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Prop&Jet is to release a 1/72nd Polikarpov I-16 type 4/5 & 10 Rata resin kits Sources: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2169974153090900&id=475396205882045 https://propjet.ucoz.ru/forum/9-278-34767-16-1553238457 https://propjet.ucoz.ru/forum/9-278-34815-16-1553549028 3D renders: Type 4 V.P.

Polikarpov I-16 Type 28 Soviet Fighter 1:48 ICM The diminutive I-16 Rata was a ground-breaking design when first introduced, and served the Soviet Air Force well until the middle of WWII when its relatively light armament and manoeuvrability was outmatched by the Bf.109 and FW.190s. It's enclosed cockpit and fully retracting wheels gave it the edge initially, as did the reliable air-cooled engine and its nimble flying characteristics, and it was initially surprisingly successful against the earlier Luftwaffe fighter variants. The Type 28 was an evolution that along the way had already picked up a more powerful engine, additional fuel in wing-mounted tanks, proper flaps, to which was added a complement of two synchronised ShKAS 7.62mm machine guns on the upper cowling, and two more ShVAK 20mm auto-cannons on the wing leading edge for destructive power, without having to synchronise through the prop. Following the 28, came two more variants that adjusted armament and engine power, but this was pretty much the end of the line for the design. The Kit Originally tooled in 2016 by ICM, this boxing uses essentially the same plastic, but uses different parts than the Type 24 that came before it. Inside the double-lidded top-opening box that ICM favour are two sprues of grey styrene, one of clear parts, a small decal sheet and the instructions. It is a simple aircraft, which is reflected by the relatively uncrowded box. Ostensibly the same build method is used for this variant, beginning with the wings and their separate ailerons, moving on to the cockpit that is constructed within the port fuselage half, and has good detail throughout, even aft of the cockpit frame where the next section can be dimly seen. The instrument panel is nicely moulded, and the various controls attached to the sidewalls are included as small parts. A bulkhead is inserted at around the firewall position, and the fuselage is then closed up, inserting the separate rudder as you do so. The cowling around the nose machine guns is inserted, and the twin access doors are added to the fuselage sides, although you could pose one of them down if you choose. The wing assembly fits in the lower fuselage, and the well-detailed radial engine is depicted with its collector ring, piston bank and mount, plus ancillary equipment, most of which will be hidden behind the front cowling that stopped the howling wind from freezing the engine solid at speed. There is the option of leaving the cowling panels off, as they are supplied as three separate parts plus the front section, into which the baffles and the prop are inserted, the latter being able to left free to spin if you are careful with the glue. Adding the windscreen and gunsight is closely followed by the installation of the landing gear with its complex (for the time) bay covers captive to the legs. The wheels are each two piece, and have smooth tyres with slightly domed hub caps. The final act is the installation of the larger cannons in the wing leading-edge, leaving the smaller machine guns on the sprues. Markings If you like your Ratas Russian Green with blue undersides, you're in luck. There are two options in this scheme, one with a yellow 15 and a white lightning bolt on the tail, the other a white 51 on the fuselage. From the box you can build one of the following: 45th Aviation Division, Southern Front, Odessa Area, Late June 1941 72nd Mixed Regiment of the Northern Fleet Aviation, August 1941 The decals are well printed with vibrant colours, and registration is excellent. The majority are a rich red, but the white and yellow decals look opaque, with a fractional over-printing of the yellow around the white under-printing that will disappear on the green. Conclusion It's a nice, workmanlike kit of a workmanlike little aircraft that took on the Luftwaffe during the early days of Operation Barbarossa. Detail is excellent, and there's a lot to like about the kit. Review sample courtesy of

Hola, amigos, I want to present my Polikarpov I-16 Type 10 in its Mosca form a very nice little kit, with only some little scratch necessary Ruder painted, hope you like it as much as i do! Critics very welcome! Happy Easter Holidays, Werner

Started something totally new for me, a prop plane! First one a small kit, Eduard's I-16 Weekend edition in Spanish Republican marking of the Spanish civil war 1936-1939 as it is supposed to be build in a single weekend, construction was easy and straight forward, small and simple cockpit that will be nearly totally hidden in the fuslage, sorry no photos! ready for painting: hope you like it, I do a lot!, it is really small