Engels MI

Engels MI
Role	fighter
Designer	Y.R. Engels
First flight	1916
Introduction	1920
Retired	1920
Primary users	Soviet Air Force Imperial Russian Air Service
Number built	4

The Engels MI was a Russian floatplane/fighter developed in 1916. It was a parasol cantilever flying boat with a V-Section hull, and downswept wingtips incorporating flotation chambers.

Production history

In 1916 the Russian government expressed a need for a flying counter-float-plane against the German Albatros W 4. Y.E. Engels came up with the Engels MI, and after initial testing an order for 50 was placen on 27 April 1917. Only three were produced by October 1917, and as a result production quietly stopped.

Operational history

One aircraft survived the Russian Revolution, and was delivered to the Naval Aviation School at Nizhny Novgorod in 1920.

List of operators

 Russian Empire

• Imperial Russian Air Service

 Soviet Union

• Soviet Air Force

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 7.50m (24 ft 7¼ in)
• Wingspan: 9.00 m (29 ft 6⅓ in)
• Height: ()
• Wing area: 14.20m² (152.85 ft²)
• Empty weight: 385 kg (849 lb)
• Loaded weight: 555 kg (1,224 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome Monosoupape 9 Type B-2 rotary engine, 75 kW (100 hp)

Performance

Armament

• Guns: 1 x fixed forward firing 7.62mm Maxim gun

Bibliography

• William Green and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. Colour Library Direct, Godalming, UK: 1994. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.