The MK-16 diesel of 1.48 cc displacement was introduced in series production form in 1955. Designed by the well-known Russian free flight expert and engine builder Vladimir I. Petukhov, it was a high performance twin ball-race RRV diesel having removable front and rear covers as well as a racing-style induction system. Its performance was well up to par with that of almost all of the various 1.5 cc contest diesels available elsewhere during the mid 1950's. The production unit had been preceded in 1954 by a barstock prototype version called the MK-16K which was an even more outstanding performer by the standards of its day.

The MK-16 was designed as a free flight competition engine, since 1.5 cc motors had been showing well in World Championship free flight competitions during the early 1950's. The 1955 FAI decision to set the standard displacement for free flight and control line competitions (other than stunt) at 2.5 cc had moved it out of the contest limelight, but it was still seen as a very useful engine for aspiring competitors to use in gaining experience. Accordingly, it was manufactured in large numbers following its introduction and was widely distributed through the Soviet club and school systems to serve as a training powerplant. 

Over the years, the MK-16 passed through several more variants before being supplanted in around 1975 by the very similar MK-17 1.48 cc diesel. That unit remained in production into the 1990's, becoming the most-produced Russian 1.5 cc diesel ever. It was widely distributed world-wide. 

A full review and test of the MK-16 and its MK-17 successor appears elsewhere on this website.