Ilyushin Il-2

Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmowik was in or two-seat, single-engine, heavyarmored battle airplane, which was used in the Second World War from the Soviet Union. The major task of this airplane was the fight against hostile armored vehicles, although also against soft targets large successes were obtained.

Armoring the Il-2 covered the entire fuselage front section and protected engine, pilot, Treibstofftank and in the two-seat versions also on-board contactors. The Il-2 “concrete airplane” was also called by German hunt pilots, since she could get over even direct hits 20 of a mm cannon. The armament consisted 20 mm, 23 mm or 37 mm as well as bombs or unguided air-to-surface rockets of machine guns, mounted guns of the caliber.

In the Landserjargon also as “iron Gustav” or “black death” admits.

The Il-2 was manufactured first in Gemischtbauweise, later in metal construction. An improved version of same interpretation was produced under the designation Il-10. Altogether 36,163 machines of the types Il-2 and Il-10 were manufactured.

The Il-2 was propelled by a liquidcooled AM-38 V-12-Triebwerk.

First the Il-2 was appropriate only for a crew member. To the better protection from hostile hunters in first provisional changes place for tail contactors was however already created. Later models were equipped according to standard with a second seat.

The Il-2 was used to the attack in the low-altitude flight on ground targets. In this role was it very successfully, since via the low-altitude flight on the one hand the attacks could take place surprisingly, on the other hand, because the Il-2 could be equipped with all kinds from weapons to the fight against ground targets. There was also torpedo bombers - a version of the Il-2.

This very day special airplanes for the low attack are built, z. B. the A-10 or the Suchoi Su-25. The latter was likewise marked in memory of the Il-2 with “Sturmovik”.

technical data

see also

list of types of aircraft, IL-2 Sturmovik (flight simulation)