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  I-153 Chaika Serial Number 6316  
Sovietskiy Flot
2nd Aviation Fighter Squadron

Click For Enlargement
V.N. Smith 2000

Click For Enlargement
V.N. Smith 2000

Aircraft History
Built by Polikarpov Design Bureau during 1938. Delivered to the Voyenno-morskoy flot SSSR (Navy of the USSR) as И-153 Чайка / I-153 Chaika serial number 6316.

Wartime History
Likely assigned to the Northern Fleet, 2nd Aviation Fighter Squadron. No known markings or tail code.

Mission History
This I-153 crashed into a swamp near Murmansk, Murmansk Oblast in Russia.

Wreckage
Until the early 1990s, this I-153 remained in situ in the swamp. In the early 1990's, recovered and exported to New Zealander

Restoration
This I-153 went to the Alpine Fighter Collection at Wanaka and founder Sir Tim Wallis funded the restoration of three I-153s and six I-16s to an airworthy condition, including this aircraft. Painted in a mottled green camouflage pattern with tail 16 in red. On August 24, 1999 registered in New Zealand as ZK-JKN. On September 30, 1999 first test flight. Flown at the Warbirds Over Wanaka air show during April 2000 and April 2002.

During 2002, purchased by Gerald Yagen of the Fighter Factory and shipped to Virginia in December 2002. On December 27, 2002 registered in the United States as N153RP to Training Services Inc. Displayed at the Military Aviation Museum.

References
Polikarpov I-153 Chaika - Fighter Factory
Kiwi Aircraft Images: Polikarpov I-153 by Phil Treweek
FAA Registry - N-Number N153RP
Military Aviation Museum - Polikarpov I-153 via Wayback Machine January 31, 2023

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Last Updated
August 9, 2023

 

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I-153
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