AMO 72164 Polikarpov I-16 type 6 Soviet fighter

I-16 is the major fighter type of Red Army airforce during 1930s. It was built by the experimental design bureau named after N.N. Polikarpov in 1933. The distinguished peculiarity of this type was its high speed and good manoeuvrability for its time. I-16 had wooden fuselage with covering made of thin layers of wood. Wings and empennage were metal with linen cover. During the years of serial production 10292 machines of different modifications were built.

I-16 type 5 has been in serial production since 1935. The aircraft had M25 710 h.p. engine. Armament: 2 guns in the central part of fuselage and 200 kg bombs on external clip. The I-16 type was widely used during the war in Spain (1936-1938), China (1937-1940), Finland (1939-1940). During the war in Mongolia (May-September 1939) the fighters I-16 were the first in the aviation history to use rocket missiles. The I-16 aircraft took active part in the military actions of the initial stage of Great War.