Difference between revisions of "I-153 M-62"

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{{Specs-Card|code=i-153_m62}}
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{{About
{{Notice|''This page is about the aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''. For other uses, see [[I-15_(Disambiguation)|I-15 (Disambiguation)]]''}}
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| about = Russian fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other uses
 +
| link = I-15 (Family)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=i-153_m62
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
|cockpit=cockpit_i-153_m62.jpg
 +
}}
 +
 
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
<!--''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
+
<!-- In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.-->
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian biplane {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
 +
 
 +
== General info ==
 +
=== Flight performance ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 +
<!--Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.-->
 +
The {{Specs|name}} possesses a good turn radius, good climb rate and good acceleration at low altitudes. To fly this plane, you should climb to medium altitudes after taking off (2,000 - 3,000 meters) then accelerate to prepare for hot pursuit against enemy fighters and bombers.
  
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
To get an enemy plane off your tail, it is best to simply do a turn and you won't get hit as the manoeuvrability of the plane is incredible. The plane's massive flaws are its low top speed and the incredible engine overheating.  
{{break}}
 
The '''I-153 M-62 Chaika''' is a Rank I Soviet biplane with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 2.0 (RB/SB). It was in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.
 
  
== General info ==
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
=== Flight Performance ===
+
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
<!--''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Maximum speed, maneuverability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''-->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
 
|-
 
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
 
|-
 
 
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,850 m)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,850 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
+
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
+
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run<br>(meters)
+
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
|-
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
|-
 
| 421 || 409 || 10,700 || 14.1 || 14.4 || 11.3 || 11.3 || 274
 
|-
 
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
 
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,850 m)
+
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
 
 
|-
 
|-
! AB
+
! Stock
! RB
+
| 425 || 410 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 13.8 || 14.4 || 11.4 || 11.4 || rowspan="2" | 274
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
 
|-
 
|-
| 466 || 444 || 10,700 || 13.0 || 13.2 || 24.2 || 15.2 || 274
+
! Upgraded
 +
| 465 || 444 || 13.0 || 13.3 || 20.1 || 15.2
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
====Details====
+
==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
+
! colspan="6" | Features
 
|-
 
|-
! Combat flap
+
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
! Take-off flap
 
! Landing flap
 
! Air brakes
 
! Arrestor gear
 
 
|-
 
|-
| X || X || X || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
+
| X || X || X || X || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
+
! colspan="7" | Limits
 
|-
 
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap<br> (km/h)
+
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
|-
 
|-
! +
+
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
! -
 
 
|-
 
|-
| 570 || 570 || ??? || ~14 || ~14
+
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~13 || ~6
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
+
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
! Ailerons<br>(km/h)
+
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
! Rudder<br>(km/h)
 
! Elevators<br>(km/h)
 
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
 
|-
 
|-
| < 300 || < 340 || < 340 || > 220
+
| < 180 || < 240 || < 380 || > 250
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
+
! Compressor
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
 
|-
 
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
|-
| 2,500 m || 930 hp || 1,116 hp  
+
! Setting 1
 +
| 1,530 m || 840 hp || 1,023 hp
 
|-
 
|-
<!--! colspan="3" | Setting 2
+
! Setting 2
|-
+
| 4,200 m || 800 hp || 975 hp
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| 5,000 m || 880 hp || 1,056 hp  
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
 
|-
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp
 
|- -->
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
<!--''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''-->
+
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
* No armour plating
+
<!--Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.-->
* No armour glazing
+
 
* Critical components located at front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
+
The Chaika is a biplane, so don't expect much in the way of survivability. It can withstand a few shots from 7 mm MGs, but guns like the American .50 cal will shred it to pieces, and cannons will decimate it. However, it can be flown (to some extent) with parts of the wings missing, which can be helpful with getting back to the base. Your greatest 'protection' is your maneuverability, so use it when you can!
* More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage
+
 
 +
The only armour on the aircraft is a 8mm steel plate behind the pilot. While it can stop rifle calibre MG over 400m, its effectiveness remains limited against targets at closer range or armed with heavier armament.
 +
 
 +
* 8 mm steel: behind pilot
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
<!--''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''-->
+
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 
{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}
 
{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
* 4 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, nose mounted (750 + 520 + 500 + 700 (Top right clockwise) = 2,470 total)
+
* 4 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, nose-mounted (700 rpg + 750 rpg + 520 rpg + 500 rpg clockwise from the top-left = 2,470 total)
  
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
<!--''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''-->
+
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 
{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|RS-82|RBS-82}}
 
{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|RS-82|RBS-82}}
  
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordinance:
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
  
 
* Without load
 
* Without load
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* 8 x 82 mm RS-82 rockets
 
* 8 x 82 mm RS-82 rockets
 
* 8 x 82 mm RBS-82 rockets
 
* 8 x 82 mm RBS-82 rockets
<!--
 
=== Defensive armament ===
 
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
 
-->
 
  
== Usage in the battles ==
+
== Usage in battles ==
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
The I-153 Chaika is a rank 1 biplane found in the Soviet tech tree. It posses a good turn radius, good climb rate and good acceleration at low altitudes. To fly this plane, you have to climb to medium altitudes after taking off (2000 - 3000 meters) then accelerate to prepare for hot pursuit against enemy fighters and bombers.  
+
As described earlier, climbing at an aggressive rate during the beginning of the game is extremely beneficial. Once at bomber altitude, building up speed is a must as the biplane bleeds speed in high altitude turns. However, once this is achieved, the plane has free reign overruling the sky. Play mainly as an interceptor and air-defence fighter and watch as the enemy plummets towards the ground.
 +
 
 +
Anything with .50 cals will usually knock your engine out almost immediately. Also, tracer belts easily light this on fire, and the burning is usually fatal. As a result, turn-fighting to keep yourself out of enemy guns is advisable.
 +
 
 +
Many aircraft will attempt to Boom & Zoom you if you remain at low altitudes. Should this happen, engage as though you were going to head-on and break off at the last moment. By swinging around, you'll be able to catch them as they pull up and destroy them.
 +
 
 +
'''Realistic Battles:''' Start out by climbing to ~2000m and then gaining airspeed. You then react to the most immanent/dangerous threats, either diving on lower flying planes or attackers, or going a bit higher up to get a bomber kill, or in general, luring people into turnfights.
 +
 
 +
'''Mixed Battles/CAS:''' Surprisingly, this small biplane is quite deadly as a CAS aircraft. It can carry 4x50kg bombs, which can still be relatively effective at 2.0, or the lethal RBS-82 rockets, 4 on each wing. These effectively function as APHE, as they deal little to no damage if a direct hit does not occur. If it does, however, it will instantly destroy the tank with a single hit. Therefore, if you are comfortable with your aim, you can destroy up to 4 targets per sortie, and a few more with some strafing. Due to its low stall speed and incredible maneuverability, the I-153 can easily be pulled out of a dive at very low altitude. SPAA are a considerable threat however, as the Chaika isn't exactly a hard target to hit if the pilot is unaware of their surroundings. The biggest threats are the [[M16 MGMC]] and [[Flakpanzer 38]] due to their high rate of fire. The [[P.7.T AA]] is also a rare, yet deadly occurrence.
 +
 
 +
'''Simulator:'''
 +
 
 +
The I-153 can be used in turnfighting, bomber intercepting and ground pounding. Like in AB and RB, it is excellent in turning tightly and continuously, and it has lovely low-speed handling and low stall speeds (unlike its successor I-16), making it a great starter plane for sim. However it does have its drawbacks: the rather big nose blocks the visibility a lot, offering very poor over-the-nose visibility which is a disadvantage in a turn fight, because when leading a shot the enemy will always get obstructed by the engine, making the player guess the shot. Also its upper wings will get in the way when you look aside.
 +
 
 +
Note: it is recommended to set the convergence within 300m, with vertical convergence on, because the majority of turnfights happen at that range or closer.
 +
 
 +
Before engaging a fight, it is better to have an altitude advantage first. When approaching the fight try to figure out which is your teammate and which is the enemy, to avoid going for a second pass, as the energy retention of the I-153 is rather slow. Also pick your target carefully. For easier aiming, you want to go for those unmaneuverble twin engine aircraft like [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88]] or [[Ki-45 (Family)|Ki-45]], or bombers if there are any. Given the bad forward visibility of the I-153, these are the best options as they are quite slow and sluggish, and are a bigger target to hit. However getting hits on them doesn't mean good damage, so you must be patient. When dealing with fighters, it is way harder to aim. The elevator control of the I-153 is extremely sensitive, giving it good maneuverability, but at the same time, bad handling. The I-153 will respond in a very fast turn upon moving your stick / mouse by a little bit, which makes tracking nimble planes quite hard. But once you get used to it, try to lure every enemy into a turnfight, as that is where the I-153 shines. Quite a bit of bullets are required to effectively damage the enemy so you must be patient. If you find an enemy at your 6, utilise your great roll rate to do defensive maneuvers like scissors to make them overshoot. Or you can simply do tight turns, most monoplanes won't be able to cut inside your turn and they might disengage.
 +
 
 +
If you are not very experienced in sim, you can also go for even bigger targets (bombers) for easier aiming. However you want to be more careful when hunting bombers, since with the Sim control (whether it be mouse joystick or a real stick) the plane will maneuver much more gently, making itself a great target for the bomber's gunners. DO NOT follow behind a bomber's 6 unless you are sure that its tail gunners are unconscious. Chasing behind a bomber makes yourself stationary for the tail gunners, and you will be showered with bullets. Your big radial engine will usually get damaged. Instead, before attacking, get an altitude advantage over the bomber by flying around 2 km above it. The bomber should only fill up about 1/6 of your gunsight. The best position for an attack is at the bomber's high 6 so you can adjust the lead much easier. Dive at the bomber, but not directly at it, try to predict where you two will crash by imagining yourself as a missile, that's where you should aim at (deflection shooting). To maximise the damage it is better to aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up quite some bullets. Only fire when the bomber passes in front of your guns. This short window might seem inadequate to do anything, but with a accurate burst on the engine the 4 MG can at least damage it. With an engine damaged most bombers cannot go far.
 +
 
 +
Ground pounding ability is average as there is only light bombs and rockets. The 8 rockets, with accurate aiming, can destroy 4 targets, whether them be tanks or pillboxes. The small 50kg bombs can be used on light pillboxes. Once the suspended armaments are gone, the 4 MG are good for killing soft targets like trucks, artillery and AA cars.
 +
 
 +
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
 +
 
 +
[[Ki-27 otsu|Ki-27]], [[N1K1]], [[He 51 (Family)|He 51]], [[Gladiator (Family)|Gladiator]], etc;
 +
 
 +
Those commonly seen planes are equally good at turnfights and will be a hard target to down since they are very small and agile. To deal with them you need to practice leading and deflection shots, plus maneuvers like barrel rolls and scissors. They still need plenty of bullets to get damaged, so these kind of targets are the hardest to kill and requires great skills from the player.
 +
 
 +
[[Do 17 Z-2|Do 17 Z]]:
 +
 
 +
This early twin engine plane always shows up as an AI controlled recon aircraft that you have to down, which is a good news as AI won't maneuver aggressively. However this plane is extremely durable for the I-153's weak MGs. When it shows up as an AI, deflection shots are not recommended as the small shooting windows really does nothing. Instead, try disabling its 2 gunners first, then just sit behind it and burst on its wings and engines. When attacking the gunners try to not get your engine damaged by pulling evasive maneuvers as soon as the bullets come close, since the Do 17 can outrun the I-153 in a level flight.
  
Due to the plane's excellent maneuverability, carrying rockets is not a bad idea for those reasons. The advantage of the plane in order to carry rockets is that any expert pilot can cause heavy damage to the enemy team in it since most players at tier 1 are inexperienced. The rockets can be used to destroy enemy bombers, however the rockets are inaccurate, and thus require close-combat engagements in order to have more chances to hit the target.
+
[[He 111 H-6]]:
  
To get an enemy plane off your tail, it is best to simply do a turn and you won't get hit as the maneuverability of the plane is incredible. The plane's massive flaws are its low top speed and the incredible engine overheating.
+
This bomber is not only quite durable, but also pretty fast. In level flight it can outrun the I-153 rather easily. Avoid being on its 6 as it will have at least 2x 7.92mm MG facing its tail, and their rapid firerate and good penetration is a big threat. Either go for a head-on or use deflection shooting and aim for its engines. If you cannot keep up with it, disengage. If it flies way higher than you, change your target.
  
 +
[[Sunderland Mk IIIa|Sunderland]]:
 +
 +
This flying boat is like a low-tier [[Be-6]]. Its huge fuselage is very spacious and can absorb lots of bullets and shells. It also has lethal defensive firepower: two 7.7mm in the nose, four forward-facing, two on the top and four at the tail, so attacking from behind, in front or above aren't the best options. Dive under it and suddenly pull up to shoot its defenseless underpart. Aim at the large wings and engines, avoid shooting the fuselage.
 +
 +
[[He 100 D-1|He 100]], [[Bf 109 E-1|Bf 109 E]] / F, [[A6M2]]:
 +
 +
These planes might not be able to out-turn the I-153, but they can easily outrun it as the I-153 is slower. These fighters will usually BnZ you, so you must constantly look above and behind you. If they are diving on you, do what you do in realistic: use your roll rate and dodge under their negative G areas. Most players will try to follow up, if not immediately losing track of you. Several dodges might make them impatient and if they really start to turn with you, they are already dead.
 
===Manual Engine Control===
 
===Manual Engine Control===
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
|-
 
|-
! rowspan="2" |Mixer
+
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" |Pitch
+
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" |Radiator
+
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" |Supercharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" |Turbocharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Oil
 
! Oil
 
! Water
 
! Water
! Type  
+
! Type
 
|-
 
|-
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not ontrollable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
+
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>2 gears || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
 
|}
 
 
 
===Modules===
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
!colspan = "1"| Tier
 
!colspan = "2"| Flight performance
 
!colspan = "1"| Survivability
 
!colspan = "2"| Weaponry
 
|-
 
| I
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
| II
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
| III
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
| IV
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
 +
 
* Fast climb rate
 
* Fast climb rate
* Excellent maneuverability
+
* Excellent manoeuvrability (Will out-turn ''any'' enemy aircraft it encounters)
* Extremely difficult to target while it is making maneuvers
+
* Extremely difficult to target while it is making manoeuvres
 
* The above point can make it hard to use boom and zoom tactics against this plane (if you see it coming)
 
* The above point can make it hard to use boom and zoom tactics against this plane (if you see it coming)
* Great at destroying bombers with a hail of rockets and machine gun fire
+
* Great at destroying bombers with a hail of rockets and machine-gun fire
* Option to be equipped with rockets
+
* Option to be equipped with rockets that can pierce up to 60mm of armour (Can destroy most enemy tanks in ground RB at the rank)
* Can be quite effective against lightly armored vehicles when armed with rockets
 
 
* Very low stall speed
 
* Very low stall speed
* 4x Rapid firing ShKAS machine guns
+
* 4 x rapid firing ShKAS machine guns with large ammo reserves
 
* Deadly with tracer belts
 
* Deadly with tracer belts
* The ability to retract landing gear reduces parasitic drag, improving your energy retention.
+
* The ability to retract landing gear reduces parasitic drag, improving your energy retention
 +
* Favourable matchmaking allows it to fight earlier monoplanes and worse biplanes
 +
* Small target
 +
* Excellent for learning/performing highly advanced aerobatic maneuvers
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
* Low speed above 3,500 m
+
 
* Incredible engine overheating
+
* Low speed compared to monoplanes
* Vulnerable to heavy damage (no armor)
+
* Frail airframe, can be destroyed or crippled with a few well placed hits
* Loses a lot of performance if engine is hit
+
* Loses a lot of performance if the engine is hit
 
* A single machine gun round to the engine is capable of knocking it out
 
* A single machine gun round to the engine is capable of knocking it out
* ShKAS machine guns prone to over heating
+
* ShKAS machine guns prone to overheating
* Defensive armaments of bombers can easily wreck this aircraft's engine  
+
* Defensive armaments of bombers can easily wreck this aircraft's engine
 
* Vulnerable to boom and zoom, especially when climbing
 
* Vulnerable to boom and zoom, especially when climbing
 
* Not suited to head on attacks
 
* Not suited to head on attacks
 +
* No self-sealing tanks
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
The I-153 Chaika (aka I-15ter) is This is Last Biplane Made by Polikarpov. Created in 1939. Due to misleading result of Aerial Warfare at This Spanish Civil War Event in 1937. a meeting chaired by Stalin concluded that the Fiat CR.32 biplane was superior to the Polikarpov I-16 monoplane. an Technologically Superior Bf 109 was Introduced is Ignored. and Instead of Focusing to Work on the Superior Biplane I-153 (or I-15ter) was officially approved on 11 October 1937.
+
The I-153 Chaika (aka I-15ter) is the last biplane made by Polikarpov. Created in 1939, due to misleading results of Aerial Warfare in the 1937 Spanish Civil War, a meeting chaired by Stalin concluded that the Fiat CR.32 biplane was superior to the Polikarpov I-16 monoplane. A technologically superior [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]] that had been introduced was ignored, and instead, work on the new I-153 biplane was officially approved on 11 October 1937.
  
The fuselage and wings of the I-153 were similar to those of the I-15 and I-152, with a steel tube framework, covered by metal at the front of the fuselage and fabric elsewhere. The manually operated retractable undercarriage rotated through 90 degrees before folding backwards into the fuselage. The first prototype was powered by a 750 hp M-25V engine. Its maiden flight is variously reported as having taken place in May or August 1938, with A.I. Zhukov at the controls. Tests that began on 27 September are variously described as state acceptance or factory trials. These tests weren't entirely satisfactory and production was delayed while some of the problems were solved. This plane is equipped The 800 hp M-62 was used in the largest number of aircraft, produced around 3,018 in total. The standard I-153 was armed with four ShKAS machine guns. These replaced the PV-1 guns used on the I-15 and I-152, and had a much higher rate of fire (1,800 compared to 750 rounds per minute) as well as being much lighter. The four under wing bomb racks could carry up to 441 lb of bombs. The I-153 entered Red Air Force service in October 1938, and was soon thrust into combat in the Far East, where the Soviet Union was engaged in an unofficial war against Japan in Mongolia. The I-153 had a successful combat debut. Thirteen aircraft had been allocated to the 22nd IAP, and on 7 July 1939 nine were sent into combat with their wheels down. As had been hoped this convinced the pilots of a flight of Japanese Nakajima Ki-27 monoplanes that they were facing the I-153. Just before they entered combat the Soviet pilots raised their undercarriages and turned into combat. Four Japanese aircraft were claimed, although only two losses were acknowledged by the Japanese. Ninety three I-153s were provided to China (a tiny proportion of the overall Soviet contribution to the war effort against Japan in 1937-1941).
+
The fuselage and wings of the I-153 were similar to those of the I-15 and I-152, with a steel tube framework, covered by metal at the front of the fuselage and fabric elsewhere. The manually operated retractable undercarriage rotated through 90 degrees before folding back into the fuselage. The first prototype was powered by a 750 hp M-25V engine. Its maiden flight is variously reported as having taken place in May or August 1938, with A. I. Zhukov at the controls. Tests that began on 27 September are variously described as state acceptance or factory trials. These tests weren't entirely satisfactory and production was delayed while some of the problems were solved. This plane is equipped The 800 hp M-62 was used in the largest number of aircraft, produced around 3,018 in total. The standard I-153 was armed with four ShKAS machine guns. These replaced the PV-1 guns used on the I-15 and I-152 and had a much higher rate of fire (1,800 compared to 750 rounds per minute) as well as being much lighter. The four underwing bomb racks could also carry up to 441 lb of bombs. The I-153 entered Red Air Force service in October 1938 and was soon thrust into combat in the Far East, where the Soviet Union was engaged in an unofficial war against Japan in Mongolia. The I-153 had a successful combat debut. Thirteen aircraft had been allocated to the 22nd IAP, and on 7 July 1939 nine were sent into combat with their wheels down. As had been hoped this convinced the pilots of a flight of Japanese Nakajima Ki-27 monoplanes that they were facing the I-15. Just before they entered combat the Soviet pilots raised their undercarriages and turned into combat. Four Japanese aircraft were claimed, although only two losses were acknowledged by the Japanese. Ninety-three I-153s were provided to China (a tiny proportion of the overall Soviet contribution to the war effort against Japan in 1937-1941).
  
 
The I-153 saw combat during the Winter War against Finland (1939-1940), probably suffering heavy losses against the small Finnish air force.
 
The I-153 saw combat during the Winter War against Finland (1939-1940), probably suffering heavy losses against the small Finnish air force.
  
On 22 June 1941 the I-153 made up one third of the Soviet fighter forces in the western parts of the Soviet Union, accounting for around 1,500 of the 4,226 fighters available at the start of the German invasion. A vast number of aircraft were destroyed in the first few days of the fighting, but enough I-153s survived for them to play a major part in the early part of the fighting, and they were responsible for most of the 800 German aircraft claimed between 22 June and 5 July. The I-153 remained in use as a front line fighter until early in 1942, but by then very few aircraft were still intact, having been lost in the air, on the ground and while acting as ground attack aircraft. The surviving aircraft remained in use in secondary roles into 1943, although they were also used as ground attack aircraft. By the middle of 1943 the Red Air Force only had 36 I-153s on its strength. A few remained in service in the Far East as late as 1945.  
+
On 22 June 1941, the I-153 made up one-third of the Soviet fighter forces in the western parts of the Soviet Union, accounting for around 1,500 of the 4,226 fighters available at the start of the German invasion. A vast number of aircraft were destroyed in the first few days of the fighting, but enough I-153s survived for them to play a major part in the early part of the fighting, and they were responsible for most of the 800 German aircraft claimed between 22 June and 5 July. The I-153 remained in use as a front line fighter until early in 1942, but by then very few aircraft were still intact, having been lost in the air, on the ground and while acting as ground attack aircraft. The surviving aircraft remained in use in secondary roles into 1943, although they were also used as ground attack aircraft. By the middle of 1943, the Red Air Force only had 36 I-153s on its strength. A few remained in service in the Far East as late as 1945.
 +
 
 +
=== In-game description ===
 +
"The I-153P Chaika (Seagull) was a Soviet biplane fighter of the 1930s and 1940s. It was created by the Polikarpov Design Bureau in 1938. It is a modification (3rd variant) of the earlier I-15 fighter, as shown in the designation. The Chaika was considered to be the fastest biplane in the world. However, at the start of hostilities between the Soviet Union and Germany, the I-153 could not compete on equal terms with the German Messerschmitt Bf-109 and therefore was mainly used in ground attack roles.
 +
 
 +
For many years, Soviet pilots considered the I-16 to be the most dangerous aircraft in a spin. Therefore, when flight testing the I-153 with the M-25 engine in March and April of 1939, the VVS Command paid special attention to its spin characteristics. Initially, the matter remained unresolved. However, in the summer of 1939, when the new aircraft saw action against the Japanese in Mongolia, NII VVS returned to this crucial point. Test results were disappointing. By the third full rotation the I-153 would go into a flat spin; the engine would cease by the fifth formation, after which spin recovery would become extremely difficult. Lowering the landing gear in order to shift the center [sic] of gravity did not help. The Chaika still took a significant amount of time to recover."
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|7d-Kop_sGt8|'''The Shooting Range #162''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:44 discusses the I-153.}}
  
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
''ETC.''-->
+
 
 
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2768/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Polikarpov I-153]
 
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2768/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Polikarpov I-153]
  
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
+
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 +
{{AirManufacturer Polikarpov}}
 
{{USSR fighters}}
 
{{USSR fighters}}

Revision as of 20:49, 29 December 2020

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
This page is about the Russian fighter I-153 M-62. For other uses, see I-15 (Family).
I-153 M-62
i-153_m62.png
GarageImage I-153 M-62.jpg
360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/6/6b/Cockpit_i-153_m62.jpg
I-153 M-62
AB RB SB
2.0 2.3 2.0
Class:
Research:2 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:2 100 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The I-153 M-62 Chaika is a rank I Russian biplane with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/SB) and 2.3 (RB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 4 850 m444 km/h
Turn time13 s
Max altitude10 700 m
EngineShvetsov M-62
TypeRadial
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight2 t

The I-153 M-62 Chaika possesses a good turn radius, good climb rate and good acceleration at low altitudes. To fly this plane, you should climb to medium altitudes after taking off (2,000 - 3,000 meters) then accelerate to prepare for hot pursuit against enemy fighters and bombers.

To get an enemy plane off your tail, it is best to simply do a turn and you won't get hit as the manoeuvrability of the plane is incredible. The plane's massive flaws are its low top speed and the incredible engine overheating.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 4,850 m)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 425 410 10700 13.8 14.4 11.4 11.4 274
Upgraded 465 444 13.0 13.3 20.1 15.2

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
X X X X X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
580 450 N/A N/A N/A ~13 ~6
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 180 < 240 < 380 > 250
Compressor Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
Setting 1 1,530 m 840 hp 1,023 hp
Setting 2 4,200 m 800 hp 975 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural580 km/h
Gear450 km/h

The Chaika is a biplane, so don't expect much in the way of survivability. It can withstand a few shots from 7 mm MGs, but guns like the American .50 cal will shred it to pieces, and cannons will decimate it. However, it can be flown (to some extent) with parts of the wings missing, which can be helpful with getting back to the base. Your greatest 'protection' is your maneuverability, so use it when you can!

The only armour on the aircraft is a 8mm steel plate behind the pilot. While it can stop rifle calibre MG over 400m, its effectiveness remains limited against targets at closer range or armed with heavier armament.

  • 8 mm steel: behind pilot

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB170 → 212 Sl icon.png
RB378 → 472 Sl icon.png
SB451 → 564 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications4 420 Rp icon.png
2 680 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost300 Ge icon.png
Crew training600 Sl icon.png
Experts2 100 Sl icon.png
Aces45 Ge icon.png
Research Aces110 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
10 / 30 / 60 % Sl icon.png
100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
330 Rp icon.png
Cost:
200 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
370 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
370 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
720 Rp icon.png
Cost:
440 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
330 Rp icon.png
Cost:
200 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
720 Rp icon.png
Cost:
440 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
shkas_belt_pack
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
DZ-40
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
RO-82
Research:
330 Rp icon.png
Cost:
200 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods weapon.png
shkas_new_gun
Research:
370 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Ammunition2 470 rounds
Fire rate1 800 shots/min
Main article: ShKAS (7.62 mm)

The I-153 M-62 is armed with:

  • 4 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, nose-mounted (700 rpg + 750 rpg + 520 rpg + 500 rpg clockwise from the top-left = 2,470 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (3)
Setup 12 x 50 kg FAB-50sv (forged) bomb
Setup 28 x ROS-82 rockets
Setup 38 x RBS-82 rockets
Main articles: FAB-50 (50 kg), RS-82, RBS-82

The I-153 M-62 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 4 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (200 kg total)
  • 8 x 82 mm RS-82 rockets
  • 8 x 82 mm RBS-82 rockets

Usage in battles

As described earlier, climbing at an aggressive rate during the beginning of the game is extremely beneficial. Once at bomber altitude, building up speed is a must as the biplane bleeds speed in high altitude turns. However, once this is achieved, the plane has free reign overruling the sky. Play mainly as an interceptor and air-defence fighter and watch as the enemy plummets towards the ground.

Anything with .50 cals will usually knock your engine out almost immediately. Also, tracer belts easily light this on fire, and the burning is usually fatal. As a result, turn-fighting to keep yourself out of enemy guns is advisable.

Many aircraft will attempt to Boom & Zoom you if you remain at low altitudes. Should this happen, engage as though you were going to head-on and break off at the last moment. By swinging around, you'll be able to catch them as they pull up and destroy them.

Realistic Battles: Start out by climbing to ~2000m and then gaining airspeed. You then react to the most immanent/dangerous threats, either diving on lower flying planes or attackers, or going a bit higher up to get a bomber kill, or in general, luring people into turnfights.

Mixed Battles/CAS: Surprisingly, this small biplane is quite deadly as a CAS aircraft. It can carry 4x50kg bombs, which can still be relatively effective at 2.0, or the lethal RBS-82 rockets, 4 on each wing. These effectively function as APHE, as they deal little to no damage if a direct hit does not occur. If it does, however, it will instantly destroy the tank with a single hit. Therefore, if you are comfortable with your aim, you can destroy up to 4 targets per sortie, and a few more with some strafing. Due to its low stall speed and incredible maneuverability, the I-153 can easily be pulled out of a dive at very low altitude. SPAA are a considerable threat however, as the Chaika isn't exactly a hard target to hit if the pilot is unaware of their surroundings. The biggest threats are the M16 MGMC and Flakpanzer 38 due to their high rate of fire. The P.7.T AA is also a rare, yet deadly occurrence.

Simulator:

The I-153 can be used in turnfighting, bomber intercepting and ground pounding. Like in AB and RB, it is excellent in turning tightly and continuously, and it has lovely low-speed handling and low stall speeds (unlike its successor I-16), making it a great starter plane for sim. However it does have its drawbacks: the rather big nose blocks the visibility a lot, offering very poor over-the-nose visibility which is a disadvantage in a turn fight, because when leading a shot the enemy will always get obstructed by the engine, making the player guess the shot. Also its upper wings will get in the way when you look aside.

Note: it is recommended to set the convergence within 300m, with vertical convergence on, because the majority of turnfights happen at that range or closer.

Before engaging a fight, it is better to have an altitude advantage first. When approaching the fight try to figure out which is your teammate and which is the enemy, to avoid going for a second pass, as the energy retention of the I-153 is rather slow. Also pick your target carefully. For easier aiming, you want to go for those unmaneuverble twin engine aircraft like Ju 88 or Ki-45, or bombers if there are any. Given the bad forward visibility of the I-153, these are the best options as they are quite slow and sluggish, and are a bigger target to hit. However getting hits on them doesn't mean good damage, so you must be patient. When dealing with fighters, it is way harder to aim. The elevator control of the I-153 is extremely sensitive, giving it good maneuverability, but at the same time, bad handling. The I-153 will respond in a very fast turn upon moving your stick / mouse by a little bit, which makes tracking nimble planes quite hard. But once you get used to it, try to lure every enemy into a turnfight, as that is where the I-153 shines. Quite a bit of bullets are required to effectively damage the enemy so you must be patient. If you find an enemy at your 6, utilise your great roll rate to do defensive maneuvers like scissors to make them overshoot. Or you can simply do tight turns, most monoplanes won't be able to cut inside your turn and they might disengage.

If you are not very experienced in sim, you can also go for even bigger targets (bombers) for easier aiming. However you want to be more careful when hunting bombers, since with the Sim control (whether it be mouse joystick or a real stick) the plane will maneuver much more gently, making itself a great target for the bomber's gunners. DO NOT follow behind a bomber's 6 unless you are sure that its tail gunners are unconscious. Chasing behind a bomber makes yourself stationary for the tail gunners, and you will be showered with bullets. Your big radial engine will usually get damaged. Instead, before attacking, get an altitude advantage over the bomber by flying around 2 km above it. The bomber should only fill up about 1/6 of your gunsight. The best position for an attack is at the bomber's high 6 so you can adjust the lead much easier. Dive at the bomber, but not directly at it, try to predict where you two will crash by imagining yourself as a missile, that's where you should aim at (deflection shooting). To maximise the damage it is better to aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up quite some bullets. Only fire when the bomber passes in front of your guns. This short window might seem inadequate to do anything, but with a accurate burst on the engine the 4 MG can at least damage it. With an engine damaged most bombers cannot go far.

Ground pounding ability is average as there is only light bombs and rockets. The 8 rockets, with accurate aiming, can destroy 4 targets, whether them be tanks or pillboxes. The small 50kg bombs can be used on light pillboxes. Once the suspended armaments are gone, the 4 MG are good for killing soft targets like trucks, artillery and AA cars.

Enemies worth noting:

Ki-27, N1K1, He 51, Gladiator, etc;

Those commonly seen planes are equally good at turnfights and will be a hard target to down since they are very small and agile. To deal with them you need to practice leading and deflection shots, plus maneuvers like barrel rolls and scissors. They still need plenty of bullets to get damaged, so these kind of targets are the hardest to kill and requires great skills from the player.

Do 17 Z:

This early twin engine plane always shows up as an AI controlled recon aircraft that you have to down, which is a good news as AI won't maneuver aggressively. However this plane is extremely durable for the I-153's weak MGs. When it shows up as an AI, deflection shots are not recommended as the small shooting windows really does nothing. Instead, try disabling its 2 gunners first, then just sit behind it and burst on its wings and engines. When attacking the gunners try to not get your engine damaged by pulling evasive maneuvers as soon as the bullets come close, since the Do 17 can outrun the I-153 in a level flight.

He 111 H-6:

This bomber is not only quite durable, but also pretty fast. In level flight it can outrun the I-153 rather easily. Avoid being on its 6 as it will have at least 2x 7.92mm MG facing its tail, and their rapid firerate and good penetration is a big threat. Either go for a head-on or use deflection shooting and aim for its engines. If you cannot keep up with it, disengage. If it flies way higher than you, change your target.

Sunderland:

This flying boat is like a low-tier Be-6. Its huge fuselage is very spacious and can absorb lots of bullets and shells. It also has lethal defensive firepower: two 7.7mm in the nose, four forward-facing, two on the top and four at the tail, so attacking from behind, in front or above aren't the best options. Dive under it and suddenly pull up to shoot its defenseless underpart. Aim at the large wings and engines, avoid shooting the fuselage.

He 100, Bf 109 E / F, A6M2:

These planes might not be able to out-turn the I-153, but they can easily outrun it as the I-153 is slower. These fighters will usually BnZ you, so you must constantly look above and behind you. If they are diving on you, do what you do in realistic: use your roll rate and dodge under their negative G areas. Most players will try to follow up, if not immediately losing track of you. Several dodges might make them impatient and if they really start to turn with you, they are already dead.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Not auto controlled
Controllable
Not auto controlled
Controllable
Not auto controlled
Separate Controllable
2 gears
Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Fast climb rate
  • Excellent manoeuvrability (Will out-turn any enemy aircraft it encounters)
  • Extremely difficult to target while it is making manoeuvres
  • The above point can make it hard to use boom and zoom tactics against this plane (if you see it coming)
  • Great at destroying bombers with a hail of rockets and machine-gun fire
  • Option to be equipped with rockets that can pierce up to 60mm of armour (Can destroy most enemy tanks in ground RB at the rank)
  • Very low stall speed
  • 4 x rapid firing ShKAS machine guns with large ammo reserves
  • Deadly with tracer belts
  • The ability to retract landing gear reduces parasitic drag, improving your energy retention
  • Favourable matchmaking allows it to fight earlier monoplanes and worse biplanes
  • Small target
  • Excellent for learning/performing highly advanced aerobatic maneuvers

Cons:

  • Low speed compared to monoplanes
  • Frail airframe, can be destroyed or crippled with a few well placed hits
  • Loses a lot of performance if the engine is hit
  • A single machine gun round to the engine is capable of knocking it out
  • ShKAS machine guns prone to overheating
  • Defensive armaments of bombers can easily wreck this aircraft's engine
  • Vulnerable to boom and zoom, especially when climbing
  • Not suited to head on attacks
  • No self-sealing tanks

History

The I-153 Chaika (aka I-15ter) is the last biplane made by Polikarpov. Created in 1939, due to misleading results of Aerial Warfare in the 1937 Spanish Civil War, a meeting chaired by Stalin concluded that the Fiat CR.32 biplane was superior to the Polikarpov I-16 monoplane. A technologically superior Bf 109 that had been introduced was ignored, and instead, work on the new I-153 biplane was officially approved on 11 October 1937.

The fuselage and wings of the I-153 were similar to those of the I-15 and I-152, with a steel tube framework, covered by metal at the front of the fuselage and fabric elsewhere. The manually operated retractable undercarriage rotated through 90 degrees before folding back into the fuselage. The first prototype was powered by a 750 hp M-25V engine. Its maiden flight is variously reported as having taken place in May or August 1938, with A. I. Zhukov at the controls. Tests that began on 27 September are variously described as state acceptance or factory trials. These tests weren't entirely satisfactory and production was delayed while some of the problems were solved. This plane is equipped The 800 hp M-62 was used in the largest number of aircraft, produced around 3,018 in total. The standard I-153 was armed with four ShKAS machine guns. These replaced the PV-1 guns used on the I-15 and I-152 and had a much higher rate of fire (1,800 compared to 750 rounds per minute) as well as being much lighter. The four underwing bomb racks could also carry up to 441 lb of bombs. The I-153 entered Red Air Force service in October 1938 and was soon thrust into combat in the Far East, where the Soviet Union was engaged in an unofficial war against Japan in Mongolia. The I-153 had a successful combat debut. Thirteen aircraft had been allocated to the 22nd IAP, and on 7 July 1939 nine were sent into combat with their wheels down. As had been hoped this convinced the pilots of a flight of Japanese Nakajima Ki-27 monoplanes that they were facing the I-15. Just before they entered combat the Soviet pilots raised their undercarriages and turned into combat. Four Japanese aircraft were claimed, although only two losses were acknowledged by the Japanese. Ninety-three I-153s were provided to China (a tiny proportion of the overall Soviet contribution to the war effort against Japan in 1937-1941).

The I-153 saw combat during the Winter War against Finland (1939-1940), probably suffering heavy losses against the small Finnish air force.

On 22 June 1941, the I-153 made up one-third of the Soviet fighter forces in the western parts of the Soviet Union, accounting for around 1,500 of the 4,226 fighters available at the start of the German invasion. A vast number of aircraft were destroyed in the first few days of the fighting, but enough I-153s survived for them to play a major part in the early part of the fighting, and they were responsible for most of the 800 German aircraft claimed between 22 June and 5 July. The I-153 remained in use as a front line fighter until early in 1942, but by then very few aircraft were still intact, having been lost in the air, on the ground and while acting as ground attack aircraft. The surviving aircraft remained in use in secondary roles into 1943, although they were also used as ground attack aircraft. By the middle of 1943, the Red Air Force only had 36 I-153s on its strength. A few remained in service in the Far East as late as 1945.

In-game description

"The I-153P Chaika (Seagull) was a Soviet biplane fighter of the 1930s and 1940s. It was created by the Polikarpov Design Bureau in 1938. It is a modification (3rd variant) of the earlier I-15 fighter, as shown in the designation. The Chaika was considered to be the fastest biplane in the world. However, at the start of hostilities between the Soviet Union and Germany, the I-153 could not compete on equal terms with the German Messerschmitt Bf-109 and therefore was mainly used in ground attack roles.

For many years, Soviet pilots considered the I-16 to be the most dangerous aircraft in a spin. Therefore, when flight testing the I-153 with the M-25 engine in March and April of 1939, the VVS Command paid special attention to its spin characteristics. Initially, the matter remained unresolved. However, in the summer of 1939, when the new aircraft saw action against the Japanese in Mongolia, NII VVS returned to this crucial point. Test results were disappointing. By the third full rotation the I-153 would go into a flat spin; the engine would cease by the fifth formation, after which spin recovery would become extremely difficult. Lowering the landing gear in order to shift the center [sic] of gravity did not help. The Chaika still took a significant amount of time to recover."

Media

See also

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
  • other literature.


Polikarpov Design Bureau (Опытное конструкторское бюро Поликарпова)
I-15  I-15 WR · I-15 M-22 · I-15 M-25 · I-15bis · Krasnolutsky's I-15bis
I-153  I-153 M-62 · Zhukovsky's I-153-M62 · I-153P
I-16  I-16 type 5 · I-16 type 10 · I-16 type 18 · I-16 type 24 · I-16 type 27 · I-16 type 28
I-180  I-180S · I-185 (M-71) · I-185 (M-82)
ITP  ITP (M-1)
Twin-engine fighters  TIS MA
Bombers  Po-2 · Po-2M
Export  ␗I-15bis · ␗I-153 M-62 · ␗I-16 type 5 · ␗I-16 type 10 · ␗I-16 type 17 · ␗I-16 Chung 28

USSR fighters
I-15  I-15 WR · I-15 M-22 · I-15 M-25 · I-15bis · Krasnolutsky's I-15bis
  I-153 M-62 · Zhukovsky's I-153-M62 · I-153P
I-16  I-16 type 5 · I-16 type 10 · I-16 type 18 · I-16 type 24 · I-16 type 27 · I-16 type 28 · I-180S
I-29  I-29
I-185  I-185 (M-71) · I-185 (M-82)
I-225  I-225
ITP  ITP (M-1)
MiG-3  MiG-3-15 · MiG-3-15 (BK) · MiG-3-34
LaGG  I-301 · LaGG-3-4 · LaGG-3-8 · LaGG-3-11 · LaGG-3-23 · LaGG-3-34 · LaGG-3-35 · LaGG-3-66
La  La-5 · La-5F · La-5FN · La-7 · Dolgushin's La-7 · La-7B-20 · La-9 · La-11
Yak-1/7  Yak-1 · Yak-1B · Yak-7B
Yak-3  Yak-3 · Yak-3P · Yak-3T · Yak-3U · Yak-3 (VK-107)
Yak-9  Yak-9 · Yak-9B · Golovachev's Yak-9M · Yak-9T · Yak-9K · Yak-9U · Yak-9UT · Yak-9P
Other countries  ▂P-40E-1 · ▂P-47D-27 · ▂Hurricane Mk IIB · ▂Fw 190 D-9 · ▂Spitfire Mk IXc
P-39  ▂P-39K-1 · ▂Pokryshkin's P-39N-0 · ▂P-39Q-15
P-63  ▂P-63A-5 · ▂P-63A-10 · ▂P-63C-5