Shot Down I-153 Spanish Civil War
 

THis picture surfaced on German E-Bay. Is it real?

On further thought it could be WWII?

Re: Shot Down I-153 Spanish Civil War
 

Looks like a Curtiss Hawk III.



Perhaps from a Japanese (or other) film of the late 1930s about the war in China? Or a US made film of the SCW period with Curtiss Hawks representing I-153s?


...geoff

Re: Shot Down I-153 Spanish Civil War
 

My humble opinion is that the picture is just too good to be a true war one. Also I see no reason why the smoke will come only from the tail, while it should rather come from the engine or the tanks. Except if it is for a movie and the smoke generator is put in the tail to be sure not to affect the pilot.

Also it don't look like an I-153 to me.

Re: Shot Down I-153 Spanish Civil War
 

Perhaps it is a Curtiss Hawk?

Re: Shot Down I-153 Spanish Civil War
 

Hello,


There were no I-153 in Spain at all.*
This plane obviously has no upper gull wing.
The wing itself seems to have some tapering.


So. It's probably a Curtiss (or something like that), not a Polikarpov's biplane.


* Both from Maslov's book and I-153 timeline.

Re: Shot Down I-153 Spanish Civil War
 

Pretty sure it's a Curtiss Hawk III.
Peter

Re: Shot Down I-153 Spanish Civil War
 

Agreed.


http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/573006-4...I-153-Inflight


I-153 in flight (notice no visible undercarriage), wing shape and the fact there is no evidence it ever made it to Spain I've seen.



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...-5_NAN1-86.jpg
Curtiss BF2C Goshawk (the Hawk III was the export version of this)

Notice position of undercarriage in this shot which mirrors the image in the OP. The cowling, curve of the aircraft's belly, wing style and length of fuselage behind the cockpit are also good clues.

As pointed out, the style of the picture is very similar to stills I've seen taken from Japanese war movies of the time.