You know that:
- The development of the Soviet Ilyushin IL-2M3 Shturmovik aircraft began in 1938. The initiator of the design and the project leader was Sergei V. Ilyushin himself.
- The first prototype was flown in 1939 and in 1941 mass production began. The IL-2M3 became the most widely used attack aircraft of World War II.
- The aircraft of the first production runs were all-metal with a wooden tailplane. As the war progressed, the Soviet Union ran out of aluminum, so the decision was made to manufacture the wings in wood. This design proved to be very effective in the end.
- The Ilyushin was a very durable aircraft that was able to return to its home airfield often badly damaged.
- Because of its durability, the machine earned the nickname "flying tank" from the Russian soldiers, while the Germans called the machine "black death".
- The IL-2 was the first Russian aircraft with a heavily armoured cockpit, but it ended with a pilot's backrest. The rear gunner was completely unprotected. The value of the material was simply more valuable to the Soviets than the life of the gunner. Some things have not changed in Russia to this day.
- The IL-2M3 Shturmovik was equipped with powerful machine guns, cannons, and bombs, allowing it to effectively engage enemy tanks, vehicles, and fortifications, but in the early days of the war the aircraft was not successful. The cause was a poorly trained crew and a lack of deployment strategy.
- From 1943 and with the advent of the new circle tactics, the situation changed and the IL-2 machines became a feared adversary.
- The IL-2M3 version was equipped with a pair of anti-tank guns for low-altitude combat.
- Production rates gradually increased from 1942 onwards, but even so, a disgruntled Stalin threatened factory managers with execution if production did not speed up. "IL-2s are as important to the army as air and bread," Stalin said during a visit to Factory 18.
- In total, more than 36,000 IL-2s were produced, making it the most produced aircraft of World War II.
Technical parameters:
- dimensions: wingspan 14,58 m, length 12 m, height 3,4 m
- empty weight 4 625 kg
maximum take-off weight 6 355 kg
- power unit 12-cylinder Mikulin AM-38F engine with an output of 1 287 kW
- maximum speed 410 km/h
- climb rate 10,4 m/s
- maximum flight level 6 000 m
- range 765 km
- fuel tank capacity 749 l
- armament 2x cannon VYA-23 23mm + 2x machine gun SHKAS MG 7,62mm + rear machine gun BEREZIN UB 12,7 mm
- crew 2
From the memoirs of Luftwaffe pilot Walter Krupinski:
,,I must say it was a surprise. Even though we hit IL-2 several times, it didn't seem to be retreating at all. Its resilience was truly astounding. We had to make every effort to get rid of it. This incident left me with respect for these Soviet aircraft."
Assembly instructions
