The I-16 was the first low-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage in the Sovjet Air Force. In 1936 some 475 I-16s were supplied to Spanish Republican forces. To them the I-16 was known as 'Mosca' (fly), but as 'Rata' (rat) to their opponents.
In the early 1990s six Polikarpov I-16 Ishaks and three I-153 Chaikas were recovered from crash sites in Northern Russia. The aircraft were restored by Aviarestavratsiya at Novosibirsk for the Alpine Fighter Collection. Here ZK-JIN leads I-153 ZK-JKM.
Ash-621R engined ZK-JIN made her first post-restoration flight on 9 September 1995 at Novosibirk. Two years later, on 10 October 1997, the Ishak made her first flight in New Zealand skies.
French build Junkers, ex-Portugese AF Toucan 6313. Seen here as Luftwaffe Ju52 ‘4V+GH’, the markings of 1./KGrzbV 9, operating in the Demyansk Pocket, Russia, in April 1942.