I-16 of Cuatro Vientos

Polikarpov I-16
of the museum of Cuatro Vientos, Madrid
by Massimo Tessitori

Updated on April 11, 2009

Here is a small walkaround on the I-16 preserved in the wide museum of Cuatro Vientos, near Madrid.
It is restored with post-civil-war markings on its right side, and republican markings on its left side.

The engine cowling; the windows for cooling let see the engine inside. Note the thickness of the cowling; inside there should be a rotating shutter to close the windows.
Note the green prop blades.

An image of the landing gear, whose internal parts are painted black.
The plane is mounted on a trolley.

An image of the left side, with republican markings. On this side, the plane is painted overall dark emeraldish green on its uppersurface; although not original, the color accords to my idea of the dark green sometimes utilized on Soviet I-16 and I-15bis.
The second image allows a comparison with the olive green utilized to repaint a Spanish I-15 Chato preserved aside the I-16, wing to wing.

Two images of the left side, that allow to see the markings and some details of the inside, that appears to be painted i light grey wuth green instrument panel. The plexiglass is strongly made brown because of its age.
This view allows an easy comparison of the colors of both sides; the green shade of the blotches is the same of the left side.

A detail of the tail; the wheel is of the trolley. Note the shaft connecting the elevators, passing through an hole on the tail cone.
The second image shows a side view of the postwar livery, above a CR-32 Chirri.

Two images of the postwar livery.

Two details of the cockpit. Unfortunately it was not allowed to pass the safety chain.

This is not the original plane, but a wide scale model. It is painted with post-civil-war markings on its right side, and republican markings on the left.

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		The engine cowling; the windows for cooling let see the engine inside. Note the thickness of the cowling; inside there should be a rotating shutter to close the windows. Note the green prop blades.
		An image of the landing gear, whose internal parts are painted black. The plane is mounted on a trolley.
		An image of the left side, with republican markings. On this side, the plane is painted overall dark emeraldish green on its uppersurface; although not original, the color accords to my idea of the dark green sometimes utilized on Soviet I-16 and I-15bis. The second image allows a comparison with the olive green utilized to repaint a Spanish I-15 Chato preserved aside the I-16, wing to wing.
		Two images of the left side, that allow to see the markings and some details of the inside, that appears to be painted i light grey wuth green instrument panel. The plexiglass is strongly made brown because of its age. This view allows an easy comparison of the colors of both sides; the green shade of the blotches is the same of the left side.
		A detail of the tail; the wheel is of the trolley. Note the shaft connecting the elevators, passing through an hole on the tail cone. The second image shows a side view of the postwar livery, above a CR-32 Chirri.
		Two images of the postwar livery.
		Two details of the cockpit. Unfortunately it was not allowed to pass the safety chain.
		This is not the original plane, but a wide scale model. It is painted with post-civil-war markings on its right side, and republican markings on the left.