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{{Short description|Soviet 1930s monoplane fighter aircraft}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = I-16
| image = File:Polikarpov I-16 republicano.jpg
| image_caption = Polikarpov I-16 flying over Cuatrovientos airfield at the {{ill|Infante de Orleans Foundation|lt=FIO|es|Fundación Infante de Orleans}} exhibition
| aircraft_type = [[fighter aircraft|Fighter]]
| national_origin = [[Soviet Union]]
| designer = [[Polikarpov|N. N. Polikarpov Design Bureau]]
| manufacturer = [[Sokol Aircraft Plant|Plant No. 21]] ([[Nizhny Novgorod|Gorky]]), Plant No.&nbsp;39 ([[Moscow]]), [[Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association|Plant No. 153]] ([[Novosibirsk]]), [[Rostvertol|Plant No. 458]] ([[Rostov-on-Don]]/[[Baku]])
| first_flight = 30 December 1933 (TsKB-12)
| introduction = March 1935
| retired = 1945 ([[Soviet Air Force]]), 1953 ([[Spanish Air Force]])
| status = 
| primary_user = [[Soviet Air Force]]
| more_users = [[Spanish Republican Air Force]] <br> [[Chinese Nationalist Air Force]]
| developed_into = [[Polikarpov I-180]]
| produced = November 1933 – 1942
| number_built = 10,292 (6,848 fighters and 3,444 trainers)<ref>Maslov 2008, p.&nbsp;76.</ref>
| unit cost = 
| developed_from = 
| variants = 
}}

The '''Polikarpov I-16''' ({{langx|ru|Поликарпов И-16}}) is a [[USSR|Soviet]] single-engine single-seat [[fighter aircraft]] of revolutionary design; it is a low-wing [[cantilever]] [[monoplane]] fighter with retractable landing gear, and the first such aircraft to attain operational status. It "introduced a new vogue in fighter design".<ref name="Green">Green, William. "Polikarpov's Little Hawk". ''Flying Review'', November 1969.</ref> The I-16 was introduced in the mid-1930s and formed the backbone of the [[Soviet Air Force]] at the beginning of [[World War&nbsp;II]]. The diminutive fighter, nicknamed "'''''Ishak'''''" or "'''''Ishachok'''''" ("[[donkey]]" or "burro") by Soviet pilots, figured prominently in the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]],<ref name="Liss 1966, p. 10">Liss 1966, p.&nbsp;10.</ref> the [[Battles of Khalkhin Gol|Battle of Khalkhin Gol]],<ref name="Liss 1966, p. 10"/> [[Winter War]] and the [[Spanish Civil War]]<ref>Abanshin and Gut 1994, p.&nbsp;38.</ref><ref>Léonard 1981, pp.&nbsp;18–22.</ref>&nbsp;– where it was called the '''{{lang|es|Rata}}''' ("[[rat]]") by the Nationalists or '''{{lang|es|Mosca}}''' ("[[fly]]") by the Republicans. The Finns called the aircraft '''{{lang|fi|Siipiorava}}''' "([[flying squirrel]])".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.airvectors.net/avpkpv.html | title=Polikarpov Fighters }}</ref>

==Design and development==
While working on the [[Polikarpov I-15]] biplane, [[Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov]] began designing an advanced monoplane fighter. It featured cutting-edge innovations such as retractable landing gear and a fully enclosed cockpit, and was optimized for speed with a short stubby fuselage, and a [[Wright R-1820]] radial engine in a [[NACA cowling]]. The aircraft is small, light and simple to build.{{Citation needed |date=December 2015}}

Full-scale work on the '''TsKB-12''' prototype began in June 1933, and the aircraft was accepted into production on 22 November 1933, a month before it took to the air. The TsKB-12 was of mixed construction, using a wooden monocoque fuselage and wings employing a KhMA chrome-molybdenum steel alloy wing spar, dural ribs and D1 aluminum alloy skinning on the center and leading edges, with the remaining portions of the wings fabric-covered. Another modern feature were the [[aileron]]s which ran along almost the entire trailing edge of the wing and also operated as flaps (in the manner of more modern [[flaperon]]s) by drooping 15°. The cockpit was covered by a 40-centimetre-wide (16&nbsp;in) canopy which featured an Aldis-type tubular gun sight which could slide back and forth on runners fitted with rubber bungee cords.  A 225&nbsp;L (59.4&nbsp;US gal) fuel tank was fitted directly in front of the cockpit. The main [[landing gear]] is fully retractable by a hand crank. The armament consisted of a pair of [[7.62×54mmR]] (0.30&nbsp;in) [[ShKAS machine gun]]s in the wings, mounted on the outboard side of the main gear and 900 rounds of ammunition.<ref>Gordon & Dexter 2002, pp. 16–17</ref> 

These features were proposed at first by [[Andrei Tupolev]]; however, the NII VVS (Air Force Scientific Test Institute) was more concerned about the stresses a typical combat aircraft was subjected to in combat, and initially considered the risk too great. However, [[TsAGI]], with the help of the 3rd Design Brigade under the leadership of [[Pavel Sukhoi]] and [[Aleksandr Putylov]], eventually convinced NII VVS that what was being proposed was not only feasible, but would enhance the aircraft's performance.{{Citation needed |date=December 2015}}

The TsKB-12 was designed for the [[Wright R-1820 Cyclone|Wright Cyclone SR-1820-F-3]] 9-cylinder radial engine (rated at 529&nbsp;kW/710&nbsp;hp); a license to build [[Shvetsov M-25|this engine]] under the supervision of the [[OKB#OKBs in aerospace industry|OKB-19]] [[Shvetsov]] design bureau in the [[Soviet Union]] was being negotiated. As the license was not yet approved, Polikarpov was asked to settle for the less powerful M-22 (Soviet-built version of the Gnome-Rhone Jupiter 9ASB, which itself was a licensed version of the [[Bristol Jupiter]] VI) with 358&nbsp;kW (480&nbsp;hp). This was deemed acceptable because the projected top speed still exceeded 300&nbsp;km/h (185&nbsp;mph).<ref>Gordon & Dexter 2002, pp. 14, 16</ref> 

The M-22-powered TsKB-12 first took to the air on 30 December 1933 with the famous Soviet test pilot [[Valery Chkalov]] at the controls. The second TsKB-12, with a Cyclone engine and three-bladed propeller, flew in January of the following year. Initial government trials in February 1934 revealed very good maneuverability, but the aircraft did not tolerate abrupt control inputs.  Thus the TsKB-12 was deemed dangerous to fly and all [[aerobatic]]s were forbidden. The M-22 version was preferred due to the vibration of the Cyclone-powered aircraft. Pilots commented early on about the difficulty of climbing into the cockpit, a trait that persisted through the I-16's service life. Before continuing test flights the designers had to answer the question of spin behavior. [[Wind tunnel]] testing suggested that the TsKB-12, with its short tail, would enter an unrecoverable [[spin (flight)|spin]], but real-life trials were necessary to confirm this. Since Cyclone engines were rare, it was decided to risk the M-22 prototype for this purpose. On 1 and 2 March 1934, Chkalov performed 75 spins and discovered that the aircraft had very benign stall behavior (dipping a wing and recovering without input from the pilot when airspeed increased) and intentional spins could be easily terminated by placing the controls in the neutral position.<ref>Gordon & Dexter 2002, pp. 17–18</ref>  The stories of vicious spin behavior of the I-16 perpetuated in modern literature is unfounded (perhaps extrapolated from [[Granville Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster|Gee Bee]] experience). {{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} In fact, the I-16's stablemate, the [[biplane]] [[Polikarpov I-153]], exhibited much worse spin characteristics. {{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}

Service trials of the new fighter, designated '''I-16''', began on 22 March 1934. The M-22 prototype reached 359&nbsp;km/h (223&nbsp;mph). The pioneering presence of a complex, triple-strut manually retracted main landing gear design was prone to jamming and required considerable strength from the pilot, who directly operated the rearmost strut's upper end, moved with a manually turned jackscrew running spanwise within the wing structure, to "slide" outwards and inwards on each side to respectively get the main gear retracted and extended, with the main strut (the forward-most of the trio) needing to shorten its length during its retraction to fit the mainwheel into the lower fuselage, performed by the middle-location strut's geometric arrangement and pivot locations.<ref>[http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~t_miyama/po16leg.html Animation of the I-16's maingear retraction cycle]</ref> Most of the test flights were performed with the gear extended. On 14 April 1934, the Cyclone prototype was damaged when one of the landing gear legs collapsed while it was taxiing.<ref>Gordon & Dexter 2002, p. 18</ref> On 1 May 1934, the M-22 prototype participated in the flyover of [[Red Square]].<ref>Gordon & Dexter 2002, p. 18</ref> Approximately thirty I-16 Type 1 aircraft were delivered, but were not assigned to any [[Soviet Air Forces|VVS]] fighter squadron. Most pilots who flew the I-16 Type 1 for evaluation purposes did not find the aircraft to have many redeeming characteristics. Regardless of pilot opinion, much attention was focused on the Cyclone-powered aircraft and the M-25 (the license-built Cyclone). 

The third prototype with a Cyclone engine incorporated a series of aerodynamic improvements and was delivered for government trials on 7 September 1934. The top speed of 437&nbsp;km/h (270&nbsp;mph) no longer satisfied the Air Force, who now wanted the experimental [[Nazarov M-58]] engine and 470&nbsp;km/h (290&nbsp;mph). Subsequently, the M-22-powered version entered production at Factory 21 in [[Nizhny Novgorod]] and Factory 39 in [[Moscow]]. Because it was the fourth aircraft produced by these factories, it received the designation '''I-16 Type 4'''.<ref>Gordon & Dexter 2002, p. 21</ref>  Aircraft fitted with these new engines required a slightly changed airframe, including armor plating for the pilot and changes to the landing gear doors (particularly, the hinged lower mainwheel door)<ref>[http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~t_miyama/po16cov.html Animation of the I-16's lower mainwheel door mechanics during retraction]</ref> to allow for complete closure.

The M-25 fitted I-16, the I-16 Type 5, featured a new engine cowling which was slightly smaller in diameter and featured nine forward-facing, radially-set shuttered openings to control cooling airflow, a redesigned exhaust with eight individual outlet stubs, and other changes. The M-25 was rated at 474&nbsp;kW (635&nbsp;hp) at sea level and 522&nbsp;kW (700&nbsp;hp) at 2,300&nbsp;m (7,546&nbsp;ft). Due to the poor quality of the canopy glazing, the I-16 Type 5 pilots typically left the canopy open or removed the rear portion completely. By the time the Type 5 arrived, it was the world's lightest production fighter (1,460&nbsp;kg/3,219&nbsp;lb), as well as the world's fastest, able to reach speeds of 454&nbsp;km/h (282&nbsp;mph) at altitude and 395&nbsp;km/h (245&nbsp;mph) at sea level. While the Type 5 could not perform the high-G maneuvers of other fighters, it possessed superior speed and climb rates, and had extremely responsive aileron control, which gave it a very good roll rate, which led to precision maneuvers in loops and [[split-S]]s.

A total of 10,292 single-seat aircraft were produced between 1935 and 1942; the number of two-seat trainer variants produced varies between 843 and 3,189.<ref>Gordon & Dexter 2002, p. 55</ref>

==Operational history==
Initial service experience revealed that the [[ShKAS machine gun]]s had a tendency to jam. This was the result of the guns being installed in the wings upside-down to facilitate the fit. The problem was addressed in later modifications. Evaluations from pilots confirmed the experience with prototypes. Controls were light and very sensitive, abrupt maneuvers resulted in spins, and spin behavior was excellent.  An aileron roll could be performed in under 1.5 seconds (roll rate over 240&nbsp;degrees/second).  The machine guns were fired via a cable and the required effort, coupled with sensitive controls, made precision aiming difficult.  The rear weight bias made the I-16 easy to handle on unprepared airfields because the aircraft was rather unlikely to flip over the nose even if the front wheels dug in.

The I-16 was a difficult fighter to fly.  The pilots had poor visibility,<ref name="Jackson p. 148">Jackson 2003 p. 148.</ref> the canopy tended to become fouled with engine oil, and the moving portion was prone to slamming shut during hard maneuvers, which caused many pilots to fix it in the open position.  The front section of the fuselage, with the engine, was too close to the [[centre of gravity]], and the pilot's [[cockpit]] too far to the rear. The Polikarpov had insufficient longitudinal stability and it was impossible to fly the aircraft "hands off".<ref name="Jackson p. 147">Jackson 2003, p. 147.</ref>

[[File:Polikarpov I-16-Mosca.jpg|thumb|I-16 in Spanish Republican colors with "[[Popeye]] mascot"]]

===Spanish Civil War===
At the start of the [[Spanish Civil War]] in 1936, Republican forces pleaded for fighter aircraft. After receiving payment in gold, [[Joseph Stalin]] dispatched around 475<ref name = "Gunston p. 85">Gunston 2003, p. 85.</ref> I-16 Type 5s and Type 6s. The first I-16s appeared in Spanish skies in November 1936.<ref name= "Maslov p.25">Maslov 2010, p. 25.</ref> The Polikarpov monoplanes had their baptism of fire on 13 November 1936, when twelve I-16s intercepted a Nationalist bombing raid on Madrid. Soviet pilots claimed four air victories and two German [[Heinkel He 51]] pilots were killed.  But the Soviets suffered losses too; the group commander collided with an enemy aircraft and another I-16 pilot crash landed.<ref name="Maslov p.26">Maslov 2010, p. 26.</ref> The Polikarpovs immediately began dominating the enemy Heinkel He 51 and [[Arado Ar 68]] biplanes{{Citation needed |date=September 2011}} and remained unchallenged until the introduction of the [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]].  The arrival of the newest Bf 109Bs and the overwhelming numerical superiority of Nationalist fighters were the primary cause of the heavy I-15 and I-16 combat losses suffered throughout 1937.<ref name = "Maslov p.30">Maslov 2010, p. 30.</ref> A number of aviation publications called the new Soviet fighter a "Boeing" due to the incorrect assumption that it was based on the [[Boeing P-26]]'s design.  The Nationalists nicknamed the stubby fighter ''Rata'' (Rat), while the Republicans affectionately called it ''Mosca'' (Fly).

Combat experience showed that the I-16 had deficiencies; several aircraft were lost after structural failure of the wings, which was quickly remedied by reinforced structures. Heavy machine gun bullets could sometimes penetrate the armored backrest, and fuel tanks occasionally caught fire in spite of being protected. The hot Spanish summers required the addition of oil radiators, and dust adversely affected the life of the engines. Although some aircraft accumulated up to 400 hours of flying time, the average life of an I-16 was 87 days, of which one sixth was spent on maintenance. The biggest complaint in service was the light armament of only two 7.62&nbsp;mm (0.30&nbsp;in) [[machine gun]]s. This was urgently addressed with the '''Type 6''' which added a third ShKAS in the bottom of the fuselage. The four-gun '''Type 10''' was nicknamed "Super Mosca" or simply "Super".
The total number of I-16s delivered to Spain from 1936 to 1938 amounted to 276. When the war ended on 1 April 1939, 187 ''Ratas'' had been lost in Spain: 112 lost in combat, one shot down by anti-aircraft fire, eleven destroyed on the ground, one force-landed and 62 lost in accidents.<ref name="Maslov p.32">Maslov 2010, p. 32.</ref>

===China, the Far East, and battles at Khalkhin Gol===
[[File:Soviet volunteer.jpg|thumb|I-16 Type 5 with Chinese insignia, flown by Chinese pilots and Soviet volunteers]]
Between October 1937 and September 1939 the USSR delivered 885 aircraft (rising to 1,250 by 1941), including 216 Polikarpov I-16s, predominately '''Type 5s and Type 10s'''. At first the Soviet pilots would have to fly the aircraft over 1,500 miles across China to get them to their destination of [[Lanzhou]], however this was a risky journey and so future batches of aircraft would be disassembled and transported to Hami (closer to Lanzhou), before final assembly and delivery to Lanzhou. The first I-16s were delivered in November 1937, however rushed training of the Chinese pilots meant many were lost to crashes. In Chinese service the I-16 became known as the "Lastochka" or "Swallow". In the early years of the war the I-16 was a capable fighter, however from 1939 onwards its performance was deemed to be lacking in comparison to newer fighters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=osprey.com |title=Polikarpov I-15, I-16 and I-153 Aces |url=https://www.ospreypublishing.com/ca/polikarpov-i15-i16-and-i153-aces-9781846039829/ |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=Osprey Publishing |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Major General Liu Chi-Sheng |url=http://www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/Aviation%20history/WW2/aces/Liu%20Chi-Sheng.htm |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=www.century-of-flight.freeola.com}}</ref>

A number Chinese aces flew the I-16; among them Lo Ying-Teh who in 1938 shot down Japanese unit leader Lt Ryohei Ushioda's A5M2 in his I-16 Type 5. .Another ace to fly the I-16 was Liu Chi-Sheng who achieved 3 of his 10 kills while flying the I-16 Type 5, along with another shared kill.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cheung |first=Raymond |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y4uHCwAAQBAJ |title=Aces of the Republic of China Air Force |date=2015-05-20 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4728-0563-8 |language=en}}</ref>

Another 250 '''I-16 Type 10s''' were supplied to China. This model added a second set of 7.62&nbsp;mm (0.30&nbsp;in) [[ShKAS machine gun|ShKAS]] machine guns, armor behind the pilot, and had a slightly upgraded 560&nbsp;kW (750&nbsp;hp) M-25 engine. In 1939, of the 500 I-16s<ref>Kotelnikov p. 109</ref> deployed to the fighting at [[Nomonhan]], approximately 112 were lost during the [[battles of Khalkhin Gol]], of which 88 were destroyed in aerial combat, primarily against the all-metal [[Nakajima Ki-27]] Japanese fighters.<ref>Nedialkov 2011, p. 141.</ref> During test trials in Russia of a captured Ki-27, the aircraft proved superior to the Soviet I-152 (I-15bis), [[I-153]], and the I-16 in aerial combat, as well as having a faster take-off and lower landing speed, requiring shorter airstrips than the I-16, which needed 270 meters to stop and 380 meters for take-off.<ref>Nedialkov p. 24, 25, 148</ref>

Further attempts were made to upgrade the firepower of the aircraft using 20&nbsp;mm (0.79&nbsp;in) [[ShVAK cannon]]s, making the I-16 one of the most heavily armed fighters of the period,<ref>Price 1975, p. 78.</ref> able to fire 28 rounds of ammunition in three seconds. Pilots loved the results, but the cannons were in short supply, and only a small number of the '''I-16 Type 12''', '''17''', '''27,''' and '''28''' were built. The Chung 28 is an unlicensed I-16 built from the spare parts of I-16s provided to the Nationalists, delivered in 1941 and did not include upgraded cannons. The cannons adversely affected performance, with 360° turn time increasing from fifteen seconds in the Type 5 to eighteen seconds. The '''Type 24''' replaced the skid with a tailwheel and featured the much more powerful 670&nbsp;kW (900&nbsp;hp) [[Shvetsov M-63]] engine. The '''Type 29''' replaced two of the ShKAS guns with a single 12.7&nbsp;mm (.50&nbsp;in) [[Berezin UB|UBS]]. Ten '''Type 17''' fighters were supplied to the [[Republic of China Air Force|Chinese Air Force]] where on 20 May 1940, they effectively shot down a [[Mitsubishi Ki-15|C5M scout-attack]] plane and three [[Mitsubishi G3M|G3M]] bombers during the [[Bombing of Chongqing|Battle of Chongqing]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=红岩春秋|first=唐学锋|date=2019-01-17|title=当年设施简陋的梁山机场, 没想到却是中国空军保卫重庆的第一道空中防线! - 上游新闻·汇聚向上的力量|url=https://www.cqcb.com/wenshi2/hongyanchunqiu/2019-01-17/1386817.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-15|website=www.cqcb.com|quote="5•20"梁山空战, 我空军击落日机7架, 这是当时新闻媒体报道的数字, 难免有些夸大.根据南京的中国第二历史档案馆保存的《空军战斗要报》记载: 此役, 我空军一共击落敌轰炸机3架、侦察机1架.其大致情况如下: 1、第24队队长李文庠, 分队长张光蕴、王文骅、队员彭均、李廷凯等5员, 在梁山上空合力击落敌重轰炸机1架(残骸在寻觅中).2、队员陈少成在忠县上空击落敌侦察机1架, 该敌机在忠县汝溪焚毁, 番号为258, 敌乘员3人全毙.3、队员伍国培在梁山上空击落敌重轰炸机1架, 该机在忠县马家祠损毁, 番号为4528, 敌乘员6人全毙.4、分队长韩参在开县击落敌重轰炸机1架, 敌机残骸正寻觅中.从当天中国空军的战斗要报记载来看, 被击落的4架日机, 只有两架是查明了具体坠落的地点, 并找到了残骸, 而另外两架的残骸还在"寻觅"中.}}</ref><ref>Cheung, 2015, pp. 67-68. The 24th PS/4th PG received a small number of the ShVAK 20mm cannon-armed I-16 Type 17 fighters from the Soviets, and were used to good effect intercepting 24 G3Ms and a Ki-15 (C5M) on 20 May 1940</ref>

Types 18, 24, 27, 28, and 29 could be fitted to carry [[RS-82]] unguided rockets. The first successful use of air-to-air missiles in air combat was on August 20, 1939. A Ki-27 was hit by an RS-82 rocket launched from a distance of about a kilometer. The shot was fired by Captain N. Zvonarev.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zVEjAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA30 |title=NASA Technical Translation |date=1959 |publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration |language=en}}</ref>

A 1939 government study found the I-16 had exhausted its performance potential. The addition of armor, radio, battery, and flaps during the aircraft's evolution exacerbated the rear weight distribution problems to the point where the aircraft required considerable forward pressure on the stick to maintain level flight and at the same time developed a tendency to enter uncontrolled dives. Extension and retraction of the landing flaps caused a dramatic change in the aircraft's attitude. Accurate gunfire was difficult.

===Soviet Union===
[[File:Khalkhin Gol Soviet pilots august 1939.jpg|thumb|[[Soviet Air Force|VVS]] pilots at [[Khalkhyn Gol]] in front of their I-16 in August 1939.]]
The pilots nicknamed the aircraft ''Ishak'' (Russian: ''Ишак'', ''Donkey''/''[[Hinny]]'') because it was similar to the Russian pronunciation of "I-16" ("ee-shestnadtset"). When [[Operation Barbarossa]] erupted on 22 June 1941, 1,635 of 4,226 [[Soviet Air Force|VVS]] aircraft were I-16s of all variants, fielded by 57 fighter regiments in frontier areas.<ref name="Maslov p.68">Maslov 2010, p. 68.</ref> The main assault delivered by the Luftwaffe's ''Luftflotte'' 2 (in support of [[Wehrmacht]] Army Group Centre) was directed against the Soviet Western Special Military District, that deployed 361 (424 according to other sources) I-16s.<ref name="Maslov pp.68-69">Maslov 2010, pp. 68–69.</ref> During the early phase of the campaign the I-16 bases were the main targets for the German aircraft and after 48 hours of combat, of the 1,635 Polikarpov monoplanes in service on 21 June 1941, only 937 were left.<ref name ="Maslov p.69">Maslov 2010, p. 69.</ref> By 30 June the number of I-16s in western front line units had dropped to 873, including 99 that required repairs.<ref name="Maslov p.72">Maslov 2010, p. 72.</ref> To stem the Luftwaffe aerial assault several I-16 pilots adopted the ''[[Aerial ramming|taran]]'' tactic and sacrificed their lives, ramming German aircraft.<ref name="Maslov p.72" />

Its main opponent in the sky in 1941 was the German [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]].<ref name="Drabkin p.142">Drabkin 2007, p. 142.</ref> The I-16 was slightly more maneuverable than the early Bf 109s and could fight the Messerschmitt Bf 109E, or ''Emil'', on equal terms in turns. Skilled Soviet pilots took advantage of the Polikarpov's superior horizontal [[maneuverability]] and liked it enough to resist the switch to more modern fighters. The German aircraft, however, outclassed its Soviet opponent in service ceiling, rate of climb, acceleration and, crucially, in horizontal and diving speed, due to better aerodynamics and a more powerful engine. The main versions of the I-16 had a maximum speed of 450–470&nbsp;km/h (279–291&nbsp;mph), while the Bf 109E had a maximum speed of 560–570&nbsp;km/h (347–353&nbsp;mph), the more streamlined Bf 109F ''Friedrich'' could hit 615–630&nbsp;km/h (372-390plus&nbsp;mph). So German pilots held the initiative and could decide if they wanted to chase their opponents, could attack them from above and behind and then gain altitude for a new attack. Meanwhile, Polikarpovs could only defend each other by forming a defensive circle or via horizontal maneuverability.<ref name="Drabkin p.142" />

Moreover, in terms of armament, Messerschmitts had a slight edge on the I-16. The ''Emil'' carried two wing-mounted 20mm [[MG FF]] cannons and two synchronized 7.92&nbsp;mm [[MG 17 machine gun|MG-17s]] with a weight of a one-second [[salvo]] of 2.37&nbsp;kg, while the most common version of the I-16—armed with just two synchronized and two wing-mounted 7.62 ShKAS—could deliver 1.43&nbsp;kg of bullets each second.<ref name = "Drabkin pp.142-143">Drabkin 2007, pp. 142–43.</ref> Finally, the ammunition storage on a Messerschmitt exceeded that of the I-16, carrying 1,000 rounds for each machine gun (plus sixty [[Drum magazine|drum]]-housed rounds for each cannon), while the Polikarpov carried just 450 rounds for each ShKAS gun.<ref name="Drabkin p.143">Drabkin 2007, p. 143.</ref>

Around half of all produced I-16s were still in service in 1943, when they were finally replaced.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

Specially modified I-16s were used in the [[Zveno project|Zveno]] [[parasite aircraft]] experiments using the [[Tupolev TB-3]] as a mothership. These I-16s carried two 250&nbsp;kg bombs for dive bombing. This was more than double the bomb load an I-16 could take off with under its own power. Once the bombs were dropped, they could perform as normal I-16s, and could re-attach to the TB-3 for the return journey.<ref name="Shavrov 1985"/>

The [[Luftwaffe]] was known to have captured some I-16 and UTI-4 two-seat trainers (two of which were marked with the ''Stammkennzeichen'' codes DM+HC and DM+HD) and flown from the [[Rechlin-Lärz Airfield|''Erprobungstelle Rechlin'']] central Luftwaffe test facility by [[Kampfgeschwader 200]] (KG 200).<ref>Thomas 2004, p. 80.</ref> The Luftwaffe was not the only air force able to test its fighters against the I-16; the Japanese captured a few I-16s as well,<ref name="Liss 1966, p. 10"/> and the Romanian Air Force also got one when a Soviet pilot defected.<ref>Stapfer 1996, p. 46.</ref> The Finnish Air Force (FAF) captured some I-16s (along with several other Soviet types). During the [[Winter War]] and the [[Continuation War]], the Finns captured six I-16s and one I-16UTI. Two of the captured I-16s and I-16UTIs were put back into flying condition and flight tested.<ref>Perttula, Pentti. [http://www.saunalahti.fi/~ambush/faf/fafincolor.html "FAF in Color."]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''saunalahti.fi''. Retrieved: 6 September 2009.</ref>

==Variants==
<small>''There is considerable disagreement in literature on features of particular I-16 variants. This list is based on the following references.<ref>Liss 1966, p. 8.</ref><ref name="Shavrov 1985">Shavrov 1985</ref><ref>Green 2001, pp. 473–475.</ref></small>
[[File:Operation Barbarossa - Russian planes.jpg|thumb|Polikarpov UTI-4, a two seater training version of the I-16 Soviet fighter, sitting damaged on the ground following an attack by German forces during [[Operation Barbarossa]].]]
[[File:Polikarpov I-16.jpg|thumb|Polikarpov I-16 at [[EAA AirVenture Oshkosh]] 2003]]
[[File:Chung 28A.jpg|thumb|Chung 28A in front of the hangar. China 1939.]]
;TsKB-12
:First prototype, [[Bristol Jupiter|M-22 engine]], 336&nbsp;kW (450&nbsp;hp), two unsynchronized [[ShKAS]] machine guns in the wings with 900 rpg.
;TsKB-12bis
:Second prototype, [[Wright R-1820|Wright SGR-1820-F-3 Cyclone]] engine, 533&nbsp;kW (715&nbsp;hp)
;TsKB-12P (I-16P)
:Prototype armed with two [[ShVAK]] cannon in the wings, 150 rpg.
;TsKB-18
:Ground attack prototype with M-22 engine and armored cockpit. Armed with four ShKAS or [[PV-1 machine gun]]s and 100&nbsp;kg (220&nbsp;lb) of bombs. Two additional Type 5s were fitted with six ShKAS machine guns of which four could decline to 20° for ground strafing.
;TsKB-29 (SPB)
:Pneumatically-operated landing gear and flaps, Wright Cyclone engine, armament of two ShKAS machine guns, used as a high-speed dive bomber in the [[Zveno project]]
;I-16 Type 1
:Pre-production series, M-22 engine with 358&nbsp;kW (480&nbsp;hp).
;I-16 Type 4
:First production version, M-22 engine.
;I-16 Type 5
:Type 4 with a streamlined and tapered engine cowling, [[Shvetsov M-25]] engine with 522&nbsp;kW (700&nbsp;hp). 2 prototypes tested with M-62 engine as well. Mass-produced.
;I-16 Type 6
:[[Shvetsov M-25]]B engine, 545&nbsp;kW (730&nbsp;hp). Weight reduction down to 1383&nbsp;kg.
;I-16 Type 10
:Four ShKAS machine guns (two synchronized in the fuselage and two in the wings), windscreen replaced the sliding canopy, could be fitted with retractable skis for winter operations, M-25B engine with 560&nbsp;kW (750&nbsp;hp). [[Hispano-Suiza]]-built aircraft were powered by the Wright Cyclone R-1820-F-54 engine.
;I-16 Type 12
: Version of I-16 Type 5 with 2 ShKAS machine guns and 2 ShVAK cannons.
;I-16 Type 16
:Type 10 with synchronized ShVAK 12.7mm prototypes. Only three were built, all in January 1939, with serial numbers 16211-16213. They passed factory trials and were delivered to the VVS for military trials.<ref name="Маслов_55"/>
;I-16 Type 17
:Type 10 with two ShKAS machine guns and two ShVAK cannon, rubber tail wheel, M-25V engine with 560&nbsp;kW (750&nbsp;hp). Some aircraft were fitted with an additional 12.7&nbsp;mm (0.5&nbsp;in) [[Berezin UB]] machine gun for strafing.
;I-16 Type 18
:Type 10 with [[Shvetsov M-62]] engine producing 620&nbsp;kW (830&nbsp;hp), with a two-speed supercharger and a variable-pitch propeller. Capable of carrying two 100&nbsp;L (26&nbsp;US gal) underwing fuel tanks.
;I-16 Type 19
:Identical to the Type 10, except for the replacement of their wing-mounted ShKAS machine guns with [[Savin–Norov machine gun]]s; the propeller-synchronized ShKAS were not replaced. Only three aircraft were built in this configuration, all in January 1939. They had serial numbers 19211-19213. They were first used as test platform for the new gun and then delivered to the VVS as I-16SN. They saw action during the [[Winter War]].<ref name="Маслов_55">{{cite book|author=Маслов М. А.|script-title=ru:Истребитель И-16. Норовистый "ишак" сталинских соколов|publisher=Яуза / Коллекция / ЭКСМО| year=2008|isbn=978-5-699-25660-0|pages=55–57|language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=С.В. Иванов|script-title=ru:''И-16: Боевой "Ишак" сталинских соколов. Часть 2''|series=Война в воздухе|volume=43|publisher=ООО "АРС"|language=ru|quote="Раньше чем начались испытательные стрельбы ультраШКАСа, два инженера, Савин и Норов, представили в 1935 г. на испытания еще один авиационный пулемет СН скорострельностью 2800–3000 выстрелов в минуту. В 1936 г. пулемет успешно прошел стрельбовые испытания, а в 1937 г. был рекомендован к серийному производству. Пулеметами СН немедленно вооружили истребители И-16; И-16 с пулеметами СН получили обозначение тип 19, несмотря на то, что кроме вооружения самолет ничем не отличался от И-16 тип 10. Пулеметами СН заменили крыльевые ШКАСы, синхронные пулеметы остались прежними – ШКАСы. В начале 1939 г. завод № 21 изготовил три И-16 тип 19 (заводские номера 192111<!-- there was typo here, an extra "1" in the original-->, 19212 и 19213). С 17 по 26 марта самолеты испытывал заводской летчик-испытатель Томас Сузи. По результатам испытаний было рекомендовано построить партию таких самолетов. Но массовое производство посчитали нецелесообразным. Под обозначением И-16СН истребители передали в ВВС. Весной 1939 г. на вооружение ВВС РККА был принят авиационный пулемет ультраШКАС. Истребители, вооруженные ультраШКАСАми и СН, приняли участие в войне с Финляндией зимой 1939–1940 г.г."|year=2001}}</ref>
;I-16 Type 20
:This designation was first applied to four prototypes built in February 1939 at Factory 21 and armed with Savin–Norov (SN) machine guns synchronized to fire through the propeller. This type was however rejected in August 1939, and then the designation reused for the first I-16 version (otherwise the same as the type 10) capable of carrying [[drop tank]]s. These 93&nbsp;L (25&nbsp;US gal) tanks were designated PSB-21. Eighty aircraft of this specific type were delivered. Additionally, all I-16 types built after January 1940 could use these drop tanks.<ref name="Маслов_55"/>
;I-16 Type 21 and Type 22
: These were planned to have four synchronized machine guns all firing through the propeller. Type 21 was to use only ShKAS, while type 22 was supposed to use a mixture of ShKAS and SN machine guns. Both types however existed only on paper; no aircraft of these types went into service.<ref name="Маслов_55"/>
;I-16 Type 23
: Type 10 additionally armed with [[RS-82]] rockets; 35 were built starting in May 1939. Further production of this type was cancelled in August 1939.<ref name="Маслов_55"/>
;I-16 Type 24
:Four ShKAS, landing flaps replaced drooping ailerons, tailwheel added, second cockpit door added on the starboard side, [[Shvetsov M-63]] engine with 670&nbsp;kW (900&nbsp;hp).
;I-16 Type 27
:Type 17 with an M-62 engine.
;I-16 Type 28
:Type 24 with two ShKAS and two ShVAK.
;I-16 Type 29
:Two synchronized ShKAS in the nose and a single 12.7&nbsp;mm (0.50&nbsp;in) [[Berezin UB|UBS]] in the bottom of the fuselage; it had no guns in wings which were reserved for ground attack weapons. Three rocket racks were mounted in each wing. Additionally, starting in 1941, the external fuel tank hardpoint was changed so that it became multipurpose: it could carry the new type of drop tank, PLBG-100, or a FAB-100 bomb. Wartime photographs from the summer of 1941 show two configurations: one with 6 [[RS-82 rocket]]s and two FAB-100 bombs and another with four RS-132 rockets.<ref name="Маслов_145">{{cite book|author=Маслов М. А.|script-title=ru:Истребитель И-16. Норовистый "ишак" сталинских соколов|publisher=Яуза / Коллекция / ЭКСМО| year=2008|isbn=978-5-699-25660-0|pages=144–145|language=ru}}</ref>
;I-16 Type 30
:Re-entered production in 1941–42, M-63 engine.
;I-16TK
:Type 10 with a [[turbocharger]] for improved high-altitude performance, reached 494&nbsp;km/h (307&nbsp;mph) at 8,600&nbsp;m ( 28,200 ft), did not enter production.
;UTI-1
:Two-seat trainer version of Type 1.
;UTI-2
:Improved UTI-1 with fixed landing gear.
;UTI-4 (I-16UTI) also known as I-16 Type 15
:Two-seat trainer version of Type 5, most with fixed landing gear. This model was built in significant numbers, approximately 3,400 were produced.<ref name="Маслов_76">{{cite book|author=Маслов М. А.|script-title=ru:Истребитель И-16. Норовистый "ишак" сталинских соколов|publisher=Яуза / Коллекция / ЭКСМО| year=2008|isbn=978-5-699-25660-0|page=76|language=ru}}</ref>
;Chung 28A
:Chinese product version, base on the I-16 Type 6 with 712hp Wright R-1820-F3 engine (Maximum speed 455 km/h), armed with two Browning machine gun. total 30 built (3 fighter & 30 Trainer).<ref>{{cite book|author=姜长英|script-title=zh:中国航空史料|publisher=清华大学出版社| year=2000|isbn=7-302-04021-4|volume=1|pages=117–118|language=zh}}</ref>

==Operators==
[[File:Polikarpov I-16 (China Aviation Museum).jpg|thumb|Chinese I-16 (China Aviation Museum)]]
[[File:I-16 Moscow.jpg|thumb|Aircraft on display at a museum in Moscow]]

;{{Flagcountry|Nationalist government}}
* [[Chinese Nationalist Air Force]]
;{{Flag|Nazi Germany}}
* ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' operated captured aircraft
;{{FIN}}
* [[Finnish Air Force]] operated captured aircraft.
;{{flagicon|Mongolia|1924}} [[Mongolian People's Republic|Mongolia]]
* [[Mongolian People's Army Air Force|Mongolian People's Army Aviation]] operated one I-16 used for training
;{{POL}}
* [[Polish Air Force]] operated one I-16 (''1 Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwskiego'') and two UTI-4 aircraft (''15 Samodzielny Zapasowy Pułk Lotniczy'' and the ''Techniczna Szkoła Lotnicza''.<ref>Stapfer 1996, p. 50.</ref>
;{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Romania}}
* [[Royal Romanian Air Force]] one captured aircraft, one I-16 was captured near Dorohoi in 1941.
;{{flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
* [[Soviet Air Forces]]
* [[Soviet Naval Aviation]]
;{{flag|Spanish Republic}}
* [[Spanish Republican Air Force]]
;{{flag|Spanish State}}
* [[Spanish Nationalist Air Force]] operated I-16 and UTI-4 aircraft captured from the Spanish Republican Air Force, returned by French government and 30 built in [[Jerez de la Frontera]]. I-16s were still operated in 1952.
** Group 1-W
** 26th Group
** Morón Fighter School

==Surviving aircraft==
[[File:Polikarpov uti4 helsinki 2.jpg|thumb|Two-seat I-16 UTI trainer version, with Finnish markings on display in the [[Finnish Aviation Museum]] in [[Vantaa]], [[Finland]]]]
[[File:Polikarpov I-16 with spanish republican markings.jpg|thumb|I-16 in Spanish Republican colours, property of The Infante de Orleans Foundation]]
Commencing in 1993, New Zealand pilot and entrepreneur Sir [[Tim Wallis]]' [[Alpine Fighter Collection]] organised the restoration of six I-16s and three I-153s, found in Russia, to an airworthy condition by the Soviet Aeronautical Research Institute (Sibnia) in Novosibirsk.<ref>Peat. Pages 219 to 224.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Polikarpov I-16 'Ishak' ('Rata')|url=http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/i16.html|website=Kiwi Aircraft Images|publisher=Phillip Treweek|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Morss|first1=Dave|title=Flying the Polikarpov|url=http://www.ksql.com/myriad/warbirds_poly.htm|website=Myriad Research|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref> The flight of the first restored aircraft (I-16 ''9'') took place in October 1995. Once restored the aircraft were transported by rail to Vladivostok and from there shipped via Hong Kong to New Zealand. This project was completed in 1999 when the third and final I-153 arrived in New Zealand. In addition a seventh I-16 was later restored for American collector Jerry Yagen.

===China===
* Unknown – I-16 on static display at the [[Chinese Aviation Museum]] in Datangshang.<ref>{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier – Polikarpov I-16|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=118385|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref> It is believed to be a replica incorporating original parts.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}

===Finland===
* ''UT-1'' – I-16 UTI-4 on static display at the [[Finnish Aviation Museum]] in [[Vantaa|Vantaa, Uusimaa]].<ref>{{cite web|title=POLIKARPOV UTI-4 ( I-16 UTI)|url=http://ilmailumuseo.fi/kokoelma/polikarpov-uti-4-i-16-uti|website=Ilmailumuseo Flygmuseum|date=21 May 2015 |publisher=Suomen ilmailumuseo|access-date=9 December 2016|language=fi}}</ref>

===Germany===
* 2421319 – I-16 Type 24 airworthy with a private owner in Germany as D-EPRN.<ref>{{cite web |title=Polikarpov I-16 "Ishak" Red Star |url=http://www.flying-wings.com/i-16-rata |website=Flying Wings Aviation Photography |access-date=25 April 2022 |date=17 March 2011}}</ref>

===Russia===
* 2421234 – I-16 Type 24 airworthy with a private owner in Russia as RA-1561G.<ref>{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier – Polikarpov I-16-24 Rata, c/n 2421234, c/r RA-1561G|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=147891|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>
* 2821395 – I-16 on static display at the [[Central Naval Museum]] in [[Saint Petersburg]].<ref>{{cite web|title=[Untitled]|url=http://www.airpages.ru/eng/ru/i16saf_2.shtml|website=Aviation of World War II|publisher=AirPages|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=[Untitled]|url=http://www.airpages.ru/img/i16_saf.shtml|website=Aвиация Второй мировой|publisher=AirPages|access-date=9 December 2016|language=ru}}</ref>
* Replica – I-16 on static display at the [[Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Moscow|Museum of the Great Patriotic War]] in [[Moscow]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier – Polikarpov I-16, s/n 61 white VVS|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=118290|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>
* Unknown – I-16 on static display at the [[Central Air Force Museum]] in [[Monino]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier – Polikarpov I-16|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=123044|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>

===Spain===
* 2421039 – I-16 Type 24 airworthy at the Fundación Infante de Orleans in [[Madrid]] as EC-JRK.<ref>{{cite web|title=Policarpov I-16 Mosca/Rata|url=http://fio.es/POLIKARPOV_I_16.html|website=Fundación Infante de Orleans|access-date=9 December 2016|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier – Polikarpov I-16-24 Rata, s/n 39 Russian AF, c/n 2421039, c/r EC-JRK|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=39147|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=REGISTRO DE MATRÍCULA DE AERONAVES CIVILES|url=http://www.seguridadaerea.gob.es/media/3748914/aeronaves_inscritas.pdf|website=Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea|access-date=9 December 2016|date=1 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220082931/http://www.seguridadaerea.gob.es/media/3748914/aeronaves_inscritas.pdf|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Replica – I-16 on static display at the [[Museo del Aire (Madrid)|Museo del Aire]] in Madrid.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hangar 3 del Museo de Aeronáutica y Astronáutica|url=http://www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es/ea/pag?idDoc=E5145185FA1157E1C125746C002E58F4|publisher=Ejército del Aire|access-date=9 December 2016|language=es|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118165937/http://www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es/ea/pag?idDoc=E5145185FA1157E1C125746C002E58F4|archive-date=18 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier – Polikarpov I-16 Rata (Replica)|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=6971|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>

===United States===
* 2421014 – I-16 Type 24 airworthy at the Flying Heritage Collection in [[Everett, Washington]] as N7459.<ref>{{cite web|title=POLIKARPOV I-16 TYPE 24 (RATA)|url=http://www.flyingheritage.com/TemplatePlane.aspx?contentId=23|website=Flying Heritage Collection|publisher=Friends of Flying Heritage|access-date=9 December 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406123109/http://www.flyingheritage.com/TemplatePlane.aspx?contentId=23|archive-date=6 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FAA REGISTRY [N7459]|url=http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N7459|website=Federal Aviation Administration|publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>
* 2421028 – I-16 Type 24 airworthy at the [[Military Aviation Museum]] in [[Virginia Beach, Virginia]] as N1639P.<ref>{{cite web|title=WWII – Aircraft|url=http://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/ww2-aircraft.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009074012/http://militaryaviationmuseum.org/ww2-aircraft.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 October 2013|website=Military Aviation Museum|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Polikarpov I-16 "Rata" Fighter Factory|url=http://www.fighterfactory.com/airworthy-aircraft/polikarpov-i-16.php|website=Fighter Factory|access-date=9 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521082250/http://www.fighterfactory.com/airworthy-aircraft/polikarpov-i-16.php|archive-date=21 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FAA REGISTRY [N1639P]|url=http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N1639P|website=Federal Aviation Administration|publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>
* 2421645 – I-16 Type 24 under restoration to airworthy at [[Fantasy of Flight]] as N30425.<ref>{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier – Polikarpov I-16-24 Rata, c/n 2421645, c/r N30425|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=39503|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FAA REGISTRY [N30425]|url=http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N30425|website=Federal Aviation Administration|publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Polikarpov I-16 Soviet Fighter - New Acquisition ??? |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch350b0YaPc |website=YouTube |access-date=24 April 2022 |date=20 March 2019}}</ref>

==Specifications (I-16 Type 24)==
[[File:Polikarpov I-16.svg|thumb|3-view drawing of Polikarpov I-16]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR do 1938<ref name="Shavrov 1985"/>
|prime units?=met
|crew=One
|length m=6.13
|span m=9
|height m=3.25
|wing area sqm=14.5
|airfoil=TsAGI R-II (16% at root)<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>
|empty weight kg=1490
|gross weight kg=1941
<!--Powerplant-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Shvetsov M-63]]
|eng1 type=9-cylinder supercharged air-cooled [[radial engine]]
|eng1 hp=1100
|prop blade number=2|prop name=variable-pitch propeller|prop dia m=
<!--Performance-->
|max speed kmh=489|max speed note=at {{cvt|3000|m}}
|range km=700|range note=with drop tanks
|ceiling m=9700
|climb rate ms=14.7
|time to altitude={{cvt|5000|m}} in 5 minutes 48 seconds
|wing loading kg/m2=134
|power/mass={{cvt|0.26|hp/lb|kW/kg|order=flip}}
<!--Armament-->
|armament=
* 2 × fixed forward-firing [[7.62 mm caliber|{{cvt|7.62|mm|3}}]] [[ShKAS machine gun]]s in upper cowling
* 2 × fixed forward-firing [[7.62 mm caliber|{{cvt|7.62|mm|3}}]] [[ShKAS machine gun]]s in the wings/ {{cvt|20|mm|3}} [[ShVAK cannon]]s (type-28)
* 6 × unguided [[RS-82 rocket]]s ''or'' up to {{cvt|500|kg}} of bombs
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent|
|related=
|similar aircraft=
* [[Brewster F2A Buffalo]]
* [[Boeing P-26 Peashooter]]
* [[CAC Boomerang]]
* [[Fiat G.50]]
* [[Macchi MC.200]]
* [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]]
* [[Mitsubishi 1MF10]]
* [[Nakajima Ki-27]]
* [[Reggiane Re.2000]]
* [[Seversky P-35]]
|sequence=
[[Tupolev I-12|I-12]] –
[[Tupolev I-14|I-14]] –
[[Polikarpov I-15|I-15]] –
'''I-16''' –
[[Polikarpov I-17|I-17]] –
[[Mikoyan-Gurevich I-20|I-20]]
|see also=
* [[Zveno project]]
|lists=
* [[List of interwar military aircraft]]
* [[List of aircraft of World War II]]
* [[List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air Force]]
}}

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
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* {{cite book |last = Lawrence |first = Joseph |title = The Observer's Book Of Airplanes |location = London and New York |publisher = Frederick Warne & Co |year = 1945}}
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* Маслов, М.А. ''Истребитель И-16. Норовистый «ишак» сталинских соколов''. Москва: Коллекция, Яуза, ЭКСМО, 2008. Maslov M.A. ''Istrebitel' I-16. Norovisty "ishak" stalinskih sokolov'' (''I-16 Fighter. A Restive "Donkey" of Stalin's Falcons''). Moscow, Russia: Collection, Yauza, EKSMO, 2008. {{ISBN|978-5-699-25660-0}}.
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* {{cite book | author = Peat, Neville  |title = Hurricane Tim : The Story of Sir Tim Wallis | location = Dunedin | publisher = Longacre Press | year = 2005 |isbn = 1-877361-17-8}}
* Price, Alfred. ''The World War II Fighter Conflict''. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1975. {{ISBN|0-356-08129-X}}.
* Shavrov V.B. ''Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR do 1938 g. (3 izd.)'' (in Russian). Moscow: Mashinostroenie, 1985. {{ISBN|5-217-03112-3}}.
* Shavrov V.B. ''Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR, 1938–1950 gg. (3 izd.)'' (in Russian). Moscow: Mashinostroenie, 1994. {{ISBN|5-217-00477-0}}.
* Stapfer, Hans-Heiri. ''Polikarpov Fighters in Action, Part 2 (Aircraft in Action number 158)''. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1996. {{ISBN|0-89747-355-8}}.
* Thomas, Geoffrey J. ''KG 200: The Luftwaffe's Most Secret Unit''. London: Hikoki Publications, 2004. {{ISBN|1-902109-33-3}}.
* 徐 (Xú), 露梅 (Lùméi). ''隕落 (Fallen): 682位空军英烈的生死档案 - 抗战空军英烈档案大解密 (A Decryption of 682 Air Force Heroes of The War of Resistance-WWII and Their Martyrdom)''.北京,  中国: 团结出版社, 2016. {{ISBN|978-7-5126-4433-5}}.
* 姜长英. ''中国航空史料 (A History of Chinese Aviation)''. 北京,  中国: 清华大学出版社, 2000. {{ISBN|7-302-04021-4}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Polikarpov I-16}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080305093457/http://i16fighter.narod.ru/index_e.htm "The I-16 Fighter" resource]
* [http://www.aviationcorner.net/show_photo.asp?id=75571 I-16 Fundación Infante de Orleans]

{{Polikarpov aircraft}}
{{Soviet fighter designations}}
{{Soviet bomber-attack designations}}
{{Soviet trainer designations}}
{{Spanish fighters}}

{{WWIIUSSRAF}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1930s Soviet fighter aircraft]]
[[Category:Polikarpov aircraft|I-016]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1934]]
[[Category:Parasite aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined piston aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear]]