This isn’t technically a modeling question, but it something that’s been bugging me for a while now. I’ve seen on several aircraft the denotion -bis, like it’s a sub type or something. It’s mostly on Russian aircraft, but I have seen it on others. My question is, what is it? What does it mean? Does it mean anything?
Example: The Polikarpov 1-15bis. (Verses the normal I-15.)
I may be wrong here but I think it means new or improved.
Yup, that’s it.
I belive it’s French. Nieuport applied that suffux to various improved versions of its WWI fighters.
Regards,
“bis” I believe, means “again”
I’m not so sure about bis meaning “improved” in English. I’ve got a book that describes most of the suffixes the Russians used for their aircraft, and a suffux of “U”, which means “ulushchenyi”, or “improved”, was used for upgraded or improved aircraft. But for some damned reason, the book never says what bis is used for. I think I need to get an “improved” book.[:)]
Iplanch is right, it means ‘again’ but in many cases, be it with aircraft as mentionned or AFVs (Char B1bis), it means ‘second’ (there was a proposal for a Char B1ter (third). As in second (or third) variant.
Well, suppose you have two adjacent houses in a street, let’s say n° 100 and n°102 (or n°101 and n°103, if you prefer, but then you’ll have to cross the street); suppose you destroy the house at n°100 and you build two new houses, then the first one will be n°100 and the second one n°100bis, that is more than 100 but not yet 102; in fact, there could be n°100ter, n°100 quater; by the way, bis, ter and so on is not french but merely latin. Let’s leave french streets now. As far as I know, following I 15 was at least I 152 and I 153 (I believe it means “istrebitel” which is a fighter); you can see the analogy, more than a I 15, but not yet a I 16; I would say that these are variants and bis is an improved model. You can find much accurate informations on http://www.vvs.hobbyvista.com ( about russian fighters, not about french streets).
Thanks Torio, I always wondered about that. I got confused because in german (I know we are talking about a russian plane) bis means “from”.
Thanks again for clearing it up!
I’m happy it helped you in some form, chap. As for french streets questions, I charge expert fees which are very very high, I’m sorry but it’s a cruel world anyway. As for russian fighters, go see that site, you will be amazed.
One other translation is ‘encore’ (again) .
Actually istrbitel (sort of pronounced Easter Beatle) is more accurately a Fighter/Bomber or close support airplane.