-monocoque type with a frame of four pine spars, eleven frames and stringers. Sheathing was glued from veneer and consisted of two parts, attracted to the frame with glue and nails. The finished fuselage was covered with fabric, carefully puttied and sanded.

The two-spar wing consisted of a center section and a pair of detachable consoles. The spars of the truss structure were welded from steel pipes. Ribs made of duralumin profiles. The toe of the wing was sheathed with sheet duralumin, and the entire wing with percale. On the I-16 aircraft (type 24), the wing was sheathed with plywood on top. Ailerons of a large area occupied the entire rear edge of the consoles. During takeoff and landing, they worked like flaps with a downward deviation from neutral by 15 °.

Tail plumage - metal with linen sheathing. The keel and stabilizer are duplex. The rudders, as well as the ailerons, had tubular spars.

Chassis - retractable, pyramidal type, with liquid-gas depreciation. The wheels had shoe-type brakes with a mechanical drive from the pedals. The cleaning system was manual, driven by a winch located on the starboard side of the cabin, very complex and unreliable due to the abundance of cables, rollers, clamps and other elements.

The crutch is controlled, with rubber lamellar depreciation. The control of the crutch and rudder is cable, the elevator and ailerons are rigid, tubular rods and rocking chairs.

The power plant is a nine-cylinder radial engine with a metal propeller. The pitch of the aluminum alloy propeller could be changed on the ground. The I-16 was operated with several engines - from the M-22 with a capacity of 480 hp. With. up to M-62 and M-63 with a capacity of 1 thousand liters. With.

The armament initially consisted of two ShKAS wing-mounted machine guns, to which two more synchronous ones were subsequently added. Starting with the I-16 (type 17), 20 mm ShVAK guns were installed instead of wing machine guns.

The color of the I-16 aircraft was the most diverse, but the most common variant had a green camouflage color on top and light blue on the bottom.

	Fighter
Developer:	Brigade No. 2 TsKB
Manufacturer:	No. 39 (Moscow) No. 21 (Nizhny Novgorod) No. 153 (Novosibirsk) No. 458 (Rostov-on-Don)
Chief designer:	Polikarpov N. N.
First flight:
Start of operation:
End of operation:	1952 (Spain)
	Withdrawn from service
Main operators:	Soviet Air Force Air Force of the Spanish Republic
Years of production:
Units produced:

Description

test pilots

Major modifications

fighting

Production

I-16 in literature

Enemy score

Surviving copies

Images

I-16 (TsKB-12), (nicknames: ass, donkey, rata(Spanish) rat), mosca(Spanish) fly) (among the Spanish Republicans)) - a Soviet single-engine piston monoplane fighter of the 30s, created at the Polikarpov Design Bureau. The world's first mass-produced high-speed low-wing aircraft with retractable landing gear.

Story

By the summer of 1933, the aircraft, which received the working designation TsKB-12, was taking on real features. The low-wing aircraft with a spindle-shaped fuselage, a closed cockpit canopy and a retractable landing gear was presented in two versions of the engine cowl: with the Townend ring and the NACA cowl. As a power plant, the designer considered the American Cyclone engines of the Wright company to be the most acceptable. Introduced in 1925, the Cyclones were continuously improved and by 1933 they were one of the most promising engines in the world. Moreover, the Wright motors of the "Wirelwind" series had already been purchased by the Soviet Union and were very successfully operated on ANT-9 passenger aircraft. Negotiations were also held on the purchase of Cyclones, however, it was very problematic to obtain them for an initiative project, which was the I-16. Under these conditions, Alksnis suggests Polikarpov to focus on the already existing M-22 engine, which, although it was rather weak, nevertheless fully provided the required speed according to the calculations - 300 km / h at an altitude of five kilometers.

Since June 1933, the development of TsKB-12 has been in full swing. The military is closely following the creation of the aircraft - an inspection of the wooden model of TsKB-12 in November finally convinces them of the correctness of the choice. It is concluded that the designed fighter fully complies with the requirements for it - especially in terms of maximum speed. Already on November 22, 1933, the Council of Labor and Defense of the USSR (STO) decides to launch the I-16 into serial production.

In the meantime, the aircraft designer is seeking to obtain one Wright-Cyclone F-2 engine (low-altitude version) and decides to build a second prototype of the TsKB-12 with this engine. By the end of 1933, both options were ready. Outwardly, the planes did not have any differences - both large-lobed fat men with NACA hoods. On the TsKB-12 with an American engine, however, there was a three-blade propeller "Hamilton Standard". Since the Russian winter was in full swing, the cars were mounted on fixed skis. Although this "aerodynamic disgrace" did not allow to comprehend all the advantages of the TsKB-12, it made it possible to start test flights immediately.

On December 30, 1933, Valery Chkalov, test pilot of the No.39 aircraft plant, first flew the TsKB-12 with the M-22 engine. After the New Year holidays, the debut of the second car took place. Chkalov considered the new aircraft difficult to fly, it was difficult and unusual to fly it. The whole of January was the refinement of the aircraft, during this period the main factory tests were carried out. Already in February 1934, both prototypes were prepared for the first stage of the State tests.

Their goal was to obtain the main flight characteristics and the final decision on launching into mass production. On February 16, test pilot Kokkinaki began flying on an airplane with an M-22 engine, another test pilot from the Research Institute, Stepanchonok, tested the car with the Wright-Cyclone on the same day. They flew on skis. The weather in that February did not spoil the testers - constant low cloud cover, flights were often postponed for this reason. But still, the main conclusions were made, and on February 25-27, the cars were handed over to the factory to eliminate deficiencies and prepare for more thorough tests on a wheeled chassis. What was found out from the planes that flew for several hours? Both I-16s with the M-22 and the Wright-Cyclone were similar in piloting, they easily switched from figure to figure, but did not allow sudden movements of the control stick. I had to be especially careful when landing, the plane did not allow high alignment. At the same time, the pilots noted that the I-16 is more stable during takeoff and landing than the I-14 fighter. And on the turns, he was not so strict compared to his competitor. Of the two experimental I-16s, the machine with the M-22 engine inspired more confidence ("Wright-Cyclone" caused unwanted vibrations on the second copy), so the pilots Yumashev and Chernavsky "flew" on it in these first days of testing. The general opinion of all the pilots about the aircraft was that it was rather dangerous, therefore, the execution of figures, up to sharp turns, was forbidden on it for an indefinite time. The decision on serial production, however, remained in force, therefore, in the act of approving the tests, the head of the Air Force, Alksnis, ordered the selection of specially trained pilots for the new fighter to begin. For the flight characteristics, and most importantly the speed, during the ten-day tests were obtained very good.

I must say, there were also enough shortcomings inherent in the experimental machine. An unfinished fuel supply system, a flimsy flashlight, a weak sight mount, and uncomfortable shoulder harnesses were noted. Even then, the pilots noted the difficulty of boarding the aircraft and required the installation of special stepladders or footboards. This drawback, later noted by almost all pilots, was not eliminated, as you know, - the chief designer of the aircraft fought too much for the purity of aerodynamic forms. A few years later, when the Japanese captured I-97 fighter, which also did not have a footrest, was in the hands of Soviet specialists, they found a rope tied with a ring in the cockpit. The problem of boarding the plane was obviously common, because the engineers immediately guessed that the Japanese pilot had solved it in his own way (the rope hung outward, when landing, the pilot put his foot into this impromptu stirrup and climbed into the cockpit like a cavalryman on a horse). It was even proposed to equip Soviet aircraft with such a device.

After eliminating the main shortcomings and installing a retractable landing gear, it was decided to send both I-16s for further testing to regions warmer than the snow-covered Khodynka field in the center of Moscow. The famous Kacha, the airfield of the military pilots' flight school No.1 near Sevastopol, was a warm place. However, before the planes were loaded onto the railway platforms, an event occurred that largely melted the ice of distrust for the Polikarpov fighter. The case concerned a corkscrew, around which passions ran high. I-14, which was still largely the brainchild of TsAGI, came out of a corkscrew with a significant delay - the "shading" of the rudder by the horizontal tail had an effect. And for the "ugly duckling" I-16 and, moreover, a competitor, TsAGI experts generally predicted inevitable death in this aerobatics. Aerodynamicist Zhuravchenko, relying on the results of aerodynamic scavenging, believed that this short-tailed aircraft would have a flat spin and even suggested lifting the stabilizer up, similar to how it was done on the I-14. At the meetings on January 17 and February 21, 1934, not one of the engineers or pilots could say anything intelligible on this issue. It was clear that purges were purges, but the flight experiment would be the main judge. Since the I-16 with the Wright-Cyclone was a pity, they decided to risk the car with the M-22. During two days on March 1 and 2, 1934, tester Valery Chkalov made 75 spins, which showed the following.

With a loss of speed and neutral control, the I-16 did not go into a spin: having fallen on the wing and making half a turn, the plane again went into a straight flight. In the case of forced entry (handle on itself and "giving" the pedal) I-16 entered into a tailspin with a stable rotation. The output without problems was carried out with the neutral installation of the rudders. No trend towards a flat spin was noted.

The tests carried out by Chkalov on March 1 and 2 had very significant results for the fate of the aircraft. From that moment on, practically nothing could stop the launch of the I-16 into mass production. The successful resolution of a painful and complex issue gave strength to the creators of the aircraft, it gave confidence in the correctness of the decision and the leaders of the industry. None of them could then imagine that they were starting a long-term struggle for the aircraft, the struggle with its many "diseases" and "whims".

On March 22, 1934, operational tests began on Kutch. The machine with the M-22 (leading Kokkinaki) flew with the landing gear retracted in order to obtain full speed characteristics. The results were excellent! Near the ground, the maximum speed was 359 km / h, at the required five kilometers - 325 km / h. But the landing gear cleaning system, however, was no good.

The lifting mechanism was very unreliable, often stuck and failed. Raising the landing gear caused great difficulties even for such a physically strong pilot as Chkalov. Therefore, on the second copy (lead pilot Chernavsky) with the Wright-Cyclone, the chassis was not even removed during the tests. However, this device was still unlucky, on April 14, at the last stage of the run, when it was already possible to say that the flight was over, the attachment point of the right landing gear collapsed, and the plane lay on its belly. On this, the "Kachinsky" tests of the second copy of the I-16 ended.

A week later, they finished "torturing" the car with the M-22. If the emergency aircraft was packed in a box and sent for repair to the factory by train, then the I-16 with the M-22 decided to send it by air. On April 25, Chkalov flew to Moscow on it. On May 1, 1934, this aircraft, in company with an I-15 biplane and a Tupolev I-14, flew over Red Square for the first time.

All summer long, the Central Design Bureau and the factory were busy with the chassis. The new car with the Wright-Cyclone F-3 engine had significant alterations in this part. Its main difference was the tunnel-type engine hood, close to the so-called Watter hood. A fairing was installed on the propeller, the wing was reinforced - it was from this instance that the nose was sewn up with a duralumin sheet along the first spar.

Even on the first two copies, Polikarpov, foreseeing difficulties with a corkscrew, provided for the installation of spoilers. The spoilers associated with the control were, according to his plan, to facilitate the exit from the tailspin. They were installed in the area of ​​​​the first spar of the detachable parts of the wing and were plates that were put forward from special slots. However, judging by the flight test documents, they were not tested. Now, in the third prototype, there were no spoilers.

On September 7, 1934, the aircraft was transferred to Shchelkovo, to the airfield of the Air Force Research Institute near Moscow, to undergo State tests, which lasted until October 12. This time, the conclusion on I-16 was categorical and tougher.

Recognizing that due to the lack of knowledge of individual structural elements, the aircraft did not pass the tests, Alksnis demanded that the weapons be adjusted and concluded that until it worked reliably, the I-16 "cannot be considered a military fighter aircraft." Although this instance developed a maximum speed of 437 km / h at an altitude of three kilometers, the military, who had recently been satisfied with a three hundred-kilometer achievement, now got into the taste and demanded even higher performance. They proposed to install a new domestic M-58 engine of reduced diameter on the I-16 and achieve a maximum speed of 470 km / h. This option, by the way, was implemented, but did not receive development.

Serial production of the fighter unfolded in the meantime at factories No.39 in Moscow and No.21 in Nizhny Novgorod. The head Moscow aircraft factory received a plan for the production of 50 aircraft for 1934. Here the plane was being finalized, here the technical documentation was being prepared. In the period from January to April 1934, all the drawings for serial construction were sent from here to Nizhny Novgorod. Although the production of the I-5 fighter was already being completed there, the production facilities were not at all free. Almost until the middle of summer, the 21st plant was busy with the introduction of the series (according to earlier decisions) of the KhAI-1 and I-14 aircraft. Only on July 17 did they finally start work on the I-16. By the end of the year, the plant was supposed to produce 250 of these fighters. Naturally, these fantastic plans were not destined to come true - until the end of the year, the factory workers did not manage to deliver a single production car at all.

I-16 became the fourth type of manufactured products at plant No.21 after I-5, KhAI-1, I-14. The first aircraft equipped with M-22 engines thus received the designation - type 4. These aircraft were produced by the plant throughout 1935. In total, together with the same type of I-16s produced at the Moscow aircraft plant, the total number of fighters equipped with the M-22 amounted to 400 copies.

Type 4 was not used in "business trips" - Spain and China - but remained in small numbers in combat units and flight schools at the time of the German attack on the Soviet Union. It is quite possible, therefore, that individual copies of the I-16 type 4 took part in the hostilities in the summer of 1941.

I-16s, produced by aircraft factory No.39, had a designation in accordance with the serial number of the Central Design Bureau. During 1934, 50 I-16 aircraft were produced here, having serial numbers from No. 123901 to No. 123950 (which meant - TsKB-12 of factory No. 39, number such and such). In 1935-36, the Moscow plant produced 8 more cars (four copies annually), ending with No.123958. Of course, all these I-16s were not at all a duplication of the M-22 prototype. Moreover, this number also included experimental aircraft that were developed in the Polikarpov brigade. The special five I-16, designed for group piloting, also entered here.

Description

The main materials are wood, aluminium, structural steel. Wooden monocoque fuselage (birch veneer lining) of two halves, glued from plywood and glued (bone or casein) to the power frame (pine or ash) consisting of 11 frames, 4 spars and 11 stringers. The frame was reinforced with steel corners.

The center section included two type-setting spars interconnected by pipes. Sheathing of the center section is plywood in front, duralumin behind.

The plywood skin of the wing was pasted over with a cloth and then multi-layered covered with aviation varnish. The power set of the tail (and ailerons) made of duralumin. Linen covering of controls. The landing gear was removed manually by rotating the winch wheel (44 turns).

Cabin initially closed, then open. The refusal of the closed cockpit was partially forced: the lantern was made of insufficient quality material and this worsened the pilot's view; this was partly due to the claims of the pilots, who were used to flying with an open cockpit and feared that in the event of an accident they would not have time to open the canopy.

• Aerodynamic design - low-carrying monoplane.
• Chassis retractable, manually operated.
• Additional equipment:
• hanging tanks
• RS-82 rockets
• air bombs

test pilots

• Ekatov, Arkady Nikiforovich
• Filin, Alexander Ivanovich
• Chkalov, Valery Pavlovich
• Fedorov, Ivan Evgrafovich
• Kokkinaki, Vladimir Konstantinovich
• Stepanchonok, Vasily Andreevich

Major modifications

• I-16 c M-22 (TsKB-12) The first serial I-16. Outwardly, it was distinguished by a very large diameter of the engine hood. The screw is metal without coca. Sliding canopy (visor) Armament two ShKAS outside the propeller disk with 900 rounds each. During the years 1934-36, several hundred copies were produced. Flight weight serial - 1345 kg.
• I-16 type 4 (TsKB-12 bis)- M-25 engine. Was put (for the first time) 8 mm armored pilot's seat. The speed reached 455 km / h at 4000 meters. More difficult to pilot than the I-16 with the M-22. The run has increased. Starting from this series, the sliding canopy was abandoned at the request of the pilots. It was produced throughout 1935 until the spring of 1936 (about 400 cars). Not exported.
• I-16 type 5 External difference from type 4 - the engine hood adjoined almost closely to the fuselage, on the screw spinner and ratchet for starting. The armament is the same, but a suspension of up to 200 kg of bombs is provided. Since July 1935 in the series. In the period 1935-1937 it was the most massive in the series. Used in Spain along with v.10.
• I-16 type 10- M-25V engine of 750 hp, armament of 4 ShKAS, of which 2 are synchronous under the engine with 650 rounds per barrel. Flight weight increased to 1700 kg. In this type, retractable skis were used, pressed almost close to the center section. The aircraft was built in large numbers
• I-16 type 17- modification of type 10 with the M-25V engine, the wing-mounted ShKASs were replaced with ShVAKs (150 rounds per barrel) (on some, a synchronous BS was added above or below the engine). The visual difference is that the tail skid has been replaced with a tail wheel with solid rubber. The aircraft was built in large numbers.
• I-16 type 18- modification of type 10 with an M-62 engine with a two-speed supercharger and a VISH-6A propeller (2 steps). Longitudinal stability on bends and loops has improved; the aircraft has become less sensitive to pulling the handle on landing. Armament 4 ShKAS with 3100 rounds. The idea arose in the active units during the fighting at Khalkin Gol. The received repair kits for the I-153 became the impetus for such an alteration. The aircraft showed good flight data and, after minor modifications, was recommended for production.
• I-16 type 24- modification of types 10 and 18 with M-62 and M-63 engines. The structure was strengthened in places. Between the spars, a 3-mm plywood sheathing was introduced under the canvas, which significantly reduced the observed torsion of the wing. 2 hanging tanks for 200 l were introduced (except for the main one for 254 l) Screws: for M-62 - AV-1, for M-63 - BB-1. Armament - 2 ShKAS machine guns and 2 ShVAK cannons. Could hang up to 6 RS-82. Bomb load - no more than 500 kg. The mass reached 2050 kg.
• I-16 types 28, 29, 30- like type 24, but the M-63 engine is gearless - maximum speed (without suspension) - up to 489 km / h at an altitude of 5000 m.

A total of 10292 aircraft of all types were produced (without production abroad).

fighting

• 1936 - Spanish Civil War. The Soviet Union sent more than 500 I-16 fighters to Spain. The main opponents of the I-16 were Heinkel He 51 and Fiat CR.32. Soviet pilots in cars I-16 type 5 And I-16 type 10 showed good results in battles with German biplanes, and until the appearance of the Me-109 they remained kings of the air. The official name of the aircraft in Franco's army is "Boeing", in the Republican troops - Moscow(fly). Unofficially, the Luftwaffe and Franco pilots called the I-16 - Rata(rat). 422 I-16s (Soviet-built) fought in the skies of Spain.
• 1937 - Second Sino-Japanese War. Deliveries of I-16s to Kuomintang China, until 1941, about 215 aircraft. ("Yantzu" - swallow). In China and Manchuria, the Mitsubishi A5M and Nakajima Ki-27 monoplanes became the main enemy. Despite the I-16's retractable undercarriage, Japanese aircraft outperformed it in horizontal maneuverability. Here I-16 first met an opponent of equal strength.
• 1938 - Khasan battles. I-16s covered the TB-3RN group during the bombing of the Zaozernaya height.
• 1939 - Soviet-Japanese conflict at Khalkhin Gol. Acted in conjunction with the I-153, according to the military doctrine of those years. According to the plan, I-16s were supposed to hold down enemy fighters in battle, and the maneuverable "Seagulls" were assigned the task of destruction.
• 1939 - Polish campaign of the Red Army.
• 1939-1940 - Soviet-Finnish war. During this war, the I-16 lost its superiority. In the skies of Finland, he was opposed by the Fokker D.XXI
• 1941 - Great Patriotic War. By the beginning of the war, the aircraft was obsolete, however, it was not helpless against the new German fighters. Surpassing them in horizontal maneuver, the Ishak, like the Chaika, were ideal aircraft for defense, forming the basis of the USSR fighter fleet until new fighter models appeared. Many Soviet aces pilots began their service on the I-16.

aces

• Alelyuhin, Alexei Vasilyevich - twice Hero of the Soviet Union
• Vorozheikin, Arseniy Vasilyevich - twice Hero of the Soviet Union
• Zherdev, Nikolai Prokofievich - Hero of the Soviet Union
• Ivanov, Ivan Ivanovich - Hero of the Soviet Union
• Kamozin, Pavel Mikhailovich - twice Hero of the Soviet Union
• Safonov, Boris Feoktistovich - twice Hero of the Soviet Union
• Talalikhin, Viktor Vasilievich - Hero of the Soviet Union
• Tsokolaev, Gennady Dmitrievich - Hero of the Soviet Union (20 victories)
• Pokryshkin, Alexander Ivanovich - Three times Hero of the Soviet Union
• Gritsevets, Sergei Ivanovich - Twice Hero of the Soviet Union

Heroes of the Soviet Union Aleksey Alekseevich Malanov, Sergey Fedorovich Dolgushin, Kaberov Igor Aleksandrovich, Golubev Vasily Fedorovich also fought on the I-16.

Production

Data source Maslov M.A., 2008, p. 76.

No. 39 named after Menzhinsky (Moscow)
No. 21 named after Ordzhonikidze (Gorky)
No. 153 (Novosibirsk)
No. 458 (Rostov-on-Don)

I-16 in literature

The novel by Nikolai Chukovsky "Baltic Sky" describes the air battles of the I-16 against the "Messerschmitts" and "Junkers".

In the military memoirs of the Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Gusev, "The Angry Sky of Spain", air battles of I-16s against Messerschmitts, Fiats and Junkers are described during the Spanish Civil War.

In the novel by Boris Polevoy "The Tale of a Real Man", in the second chapter of the first part, the battle and emergency landing on the forest of the main character Meresyev on the "donkey" is described. In the last chapter of the same part, the landing of the I-16 Kukushkin "on one wheel". It is worth noting that the I-16 became a literary device designed to enhance the impression - in fact, Maresyev was shot down on the Yak-1.

The novel by Konstantin Simonov "The Living and the Dead" describes the battle of the Soviet ace Lieutenant General Kozyrev on the "I-16" with two "Messerschmitts", in which he manages to shoot down the first German, but then he is shot down by the second - the "hawk" was not enough in battle speed. The ace was forced to fight on an outdated aircraft, since all new aircraft died under bombing in the first days of the war, as a result of which the battle was lost, and the mortally wounded Kozyrev, mistaking a group of Soviet fighters for the Germans, shot himself. It was made clear that the "I-16" by that time was very outdated, and even aces were sometimes not able to resist the Germans on them. Also, shortly before this, one of the air battles was described, in which at first one German fell, but then two “hawks” collapsed at once - presumably these were the same “I-16s”, which also bore the unofficial nicknames of “hawks”.

In the book "To spite all deaths" front-line fighter pilot Lev Zakharovich Lobanov, fascinatingly talks about the exploits and victories of Soviet pilots on I-16 aircraft in the first, most difficult months of the war.

Tactical and technical characteristics

Data source: Shavrov, 1985, Maslov, 1997

TTX I-16 of various modifications

type 12 I-16P

type 15 UTI-4

Specifications

Wingspan, m

Height, m

Wing area, m²

Empty weight, kg

Curb weight, kg

Take-off weight, kg

Payload weight, kg

Fuel mass, kg

Engine

Power, hp

Flight characteristics

Max speed At altitude, km / h / m

362 / 0 346 / 2 000

390 / 0 445 / 2 700

398 / 0 448 / 3 160

393 / 0 431 / 2 400

398 / 0 450 / 2 800

385 / 0 425 / 2 700

413 / 0 461 / 4 400

410 / 0 462 / 4 700

427 / 0 463 / 2 000

419 / 0 470 / 4 480

Landing speed, km/h

Practical range, km

Practical ceiling, m

Rate of climb, m/s

climb time, m/min

3 000 / 4,4 5 000 / 9,9

3 400 / 4,0 5 400 / 7,7

3 000 / 3,4 5 000 / 6,9

3 000 / 4,36 5 000 / 8,9

3 000 / 3,38 5 000 / 6,39

3 000 / 4,36 5 000 / 8,9

3 000 / 2,9 5 000 / 5,4

3 000 / 3,4 5 000 / 5,2

3 000 / 3,2 5 000 / 5,55

3 000 / 3,3 5 000 / 5,8

Turn time, s

Takeoff run, m

Run length, m

Thrust-to-weight ratio, W/kg

Armament

Cannon-machine-gun

2 × 7.62 mm ShKAS

4 × 7.62 mm ShKAS

2× 20 mmSHVAK 2 × 7.62 mm ShKAS

2× 20 mmSHVAK 2 × 7.62 mm ShKAS

4 × 7.62 mm ShKAS

2× 20 mm ShVAK 2 × 7.62 mm ShKAS

1× 12.7 mm UBS 2 × 7.62 mm ShKAS

Enemy score

« The Luftwaffe study highlighted the excellent maneuverability of the I-16 compared toBf.109, however, it was pointed out that due to the lag in speed, rate of climb and dive characteristics in battle, the I-16 would quickly lose the initiative and be forced to adopt defensive tactics. Only a very experienced pilot could fully exploit the maneuverability advantage in combat. At high speeds, maneuverability is seriously degraded. The aircraft ignited easily when fired from above and from the side.". According to the general engineer Otto Thomsen " aircraft equipment and cockpit arrangement were extremely primitive”, and the open cockpit was archaic.

Surviving copies

In the early 1990s, New Zealand entrepreneurs Tim Wallis and Ray Malkvin began searching for plane crash sites in Russia. The result was the discovery of six I-16s shot down in 1941-1942. The damaged aircraft were transported to Novosibirsk to an aircraft factory. Here they were restored and equipped with ASh-62 engines used on An-2 aircraft.

After successful flight tests, six I-16s (together with three I-153s) were delivered to the New Zealand Fighter Museum in Wanaka, New Zealand. Later, some of the fighters were sold to the USA and Spain:

Aircraft ZK-JIN, ZK-JIO remained in Wanaka.

ZK-JIP (N30425) sold in 2002 to the US Air Force Museum in Midland, Texas.

ZK-JIQ (N7459) sold in 1998 to the Flying Heritage Collection in Seattle.

ZK-JIR (N1639P) sold in 2003 to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

ZK-JJC (EC-JRK) sold in 2005 to Fundación Infante de Orleans.

There are many examples in the history of aviation when an aircraft turns from an "ugly duckling" into a beautiful white swan. The Soviet fighter I 16, an aircraft with a short blunt nose, can hardly be called a beautiful white swan, but it rightfully occupies its rightful place in history. This machine has become a kind of symbol of the achievements of the Soviet Union in the field of military aircraft construction. It is with "donkeys" in Soviet aviation that the era of high-speed combat fighters, new generation aircraft, begins. With the advent of the I-16, the Air Force of the Soviet Union began to take on the appearance of a modern branch of the armed forces. Speed ​​and maneuverability are becoming the main criteria for assessing the combat capability of fighters. The new machine, with its flight performance, was ahead of its time and made a splash not only among aircraft designers, but also showed the military what a modern fighter should be like.

The appearance of a monoplane fighter with a blunt nose and a shortened fuselage was initially met with skepticism among military pilots. The design of the aircraft broke all the stereotypes that were established in fighter aviation in the early 30s of the XX century. The blunt nose, short fuselage and retractable landing gear were not typical features for combat aircraft of the time. In addition, the new car had to fly at a speed that was still considered an unattainable barrier among military pilots. At that time, there were already experimental and experimental racing models flying at high speeds, however, in combat aviation, aircraft continued to be slow-moving.

The Soviet aircraft designer Nikolai Nikolayevich holds the palm of the first aircraft designer, who decided to break the stereotypes established in fighter aviation. His brainchild, despite the difficulties with putting the aircraft into operation, eventually became a symbol of the achievements of the young Soviet state. The aircraft became not only the basis of Soviet fighter aviation in the pre-war period, but also opened the way for the subsequent parade of fighters - monoplanes, new generation aircraft. Military pilots loved Polikarpov's car, even despite its obstinate and capricious character. If for beginners the I-16 remained a difficult aircraft to pilot, then for experienced combat pilots the machine opened up in a completely different light.

Having mastered the technique of controlling a small, swift and nimble machine, Soviet pilots raised the Soviet Air Force to a qualitatively new level. In the sky of Spain, the world saw for the first time what modern fighter aircraft should be like, and the great merit in this belongs precisely to the Soviet I-16s.

The Soviet aircraft spoke about the presence in the Soviet Union of a serious design school, with which the German designers Willy Messerschmitt, Ernst Heinkel and Hugo Junkers soon had to fight.

Birth

The first experimental machine, created through the efforts of the Experimental Design Bureau under the leadership of N.N. Polikarpova, saw the light on the penultimate day of the outgoing 1933. The first experimental flight on the prototype of the future fighter was made by Valery Chkalov, one of the best Soviet pilots of that time.

Subsequent tests were already carried out on modified prototypes, however, experienced test pilots spoke of the new car very reservedly. The pilots were frightened by the weak stability of the machine during the flight, which, with the slightest loss of attention during piloting, fell into a tailspin. The first report on the progress of the tests was a real shock for N. N. Polikarpov. The car was recommended as capricious and difficult to manage, which would be difficult for ordinary pilots to handle. The reason for this behavior of the new fighter lay in the design features. Polikarpov, in order to achieve high speed characteristics and maneuverability, came up with the idea to make the aircraft deliberately unstable in level flight. To do this, it was necessary to shift the center of gravity of the aircraft, making it completely dependent on engine power and control style.

While piloting a fighter, certain skills and abilities were required, which at that time were not yet taught in flight schools. The biplanes in service with the Red Army were simple and easy to pilot. The I-16 fighter put forward completely new requirements for the pilots. For the successful piloting of this aircraft, it was necessary to have an appropriate level of training and a high level of piloting culture.

The new car, which received the factory index TsKB-12, was born with difficulty and with attempts. The opinion of Valery Chkalov, who flew the car for two days, chasing it in all flight modes, played a huge role in the subsequent fate of the aircraft. After the end of the flight, Chkalov called the plane an ideal fighter. Only after that the car was deemed fit for adoption by the Red Army Air Force. Since 1934, the aircraft, already under the name I-16 or "sixteenth fighter" designed by Polikarpov, was put into mass production.

For the production of new fighters, the Soviet Government immediately assigned four aircraft factories, which had previously produced combat vehicles of the Polikarpov family, I-5 and I-153 fighters:

• State Aviation Plant No. 39 in Moscow;
• aircraft plant No. 21 in Nizhny Novgorod;
• Plant No. 153 in Novosibirsk;
• State Aviation Enterprise No. 458 in Rostov-on-Don.

In the same year, a new Soviet high-speed fighter with an unusual layout for that time and flying at high speed was demonstrated to the Soviet public. For the first time over Red Square during the May Day parade, the planes flew at such a high speed.

Aircraft performance characteristics of the machine. Advantages and disadvantages of I-16

The aircraft had outstanding flight performance for its time. The car accelerated to an unprecedented speed at that time - 350-370 km / h. In flight, under the control of an experienced pilot, she showed a pattern of maneuvering. By car, it was possible to perform almost any aerobatics. The flight range of the new Soviet fighter was 680 km, and the practical ceiling exceeded 7 thousand meters. In terms of flight performance, the I-16 surpassed all machines of a similar class that existed at that time.

High flight data was complemented by powerful machine-gun armament. On his fighter of the first modification, Polikarpov installed 2 ShKAS machine guns with a caliber of 7.62 mm. The I-16 type 4 fighter was produced until 1936. A total of 400 machines of this type were produced. In the future, repeated upgrades were carried out. Since 1936, a more powerful M-25A engine was installed on the machine, which significantly increased the power-to-weight ratio of the fighter. The new aircraft received the designation I-16 type 5 and became the most massive Soviet fighter produced at that time. The speed of the aircraft increased to 440 km/h. For the period from 1936 to 1937, 2695 units were produced. The armament of the fighter remained the same - two ShKAS wing machine guns. This type of fighter was baptized by fire in the skies of Spain, where Soviet pilots had to fight the first Messerschmites 109.

The first skirmishes in the air showed the obvious advantages of the Soviet machine and revealed a number of shortcomings. Soviet combat pilots in their reports indicated the following:

• the aircraft had high maneuverability;
• the light weight of the aircraft and the high power of the engine made it possible to achieve the necessary tactical advantage during the battle;
• the plane quickly left for new combat courses;
• the ability to carry additional weapons.

The disadvantages of the fighter were listed:

• weak aircraft design that cannot withstand large dynamic loads during maneuvering;
• high degree of flammability of the aircraft;
• insufficient flight range and limited service ceiling;
• weakness of the main armament.

If in the first air battles with German and Italian aircraft, the I-16 felt like the king of the air, then the subsequent appearance in the sky of Spain of the modernized Messerschmitt 109V aircraft leveled the chances of the parties. The German was armed with 4 machine guns and flew at a higher speed. Soviet I-16s began to lose to the enemy in the power of an airborne salvo and in speed.

After evaluating all the pros and cons, Polikarpov and his design bureau decided to modernize their car by releasing an aircraft with more powerful weapons. In the future, the Soviet I-16 was produced in various modifications. Despite the constant efforts of designers to improve the performance of the fighter, by 1940 the I-16 was already considered obsolete. The weak technical resource of the machine design affected. It was impossible to put on the plane either a more powerful engine, or a more powerful and advanced machine-gun and cannon armament. However, Soviet factories continued to produce the car in large quantities. In total, more than 10 thousand cars were produced in various modifications. In 1940, the largest number of I-16 aircraft for the entire period was produced at Soviet aircraft factories - 2710 aircraft.

In the prewar years, a new cab light was installed on the car. The new engine had a capacity of 1100 l / s. The aircraft received 2 ShVAK cannons, caliber 20 mm, as the main armament. These and other measures led to only temporary improvements, but in the general context, the history of the first Soviet high-speed fighter has come to its logical conclusion.

Conclusion

Type 24, which became the last modification of the I-16 aircraft, was one of the main combat fighters of the Red Army Air Force, with which it entered the Great Patriotic War. The machine managed to withstand the first blow, showing that in capable hands it can provide decent resistance to more advanced German machines. The losses of fighter aircraft in the first months of 1941 became critical for the Soviet Air Force. Soviet pilots flying the I-16 could not fully resist the German Luftwaffe. In 1942, the production of this aircraft was stopped, transferring the main factory facilities for the production of Yak-1 and Lagg-3 fighters and Il-2 attack aircraft.

The latest best military aircraft of the Air Force of Russia and the world photos, pictures, videos about the value of a fighter aircraft as a combat weapon capable of providing "air supremacy" was recognized by the military circles of all states by the spring of 1916. This required the creation of a special combat aircraft that surpasses all others in terms of speed, maneuverability, altitude and the use of offensive small arms. In November 1915, Nieuport II Webe biplanes arrived at the front. This is the first aircraft built in France, which was intended for air combat.

The most modern domestic military aircraft in Russia and the world owe their appearance to the popularization and development of aviation in Russia, which was facilitated by the flights of Russian pilots M. Efimov, N. Popov, G. Alekhnovich, A. Shiukov, B. Rossiysky, S. Utochkin. The first domestic machines of designers J. Gakkel, I. Sikorsky, D. Grigorovich, V. Slesarev, I. Steglau began to appear. In 1913, the heavy aircraft "Russian Knight" made its first flight. But one cannot fail to recall the first aircraft creator in the world - Captain 1st Rank Alexander Fedorovich Mozhaisky.

Soviet military aircraft of the USSR of the Great Patriotic War sought to hit the enemy troops, his communications and other objects in the rear with air strikes, which led to the creation of bomber aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load over considerable distances. The variety of combat missions to bombard enemy forces in the tactical and operational depth of the fronts led to the understanding of the fact that their performance should be commensurate with the tactical and technical capabilities of a particular aircraft. Therefore, the design teams had to resolve the issue of specialization of bomber aircraft, which led to the emergence of several classes of these machines.

Types and classification, the latest models of military aircraft in Russia and the world. It was obvious that it would take time to create a specialized fighter aircraft, so the first step in this direction was to try to equip existing aircraft with small arms offensive weapons. Mobile machine-gun mounts, which began to equip the aircraft, required excessive efforts from the pilots, since the control of the machine in a maneuverable battle and the simultaneous firing of an unstable weapon reduced the effectiveness of firing. The use of a two-seat aircraft as a fighter, where one of the crew members played the role of a gunner, also created certain problems, because an increase in the weight and drag of the machine led to a decrease in its flight qualities.

What are the planes. In our years, aviation has made a big qualitative leap, expressed in a significant increase in flight speed. This was facilitated by progress in the field of aerodynamics, the creation of new more powerful engines, structural materials, and electronic equipment. computerization of calculation methods, etc. Supersonic speeds have become the main modes of fighter flight. However, the race for speed also had its negative sides - the takeoff and landing characteristics and the maneuverability of aircraft deteriorated sharply. During these years, the level of aircraft construction reached such a level that it was possible to start creating aircraft with a variable sweep wing.

In order to further increase the flight speeds of jet fighters exceeding the speed of sound, Russian combat aircraft required an increase in their power-to-weight ratio, an increase in the specific characteristics of turbojet engines, and also an improvement in the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft. For this purpose, engines with an axial compressor were developed, which had smaller frontal dimensions, higher efficiency and better weight characteristics. For a significant increase in thrust, and hence the flight speed, afterburners were introduced into the engine design. The improvement of the aerodynamic forms of aircraft consisted in the use of wings and empennage with large sweep angles (in the transition to thin delta wings), as well as supersonic air intakes.

i-16 type-17

All articles on model assembly:

So, I'm starting to spread reports on the assembly of the model.

There are more than enough materials for assembling "Ishachka" and photos of finished models on the network, so a novice amateur should not be scared, because you can always peep from the masters how to make this or that knot.

I will rely on Denis Demin's wonderful series on assembly of this model on the channel AllModels in Youtube. Given that this is my first model of an aircraft in 1/48 scale, I will regard this assembly as a training one.

Prototype I-16 type 17 by Mikhail Vasiliev, spring 1942

I will paint the model in the standard two-tone camouflage of 42/43. I chose "Ishak" by Mikhail Vasiliev as a basis (decks and coloring scheme are present out of the box).

"Donkey" by Mikhail Vasiliev, spring 1942

Well, before painting with my “super-speed”, the work is still like before the moon, but I have already completed work on the cockpit of the model.

Aircraft cockpit assembly

Sets with a ProfiPack marker are supplied by Eduard with small photo-etched boards, so when assembling some units, you have the opportunity to choose how to make them. I tried to use photo-etching as much as possible.

i-16 type-17 cockpit interior, start of construction

cockpit interior, start of construction

The kit comes with two options for the dashboard, the photo-etched option is unrivaled. It’s even a pity that it is located quite deep in the cockpit and will hardly be seen.

photo-etched instrument panel

There are stiffening ribs in the original plastic in the cabin interior, but they are rather indistinct. I cut out thin strips from the doshirak glued in two layers and added stiffeners in the visible places of the cockpit.

additional stiffening ribs

From doshirak, pieces of sprues and thin wire, I imitated the missing wiring and devices. note that the photo-etched lower arm I shifted up a bit. This must be done without fail, otherwise it will interfere with the installation of the assembly with the seat in place. In this place, Edward has a jamb.

interior refinement cabin

I also made and added a lever on the left hand of the pilot from sprues, made straps on the pedals from photo-etching and simulated a braid on the steering wheel from thin wire. Below are photos from different angles. I think it will be useful for those who collect the same model.

cockpit refinement controls

cockpit refinement controls

cockpit refinement controls

cockpit refinement controls

cockpit refinement controls

cockpit refinement controls

cockpit refinement controls

On this I decided to complete the work on additional detailing of the cabin. Of course, you can make “gophers that exist, but you can’t see them” and sometimes you even want to, but not this time :)

Priming and painting

I covered the details of the cabin interior with a primer and tried to do preshading.

cockpit primer and preshading

cockpit primer and preshading

cockpit primer and preshading

Then I blew out the interior components with the base color paint Gunze H418 RLM78 LIGHT BLUE. This color is somewhat darker and duller than in the photographs.

cabin sample base color

cabin sample base color

After discussion in the AllModels group, I decided to mix the colors in the same proportions: H418 And H45 LIGHT BLUE. The result is what you need.

cabin color selection

H45 in its pure form is too saturated. The additive reduced the saturation of the blue, leaving it bright.

cabin base color

cabin base color

cabin base color

I painted the leather headrest and steering wheel braid with tempera paints. Tempera is a great paint, but it takes some getting used to. Keep in mind that the color tends to darken noticeably when it dries.

i-16 type-17 cabin

I painted the steering wheel and lever first black, then I went over with a dry brush with TAMIYA X-11 CHROME SILVER to give it a metallic sheen.

cockpit final painting and weathering

The straps are made from photo-etched material.

cockpit final painting and weathering

In the end, I went over all the details with a dry brush to give them a metallic sheen.

cockpit final painting and weathering

final painting and weathering

I made the knobs on the control knobs with super glue, carefully putting a drop of it on the tip of the lever. This operation must be repeated one or two more times after the first drop has dried, then the pens will become almost perfect balls. Then he painted them with tempera in different colors.

final painting and weathering

On the "dials" of devices dripped "Future" to imitate glass. It's not very visible in the photo, but it turned out pretty good.

final painting and weathering

Pollution made a very liquid brown filter. He also played the role of a very light wash. At first I wanted to make a wash, but after looking at the result after the filters, I decided to leave it like that.

Well, I walked a little with a dry brush with chrome to give a slight wear to the cabin parts and a metallic sheen to the instruments and wiring.