Description
One of the first mass-produced monoplane fighters with retractable landing gear was the I-16, developed in N.N. Polikarpov Design Bureau.
The first flight took place on December 30, 1934
The "Type 24" modification with an M-63 engine, two ShVAK guns and a reinforced chassis was produced in 1939-1940.
In the summer of 1941, I-16 fighters formed the basis of Soviet fighter aviation. I-16 fighters were used in combat until mid-1943.
