Book Review of
King of Fighters Vol. 2
The Monoplane Era
Nikolay Polikarpov & His Aircraft Designs
AUTHOR: Mikhail Maslov
Helion & Co.
ISBN: 978-1-913336-19-6
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $49.85
ISBN: 978-1-913336-19-6
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $49.85
HISTORY:
The century-long history of the conquest of the sky there have been a number of outstanding personalities. Among them is the name of designer Nikolay Polikarpov (1892-1944), who is inseparably associated with the best achievements of Russian and Soviet Aviation.
His practical activity in the aircraft industry began upon graduation from the Petersburg Polytechnic Institute in 1916. Aged 25, Polikarpov was sent to the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory (RBWF), where the four-engined ilya Muromets bombers, designed by Igor Sikorsky were being built at that time.
Later, beginning in August 1918, he worked in Moscow at the Dux Aircraft factory For several years, he was engaged in improving products manufactured by the factory and upgrading production aircraft to accommodate the the available engines, equipment and materials. From 1922, Polikarpov focused his attention on fighter aircraft, creation of which was a priority for him during the following years.
The first of them was the IL-400 monoplane, designated L-1 by the Air Force. The monoplane was followed by biplanes including the 2I-N1 (1925), the I-3 (1927), the D-2 (1928), and the I-6 (1929). It was specialization in fighter aircraft which, from then on, became his mission in life.
At the peak of his career as a designer, Polikarpov was informally styled “The King of Fighters”, which was quite in line with the level of his merits and achievements.
In the 1930s, the TsKB-3 (I-15) and TsKB-12 (i-16) fighters were designed under Polikarpov’s supervision. These aircraft were the designer’s undoubtable success. They also were the main combat fighters in service with the Red Army Air Force. For the creation of the I-15 and the I-16 fighters, Polikarpov was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1935, and the Order of the Red Star a year later.
During the 1930’s, Nikolav Polikarpov devised a lot of aircraft of various designs, the majority of which can be described as advanced and “innovative”. In 1940, Polikarpov was granted the degree of the Doctor of Engineering and the title of the Chief Designer of the highest category . In the same year, he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. A year later, he became a recipient of the Stalin Prize.
This gifted Soviet engineer was destined to live only 52 years. On 30 July 1944, Nikolov Polikarpov died of a rapidly evolving cancer. To venerate his memory, the U-2 trainer has ever since been designated the Po-2 (Polikarpov-2).
This book describes all Polikarpov’s original projects, both those put into reality and unimplemented ones. It took the author many years to prepare for the creation of the book. The author studied materials on the respective topics in all Russian archives, and made use of the recollections of Polikarpov’s contemporaries, as well as publications by other researchers.
For purposes of clarity and in order to facilitate publication, the author split the book on Nikolai Polikarpov’s aircraft into two parts – “The Biplane Era” and “The Monoplane Era”. Indeed during the designers activity from 1918 through to 1932, he devoted himself predominantly to creating biplanes .
For the 1920s, the biplanes were a preferable option ; they were more common, more reliable, better studied, and even more desirable for the Red Army Air Force. The first design of the IL-400 (IL-1) monoplane fighter appeared as early as 1923, however , it was through its novelty and unpredictability that the aircraft failed to achieve the desired success. It should be noted that the U-2 (PO-2) and the R-5 biplanes , which were created during that period, became one of the best Polikarpov aircraft , and brought him recognition as a designer in the 1930s. Nikolai Polikarpov's activity reached its pinnacle.
It was during that period that he created his advanced monoplanes such as the I-16, the I-17, the VIT-2 and others. He continued his fruitful and quite successful activity in the area of creating modern aircraft during the war of 1941-45 as well.
Volume 2 comprehensively covers Polikarpov monoplane designs.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co. is based in England.
This book is soft-cover of 260 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a black and white photo of a I-16 and a portrait of Nikolay Polikarpov, above a color side-view profile of a I-17.
The book contains many photos of the I-16 and I-17 and their variants. variants of their engines and weapons. Some are shown on wheels and some on skis. There are many photos of pilots. 34 data lists. 8 photos inside factories. Other Soviet engineers, numerous line-drawings showing every inch of the aircraft’s structures.
In the color side profiles section there are:
9 side-views of the I-16.
1 side-view of a I-16 Type 5
5 side-views of the I-16 Type 10
2 side-views of the I-16 Type 15
2 side-views of the I-16 Type 24
1 side-view of the I-16 Type 29
1 side-view of the I-17
2 side-views of the I-17 bis
1 side-view of the I-180-1
1 side-view of the I-180-2
2 side-view of the I-180-3
1 side-view of the I-180S
8 side-views of the I-185
2 side-views of the ITP (M-2)
1 side-view of the prototype of the VIT-1
2 side-views of the VIT-2
2 side-views of the SPB high-speed dive-bomber
1 side-view of the Ivanov single-engined bomber prototype
1 side-view of the NB bomber prototype
1 side-view of the BDP combat troop-carrier glider prototype
1 side-view of the TIS “MA” heavy escort-fighter prototype
1 side-view of an artist’s impression of the Malyutka rocket-propelled aircraft project.
There are several model kits of the I-16 to be found.
This book will be of interest to modelers planning on building one and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. Casemate is the North-American distributor of Helion & Co. books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The century-long history of the conquest of the sky there have been a number of outstanding personalities. Among them is the name of designer Nikolay Polikarpov (1892-1944), who is inseparably associated with the best achievements of Russian and Soviet Aviation.
His practical activity in the aircraft industry began upon graduation from the Petersburg Polytechnic Institute in 1916. Aged 25, Polikarpov was sent to the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory (RBWF), where the four-engined ilya Muromets bombers, designed by Igor Sikorsky were being built at that time.
Later, beginning in August 1918, he worked in Moscow at the Dux Aircraft factory For several years, he was engaged in improving products manufactured by the factory and upgrading production aircraft to accommodate the the available engines, equipment and materials. From 1922, Polikarpov focused his attention on fighter aircraft, creation of which was a priority for him during the following years.
The first of them was the IL-400 monoplane, designated L-1 by the Air Force. The monoplane was followed by biplanes including the 2I-N1 (1925), the I-3 (1927), the D-2 (1928), and the I-6 (1929). It was specialization in fighter aircraft which, from then on, became his mission in life.
At the peak of his career as a designer, Polikarpov was informally styled “The King of Fighters”, which was quite in line with the level of his merits and achievements.
In the 1930s, the TsKB-3 (I-15) and TsKB-12 (i-16) fighters were designed under Polikarpov’s supervision. These aircraft were the designer’s undoubtable success. They also were the main combat fighters in service with the Red Army Air Force. For the creation of the I-15 and the I-16 fighters, Polikarpov was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1935, and the Order of the Red Star a year later.
During the 1930’s, Nikolav Polikarpov devised a lot of aircraft of various designs, the majority of which can be described as advanced and “innovative”. In 1940, Polikarpov was granted the degree of the Doctor of Engineering and the title of the Chief Designer of the highest category . In the same year, he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. A year later, he became a recipient of the Stalin Prize.
This gifted Soviet engineer was destined to live only 52 years. On 30 July 1944, Nikolov Polikarpov died of a rapidly evolving cancer. To venerate his memory, the U-2 trainer has ever since been designated the Po-2 (Polikarpov-2).
This book describes all Polikarpov’s original projects, both those put into reality and unimplemented ones. It took the author many years to prepare for the creation of the book. The author studied materials on the respective topics in all Russian archives, and made use of the recollections of Polikarpov’s contemporaries, as well as publications by other researchers.
For purposes of clarity and in order to facilitate publication, the author split the book on Nikolai Polikarpov’s aircraft into two parts – “The Biplane Era” and “The Monoplane Era”. Indeed during the designers activity from 1918 through to 1932, he devoted himself predominantly to creating biplanes .
For the 1920s, the biplanes were a preferable option ; they were more common, more reliable, better studied, and even more desirable for the Red Army Air Force. The first design of the IL-400 (IL-1) monoplane fighter appeared as early as 1923, however , it was through its novelty and unpredictability that the aircraft failed to achieve the desired success. It should be noted that the U-2 (PO-2) and the R-5 biplanes , which were created during that period, became one of the best Polikarpov aircraft , and brought him recognition as a designer in the 1930s. Nikolai Polikarpov's activity reached its pinnacle.
It was during that period that he created his advanced monoplanes such as the I-16, the I-17, the VIT-2 and others. He continued his fruitful and quite successful activity in the area of creating modern aircraft during the war of 1941-45 as well.
Volume 2 comprehensively covers Polikarpov monoplane designs.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co. is based in England.
This book is soft-cover of 260 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a black and white photo of a I-16 and a portrait of Nikolay Polikarpov, above a color side-view profile of a I-17.
The book contains many photos of the I-16 and I-17 and their variants. variants of their engines and weapons. Some are shown on wheels and some on skis. There are many photos of pilots. 34 data lists. 8 photos inside factories. Other Soviet engineers, numerous line-drawings showing every inch of the aircraft’s structures.
In the color side profiles section there are:
9 side-views of the I-16.
1 side-view of a I-16 Type 5
5 side-views of the I-16 Type 10
2 side-views of the I-16 Type 15
2 side-views of the I-16 Type 24
1 side-view of the I-16 Type 29
1 side-view of the I-17
2 side-views of the I-17 bis
1 side-view of the I-180-1
1 side-view of the I-180-2
2 side-view of the I-180-3
1 side-view of the I-180S
8 side-views of the I-185
2 side-views of the ITP (M-2)
1 side-view of the prototype of the VIT-1
2 side-views of the VIT-2
2 side-views of the SPB high-speed dive-bomber
1 side-view of the Ivanov single-engined bomber prototype
1 side-view of the NB bomber prototype
1 side-view of the BDP combat troop-carrier glider prototype
1 side-view of the TIS “MA” heavy escort-fighter prototype
1 side-view of an artist’s impression of the Malyutka rocket-propelled aircraft project.
There are several model kits of the I-16 to be found.
This book will be of interest to modelers planning on building one and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. Casemate is the North-American distributor of Helion & Co. books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.