The Ilyushin Il-2, Shturmovik, was a Soviet ground-attack aircraft extensively used during World War II. Heavily-armed and armored, it was an effective weapon, with a tremendous destructive capacity. The Shturmovik was massively used as it became a legend to the Russian people, who saw it as an instrument of salvation fighting against German armored vehicles. A total of 36,184 Il-2 ground-attack aircraft were made between 1939 and 1945. It was also used by the communist forces in the Korean War.
The prototype of the Ilyushin Il-2, the CKB-57, performed its maiden flight on October 2, 1939. It was flown by test pilot Vladimir Kokkinaki. It was powered by one AM-35 V-shaped piston engine, which generated 1,370 horsepower. Since this engine was not strong enough to lift into the air the four tons of airframe and armor, the aircraft would be upgraded with the new 1,680-HP, Mikulin AM-38 engine. Competing with the Sukhoi Su-6, it was finally accepted by the Soviet government, entering service on May 19, 1941, one month before the start of Operation Barbarossa.
The Shturmovik´s main versions were the Il-2M, which was fitted with a machine gun in the rear cockpit, and the Il-2M3, which had modified wings (its leading edge had increased sweep). Although it looked unsophisticated, it would prove to be a devastating ground-attack aircraft. It was armed with either two 20-mm or two 37-mm cannons set up in wing and one manually-operated 12.7-mm machine gun in rear. To attack massive concentration of troops and vehicles, it carried 600-kg (1,320-lb) of bombs, or eight RS-82 rockets. The aircraft was large, rugged, and cheap to produce, earning the unwavering trust of its pilots. It was known as the ¨Flying Tank¨ by the Russians, and the ¨Schwarz Tod¨ (Black Death) by the Germans.
Technical Characteristics
The Ilyushin Il-2 was a two-seat, single-engine, low-wing monoplane. The fore section of fuselage was all-metal, with cockpit and engine being protected by 12-mm-thick armor plates, while the aft portion was wooden monocoque. However, the tail assembly and wing outer panels were all-metal. Due to its large wing area, it had good low-level performance. Landing gear was retractable.
Specifications (Il-2M3)
Length: 11.65 m (38 feet)
Wing Span: 14,60 m (48 feet)
Wing Area: 38.50 m2 (414 square feet)
Height: 3.40 m (11 feet)
Power Plant: one 1,720-HP, Mikulin AM-38F, piston engine.
Maximum Speed: 430 km/h (267 mph)
Range: 600 km (375 miles)
Service Ceiling: 9,700 m (31,825 feet)
Armament: two 37-mm cannons in wings; one 12.7-mm machine gun; six 100-kg bombs; rockets.
Crew: two
Below, a colorized photo of the Ilyushin Il-2 in 1942.
The first production Shturmovik parked in front of factory right before mass production began in 1941.
Below, the Il-2M3 model in flight in late 1943.
The Shturmovik on a military base in the winter of 1944.
Below, the Il-2M3 in 1952, during the Korean War.
