I-200 No.01

File updated on May 29, 2023

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The I-200 prototype was completed on March 31, 1940.
Then it was critically examined by A.G.Brunov, senior test pilot of Zavod 1 and leading engineer for the tests, and by Colonel M.I. Martseliuk and Major M.N. Yakushin of VVS.

Left:

This was the first configuration of No.01 in March 1940.

We see the silver overall finish. On the other side, the oil cooler was slightly smaller than the later configuration. The canopy was removed for easier bailing out.

 

Below:

profile of I-200 No. 01 in March 1940.

 





 



 

After having been modified and repainted, the I-200 n.01 was first flown on April 5th, 1940 by the test pilot A.N. Ekatov of Zavod 1. On 1st May 1940 he flew the I-200 n.01 over Moscow's Red Square.
On May 24 the plane reached the speed of 648 km/h at an height of 6,900 m; an exceptional performance not only for the Soviet Union.

Left:

two photos of I-200 No.01 as it appeared in May 1940.

The silver overall livery has been replaced by a solid light color, usually drawn as grey but that could be anything, and a red (?) lightning on each side of the fuselage.

The plane had a closed hood that was hinged on the right, but it was openable from outside only.

This configuration of the oil cooler on the left side only has already been enlarged, but  it was replaced by a cooler on each side, as on I-200 No.02, in August 1940. Note six slots on the panel on the side of the nose.

The aircraft differs from early type MiG-3 for:

  • the length was still 8,15 m;
  • the canopy conformation was different; an one-piece windshield, a rightward opening shield, a short clear rear part;
  • bulges and intakes over the nose were absent; only the lower bulge under the nose, containing the cooler and lubrification pumps, was present;
  • there was a predisposition for guns installations with recessed outlets (instead than partially protruding as on MiG-1 and 3);
  • the small inlets for ignitors and the one on the low-left part of the nose were absent, as the cooling slots in front of the windshield; the central one under the nose was particularly small; the small intake in right-low position was present;
  • there are some minor differences in panels division, particularly the exhaust shields and the panels with 6 slots;
  • the tail wheel door had not any bulge nor window;
  • the underwing removable panels for guns pods ammo were absent;
  • the supercharger intakes at the wingroots were different than those of MiG-3, particularly for having a shorter upper lip;
  • the water radiator fairing was different to those of MiG-3, and apparently smaller than those of no.02 and 03;
  • the main landing gear were different from MiG-3; they had smaller wheels, different doors shape, and foldable wheel flaps as on I-16, instead of the wheel doors as on MiG-3;
  • the oil cooler was installed only on the left side of nose, and the shutter is on his air inlet rather than on the outlet; it was the only I-200 with this configuration;

 

Disclaimer

This work collects also a lot of photos and drawings from many sources, not always identified and mentioned.
If someone has some rights on the images here reproduced, please email to me and I shall provide to remove or to credit them.
While the historical photos are of public domain (except where otherwise stated), my color profiles and coloured photos are copyrighted.
If someone is interested in any use of them, please email me; higher resolution version is available for printing purposes.
If someone has questions, critiques or corrections, or some further images to show, please email to me.
Massimo Tessitori