Book excerpt: The Soviet Polikarpov design bureau is perhaps best known for the I-16 fighter, the world's first monoplane fighter to have a retractable undercarriage. This aircraft is covered in Volume 3 of the Red Star series. This book explores the development of Polikarpov's fighting biplanes from the 2I-N1 to his first aircraft to see production; to the I-3 and the I-5 created while the designer was in prison. This design paved the way for the I-15 which earned fame as the Chato during the Spanish Civil War and also saw action against the Japanese, and the I-15bis which owed its existence mainly to Soviet Air Force's prejudice against gull wings; and the famous I-153 Chaika, a gull-wing biplane with retractable-landing gear. Experimental versions of this aricraftg are also included in the book. A detailed account of the combat role of these aircraft is given as are structural descriptions. The book also includes details of the ill-starred I-190 which was to have superceded the Chaika and of privately owned I-15bis and I-153s which have been restored to airworthy condition.