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2 Dollars - Elizabeth II Polikarpov I-16
| Issuer | Cook Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 2006 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Dollars |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II after the portrait by Raphael David Maklouf, wearing the George IV State Diadem and a necklace, with the engraver's initials RDM incuse at the truncation. The bust is set within a raised inner circle against a mirror-polished field. The circumferential legend reads ELIZABETH II · TWO DOLLARS · COOK ISLANDS, with the date 2006 positioned at the base, all enclosed by a beaded border. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ELIZABETH II · TWO DOLLARS · COOK ISLANDS RDM 2006 |
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| Additional information |
The Polikarpov I-16, introduced in 1934, was the world's first cantilever monoplane fighter with a retractable undercarriage — a genuinely radical design that Soviet pilots found dangerously unforgiving. Its short nose and rearward center of gravity made it prone to spinning, and pilots required extensive training just to land it safely. Republican forces flew it during the Spanish Civil War, where Nationalist pilots nicknamed it Rata (rat); Soviet advisors called it Mosca (fly).
By the time of Operation Barbarossa in 1941, the I-16 was obsolete but still formed the backbone of Soviet fighter strength, suffering catastrophic losses in the opening weeks.