The modeling underdog

New fighters for a new era : When the Civil War in Russia ended in victory for the revolutionary forces, there were 2 things that were pretty much clear in russian aviation: most of the flying material was either reaching obsolesence or woefuly war weary. Among many other designers, Polikarpov was to start producing the ubiquitous reconnaisance biplane D.H.9A as the R-1, but he was also laying the foundation of what would earn him the nickname "King of fighters" during the 20s and 30s. Open to new technologies and production techniques, Polikarpov set to design a single seat fighter of mixed construction, designated IL-400 (this meaning fighter, Liberty, 400h.p.). The heavy, low compressed and powerful Liberty engine was chosen and mated to a fuselage of all wooden construction and very clean lines. Wings, stabilizators and rudder were built out wooden formers and fabric covered. The front end seemed to have been hastily attached there by means of cutting an R-1 nose an