Specifications Polikarpov I-16
	Original	2/3 Scale (as scaled by Volker)
Wing span	29 ft. 6.5 in (9.18 m)	6 m
Length	6.13 m (20 ft 1.25 in)	4 m
Weights	Empty: 3,110 lb. (1,412 kg)	MAUW 400Kg
	Operational: 4,034 lb (1,831 kg)	max pilot weight 90kg
Speed	288 mph (463 km/h) (Maximum)	VNE 240kts and a stall speed 45kts (full flaps)
Service Ceiling	29,500 ft. (8,998 m)
Range	500 miles (805 km)	tank volume max 80L (plus drop tanks)
Powerplant	Shvetsov M-62R 1,000 hp 9-cylinder radial	150HP 9 cylinder Rotec R3600 (3:2 Geared)
Armament	Two 7.62 mm machine guns with two 20 mm cannon.

Additional info from Volker: Polikarpov and RotecRadial home page

As I need to outfit my plane with flaps to achieve the low stall speed I will finish the plane with the ideas of the early models of the I16, i.e. sliding canopy, flaps, no gun fairings.

As the scale factor is hitting everybody over the head I did need to make changes to the original layout of the plane, i.e. the wing sweep, nose length (the 9cyl is not heavy enough!), aileron shape, as these changes make the plane not unrecognisable but hopefully easier to fly.

Mr. Polikarpov in the early days had good intentions by making the design tail heavy by nature but we're not all fighter pilots or expendable.

The Russians did build this plane so lightweight, it's quite frustrating at times to see what we can do today. For example weight of the outer wings of the original plane 35kg each, holding 18g (1550kg MAUW - makes about 7700kg load on that same bit of wing). That's a benchmark I like!

Volker

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Date: 3rd May 2007:

Volker chose positive molding techniques. This means cutting plugs out of foam and glassing over (The foam will be removed to save weight)

It's a composite structure, the front and wing will be mainly fiber glass, cockpit and tail will be mainly carbon fiber..

At this stage the cockpit is ready to be outfitted with instruments and steering, the wing will get the undercarriage mockup next week.

. . .

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge ...

At the moment I'm joining the tail cone to the cockpit section (weighs 35kg altogether), after which the tail feathers will be fitted and then the engine can be mounted.

Date September 2007:

. . .

October and November 2007:

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April 2008: Hi Jim,

. Just to let you know, I'm still working on my plane ;).

At the moment I'm waiting for the engine mount to be welded up.

The cowling front is finished and incorporates a shutter, long air guides towards the cylinder and a carb heat valve in the top carb air inlet duct.

Cheers Volker

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge ...

6/5/2008 Hi Jim,

After a few weeks waiting for the engine mount to be finished I got it and painted it yesterday and today at night I mounted the engine. All went well and the engine is sitting very proudly and wants to take the rest of the plane for a flight :)

< (Left and right views of engine mounted)

Please find some pictures attached. I trial mounted the cowling front as well and it fits. The top air inlet with the carb heat box needs to be reworked slightly but otherwise it will work. As the engine had to move forward (the cylinders now sit at the correct scale position, but the PSRU makes the cowling a bit longer) for CoG reasons I now find ample space behind the engine for a straight down channel to the carburetor.

.In the next days I should get the new canopy, the steering is allmost complete, so the biggest hold back at the moment is the prop. But I'll sort this out asap.
cheersVolker

< (Engine cowling and air flow shutter)

 

8/5/2008 Hi Jim,

Please find attached a picture of the canopy blank that I got today. The work on a mold for that really worked out.. Even so the russians used a multi- facett canopy on the earlier types, I think Polikarpov would have used a blown or vacuum (like mine) pulled canopy if it would have been available at the time.

I'll make one sliding canopy with the short wind shield and one as a fully enclosed canopy. Testflying will be done with the short version pushed forward..

cheers Volker

Top Cowling and Exhaust (25th June 2008): Click on the thumbnails to enlarge ... rotecradial

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