So exciting. It's just like the good old days, when we subsisted on blue screen WiP's for nearly five years.

Rata - this is a German nickname (and Spanish?):)
In the USSR it was called "Ishak" (donkey). This combination of name pronunciation in Russian aircraft I-16 - "i-shestnadtsat" and highly complex control in the air and on landing.

Yes, it is Spanish, meaning "rat". The Spanish republicans during the Spanish Civil War called I-16 "Mosca" which means "fly".
All the best from Finland!!

Or Super Mosca for the types 5,6 and 10.

In russian "mosca" means "fly" too(мошка/moshka)

rofl.

S!

Finns called it Rata too. And the Donkey is an appropriate name for it. Finns had several of these and the only existing I-16 UTI. Pilots said that plane was a handful to fly with VERY extreme handling characteristics at certain situations. For example the triggers were very stiff to operate and combine that with the extremely sensitive controls = nose bopping up and down when firing thus reducing accuracy. And other features on top of that like the longitudinal instability that could cause a fatal spin if plane was pulled too much, at certain point in a tight pull the Rata would tighten it's turn by itself due the CoG and other features..But nevertheless in hands of a capable pilot a dangerous plane.

I-16 :)

Thanks Blacksix,hehe,the I-16 has got to be the most ugliest aircraft that ever flew IMO,agreed?.......how that shape ever got airborne,let alone became a fighter aircraft is beyond me,the lines on it are awful,it ain't no beauty!

It's an engine with wings, reduce to the max, pretty cool concept for 1934.
You also might want to check out the "ugly planes" thread, considering aesthetics...