| I-16-the first in the world high-speed fighter and the most numerous fighter in mid-30s – beginning 40s period. The cantilever monoplane I-16 was designed in 1933 at the Design Bureau under supervision of N.Polikarpov. The serial production started in 1934. Up to 1936 the Soviet Union was the single country in the world to have the high-speed fighters.
The I-16 fighter began their war carrer in Spain during Civil war and then were in action in China, Mongolia, Soviet-Finnish Winter war and during the opening stages of Soviet-German war (1941-1945). The distinguished Soviet aces, such as twice Heroes of Soviet Union A.Alelukhin (40+17), P.Kamozin (35+13), B.Safonov (22+3), and the guards colonel W.Bobrov was the top-scorer on I-16 – he gained 21+23 kills.
I-16 were in service with Red Army Air Force till 1943 and were used in flying schools till the end of 1944. All in all 9.450 airplanes I-16 in 15 modifications were built.
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