Polikarpov I-16
The Polikarpov I-16 was the world's first cantilever low-wing monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear to reach squadron service, entering Soviet air force use in 1935, years before Western air forces fielded comparable designs. Stubby, fast and famously tricky to fly, it earned the nicknames 'Rata' (rat) from Nationalist pilots and 'Mosca' (fly) from Republicans during the Spanish Civil War, where it briefly gave the Republican government air superiority. It also bore the brunt of the Luftwaffe's opening 1941 attacks despite being outclassed by then, and its radical layout influenced fighter design across the following decade.
.jpg){kind=link}
Did you know?
The first cantilever low-wing monoplane fighter with retractable gear to reach squadron service, nicknamed 'Rata' by Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War.
Specifications
| Length | 5.9 m (19 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9 m (30 ft) |
| Height | 2.4 m (8 ft) |
| Persons on board | 1 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1.8 t |
| Range | 400 NM (741 km) |
| Service ceiling | 27,500 ft (8,382 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 13,000 ft (3,962 m) |
| Rate of climb | 9,200 ft/min (46.7 m/s) |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Polikarpov I-16 starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Polikarpov, the I-16 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
Browse all aircraft types, or learn to tell Airbus from Boeing.