The I-320 was designed before the war and for its time was the most advanced fighter in the world. Sporting a single MG through the nose of the airplane with an extremely high rate of fire and an entirely enclosed canopy (two features the world had yet to see) it was easily distinguishable in the air. It's revolutionary design features were done out of necessity, however. The engine would keep the gun warm enough to fire and the canopy would protect the pilot in this plane's parent nation's frigid climate.

By the time the war began, the extreme maneuverability of the airplane wasn't enough to match the faster aircraft it ended up competing with. Within a short time, it would be completely phased out and replaced with more modern fighters.