I-153 / I-15ter Chaika (Sea Gull), N.N.Polikarpov

(B/W 43k or 240k) A N.N.Polikarpov I-153 pilot prepares for his next mission at an airfield typical of those on the open steppes of Mongolia in the summer of 1939. Camouflage net casts less of a telltale shadow than solid cover. The GAZ track with Husks starter was used to start the airplane's engine.
(From the article "Soviet fighter on three fronts", Aviation History, July 1995)

A
fter the Spanish civil war, the USSR wrongly concluded that there would be a role in the future for a maneuverable biplane fighter. The I-153 was a refinement of the earlier I-15 and I-152 with retractable landing gear; the gull-wing of the I-15 was employed.
In first line service until 1943! As almost all Soviet fighters, was used for ground attack in the early days of the war.
Some were fitted for reward-firing RS-82/ RS-132 to keep German fighters away.
3437 built.
60k B/W, bombed up for close support mission, photo TASS from 'Ground attack' by Christopher Chant;
More Links...
  • I-153, Polikarpov
  • I-15ter, Polikarpov
  • I-153 model page by Dariusz Tyminski
  • DOO Flightsimulator page by Oleg Devjatkin;
    Modifications/Developments :
    • I-190 - abandoned version with pressure cabin;
    		• Technical data
    Type I-153
    Function fighter
    Year 1939
    Crew 1
    Engines 1*1000hp Shvetsov M-62R
    Wing Span Upper 10.00m
    Lower 7.50m
    Length 6.17m
    Height 2.80m
    Wing Area 22.14m2
    Weight Empty 1452kg
    Maximum 2110kg
    Speed 444km/h at 5600m
    297km/h at 2000m
    Ceiling 10700m
    Range 470km (880km with 100l external tank)
    Climb 3000m/3min
    9000m/13.2min
    Armament 4*ShKAS mg7.62mm (I-153BS, 1939)
    2*UBS mg12.7mm (I-153P)
    2*ShVAK g20mm (latest models)
    bombs 100kg
    6 RS82/RS132 "Katusha" rockets
    some had reward-firing RS's !
    Modified January 25, 1996
    by Alexandre Savine;    		 Back to
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