French Rata I 16

Greetings All,

Blimey, some of that text sounds familiar! lol I just thought I might clarify a bit about the machine’s identity. The Production Number description above is correct, and the data plate upon which this re-build was based was a Type 24 indeed. There was no difference in armament between the Types 18 and 24: both featured a quartet of 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns. The main difference between the two models was the engine: the Type 18 had am M-62, while the Type 24 had an M-63. The propellers and spinners were correspondingly different.

All of the Aviarestoration I-16s used a combination of parts where required, so it not impossible that some items might have come from a Type 18. Mind you, that was a fairly rare model… it would have been nice to see an actual Type 18 turned out by them.

I mention all this minutia, as well, in that there are several Aviarestoration I-16s “Type 24s” doing the rounds with simulated ShVAK cannon in the wings (one in Europe, in fact). This nomenclature is incorrect. With the ShVAK guns the correct model would be the Type 28 (or even the Type 27, which was a cannon-armed development of the Type 18). Hopefully, the various owners of said machines might be so informed and henceforth refer to their aircraft in this way (or put replica ShKAS in the wings so as to fit the name).

Just my own little nit-pick there, any road….

Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 ‘Red 9’ ex ZK-JIN.
F/f NZ 10Oct97

From usually reliable sources:
“The remains of this aircraft were discovered in Karelia, 2km north west of Lake Kokkoyarvi and 38km to the south west of the city of Kostomuksha. The aircraft, which crashed in 1941/42 belonged to the North Front’s 155th Fighter Squadron which was stationed in the area and was produced in Gorky aircraft plant No 21 at the end of 1939 or beginning of 1940. Some parts, eg engine and armament indicate that it was a Type 18 while the landing gear and right cockpit door indicate it was a Type 24. Fabric samples showed that it had been painted in a dark green with grey/blue underside. A number 9 could be seen on the rudder.
The aircraft has been restored by an Aeronautical Research Bureau in Novosibirsk, Siberia, as a Type 24. It was first test flown in Russia in 1996 and after shipment to New Zealand it was reassembled, test flown and granted a New Zealand Experimental Airworthiness Certificate.
As at 10 July 2001, hours are as follows:
Airframe: Wooden monocoque fuselage, fabric covered metal wing, retractable undercarriage, Vne 430km/hr (267 mph).
Avionics: IImorrow Apollo SL40 radio, Artex ELT 200.
Last inspection: 100hr/annual insp (AFC15) and Annual Review of Airworthiness (ARA) completed 23
February 2000. Annuals currently being carried out.
T.S.O. 30.5 hours which includes 3.4 hours testing in Russia.
Engine: Ash-62 IR, 1000 hp, 9 cylinder air cooled radial.
30.5 hours T.S.O. 1214.9 T.T.
Propeller: AV-1M metal, 2 blade. 22.2 hours T.T.

Production Number 2421319 [which indicates: Type 24, Factory 21, Series 3, Example no. 19]. That aircraft would have been built during the early spring of 1940 at Gor’ki.”

This example was the first to fly after restoration and the first to fly in New Zealand, way back when. I’d not heard about the landing accident!

Bruno Ducreux of Aéro Restauration Services undertook the repairs – photos available here: http://www.aero-restauration-service.fr/en/achievements/realisations.php?id=146

It was meant to be appearing at the Jersey airshow last year but it withdrew due to, I believe, paperwork issues.

I’m sure there were some photos online of it running at Dijon (or elsewhere in France) last year, but I’ve seen nothing since.

Yes. It still has the German registration (D-EPRN) on the rear fuselage in the YouTube clip.

Didn’t it have a wheels-up landing or some such?

I believe that’s when it was in Germany and was then subsequently rebuilt at Dijon Darois???

Certainly don’t remember it doing any shows last year?

Is this the ex Germany based example that visited Legends in 2010?

Yes. It still has the German registration (D-EPRN) on the rear fuselage in the YouTube clip.

Didn’t it have a wheels-up landing or some such?