Photograph:
Polikarpov I-185 during testing in Russia (Author’s collection)
Country of origin:
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Description:
Single-seat fighter
Power Plant:
One 1,492 kw (2,000 hp) Shvetsov M-71 fourteen-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.8 m (32 ft 2 in)
- Length: 7.7 m (25 ft 6 in)
- Height: 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 15.53 m² (167.10 sq ft)
- Max speed: 630 km/h (391 mph)
- Rate of climb: 960 m/min (3,150 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,080 ft)
- Range: 835 km (520 miles)
- Empty weight: 2,654 kg (5,480 lb)
- Loaded weight: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb)
Armament:
Three 20 mm ShVAK cannon; up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs or eight RS-82 rockets.
History:
Based on the I-180 series, the I-185 was designed in 1940, itself being developed from the I-16 but was virtually a new design. Built of moulded birch plywood with an integral tailfin, but having a two-spar all metal wing with an NACA-230 profile and covered with metal, it had pneumatically powered split flaps and leading-edge slats. Control surfaces were covered with fabric and it had a conventional tailwheel undercarriage. Engine initially chosen to power the aircraft was the 1,492 kw (2,000 hp) Tumansky M-90 18-cylinder two-row unit fitted with a ducted spinner to improve cooling.
The prototype was completed in May 1940 but the Tumansky engine did not provide sufficient power. This aircraft was then fitted with an 895 kw (1,200-hp) Shvetsov M-81 radial engine and flew with this on 11 January 1941 but this also lacked sufficient power to allow the aircraft to be placed in production and the M-81 engine itself was then cancelled.
A second prototype was completed in 1940, this fitted with a 1,268 kw (1,700 hp) Shvetsov M-82A radial engine. This aircraft had some changes to the armament, including the installation of three 30 mm ShVAK cannon. A third prototype was completed with a Shvetsov M-71 engine providing 1,492 kw (2,000 hp). German Army advances forced the evacuation of the three prototypes to Novosibirsk where testing resumed. The aircraft were assigned to the 728th Flight Aviation Regiment of the 3rd Army for combat trials in November 1942, receiving glowing reports from test pilots.
Preparations were then commenced to place the type in production with the M-71 engine, a production standard aircraft being completed, this aircraft undergoing manufacturing trials between June and October 1942.It was submitted for State Acceptance tests on 18 November but further engine problems occurred and the aircraft crashed on 27 January 1943. Flight testing continued with the original three prototypes but the first aircraft crashed on 5 April 1943. All work on the type was then cancelled, work in production plants being directed to producing the LaGG-3 fighter.
An amateur-builder, Mr Rodney Duffield of Kallangur, QLD, has constructed an 84 per cent scale replica of the I-185 with a tubular steel fuselage, metal wing, and some metal and fabric covering. The aircraft has been fitted with a Chinese-built 213 kw (285 hp) Nanchang radial engine and this was tested when fitted to the airframe. More than 6,000 hours were spent by the builder on the construction of the aircraft. Recent reports show the engine installed and construction proceeding, first engine runs taking place on 15 August 2011.