Kermit Weeks has posted a new video detailing his recent trip to the old CAF Museum in Midland, Texas to examine an available Polikarpov I-16 that he was considering purchasing.
The I-16 was the last of Nikolai Polikarpov’s fighter designs to enter production. An aircraft of revolutionary design, the I-16 was the first monoplane fighter with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to enter front line service anywhere in the world. It’s operational status introduced a new standard to fighter design.
According to the original listing, the aircraft (N30425 / S/N 2421645) was rebuilt in Russia by the original factory for the New Zealand-based Alpine Fighter Collection.
Click below to check out the new video and learn if Kermit will be adding the aircraft to his collection.
(via Kermit Weeks Photo: Greg Goebel via Wikimedia Commons Thanks, Pascal!)
