Other Forces

A fierce enemy of the “Chirri”

A Russian-built fighter Polikarpov I-15 of Fuerzas Aéreas de la República Española, the Spanish Republican Air Force during the Civil War. Dubbed “Chato” (snubnose in Spanish) by Republicans pilots and knew by Nationalist pilots, which not knowledge the real entity of this plane and its name, like “Curtiss” because a remote similarity with an America fighter biplane, the I-15 was the principal fighter of the Spanish Republican Air Force before the arrival of monoplane with retractable landing gear Polikarpov I-16. Armed with two 7,62 mm machine gun, this little and agile small biplane fighter characterized by a gulled upper wing was a fierce enemy for the Fiat CR.32s (”Chirri”for the Spanish) of the Nationalist Air Force and the Heinkel He-51 of German Condor Legion. An interesting detail of this photo is in the background: behind the I-15, with the tail hoisted on a dolly, appear the nose of a Fiat CR.32 captured intact. Victor Sierra