Polikarpov I-17. TsKB 15, 19 and 19bis

[BLG]

Hi every body,
After the IL 400, here are the 3 versions of another monoplane with inline engine produced by N.N. Polikarpov

The old Amodel kit (7203) of the TsKB 15 I built some years ago was too close to the drawings of the  Modelist Konstructor November 1982





The ribs were represented by double embossed lines like the drawings. ,
Furthermore,  the overall size was too small and  the stabilisator and the canopy were wrong.





Now there is the Amodel TsKB19bis  far better




A lot of new data and plans are available in a post on Scalesmodel.ru

Using them, I have built a new TsKB 15 , matching the lower wing and undercarriage of the old 7203 with the new 72216




 



Beside the change of the undercarriage, the canopy and the height of the fuselage behind it have to be reduced . The wing  have some differences.



Finished:







Comparison betweeen the old and the corrected TsKB 15






To make a TsKB 19 , I had only to vacuform  a new canopy and print the decal for the stencilling of the fin and rudder.

As the engine is neither black nor red compared to the stars and tyres, I have choosen bare metal , as suggested by Maslov













The TsKB 19bis is direct from the box. I just have vacuformed a cnew anopy to present it open to show the main difference with the TsKB 19.
I have used this photo to choose to paint it red, as the majority of soviet prototypes and bare metal like the TsKB 19 and not green and black as generally shown..














Family picture

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Bernard, you have made a great job on the I-17s. The idea of a kitbashing between the kits of Amodel looks promising. Has the newer kit a good canopy, or it is vacuformed?
The choice of the color of the plane exposed in Milan and Paris is difficult. I've tried a reseach in an historical archive about the Milan exposition, but I've found very few on the I-16 and nothing on the I-17. Some article on magazines of that time could have described the colors, but I fear thet none will do this.

[BLG]

Hi Massimo,
The canopy of the new kit is injected, thin and with the correct shape to make the TsKB 19bis. Good if you present it closed. I made a vacform to open it. For the TsKB 15 and 19 , the shape and size are different, so you have to make it. For the color of the TsKB 19, I have read 3 french aviation journals published in  1936 which relate the Airshow. They are available online from the French National Library (https://gallica.bnf.fr/) Unfortunately, nothing about the color. May be in Italian journals about  Milan .
I like it with bare metal cowling.
Regards
Bernard

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Bernard, who knows about aviation magazines of that time?

[BLG]

Hi Massimo,
you can read online the 1936 issue of  L'ala d'Italia rivista mensile di aeronautica here  http://digitale.bnc.roma.sbn.it/tecadigitale/giornale/TO00113347/1936/unico?paginateDetail_pageNum=10
 la Rivista aeronautica 1937 (1936 not available online ) :http://digitale.bnc.roma.sbn.it/tecadigitale/giornale/CFI0364270/1937/v.1
May be other documents in real libraries?
Apparently, there were salon in Milano in 1935 with the I-16 and 1937. I wonder if the TsKB 19 was exposed .
Regards
Bernard

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Bernard,
incredibly, there is one and half pages with a photo of the plane of Paris, a drawing of the landing gear and some technical description. For our ends, an indice is that the plane was defined 'flugsport n.2' or something similar, this confirms that it was presented as a civilian plane, even if it was obviously a fighter. My guess is that the colors could be civilian.

http://digitale.bnc.roma.sbn.it/tecadigitale/img/giornale/CFI0364270/1937/v.1/00001083/med
http://digitale.bnc.roma.sbn.it/tecadigitale/img/giornale/CFI0364270/1937/v.1/00001084/med

Regards
Massimo

[BLG]

Hi Massimo,
In the french newsaper "les Ailes " (the wings) 29 November 1936, it is clearly stated that the TsKB 19 is a fighter "inspired by the Heinkel" . Which one

Here is the photo



and the text



Tranlsation:

The aircraft "ZKB-19" is a metal-framed fighter with very modern forms, due to the engineer Polykarpoff. It is a  low-wing cantilever aeroplane with a liquid cooled "M-100" engine . The landing gear and the tail skid are retractable. This small aircraft is, they say at the stand, very maneuverable and very fast. It is attributed a speed more than 500 km/h.

Regards
Bernard

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Bernard,
for what I think to have read, it was presented as a sport plane but people easily understood that it was a fighter. The description of an all metal frame, we know, is wrong.
Regards
Massimo