The Engels MI was a Russian floatplane/fighter developed in 1916. It was a

parasol An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used ...

cantilever

flying boat A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...

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 The Albatros W.4 was a German floatplane derivative of the Albatros D.I fighter with new wing and tail surfaces of greater span than the D.I. One hundred eighteen examples (including three prototypes) were built between June 1916 and December ...

. Y.E. Engels came up with the Engels MI, and after initial testing an order for 50 was placed 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 The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...

, and was delivered to the Naval Aviation School at

Nizhny Novgorod Nizhny Novgorod ( ; rus, links=no, Нижний Новгород, a=Ru-Nizhny Novgorod.ogg, p=ˈnʲiʐnʲɪj ˈnovɡərət ), colloquially shortened to Nizhny, from the 13th to the 17th century Novgorod of the Lower Land, formerly known as Gork ...

in 1920.

List of operators

; *

Imperial Russian Air Service The Imperial Russian Air Service (russian: Императорскій военно-воздушный флотъ, , Emperor's Military Air Fleet) was an air force founded in 1912 for Imperial Russia."''12 августа 1912 года прик� ...

; *

Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...

Specifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Engels Mi 1910s Russian fighter aircraft Flying boats MI Single-engined pusher aircraft Parasol-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1920 Rotary-engined aircraft