Almost 70 years have passed since the Great Patriotic War, and to this day the inhabitants of Russia do not release memories. In wartime, the main weapons against the enemy were Soviet fighters. Most often I-16 fighters soared in the sky, which they called the donkey among themselves. At the beginning of the war in the west of the country, this model of the aircraft was more than 40 percent. For some time it was the best plane of the Second World War. The famous aircraft designer Polikarpov developed the fighters, providing for landing gear cleaning.
It was the first aircraft in the world with retractable landing gear. Most of the I-16 is made of duralumin, a very lightweight material. Every year, the model of this fighter was improved, the hull was strengthened, a more powerful engine was installed, the steering was changed. In the aircraft, the fuselage consisted entirely of wood, iron beams and sheathed with duralumin plates.
The main enemy of the Soviet WWII I-16 fighter was the Messerschmitt Bf 109. It was made entirely of steel, the landing gear was retracted, a powerful engine — the Führer’s iron bird — was the best aircraft of the Second World War of the German troops.
The developers of the Soviet and German model of the fighter tried to develop great speed and active take-off in the aircraft, but paid little attention to maneuverability and stability, so many pilots died, having lost control.
Soviet aircraft designer Polikarpov worked to reduce the size of the aircraft and lighten its weight. The car turned out to be shortened and rounded in front. Polikarpov was sure that with a lower mass of the aircraft, his maneuverability would improve. The length of the wing did not change, before there were no flaps and flaps. The cockpit was small, the pilot had poor visibility, it was inconvenient to aim, the ammunition consumption increased. Of course, such a fighter could no longer win the title of "Best Aircraft of the Second World War."
German aircraft designers were the first to use a liquid-cooled engine in the manufacture of a winged machine, due to which it retained good maneuverability and speed. The front of the aircraft remained elongated and well streamlined. It was the best aircraft of World War II from Germany. However, the motor has become more vulnerable than before in previous versions.
Of course, the German fighters of World War II with powerful engines and aerodynamic form were superior to their Soviet counterparts in speed, accuracy and altitude. Features of German aircraft gave an additional trump card in the hands of the enemy, the pilots could attack not only in the forehead or behind, but also from above, and then again rise into the clouds, hiding from the Soviet pilots. The I-16 pilots had to defend themselves exclusively, there was no question of an active attack - too unequal forces.
Another advantage of German technology was communication. All aircraft were equipped with radio stations, which allowed the pilots to agree on the attack tactics of Soviet fighters and warn of danger. In some domestic models, radio stations were installed, but it was almost impossible to use them due to a poor signal and poor quality equipment. Nevertheless, for our patriotic pilots I-16 was the best aircraft of World War II.