I-185 (M-82)

This page is about the Soviet fighter I-185 (M-82). For other version, see I-185 (M-71).

I-185 (M-82)

I-16 type 27

I-185 (M-71)

I-185 (M-82)

I-16 type 27

I-185 (M-71)

USSR

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.0	3.7	3.7

Class:

Fighter

Research:18 000

Purchase:47 000

Description

The I-185 (M-82) is a rank III Soviet fighter with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB) and 3.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.37.

The I-185 is best described as a Soviet equivalent to a Fw 190, as its roll rate, climb rate, and dive acceleration are closely tailored to be used with Boom & Zoom tactics. However, like many of the Yaks, it has no "great" distinguishing qualities and, although it is a great energy fighter, leans towards more of a jack-of-all-trades role. Like most Soviet fighters, it has relatively poor high-altitude performance, even if it has a higher usable ceiling than Yak fighters.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 6 470 m615 km/h

Turn time22 s

Max altitude10 450 m

EngineShvetsov M-82

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight4 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 6,470 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	586	567	10450	23.2	24.0	13.9	13.9	358
Upgraded	645	615		20.9	22.0	24.9	18.5

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	320	380	354	280	~14	~7

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 400	< 250	< 500	> 350

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,050 m	1,400 hp	1,722 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
5,100 m	1,200 hp	1,476 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear320 km/h

• 8 mm Steel - Armour plating behind the pilot seat
• No armoured glass
• Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB892 → 1 120

RB1 917 → 2 407

SB2 840 → 3 567

Total cost of modifications19 500

32 000

Talisman cost980

Crew training13 000

Experts47 000

Aces400

Research Aces280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

50 / 130 / 270 %

136 / 136 / 136 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 100 130 Radiator Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 100 130 Airframe Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 500 150 Compressor Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 500 150 Wings repair Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 120 Engine Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 120 Cover Research: 2 100 Cost: 3 400 210 Engine injection Research: 2 100 Cost: 3 400 210		DZ-40 Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 100 130 Der-25 Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 500 150 RO-82 Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 120 shvak_belt_pack Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 120 shvak_new_gun Research: 2 100 Cost: 3 400 210

Armaments

Offensive armament

The I-185 (M-82) is armed with:

• 3 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons, nose-mounted (250 rpg top + 140 rpg left + 170 rpg right = 560 total)

Suspended armament

The I-185 (M-82) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (200 kg total)
• 4 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (400 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (500 kg total)
• 8 x RS-82 rockets
• 8 x RBS-82 rockets

Usage in battles

Climb to 4-5,000 m (13,123-16,404 ft) and attempt to eliminate most opposition; avoid superior enemies such as the Bf 109 G/F or Spitfire Mk Vc/F Mk IXs.

The I-185 (M-82) excels at Boom & Zoom, however, is extremely lacking when it comes to turn-fighting, as it will usually end tragically. If desperate, try rolling scissors, as it can be extremely useful due to the high roll rate, and the unique leading-edge slats give extra lift at low speeds. The visibility in the I-185 is relatively poor due to the low lying cockpit and "blind back"; therefore, always watch your tail in SB. Due to the high fire rate, you should always watch your ammo count. As a matter of fact, it is recommended to activate the "show ammo count" option in the "Interface" tab in the WT options, no matter what your plane. The nose-mounted armament can be extremely accurate due to the lack of spread. However, this can be a disadvantage as the lack of spread can mean a lack of hits for more inexperienced players in War Thunder. Additionally, the ShVAKs tend to spark quite a LOT, so players should always aim for the weakest parts of all planes. Make sure to attack from an angle when using the ShVAKs; attack from a close range as well. The armament is most effective at about 400 to 500 m (0.25-0.31 mi).

Specific enemies worth noting

Two of the most common enemies of the I-185 are the Bf 109 F and Fw 190 A. The Bf 109 will outturn you, as might the Fw 190 A-1. The more heavily armed A-4 is less agile but packs a far bigger punch. The German minengeschoß shells will easily destroy you, making the relatively lightly armed Bf 109 a huge threat already, regardless of the optional gun pods. If you are unlucky, however, you might bump into the Fw 190 A-5 and Bf 109 G-2. The A-5 should be treated similarly to the A-4. Its clear weaknesses can be exploited easily. The Bf 109 G-2 is much faster than you, climbs better and is more agile. Even if it carries gun pods, which are more effective than the ones the F-4 has, it still hugely outperforms you and has roughly the same armament, once again sporting the fearsome minengeschoß. Stay away from those. They easily rip your wings off, knock out your pilot, or set you on fire, often at the same time.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Good armament
• All armaments are located in the nose
• Good roll rate
• Great climb rate and acceleration when spaded
• Relatively small- low profile
• Good Boom & Zoom capability
• Fairly good elevator when compared to Fw 190 line
• Leading edge slats provide extra lift in manoeuvres

Cons:

• Cannons all have different ammo amounts
• Lack of cannon spread
• Poor plane durability - a few hits (especially from German and American cannons) can tear off a wing (or the tail)
• Poor turn rate
• Nose mounted armament can be hard to use for beginners due to the lack of spread
• Mediocre stock belts and terrible upgraded belts.
• Is only "decent" under ~4.5 km altitude

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

In-game description

A single-seat cantilever monoplane with a closed cockpit and retractable landing gear with a tail wheel.

The first prototype flight took place on 21 June 1941. Only two of these fighters were built, with another rebuilt from the fourth I-185 prototype with the M-71 engine.

The plane was powered by the 18-cylinder twin-row air-cooled Shvetsov M-82A radial engine with a rated output of 1,390 hp (maximum power in emergency mode – 1,600 hp). It had the three-blade variable-pitch AV-5-119 metal propeller.

The fuel system included three fuel tanks: two in the central wing section and one in the fuselage. It used 4B-78 aviation fuel with an octane rating of no lower than 95. A single conduit in the bottom of the fuselage housed two oil coolers.

The airplane possessed three 20 mm synchronized Shpitalny-Vladimirov ShVAK autocannons. Tests were carried out on the I-185/M-82A with an ammunition complement of 500, 510 and 520 shells.

Four bomb racks were installed under the wing. They could carry four bombs of up to 100 kg or two of up to 250 kg. In addition, the design allowed the suspension of eight RS-82 rockets under the wing.

The two I-185/М-82А prototypes underwent practical testing in combat operations on the Kalinin front in the winter of 1942, and earned glowing recommendations from front-line pilots. The I-185's first combat flight took place on 9 December 1942, and its last on 12 January 1943.

The I-185/M-82A turned out to be a very reliable aircraft. Its engine didn't present any nasty surprises, and its maximum speed when it underwent state testing was only 15 km/h lower than that of the I-185/M-71. Its powerful armament also worked perfectly. Experts believed that this very plane could have been the prototype for a series of fighters. Nonetheless, the plane did not go into active service or series production.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the I-185 (M-82) from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Realistic: I-185 (M-82) [Magnificent!] - Jengar

Review: I-185 (M-82) - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance