The Polikarpov I-153 (colloquial name: Czajka) was a Soviet fighter and fighter-bomber from the interwar period and World War II in a half-wing arrangement. The flight of the prototype took place in 1938, and serial production continued in the period 1939-1943. The drive is provided by a single Szwecow M-62 engine. The length of the aircraft was 6.17 meters with a wingspan of 10 meters. The maximum speed was up to 445 km / h. The deck armament consisted of four 7.62 mm SzKAS machine guns. The machine could also carry bomb loads of up to 200 kilograms.
The Polikarpov I-153 was an evolutionary development of the I-15 fighter. The main changes compared to the predecessor concerned the use of the upper lobe in the so-called a seagull system, a manually retractable landing gear in flight, and the use of a more powerful engine. Finally, a fighter with lower aerodynamic resistance than the I-15, very good maneuverability, good piloting qualities, but an average maximum speed was created. The Polikarpov I-153 planes were used in combat during the war with Japan, especially during the Battle of Chałchyn-Gol in 1939, as well as during the Winter War of 1939-1940. They were also used on a large scale at the beginning of the German-Soviet war, but they were quite clearly inferior to the German machines. Therefore, they began to be shifted to school and training units.
The Polikarpov I-16 is a Soviet, single-engine low-wing fighter in a mixed design with a classic tail. The prototype's flight took place in 1933. The I-16 turned out to be one of the most modern fighters of that period. It had retractable wheels, modern wing geometry and the ability to change the "turn" of the propeller. At the same time, however, due to its short hull, it was very difficult to pilot and required a lot of attention from the pilot. I-16 had its baptism of fire during the Spanish Civil War, where about 500 units were delivered to the republican troops. The plane surprised the Frankists with its incredible maneuverability, firepower and speed of climb. In 1939, the I-16s was sent to China, which was fighting against Japan, and there it surprised its opponents again. Initially, the M-22 engine was used as a power unit, but on subsequent versions it was replaced with other power units, min. M-25 or M-63. The I-16 remained in the line on the Eastern Front until 1942, serving as not only a fighter, but also an attack aircraft. Technical data (version I-16 Type 24): length: 6.13m, wingspan: 9m, height: 3.25m, maximum speed: 525km / h, rate of climb: 14.7m / s, practical ceiling: 9700m, range maximum: 700km, armament: fixed - two 7.62mm SzKAS machine guns and two 20mm ShWAK cannons, suspended - up to 500 kg of bombs.