Pre-series I-153s with M-25 |
Updated on April 3, 2016
|
In October 1938, while the tests of the first prototype weren't still completed, Zavod 1 built a batch of 10 pre-series planes with M-25V engine. All these planes were equipped with a fixed pitch propeller and wide spinners as those of I-15bis.
Plane no. 6005 Drawing of Tapani Tuomanen |
|
Plane no.6005, black (?) 5, underwent state trials in March 1939, flown by test pilot Pavel Ya. Fedrovi and is often regarded as the second prototype. Some differences, in comparison to the first prototype, include;
When compared to well-known production M-62 engined I-153s, pre-serie planes differed for:
|
|
Plane no. 6009 Drawing of Tapani Tuomanen |
|
Another plane of the line was n.9 (or perhaps a 2 with an odd font?), that was characterized by a red (?) spinner instead of the grey-white one of many other planes. Both planes 6002 and 6009, aside 6004, 6008 and 6010, were sent in Baku, in the republic of Azerbaijan, to be tested in a good climate between 25 February and 20 March 1939. |
Photos are from:
Polikarpov's Biplane Fighters, red star vol.6, of Y.Gordon and K.Dexter,
Polikarpow I-153 of Maslov, Wydawnictwo Militaria n.222,