I-16 Type 17

Updated on 16 March 2021

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The Type 17 was a variant of the late Type 10 adapted for the ground attack role, with the ShKAS on the wings replaced by 20 mm ShVAK guns, easily recognizable for the big protruding barrels and some modifications to their ports; it can also be considered as a derivative of the ShVAK-armed Type 12, updated to the standard of the Type 10.

Each gun had 150 rounds, feeded from an hatch above the nose of the plane.

This version preserved the M-25V engine of Type 10, but its gross weight was 84 kg higher (1810 kg instead of 1726). The maximum speed was slightly reduced (425 km/h instead of 448), but the rate of climb was more compromised (4.36 min to 3000 m instead of 3.38 min).

27 of those planes were built in 1938 (perhaps as conversion of previous Type 12) and further 314 in 1939; many of them were later rebuilt as Type 27 or 28, replacing their engine with an M-62 or 63 abd the propeller with a MV-1.

The type was never exported, but fought in the ground attack role during the Nomothan Incident against Japaneses in mid 1939 and later in 1941/42, during the Great Patrioctic War.

 

Type 17 prototype

 

The first prototype of Type 17 was serialled s/n 122133, likely for being obtained by converting a Type 12; the second one was 122134.

The landing gear was fixed in open position, and the bays were closed for a better aereodinamicity. The folding covers of the wheels were removed.

The prototype of Type 17, s/n 122133. It had synchronized ShKAS aside the wing-mounted ShVAK. It was still equipped with M-25A engine without visible intake of the oil cooler, and the ShKAS still hadn't the protruding blast tubes typical of production Type 17.

Some parts from the early production Type 10 M-25A were utilized for the conversion; some of them appear still unpainted. This plane was provided with long ailerons and no flaps

Note some parts apparently unpainted, and the light spinner. Probably the plane had usual red stars, although they can't be seen on this photo, and black cowling.

Strangely, it seems that it had a pilot's door on the right side too, as later versions. This was not present on standard type 17.

Image from Polikarpov's I-16 fighter, of Gordon and Dexter

 

 

Early Type 17 with long ailerons

 

Some photos of Type 17 show them with non-standard long ailerons and no flaps, just as the prototype, but with more updated M-25V engines.

It looks possible that were obtained by a deep conversion of some existing Type 12. There are not documents to confirm this conversion; to prove or disprove it, one should find a photo allowing to read the serial numbers on the tail to see if they started with 12 or 17.

The front image shows that this plane had coupled exhausts as later I-17s; the image shows also that the wheel well plates had Dzud locks as later variants, not as Type 5 or 12.

Images from scalemodels.ru.

 

Another image of a Type 17 of a Navy unit in 1939 that seems to show long ailerons and no flaps.

The coupled exhausts and D-shaped openings for the ski gear, partially closed by screwed plates, are visible; they were first introduced with Type 17.

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

Early Type 17 without flaps were characterized by:

  • two ShKAS 20 mm guns on the wings;
  • rectangular loading hatch for the guns over the nose, visible through a cut on the rear of the upper panel of the cowling (as later types 27 and 28);
  • two synchronized ShKAS on the nose, with visible blast tubes on the front plate and protruding blisters on the top of the nose (as Type 10 and all later ones);
  • M-25V engine, with the characteristic asymmetric T-shaped intake of the oil cooler on the front plate and an exhaust hole under the cowling (as on type 10);
  • VFSh propeller, with pointed spinner (as on Type 5 and 10);
  • no flaps, with long ailerons (as on Type 5 and 12);
  • wheel bays panels with Dzud locks;
  • coupled lower exhaust pipes;
  • partially open recesses for retractable ski gear under the cowling, possibly closed by optional aerodynamic plates opened rearwards;
  • shorter recesses for the side exhaust pipes (as on Type 10 and all successive types);
  • PAK-1 gunsight;
  • trim tabs on the ailerons (as on late Type 10 and all later types);
  • armoured backrest;
  • tail skid;
  • pilot's door on the left side only.

They differed from Type 12 because;

  • the engine M-25V instead of M-25A, and the cowling as later Type 17;
  • 2 synchronized ShKAS in the nose
  • standard outer wing consoles as those of nearly all types except 12;
  • fixed windshield and PAK-1 gunsight;
  • wheel bays panels with Dzud locks.

They differed from standard (later) Type 17 because:

  • lack of flaps
  • for the long ailerons as those of Type 5.

They differed from typical Type 10 for:

  • two ShKAS 20 mm guns on the wings instead of the ShKAS (as later Typs 27 and 28), with different hatches and slots for waste links;
  • rectangular loading hatch for the guns over the nose, visible through a cut on the rear of the upper panel of the cowling;
  • lack of the hatches for the ammo of the wing ShKAS between the cowling and the wheels bays.
  • coupled lower exhaust pipes and partially open recesses for retractable ski gear under the cowling, possibly closed by optional aerodynamic plates opened rearwards (as on late Type 10);
  • splitted side panels of the cowling (as on late Type 10).

 

Above: top view of a early Type 17 without flaps.

  • long flaps with trim tabs as those of Type 5 and 12.
  • ShVAK guns on the wings with big protruding barrels and a short tube for waste shells protruding from the leading edge on the right side of each barrel;
  • hatches for the guns slightly longer than those of the ShKAS machine guns (from 650 mm to 744 mm), and with six locks instead of four, but the same width; behind them, there were smaller hatches hinged on their front side;
  • rectangular loading hatch for the ShVAK guns accessible through a cut on the rear of the top panel of the cowling.

Below: bottom view of a early Type 17 without flaps.

  • no flaps and long type ailerons with trim tabs;
  • lower part of the cowling with open recesses for the retracted ski gear;
  • coupled exhaust pipes
  • round outlet for the oil cooler;
  • lack of typical wing ShKAS ammo boxes between cowling and wheel bays;
  • waste shells expulsion outlet of the left synchronized ShKAS was symmetrical to the right one; this wasn't the same position of other types;
  • waste links expulsion slot of ShKAS, different than those of the ShKAS machine guns;
  • the barrel and the waste shells expulsion tube protrude through slots shaped as an inverted T on the leading edge.

 

Standard I-17 with retractable ski equipment

Apart for some planes, standard Type 17s were equipped with flaps and short ailerons just as standard Type 10s.

A remarkable innovation introduced on Type 17 was the predisposition for a retractable ski gear. Previous types were suitable for ski gear too, but they were fixed in open position.

When the legs retracted, skis remained parallel to the ground and adhered to the fuselage; their front entered in D-shaped openings on the lower side of the engine cowling.

The introduction of these openings required the coupling of the exhaust pipes into two vents onlu, located close to the wingroots.

Left:

a production Type 17, s/n 172124 equipped with retractable ski gear during state tests at the NII VVS (Scientific Institute of the Air Force) in February 1939. The new shape of the panels under the cowling is visible

Image from Polikarpov's I-16 fighter, of Gordon and Dexter

A front view of the same plane.

The wheel bay was partially closed by shaped sheets to reduce the drag when the gear was retracted.

The images let also see the rectangular waste links outlets for the guns, not symmetrical

 

Image from Polikarpov's I-16 fighter, of Gordon and Dexter

 

The same plane in profile. One can see that some light can be seen through the forward part of the recesses for skis under the cowling, that was open. The oil cooler, barely cylindrical, breaks the view between the openings.

One can see that the barrels of the guns cleary surpassed the front plate of the cowling.

Note the shape of the small cover that had replaced the large semicircular one of each main wheel.

 

Image from Polikarpov's I-16 fighter, of Gordon and Dexter

 

The same plane from behind. On the rear of the top panel of the cowling one can vaguely see the rectangular hach for loading the ShVAK in the wings.

The white thing on the left wing is a thermometer; the temperature during the tests was annotated on reports.

 

Image from Polikarpov's I-16 fighter, of Gordon and Dexter

 

The same plane from behind.

Two details of hatches are enlarged:

Top- on the rear of the top panel of the cowling, one can vaguely see the rectangular hach for loading the ShVAK in the wings.

Bottom: we see the longer hatch for the ShVAK gun and, behind it, a smaller hatch related to the gun, visible on both wings.

 

Image from Polikarpov's I-16 fighter, of Gordon and Dexter

 

Typical Type 17 were characterized by:

  • two ShKAS 20 mm guns on the wings instead of the ShKAS (as later Typs 27 and 28);
  • rectangular loading hatch for the guns over the nose, visible through a cut on the rear of the upper panel of the cowling (as later types 27 and 28);
  • two synchronized ShKAS on the nose, with visible blast tubes on the front plate and protruding blisters on the top of the nose (as Type 10 and all later ones);
  • M-25V engine, with the characteristic asymmetric T-shaped intake of the oil cooler on the front plate and an exhaust hole under the cowling (as on type 10);
  • VFSh propeller, with pointed spinner (as on Type 5 and 10);
  • pneumatically actioned flaps under the fuselage and wingroot, with short ailerons (as on Type 10 and all successive fighter types);
  • coupled lower exhaust pipes;
  • partially open recesses for retractable ski gear under the cowling, possibly closed by optional aerodynamic plates opened rearwards;
  • shorter recesses for the side exhaust pipes (as on Type 10 and all successive types);
  • PAK-1 gunsight;
  • trim tabs on the ailerons (as on late Type 10 and all later types);
  • armoured backrest;
  • tail skid;
  • pilot's door on the left side only.

 

Above: top view of a typical Type 17.

The versions armed with ShVAK guns on the wings had big protruding barrels and a short tube for waste shells protruding from the leading edge on the right side of each barrel.

The hatches for the guns are slightly longer than those of the ShKAS machine guns (from 650 mm to 744 mm), and with six locks instead of four, but the same width. Behind them, there were smaller hatches hinged on their front side.

The loading hatch for the ShVAK guns is the rectangular one accessible through a well visible cut on the rear of the top panel of the cowling.

Below: bottom view of a typical Type 17.

  • flaps and the short type ailerons;
  • lower part of the cowling with open recesses for the retracted ski gear;
  • two slots only for four exhaust pipes ( introduced in this version and preserved up to Type 28).
  • round outlet for the oil cooler;
  • lack of typical wing ShKAS ammo boxes between cowling and wheel bays;
  • waste shells expulsion outlet of the left synchronized ShKAS was symmetrical to the right one; this wasn't the same position of other types;
  • waste links expulsion slot of ShKAS, different than those of the ShKAS machine guns;
  • the barrel and the waste shells expulsion tube protrude through slots shaped as an inverted T on the leading edge.

 

 

Detail of the fully retracted ski gear and of the grouped exhaust stacks introduced on Type 17 and then extended to late Type 10 and all successive fighter versions except Type 29.

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

Two details of the recesses for skis covered by screwed plates opened on the rear (on a Type 17 and a 24).

 

Left:

Two details of a ski-equipped Type 17. The ShVAK gun barrels were common to Type 27 and 28 and, apart for some details, to Type 12.

The landing gear has a splined rod anti-torque configuration, as on previous types. The cable for the retraction of the landing gear is clearly visible, entering the airframe at the center of the wheel bay. The outer cable was to fold the ski during the retraction of the leg.

Right:

detail of the opening of the barrel, closed with a plate on a Finnish captured Type 27 . It gives a good idea of the shape of the opening and of the lip above it.

Images from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

 

 

Left: detail of the top of the nose of a Type 17 with open engine cowling.

At the center of the image, we see the square hatch for feeding the wing ShVAK, that was left accessible by a square cut when the cowling was installed. This was common to types 12, 27, 28.

Other visible detail include the synchronized ShKAS, the supercharger intake and a cylinder's head.

Closer, and more visible, is the fuel refuelling hatch.

Closer, left: the open hatch of the ShVAK gun on the wings was slightly longer than the one of the ShKAS of the Type 5, 10, 18, 24, but the same of type 12, 27 and 28. On the photo, we can also partially see the open cover of the small hatch behind the large one; it opens rotating forward.

Images from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

This image, shown on many sources and showing a fantomatic Type 17 n.21 with the slogan 'For Sovietic Karelia!', is a fake based on one of the photos shown above. Many elements of the background are recognizable.

Image from scalemodels.ru

 

Not all Type 17 were provided with recesses for retractable skis: this photo shows at least one plane, clearly recognizable as Type 17 because of its guns, that had an early lower cowling without ski recesses and with four separate recesses for the exhaust pipes. It is unclear if it was built so, or it was repaired with pieces from another plane.

The 17 on the background, instead, seems to have the standard configuration.

 

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

I-16 Type 17 in service with a navy unit. The green livery with grey-silver undersurfaces and red stars was made more interesting by colored spinners possibly red.

Note that the recesses for the exhaust pipes were painted with a light color, probably light grey.

The lower part of the cowling shows that the ski recesses were closed by removable shaped plates that let a slot on the rear, probably useful as auxiliary outlet for cooling air.

The plane on the background seems to have the lower panel of the cowling configured as early type 10s.

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

The Type 17 was utilized for the ground attack role on the Nomothan accident, the brief undeclared war against Japaneses in Mongolia.

Plane 51 of 22 IAP had a landing accident.

Note the non-uniform height of the number on the tail; it is not clear if the number was 51, or 5 and 1 have to be considered as separate numbers; this would be important to understand how the number appeared on the opposite side.

Another noticeable characteristic is the unit recognition mark, a stripe that looks obtained extending the aluminum color of the undersurface all around the fuselage.

 

 

 

The I-16 Type 17 of Grigoriy Sergeyevich Zhuikov, commander of a squadron of the 191 IAP that defended Leningrad on September 1941. He obtained 7 victories flying on I-16s.

The plane is often represented in profiles as having a red 8 outlined in white on its tail. Note the white tail tip.

The plane seems to have the standard prewar finish in AII green (probably with light grey/silver undersurfaces) altered with some black: the cowling seems to have some blurried ovals between the exhaust tubes recesses, and black brush strokes hurrily put on the side ( traces of fuel, according to other interpretations). It's impossible to say if the rear fuselage, wings and tails were altered in the same way.

The propeller, originarily unpainted, looks dotted with green and black small dots made by brush.

Images from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

http://ava.org.ru/iap/191.htm

 

Plane red 11 of 13 IAP KBF/4 GvIAP KBF.

The plane looks characterized by light blue or yellow number and cap, both with white outline.

 

http://ava.org.ru/iap/4gm.htm

 

Plane n.15 (possibly dark blue with red outline)

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

I-16 Type 17 White 307 wrecked by Germans during Barbarossa.

The number is controversial, many people read it as 301 but I think that was 307 because all photos from all perspectives show it starting to bend on the right, besides at least one photo (below left) seems to show an horizontal white bar on the ripped off part of the skinning.

A caption on a photo states that the plane was photographed on a road near Kozelets, Ukraine, Kiev region. According to Timin, the photo could have been shot on 23-25 August 1941. The plane was likely of 87 IAP 16 SAD or 28 IAP 15 SAD, the first based in Vertievka, the second in Pereyaslavovka (both in the Nezhin district on the other side of the Dnieper.) Most likely, the Soviets tried to evacuate the plane beyond the Dniepr river training it on a road, but something went wrong and they had to leave it there. The plane, initially in fair conditions, was subsequently destroyed by Germans.

Image from the web

These photos seem to show some unusual characteristics of plane 307: a pilot's door seems opened on the right side, as on later models as type 24. Perhaps the plane was updated during some overhauling. Someone suggested that it was simply broken, but it seems impossible to make such a clean break on a piece of wood covered with glued fabric.

Besides the side panels of the cowling had their rear part separed, a characteristic that became standard with Type 18 but can be seen on some Type 10 and 17 too.

 

Image from the web

 

Plane 58 being started by a starting truck.

We can see some details:

  • the VFSh propeller without spinner is recognizable from the later MV-1 installed from type 18 because of the lack of balance horns at the base of the blades, and for the thinner and more squared shape of the blades;
  • the front of the blades had its shining suppressed by a rough layer of black paint;
  • under the wings, we see some shining, perhaps of the plates for auxiliary tanks;
  • the side panel of the cowling looks to have its rear part made in a separate piece to make easier the reloading of the synchronized ShKAS;
  • the recesses for the skis are opened.

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

Two details of the recesses for skis covered by screwed plates opened on the rear (on a Type 17 and a 24).

 

Type 17 of 40 IAP.

The plane bears a black-green camouflage apparently consistent with the template of NKAP of June 1941. A red star looks visible on the fuselage, but not over the wings. The gunsight seems a PAK-1M instead of the usual PAK-1.

http://ava.org.ru/iap/41g.htm

 

The photo shows White 28, the plane of snr.lt. J. Vasilev, a squadron commander of the 4 GvIAP of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet in Spring 1942.

This plane looks painted with an unusual camouflage; thin lighter bands are interposed between green and black ones. Someone interpreted them as remains of a winter scheme, but they could also be of some light camo color, as light brown.

Image from Red Stars of Geust, Keskinen, Stenman

 

Left: a strange Type 5 with the very same camouflage; probably it was common to many planes of the unit.

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

A Type 17 of unknown unit, winter 1941-42.

The plane shows a non-standard shape of the oil cooler intake, probably a field repair adapting the front plate of a later type. For a safer identification one should see the top of the front and check for the supercharger intake, but this is not visible on this photo.

The painting is of difficult interpretation, it seems a solid green base with white winter paint splashes.

The whitish thing on the tail could seem a white 251.

 

Image from Istrebitel I-16 of Maslov

 

Plane 16 of 117 GIAP, photographed in 1943.

The plane is most interesting because:

  • it has the windshield of an UTI-4;
  • it has a small kremlin star, possibly white and red, on its spinner;
  • it has a particularly non-uniform painting, including a light band on the rudder; this painting is of difficult interpretation, and could be seen both as a brown striping or a residual of a winter camouflage, maybe on a black and green base.

http://ava.org.ru/iap/117g.htm

 

Credits:

This work was made with the important help of Bernard Le Guenno (BLG), Daniele Righi (Righidan), Andrey Averin (Dabbler), Alexander Gorodnichev, Charles Green, PG Monster and Aleksandrs Ruckovskis.

 

Disclaimer

This work collects photos from many sources, not always identified and mentioned. This was made for research purposes, not intended to obtain an economical gain from them nor to offend the rights of anyone.

Besides, many of the images were published on multiple sources, making difficult to credit them to one source without forgetting other ones.

If someone has rights on the images reproduced here, please don't feel hurted, email to me and I shall provide to remove or to credit them.