Marek 1/50 Polikarpov I-16

[Don Boose]

Has anyone built this model? I have some questions about the construction of the exhaust system.

Don

[gomidefilho]

Is in my queue pile Don, perharps in the next month I start.

[Don Boose]

I look forward to your build, Péricles.

Don

[3Turner]

I haven't built it yet and took a look at the kit...but what's your question? Perhaps we can figure it out.

[Don Boose]

How are the exhaust stacks fabricated? The exhaust port openings are to be cut out of the cowling (Part 9) and two sets of exhaust parts are provided: one set of black parts (10) that look like they are to be curved and glued to the front of the cowling openings; one set of brown cylinders bisected with a black line (11). These latter parts are clearly meant to be rolled to form the exhaust stacks, but I am not sure what the final shape should be: what is the function of the black line through the middle? The construction drawing seems to indicate that the exhaust pipes should be cut at a sharply oblique angle, but there is no such indication on the parts. And I can't figure out how the exhaust stacks are to be attached to the cowling.

I realize that this narrative would make more sense if I provided an image of the parts, but I can't do that just now. Perhaps tomorrow I can photograph and post the images.

To date, I have only imagineered the construction. I haven't cut any of the parts out yet, so this is all theoretical for now. But I have a strong desire to build the model soon, and will be glad of any thoughts and advice. At the rate at which I build (and with my Vietnam-era Jim Gausman Otter and the Carden-Loyd carrier still hanging fire) I may not begin on this one until after Pericles has completed his own 1/100 build!

Don

[Tapcho]

I'd say you need only the parts to be set in the cowling openings. Each cylinder has an individual exhaust pipe and those are connected to back side of the cylinder. And you pretty much can't see any of those through the front opening of the cowling anyway. There are only eight openings in the cowling so one of the openings house two exhaust pipes (upper left side looking from pilots seat). Not having the kit and not knowing how the parts look I can't advice more. Hope this helps a little.

Tappi

[3Turner]

Don, you are on the right track. Only thing you need to do is ignore the black line bisecting the exhaust tubes (11). Marek typically creates one long line to indicate a part # for several parts. Similar to #10. Don't pay any attention to the thin black line.

Now, from what I've figured out...part 10 will be rolled so that it fit concave in the holes from the cowling of part 9. In...not out. Then the exhaust tubes will come out from the remaining opening from front to rear. As per some pictures on a quick Google search, it appears that the exposed portion of the exhaust had a tip that was angled. So...essentially, just cut an angle at the exposed end.

Here is a walkaround with pic 9 as a good view of exhaust area. I-16 Walk Around

[Don Boose]

Many thanks, Tappi and Robert.

This is very helpful information. I will, no doubt, have more questions if and when I begin construction. It's a really neat-looking airplane, and one of my dream projects is to build several Chinese Air Force aircraft from the pre-1942 period. I have a little list.

Don

[Leif Ohlsson]

Don,

Many years ago I tried to figure out the layout of the exhaust stubs. From studying a large numbers of cutaways & drawings I made the following note for myself:

Exhaust stubs:
Left side (top to bottom)
2 - 1 - 2
Right side (top to bottom)
2 - 1 - 1
Plans show different layout

This was with reference to the Halinski model I started on, but I can't say how I got there or what the remark about the "plans show different layout" means exactly, but I believe I got it right, since it took an awful lot of figuring and studying to get to that note... Whenever it says "2" it would mean two stubs in the same cowling cut-out.

Perhaps the caveat about "the plan" was to this cutaway:



Refreshing my memory and going through old saved images, it appears that the various I-16 versions had varying combinations of single exhaust cut-outs, and the assortment of double-singles.

Here's a page from the Signals Publication "I-16 in action" showing the Chinese version as having single exhaust stubs in individual cowling cutouts, as compared to other versions with double stubs and fewer cut-outs:



It seems that the Halinski model is of a double-single variant, whilst your model may be of the individual cowl apertures type. Sorry for muddying the waters...

Leif

[Don Boose]

Leif -

As always, you have been exceptionally helpful.

Some disclaimers: (1) If I build this 1/50 model, I will clearly not be working at the Halinski level. I would like it to be as accurate as possible, but within the limits of my skill and time available. Therefore, I do not plan any repainting or substantial modification of the basic kit. (2) I did not do any research prior to making my query. I simply couldn't figure out how the exhaust system went together. (3) Although I have picked up a little bit of information about Soviet aircraft of this era over the years, this is not one of my primary areas of study, so compared to those of you who have studied Polikarpov aircraft generally, and the I-16 specifically, and/or have built the Halinski kit, I am woefully ignorant.

While I have not done any extensive research, since my last post I have had the chance to read the I-16 chapter in William Green and Gordon Swanborough, Soviet Air Force Fighters Part 2, WW2 Aircraft Fact Files, London: MacDonald & Janes, 1978. The chapter is essentially identical to the article that appeared earlier in Air Enthusiast (I'm under a little time pressure, taking a break from running an on-line forum and don't have time to go down to the basement to check the exact issue - will do so later). The cutaway drawing of the I-16 Type 10 is identical to the one that you posted, Leif.

And the Type 10 is what the Chinese flew, as did some Soviet pilots who flew for China for a while:

". . . two VVS eskadrilii equipped with I-16 Type 10s and led by Stepan P. Suprun [were] deployed to China, ostensibly as volunteers, during the last quarter of 1937 . . . under one of the clauses of the Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 29 August 1937." [p. 23]

Under the same treaty provisions, the Soviets supplied the Chinese with more than 120 I-15bis and I-16 fighters, support equipment, and training. The Chinese I-16 Type 10s were flown by the 4th Fighter Wing of the Chiense Air Force, which had previously flown Curtiss Hawk IIIs. [Ibid., p. 24]

The I-16 Type 10 mounted a Schvetsov M-25V. All of the drawings and photographs that I have seen of the Type 10 show single exhaust stacks all around.

Incidentally, Stepan P. Suprun had previously been involved in the experiments with air-launching I-16s Type 5s. see Pericles' build of Aaron's TB-3 http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/aviation/27706-murphs-models-tupolev-tb-3-beta-test-1-a.html

Later, after I have got the other (USAWC) forum under control, I will post images of the parts of the Marek kit that are the subject of my question.

More later,

Don