Polikarpov I-16
Built in the 1930s under the steel rule of Joseph Stalin, the small Polikarpov I-16 was a revolutionary monoplane with one of the most influential designs in history. But despite playing a crucial role in several conflicts of the 20th century, its story has been largely forgotten. The humble Little Donkey was a tough warplane that saw combat for the first time in the Spanish Civil War. And by the time the Nazis struck in the summer of 1941, the Soviet aircraft was ready to meet the legendary Messerchmidts face to face. When the Luftwaffe invaded Soviet territory, the I-16s bravely took to the skies to defend the Motherland. But as they ran out of ammunition, the pilots had to pull off a potentially lethal feat that would become an emblem of Soviet bravery. Trusting their stout and seemingly unassuming warplanes, the pilots took a deep breath and boldly sprinted towards the enemy, prepared for an all-out collision which most of them survived thanks to the aircraft’s sturdy airframe. The I-16’s innovative traits would not only immortalize the aircraft itself but also Soviet aeronautical developments as a whole. As the first palpable demonstration of Soviet competence and talent, the I-16 succeeded in bringing Soviet aerial design to the foreground: a true aviation revolution.
Credit Dark Skies