Polikarpov I-190
Polikarpov Design Bureau · Soviet Union · first flew 1939 · fighter
The Polikarpov I-190 was the Soviet Union's last serious biplane fighter, a refined development of the I-15 line that combined a modern enclosed cockpit and retractable undercarriage with the traditional biplane formula.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.06 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Staggered equal-span biplane wings with single interplane struts
- Fully enclosed cockpit and smooth NACA cowling
- Retractable undercarriage — unusual for a biplane fighter
The I-190 resembles the I-153 Chaika but lacks the latter's distinctive gull upper wing. Its equal-span, unswept biplane wings, smooth cowling and retractable gear distinguish it from earlier Polikarpov biplanes with fixed undercarriages.
Specifications
- The Polikarpov I-190 has a length of 6.06 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 490 km/h (304 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
By the late 1930s monoplane fighters had rendered biplanes obsolete, but Polikarpov still believed a highly manoeuvrable biplane could complement faster monoplanes. The I-190 flew in 1939 with an M-88 radial engine, achieving a respectable 490 km/h in trials — impressive for a biplane — but the concept had no future and development was abandoned with only a handful of prototypes built.
Variants
Only prototype and pre-series examples were built; no production variant was authorised. The I-190 represented the definitive development of the Polikarpov I-15/I-15bis/I-153 biplane fighter lineage.
Where you'll see it
The I-190 never entered operational service. It stands as the final chapter of Soviet biplane fighter development and a technical curiosity of the period.
Related aircraft
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