Polikarpov I-153

Polikarpov I-153 Chaika

Origins and Development

Created by Nikolai Polikarpov’s team as an advanced evolution of the I-15 and I-15bis biplanes.

First Flight

1937; entered service in 1939.

Design Features

Sesquiplane layout with a gull-shaped upper wing.

Manually retractable landing gear to reduce drag.

Powered by the Shvetsov M-62 radial engine, later upgraded in variants.

Armament

Four 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns;

Some variants carried bombs or rockets.

Production

3,437 units were built between 1939 and 1941.

Combat Debut and Early Conflicts

Khalkhin Gol (1939)

First combat use against Japanese forces in Mongolia.

Proved superior to the Nakajima Ki-27 in manoeuvrability and firepower.

Winter War (1939–1940)

Used against Finland; suffered losses due to Finnish tactics and terrain.

Several were captured and reused by Finnish forces.

World War II Service

Operation Barbarossa (1941)

Still in frontline service at the start of the German invasion.

Quickly outclassed by modern Luftwaffe fighters like the Bf 109.

Roles

Fighter and ground attack missions.

Reconnaissance and harassment flights.

Naval aviation use with extended-range modifications.

Decline

Withdrawn from frontline service by 1942;

reassigned to training and secondary duties.

Experimental Variants

I-153DM

Ramjet-assisted speed trials.

I-153P

Cannon-armed version.

I-153TK, V, V-TKGK

High-altitude and pressurised cockpit experiments.

I-153UD

Wood monocoque rear fuselage to conserve metal.

I-190 and I-195

Heavily modified prototypes with more powerful engines and enclosed cockpits; neither entered full production.

Legacy

Final Soviet Biplane Fighter

The I-153 marked the end of the biplane era in Soviet fighter design.

Survivors

A few restored aircraft remain in museums and flying condition.

Historical Significance

Bridged the gap between traditional biplane agility and emerging monoplane speed and firepower.

Its service in multiple conflicts and experimental roles reflects the transitional nature of 1930s–40s Soviet aviation.