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A Multitude of Rata's - Building the I-16 in 1/48th

By Randy Lutz

I built a Type 6, Type 10, Type 18, Type 24 and Type 29. All are based on the 1/48 Hobby Craft kits. As cockpit detail is somewhat limited, I added all the structural detail using Evergreen strip, and finished each cockpit with a Medallion resin cockpit set and Eduard photo-etched seat belts.

I added shutters to the engine cowls, and replaced the moulded in kit exhaust with new pieces made from plastic tubing. All gun barrels were replaced with hypodermic needles and in the case of the Type 29, I relocated the air scoop on the bottom of the cowl from the 6 o'clock position to the 8 o'clock position. The kit wheels were replaced with True Details resin wheels and I scratch built new gear doors, complete with all the inner surface details. I elected to replace all the kit canopies with vacuform units, as the Hobby Craft clear parts were far too thick.

One thing I realized when building these 5 models is that no two reference sources agreed on details such as panel lines, landing flaps and the exhaust arrangement. I recognize that the exhausts are not 100% accurate, but in this case they will have to do.

All models are finished with Xtracolor enamels and Aero Master decals were used on all models except the Type 6, which are kit decals.

References

Eagles of the East No. 2, Fighting Polikarpovs. Aviation International
Scale Aviation Modeller International Vol. 3. Issue 4
Polikarpov Fighters Part 2 In Action No. 162, Squadron Signal Publications
No. 122 Polikarpov I-16, Profile Publications
World Aviation in Spain (The Civil War) 1936-1939, American and Soviet Airplanes, by Silex
Avions Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire, L'aviation de chasse de la république espagnole 1936/1939
Polikarpov I-16, Armada Books

POLIKARPOV I-16 TYPE 6

Squadron Leader Morales
4th Mosca Squadron, Fighter Group 31
Spanish Republican Air Force
Albecete, Spain, February 1937

POLIKARPOV I-16 TYPE 10

This aircraft is from an unknown training/liaison unit based in Russia during 1944.

POLIKARPOV I-16 TYPE 18

Lieutenant S.G. Surzhenko
72nd Guards Fighter Regiment
Murmansk, Russia, Summer 1941

POLIKARPOV I-16 TYPE 24

Lieutenant Krichevskiy
Unknown ground attack unit operating from Budogoszcz Airfield
Leningrad Front, Poland 1943.

POLIKARPOV I-16 TYPE 29

Captain Ciocanel Popescu
Escadrila 19 Observatie
Botosani, Rumania, July 1941