A Wrecked I-153 in the Operation Barbarossa

By the time Germany invaded the Soviet Union, the Polikarpov I-153 Chaika (Russian Чайка, "Seagull") was no longer a serious opponent for German fighters, although it remained a significant aircraft based on numbers alone. On 22 September 1941 there were 1,549 I-153s stationed in the Western Military Districts. More than 50% of these were destroyed on the ground or rendered unusable in the first few days of the conflict! The photograph shows two "Chaikas" found by advancing German forces. The fabric-covered areas of the aircraft were painted silver, while the metal panels were pale gray. Note the early-war version of the Soviet star with a narrow black outline and black circle in the center of the star. The fuselage star has been removed by a souvenir hunter

Source :
Magazine "Luftwaffe im Focus Spezial" No.1 2003