I-15bis with winter camouflage

Updated on January 10, 2017

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I-15bis that survived the war outbreak were no longer suitable as fighters, and were employed as ground attack planes. Some I-15bis survived and operated in winter 1941/42, receiving a layer of white winter washable paint on the upper and side surfaces, over the original AII green or eventually over the black/green camouflage. The lower surfaces were likely left in the original silver/grey livery.

 

 

 

 

Rare image of a I-15bis red 52 on the Leningrad front in winter 1941/42.

The plane has a winter finish with MK-7 washable white paint. The undersurfaces could have preserved the original aluminium/light grey finish.

The crew is heating the engine before some mission.

Image from Polikarpov I-15bis of Maslov.

 

 

Another I-16 bis in winter finish after the war outbreak (as deductable by the star on the tail). Some dark traces on the nose suggest that the washable white paint let see the underlying summer finish.

The undersurfaces could have preserved the original aluminium/grey finish.

Note the dark struts of the windshield.

http://www.bellabs.ru/Fotab/Sov-Fin/Sov-Fin.html

 

Disclaimer:

This page shows photos from many sources, not always credited.

If someone thinks to have rights on some images, please don't feel hurted, email to Massimo Tessitori and I'll provide to credit or remove them.