In Box Review of MPM 1/48th Scale
Soviet Polikarpov I-15 Biplane Fighter
Kit no. 48006
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
HISTORY
In February 1933, the fighter I-15 was designed in the Central Air Designing Department by N.N. Polikarpov designer team. It should have replaced the older biplanes I-5 and I-6. The prototype CKB-3 was tested by its pilot V.P. Takhalov in October 1933.
It was powered by the U.S. engine Wright SGR-1820-F3 (715 hp/ 525.5 kw). Its licensed production was prepared in the USSR. The engine was designated M-25.
The series production was started in early 1934. Owing to defects of M-25, the initial 404 pieces of I-15 were provided with weaker engines of M-22 (480 hp/ 353 kw). The next 59 planes were equipped with U.S. engines and the following 270 pieces were powered by M-25 engines. All the planes had Townend covers.
The production aeroplanes were armed with synchronized 7.62 mm cannons PV-1. A characteristic feature of the I-15 was a "snapped" upper wing to achieve a better pilot's view.
There were suspensions for bombs of 40 kg under the wings. The guns were changed to two 12.7 mm machine guns UBS by some aeroplanes. The I-15's went through a baptism of fire in Spain, where they were called "Chato".
The USSR delivered 550 planes there. These fighters proved to be excellent, particularly in the first phase of combats in Spain against the He-51, until they fell behind with more powerful Messerschmitt 109 B's.
In the spring of 1939, the fighters I-15 participated in air battles at Chalchin-Gol, Manchuria, against the Japanese aeroplanes Nakajima Ki-27. The development of I-15 resulted in the type I-15 bis (I-152).
The I-15 was a one-seat pursuit biplane of steel tube frame. The nose was covered with metal sheets. The rear had a fabric covering. The wooden wings had fabric coverings. Inter-wing struts were made from duralumin structures. The whole unit had fabric covering.
In February 1933, the fighter I-15 was designed in the Central Air Designing Department by N.N. Polikarpov designer team. It should have replaced the older biplanes I-5 and I-6. The prototype CKB-3 was tested by its pilot V.P. Takhalov in October 1933.
It was powered by the U.S. engine Wright SGR-1820-F3 (715 hp/ 525.5 kw). Its licensed production was prepared in the USSR. The engine was designated M-25.
The series production was started in early 1934. Owing to defects of M-25, the initial 404 pieces of I-15 were provided with weaker engines of M-22 (480 hp/ 353 kw). The next 59 planes were equipped with U.S. engines and the following 270 pieces were powered by M-25 engines. All the planes had Townend covers.
The production aeroplanes were armed with synchronized 7.62 mm cannons PV-1. A characteristic feature of the I-15 was a "snapped" upper wing to achieve a better pilot's view.
There were suspensions for bombs of 40 kg under the wings. The guns were changed to two 12.7 mm machine guns UBS by some aeroplanes. The I-15's went through a baptism of fire in Spain, where they were called "Chato".
The USSR delivered 550 planes there. These fighters proved to be excellent, particularly in the first phase of combats in Spain against the He-51, until they fell behind with more powerful Messerschmitt 109 B's.
In the spring of 1939, the fighters I-15 participated in air battles at Chalchin-Gol, Manchuria, against the Japanese aeroplanes Nakajima Ki-27. The development of I-15 resulted in the type I-15 bis (I-152).
The I-15 was a one-seat pursuit biplane of steel tube frame. The nose was covered with metal sheets. The rear had a fabric covering. The wooden wings had fabric coverings. Inter-wing struts were made from duralumin structures. The whole unit had fabric covering.
THE KIT:
MPM is a model company based in Prague, Czech Republic.
They manufacture short-run multi-media type kits.
This kit came in a unwrapped generic white box. The cover art is a seperate sheet glued to the lid.
The cover art shows a I-15 flying above the countryside. It is overall green above a light-blue undercarriage. It has a wide red fuselage band. The rudder, reading top to bottom, had a flap that was red. yellow and blue. The forward part of the rudder had a figure of Mickey Mouse on it. This was markings for the Spanish Civil War. It has a black fuselage number CA-14 on top of the red fuselage band.
MPM is a model company based in Prague, Czech Republic.
They manufacture short-run multi-media type kits.
This kit came in a unwrapped generic white box. The cover art is a seperate sheet glued to the lid.
The cover art shows a I-15 flying above the countryside. It is overall green above a light-blue undercarriage. It has a wide red fuselage band. The rudder, reading top to bottom, had a flap that was red. yellow and blue. The forward part of the rudder had a figure of Mickey Mouse on it. This was markings for the Spanish Civil War. It has a black fuselage number CA-14 on top of the red fuselage band.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX
This kit contains 2 chalk-white vacuformed sheets, 3 dark-green injection molded plastic trees in a sealed clear cello bag, a vacuformed clear windshield scotch taped to the back of one of the vacuformed sheets, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of an unbound booklet of 6 pages in 12" x 8 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with a line-drawing of the I-15 over its history in Czech, English and German.
Page 2 has a 2-view line drawing of the I-15.
Page 3 has a front view of it at the top over its specifications and international assembly symbol explanations.
Page 4 has 5 assembly steps on it.
Page 5 has an exploded drawing on it for assembly purposes.
Page 6 Is the painting and marking guide, showing two 2-views of the I-15.
The first 2-view shows the I-15 in Soviet markings. It is green over light blue undercarriage. It has a yellow 3 with a bar above it on the rudder.
The second 2-view is the box art scheme. It further shows red bands around the wings.
The 1st chalk-white vacuformed sheet holds: fuselage halves, cowling, bulkheads, fuselage bottom center section (6 parts)
This kit contains 2 chalk-white vacuformed sheets, 3 dark-green injection molded plastic trees in a sealed clear cello bag, a vacuformed clear windshield scotch taped to the back of one of the vacuformed sheets, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of an unbound booklet of 6 pages in 12" x 8 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with a line-drawing of the I-15 over its history in Czech, English and German.
Page 2 has a 2-view line drawing of the I-15.
Page 3 has a front view of it at the top over its specifications and international assembly symbol explanations.
Page 4 has 5 assembly steps on it.
Page 5 has an exploded drawing on it for assembly purposes.
Page 6 Is the painting and marking guide, showing two 2-views of the I-15.
The first 2-view shows the I-15 in Soviet markings. It is green over light blue undercarriage. It has a yellow 3 with a bar above it on the rudder.
The second 2-view is the box art scheme. It further shows red bands around the wings.
The 1st chalk-white vacuformed sheet holds: fuselage halves, cowling, bulkheads, fuselage bottom center section (6 parts)
The second chalk-white vacuformed sheet holds the wings and elevators (7 parts)
The first dark-green injection molded tree holds: the propeller, engine, main wheel halves and a strut (5 parts)
The second dark-green injection molded tree holds struts, joystick, dashboard (9 parts)
The third dark-green injection molded tree holds: engine cylinders, other main wheel halves, seat etc. (6 parts)
The second dark-green injection molded tree holds struts, joystick, dashboard (9 parts)
The third dark-green injection molded tree holds: engine cylinders, other main wheel halves, seat etc. (6 parts)
The clear vacuformed windshield is scotch taped to the back of one of the vacuformed sheets. (1 part)
The decal sheet completes the kits contents. It has a frosted sheet to protect its face from scratching. This sheet was floating around loose in the box, so I stapled it to the sheet.
No pilot figure is included. Detailing is both raised and engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Recommended.