Image above from Zaika archive. Image below from Polikarpov's biplane fighters of Gordon and Dexter.
I-15bis is 14 KORAE (Korrektirovochnaya Aviaeskadrilya = artillery gunfire correction air squadron) at Uglovaya Central airbase, Vladivostok.
The very strange camouflage is characteristic of planes based in Siberia, and resembles a ground with rice fields. It was seen on some I-15bis, MiG-3, U-2, I-16, MBR-2 and possibly other types.
The colors can only be guessed, they could be AMT-4 dark green and AMT-1 light brown, with thin black lines.
Some other planes show white thin lines, probably an adaptation to a snowy ground.
The style of red stars with white-red outline suggests that the photo was taken after August 1943.
the front of the spinner is of a light color with glossy finish, possibly light blue (at least, it doesn't seem red nor white, when compared to the markings.
The white 68 with a tiny (red?) outline is a nice touch.
Note the wire aerial from the fin to the right side of the fuselage, not a factory standard for this type.
Plane 62, likely of the same unit of 68, shows that the 'rice' camouflage was a sort of local standard, but the pattern changes considerably plane to plane.
The (supposed) shade of green utilized for the camouflage is lighter than the shade utilized over the cowling, that could be the original AII green; the dark painting of the cowling seems extended downwards with a black curved line.
It seems that the camouflage is extended to the lower part of the rear fuselage, covering the original AII aluminium used on the fabric skinning.
About the undersurfaces: it looks that the metallic parts (lower face of cowling, inner wing struts, landing gear struts) preserved their light grey AE-9, while the fabric-covered parts (lower part of wings including the central section, and probably the lower wings and tail) were painted with a darker shade, possibly AMT-7.
On this photo, the front of the spinner looks white.
Again, we see the wire aerial from the fin to the right side of the fuselage; perhaps another wire goes from the fin to the upper wing, where it cold end on some non-standard mast.
Image via Psy06.
Below: an attempt to reproduce the look of plane 62.
