It had to be redesigned after the crash of the first prototype, and was eventually ordered into production in small numbers, but it was never accepted for service with the Soviet Air Forces.

On the IL-400's maiden flight on 15 August 1923, the aircraft stalled and crashed because its center of gravity was too far aft.

The aluminum skin was replaced by plywood, the radiator was switched for a honeycomb type, and two synchronised 7.62  mm (0.3  in) PV-1 machine guns were fitted.

This showed that the I-1 did not easily recover from a spin and Mikhail Mikhaylovich Gromov was forced to make the first Soviet parachute jump during one such incident on 23 June 1927.

[2] Data from Gunston, The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995General characteristics Performance Armament