Jane's All the World's Hunters of the French Civil War

Severski I-13 “Fencer” (Feb 1936): A rude shock to French and International pilots when the actionistes first fielded it in 1937, the I-13 had in fact entered squadron service in Russia in February 1936. Given the nickname for its ability at higher altitudes and its facility with slashing attacks (and making an F-nickname traditional for Russian hunters), the I-13 gained its performance from the two-stage supercharger and large intercooler attached to its radial engine. The length of this apparatus necessitated a cockpit set well aft, harming visibility particularly on takeoff and landing, but the benefit was extreme. A full 25mph faster than early marks of the Hawk, with a full throttle height three thousand feet higher, maneuverable and well-armed and armored, the I-13 was the best hunter of its day. Only the Thunderbird could fight it at high altitude, but the I-13 heavily outgunned it and was much more maneuverable; it would take the release for export of the Hawk Mk III with its own two-stage supercharged engine for the républicains to have a counter. I-13 Type 3: 6239lb dry, 7650lb loaded, 1350HP, 375mph, 2x 23mm cannon, 4x 7.62mm MG.


I-13 Type 6 prior to shipment to France, 1937.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
I have one in BROS, as well

Hah! So pleased someone got that reference. She was christened by the daughter of a member of the 19th USCT "The Craterwalkers."
...that should give you a good sense of how changed the US is. :D

There most certainly is a USS Robert Smalls, she's the third ship (and second tin can) to wear that name.

I have one in BROS, as well. The hull number is an Easter egg.;)

Best,
 
Sikorski I-14 “Finback” (Sep 1935): Entering squadron service in Russia in September 1935, and exported along with the I-13 in 1937, the I-14 was a decent performer but nowhere near as shocking as the I-13. It was a highly-streamlined low-wing monoplane with a supercharged V engine in the nose, but by comparison to the I-13 it was very much a low-altitude hunter, reaching its maximum performance at about 12,000ft. Heavier than the Vanguard, with smaller wings, it proved slightly faster on similar horsepower; its main advantage was its heavy armament and heavier armor. A redesign for the large new 1850HP radial engine, a development of that used in the I-13, yielded the I-14bis; it proved a much more capable hunter. Retaining the two-stage supercharger designed for the I-13, although now tuned for lower altitude (high altitude being the province of the I-15), the I-14bis was a very dangerous opponent on the deck, as fast under 10,000ft as the best the républicains or the Intervening Powers could field. It remained in service into the Second World War, with minor upgrades, until being withdrawn in favor of jet-engined successors (the first Russian jet hunter largely borrowing the I-14bis fuselage and wings). I-14 Type 6: 5601lb dry, 7025lb loaded, 1100HP, 336mph, 3x 23mm cannon. I-14bis Type 2 (1937): 5820lb dry, 7253lb loaded, 1850HP, 419mph, 4x 23mm cannon.


I-14 Type 7, VVF, Petrograd, December 1935.


I-14bis Type 12, VVF, Southern Front, 1940.
 
Wright-Curtiss H-27 Starship (Apr 1936): With the future of the "hyper engine" looking doubtful in the early 1930s, and bombers outperforming many of the hunters then in service, the USAF let a contract asking for radical proposals. Wright-Curtiss, despite being the oldest of the United States's aircraft manufactures, maintained a reputation for innovation and the futuristic-looking Starship was their answer to the challenge. The Thunderbird was also accepted into service under the aegis of that contract, though it was only ever deemed a stopgap, given the compromises it made in armor and armament to achieve its speed. The Starship made no compromises whatsoever in any of those realms: if one engine would not be powerful enough, then two would be used on a highly-streamlined aircraft little larger than most singles. However, being the first aircraft to truly run into compressibility effects--before aeronautical experts knew what they were--meant the Starship had a long and difficult path to operational capability and the C variant. At its introduction in 1936 it was by far the fastest hunter in the world at 423mph, and when reengined for the finally-mature hypers it could keep pace with most newer hunters, though with its early-30s aerodynamics it was no longer the fastest. H-27C: 12522lb dry, 15873lb loaded, 2x1520HP, 423mph, 1x 20mm cannon, 4x .50cal MG. H-27E (1938): 12853lb dry, 17416lb loaded, 2x1920HP, 460mph, 2x 30mm and 3x 20mm cannon.


H-27C in bare-metal finish, 1937.


H-27E prior to transport to southern France during the Intervention, 1939
 
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