Ilyushin Il-2

Ilyushin Il-2

Company type	Military aircraft
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1938
Founder	Sergey Ilyushin and design team
Headquarters	Moscow (design bureau) , Soviet Union
Products	Ground-attack aircraft
Parent	Central Design Bureau (TsKB)

"Il-2" redirects here. For other uses, see IL-2 (disambiguation).

Template:Infobox aircraft The Ilyushin Il-2 (Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack aircraft mass-produced by the Soviet Union throughout the Second World War. The Russian term shturmovík (штурмовик), which generally denotes any ground-attack plane, became closely associated with the Il-2 in English-language sources, often appearing as Shturmovik, Stormovik, or Sturmovik.

Among its pilots, this aircraft was affectionately nicknamed "Ilyusha". Ground troops referred to it as the "Hunchback", the "Flying Tank", or the "Flying Infantryman". After the war, NATO assigned it the reporting name Bark.

A total of 36,183 Il-2 units were manufactured during wartime. When combined with its successor model, the Ilyushin Il-10, production reached 42,330 examples, establishing it as the most extensively produced military aircraft design ever. Alongside the American postwar civilian Cessna 172 and the German contemporaneous Messerschmitt Bf 109, it ranks among the most widely produced piloted aircraft in aviation history.

The Il-2 was a vital asset on the Eastern Front. When production lagged, Joseph Stalin emphasized its importance by telling factory managers that these aircraft were "as essential to the Red Army as air and bread."

Origins

File:IL-2 (36318432892).jpg

Il-2M displayed at the MAKS air show

The concept of a Soviet armored aircraft specialized for ground attack emerged in the early 1930s, with Dmitry Pavlovich Grigorovich developing the TSh-1 and TSh-2 armored biplanes. Nonetheless, the engines available in the USSR during that period did not generate sufficient power to enable these heavy aircraft to perform effectively. The Il-2 was created in 1938 by Sergey Ilyushin and his design team at the Central Design Bureau. Known as TsKB-55, this two-seat plane featured an armored shell weighing approximately 700 kg (1,500 lb), which safeguarded the crew, engine, radiators, and fuel tank. Fully loaded, the Ilyushin’s weight exceeded 4,700 kg (10,400 lb), making the armor roughly 15% of the total mass. Unlike many World War II attack aircraft, similar to the World War I-era Imperial German Junkers J.I armored monoplane, the Il-2’s armor was an integral load-bearing component of its monocoque airframe, significantly reducing overall weight. The prototype TsKB-55 had its maiden flight on 2 October 1939 and triumphed in a government competition againstTemplate:Fix/category the Sukhoi Su-6. It was designated BSh-2 by the VVS, with BSh standing for "Bronirovani Shturmovik" (armored ground attack). Both TsKB-55 and TsKB-57 prototypes were manufactured at Moscow plant #39, which served as the Ilyushin bureau’s facility at that time.

The initial BSh-2 model proved to be overweight and lacked sufficient power, as it utilized the original Mikulin AM-35 engine producing 1,022 kW (1,371 hp), optimized for high-altitude performance. To address this limitation, it was reconfigured into the TsKB-57, a lighter single-seat variant equipped with a more potent 1,254 kW (1,682 hp) Mikulin AM-38 engine, a derivative of the AM-35 designed specifically for low-altitude operations. The TsKB-57 took its first flight on 12 October 1940. After passing State Acceptance Trials in March 1941, it was officially renamed Il-2 in April. Deliveries to frontline units began in May 1941.

The Il-2’s 23 mm (0.91 in) armament underwent a competitive evaluation process. Early photographs from 1940 show the Il-2 fitted with two MP-6 23 mm autocannons developed by Yakov Taubin (Яков Таубин) at OKB-16. Each MP-6 weighed about 70 kg (150 lb) and had an initial muzzle velocity near 900 m/s (3,000 ft/s). Operating on a short recoil mechanism, it fired at roughly 600 rounds per minute. The MP-6’s development began in 1937; its first tests occurred in spring 1940 using a captured German Messerschmitt Bf 110, as no suitable Soviet aircraft were available for mounting. Later that summer, it was trialed on the Pashinin I-21.Template:Fix/category Factory testing of the MP-6 on the Il-2 took place in August 1940. Early prototypes used 81-round clips to feed these guns; however, during flight, these clips occasionally detached due to aerodynamic forces acting on their large surface area.Template:Fix/category In spring 1941, competitive trials compared a belt-fed modification of the MP-6 against the newly designed gas-operated Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23, which shared similar performance characteristics. The VYa-23 emerged victorious in these tests. Consequently, development of the MP-6 ceased in May 1941. Taubin was arrested and executed later that year for attempting to continue production of his unsuccessful weapon.

Technical description

The Il-2 is a low-wing monoplane powered by a single engine and propeller, constructed with mixed materials and designed specifically for ground-attack missions. It accommodates a crew of two, although early models had only one crew member. A defining characteristic of this aircraft was its armored airframe, where protective plates took the place of conventional structural framing and skin throughout the nacelle and central fuselage section. The engine, cockpit, radiators for water and oil, as well as fuel tanks were shielded by an armored hull made from riveted homogeneous armor steel AB-1 (AB-2).

Production

By early 1941, production orders for the Il-2 were placed across four factories. The Il-2 eventually became the most mass-produced military aircraft in aviation history. However, when Nazi Germany launched its invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, only State Aviation Factory No. 18 in Voronezh and Factory No. 381 in Leningrad had begun manufacturing the aircraft, with a total output of 249 units before the German offensive commenced.

Initial wartime production faced delays because many aircraft plants near Moscow and other western Russian cities had to be relocated eastward beyond the Ural Mountains following the invasion. This relocation provided Ilyushin and his team an opportunity to reevaluate production techniques. Within two months after the move, Il-2 manufacturing resumed. Nevertheless, Premier Joseph Stalin found the pace unsatisfactory and sent a stern telegram to Shenkman and Tretyakov:

Following this directive, production of Shturmoviks accelerated significantly. Stalin’s metaphor of the Il-2 being as essential as “bread” resonated within Ilyushin’s factories, leading to a substantial increase in availability of these aircraft for the army.

State Aviation Factory No. 1, relocated from Moscow to Kuibyshev (now Samara) in October 1941, eventually produced 11,863 Il-2s over four years. Alongside these, it also manufactured smaller quantities of MiG-3s and later produced the Il-2’s successor, the Il-10, at the same facility.

Operational history

File:Ilyushin Il-2 Warsaw 1.JPG

Il-2 displayed at the Museum of the Polish Army in Warsaw

Early deployment and initial challenges

The Il-2 made its combat debut with the 4th ShAP (Ground Attack Regiment) shortly after the German invasion, operating over the Berezina River. Being a recently introduced aircraft, pilots lacked familiarity with its flight dynamics and combat tactics, while ground personnel had no prior experience in maintenance or rearming procedures. Training was minimal, only sufficient for takeoff and landing; none of the pilots had fired the weapons or been taught attack strategies.Template:Fix/category On 22 June 1941, there were 249 Il-2s available. Within the initial three days, the 4th ShAP suffered losses of 10 Il-2s due to enemy action, an additional 19 from other reasons, and 20 pilot fatalities. By 10 July, the regiment's strength had dwindled from 65 to merely 10 aircraft.

Development of new combat tactics

As Soviet aircrews gained experience with the Il-2’s capabilities, tactics evolved significantly. Instead of a low-altitude straight approach at approximately 50 metres (160 ft), pilots began to keep targets on their left side while performing a shallow dive around 30 degrees combined with an echeloned attack involving four to twelve aircraft simultaneously.Template:Fix/category Despite the destructive potential of the Il-2’s RS-82 and RS-132 rockets against armored targets with a single hit, their lack of precision led skilled pilots to favor cannon fire. Another formidable armament was the cluster of shaped-charge high-explosive anti-tank bomblets called protivotankovaya aviabomba (PTAB). The PTAB-2.5-1.5 variant weighed 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) with an explosive charge of 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). Up to 192 bomblets could be carried in four external dispensers (cluster bombs), or as many as 220 internally in ventral weapon bays within the inner wing panels. These charges were capable of penetrating the relatively thin top armor of all heavy German tanks and were first extensively utilized during the Battle of Kursk.

Following this, the Il-2 saw widespread deployment across the Eastern Front. Its ability to operate effectively in low-light environments and carry weapons capable of defeating heavily armored vehicles like the Panther and Tiger I tanks made it indispensable.

Combat effectiveness

File:RIAN archive 225 IL-2 attacking.jpg

Soviet Il-2 aircraft engaging a German column during the Battle of Kursk

Assessing the precise impact of the Il-2 from surviving records is challenging. W. Liss in Aircraft profile 88: Ilyushin Il-2 recounts an engagement on 7 July 1943 during Kursk where Soviet Il-2s reportedly destroyed seventy tanks belonging to the German 9th Panzer Division within twenty minutes. A Soviet staff report from that day states: Template:Blockquote

During Operation Citadel at Kursk, General V. Ryazanov excelled in orchestrating massed attack aircraft operations, refining Il-2 tactics coordinated closely with infantry, artillery, and armored units. The "circle of death" tactic involved up to eight Shturmoviks flying a defensive circle formation where each plane protected its predecessor with forward-firing guns; individual aircraft would intermittently break off to strike targets before rejoining. Ryazanov received two Gold Stars as Hero of Soviet Union, and his command—the 1st Assault Aviation Corps—was distinguished as the first Guards unit. In 1943, losses averaged one aircraft per twenty-six sorties; approximately half were downed by enemy fighters and the remainder by anti-aircraft fire.

However, alternative analyses of Kursk suggest that Soviet air attacks accounted for only a small fraction of German tank losses during Operation Citadel’s course—totaling around 323 destroyed tanks mainly eliminated by anti-tank artillery and armored units. Firsthand German accounts rarely report significant tank losses directly attributable to air strikes; instead, roughly 95–98% resulted from enemy anti-tank guns, armored vehicles, mines, artillery barrages, infantry assaults or operational failures such as mechanical breakdowns or fuel depletion during the final eleven months of conflict.

File:Штурмовики 15 гв. шап над заходят на цели.jpg

Il-2s banking towards targets near Leningrad in 1943

During Kursk itself, VVS Il-2 units claimed destruction of at least two hundred seventy tanks (and about two thousand personnel) within two hours against elements of the German 3rd Panzer Division. However on July 1st that division’s tank strength was only ninety vehicles—far fewer than claimed destroyed. By July 11th it still retained forty-one operational tanks. The division continued combat operations mainly under the 48th Panzer Corps throughout July without recording extraordinary air attack losses; most tank attrition was caused by entrenched Soviet anti-tank guns and armor.

File:Советские самолеты летят курсом на Берлин.jpg

Il-2s en route to Berlin on May 1st, 1945

One notable claim by VVS Il-2 units asserts that over four hours they destroyed two hundred forty tanks and nearly annihilated the German 17th Panzer Division; however that division had only one tank battalion (II./Pz Rgt 39) with sixty-seven tanks on July 1st, far fewer than claimed destroyed by air forces—and was positioned further south with Army Group South's formations rather than in main attack sectors during summer ’43. The division did not suffer significant air-related losses that summer and withdrew intact later.

Towards war’s end Soviet forces concentrated large groups of Shturmoviks to support major offensives; however engagements between well-entrenched enemy anti-aircraft guns (20mm and 40mm) and attacking Il-2s frequently resulted in heavy losses for Soviet aircraft without complete suppression of AA positions.

The Il-2’s robust armor limited its bomb payload capacity; its rockets were less effective compared to Western equivalents—the larger RS-132 rockets carried only 0.9 kg (2.0 lb) warheads versus American P-47s’ ten HVAR rockets each containing 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) explosives or Hawker Typhoons’ eight to twelve RP-3 rockets with 5.5 kg (12 lb) warheads respectively. Typically bomb loads were light—usually 50 kg (110 lb), occasionally 100 kg (220 lb) bombs—and accuracy suffered due to rudimentary bombsights.

To address these shortcomings in late ’43 Soviet command introduced shaped-charge armor-piercing bombs (PTAB-2.5-1.5 SCAP), deployed directly from internal bomb bays at altitudes up to 100 metres (330 ft) onto armored targets below; each Il-2 could carry up to one hundred ninety-two such bomblets creating a “fire carpet” approximately 70 metres (230 ft) long by 15 metres (49 ft) wide—greatly increasing kill probability. Pilots from the 291st ShAP were pioneers in employing PTAB bombs: on one sortie led by Lt.Col.A.Vitrook on June 5th 1943 six attack planes destroyed fifteen enemy tanks in a single strike; over five days during an enemy advance this unit claimed destruction or damage to four hundred twenty-two armored vehicles.

The "flying tank"

The Il-2's robust armored protection enabled it to endure significant damage, making it a challenging target for both aerial and ground-based weaponry.

German ground fire posed a substantial hazard to the Il-2. According to postwar pilot accounts, artillery calibers of 20 mm and 37 mm were identified as the primary dangers. Although the renowned 88 mm gun was powerful, its relatively slow firing rate made it difficult to hit the swiftly moving low-altitude Il-2s, resulting in only sporadic successful strikes. During the summer of 1944, Finnish forces struggled to effectively counter the Il-2 due to the limited availability of 20 mm and 40 mm anti-aircraft weapons within their field army. Even heavier 76 mm guns, typically reserved for homeland defense, proved largely ineffective despite employing various ammunition types such as time-fused fragmentation, contact-fused, and shrapnel rounds; these larger weapons lacked the rapid response capability necessary to exploit the brief windows for firing at low-flying Il-2s. Single-barrel 20 mm anti-aircraft guns were also found wanting in firepower; one or two hits rarely sufficed to destroy an Il-2 unless it was directly attacking the gun position itself, which created a nearly stationary target and allowed for multiple hits during a single engagement.

The Il-2 featured an armored shell varying between 5 and 12 mm in thickness that enclosed both the engine and cockpit areas, providing protection against small arms fire and glancing impacts from larger caliber rounds. However, rear gunners were not afforded comprehensive armor coverage—particularly from attacks originating from behind or the sides—and consequently experienced casualty rates approximately four times higher than those of pilots. Compounding this risk was the Soviet directive discouraging aircraft from returning with unused ammunition, leading crews to make repeated attack passes on targets. Soviet ground forces often requested additional strafing runs even after the Il-2s had depleted their ammunition, capitalizing on the psychological impact these aircraft had on German troops, who dubbed them the "flying tank." German soldiers also referred to them as the "black death," while Luftwaffe pilots nicknamed them Zementbomber (meaning "concrete bomber"). The Finnish term maatalouskone ("agricultural machine" or "tractor") originated as a pun on maataistelukone ("ground combat aircraft"), with kone being a shortened form of lentokone ("flying machine").

Rear gunner

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Il-2M cockpit. Museum of Aviation in Belgrade, Serbia

Significant losses inflicted by enemy fighters necessitated reinstating a rear gunner position. Early field modifications involved cutting an opening in the fuselage behind the pilot’s cockpit to accommodate a gunner seated on a canvas sling, armed with a 12.7 mm UBT machine gun mounted in an improvised semi-turret. This gun mount permitted firing angles up to 35° upwards, 35° to starboard, and 15° to port. Testing revealed that adding the gunner reduced maximum speed by approximately 10 to 20 km/h and negatively affected handling due to a rearward shift in the center of gravity. By early March 1942, production of two-seat Il-2s featuring this new gunner station had commenced manufacturer trials. The inclusion of the second cockpit and defensive armament increased overall weight by about 170 kg; consequently, flaps were adjusted to deploy at a 17° angle to prevent excessive takeoff distances. The modified fuselage included an extended canopy that offered some weather protection for the gunner. Unlike the pilot’s heavily armored cockpit—with steel plates up to 12 mm thick surrounding it and glass sections as thick as 65 mm—the rear gunner received only 6 mm thick armor, sufficient merely against rifle-caliber projectiles.

To enhance performance, Mikulin’s design team developed an upgraded AM-38 engine variant producing approximately 1,700 hp at takeoff and 1,500 hp at an altitude of 750 meters. These improvements yielded better takeoff capability and enhanced low-altitude flight characteristics. On October 30, 1942, AM-38-powered Il-2s were deployed for the first time on the Central Front during successful attacks on German-held Smolensk airfield. The rear gunners aboard these Shturmoviks proved effective in defending against hostile fighters; during service trials alone, they downed seven Bf 109 aircraft and thwarted numerous assaults. Starting January 1943, frontline units began receiving two-seat attack aircraft equipped with uprated AM-38F engines (Forseerovannyy, meaning "upgraded").

Despite these advancements, casualty rates among rear gunners remained alarmingly high. It was only with late-war models produced after 1944 that armor plating measuring 13 mm at the rear of the armored shell was extended rearwards into the wooden fuselage section behind it, allowing gunners to be seated behind fuel tanks for added protection. Nevertheless, armor coverage did not extend beneath or behind this area; side armor panels riveted to the rear plate shielded ammunition storage for the UBT machine gun but offered limited overall defense. These modifications—adding both rear gunner and associated weaponry—shifted weight aft of the center of gravity, resulting in stability and handling characteristics described as marginal or barely acceptable. To counterbalance this shift and move the aerodynamic center forward, later Il-2 variants incorporated swept-back outer wings.

In February 1945, Otto Kittel—the highest scoring German fighter ace killed in action—was shot down by return fire from an Il-2.

Air-to-air combat

Due to a shortage of fighter aircraft during 1941–1942, Il-2s were occasionally deployed in fighter roles. Although they were generally outmatched by specialized fighters like the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the Il-2 managed to engage other Luftwaffe planes with moderate success in aerial dogfights. Frontline German units operating the Henschel Hs 126 experienced significant losses inflicted by Il-2 attacks. Additionally, Il-2 pilots frequently targeted tightly grouped formations of Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers, as the 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine guns on the Ju 87 Stukas proved largely ineffective against the heavily armored Shturmoviks. During the winter of 1941–1942, Il-2s also operated against Luftwaffe transport aircraft and emerged as a formidable threat to the Junkers Ju 52/3m. The most effective pilots in these missions belonged to the 33rd GvShAP. Other notable successes occurred in 1942–1943 near Stalingrad, where Il-2 units targeted not only Ju 52 transports but also Heinkel He 111 and Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor bombers supplying encircled German forces.

While the Il-2 excelled as an air-to-ground asset and was a reasonably capable interceptor against slower bombers and transport planes, it suffered heavy losses due to its susceptibility to fighter attacks. The aircraft incurred the highest casualty rates among Soviet types, which was expected given their large deployment numbers. Total Shturmovik losses (including the Il-10 variant) from 1941 to 1945 reached 10,762 units—533 in 1941, 1,676 in 1942, 3,515 in 1943, 3,347 in 1944, and 1,691 in 1945. To defend against enemy fighters, crews primarily relied on flying at low altitudes and reducing engine power as adversaries approached, often causing attackers to overshoot and enter the Il-2’s firing range.

Notable aircrew

Senior Lieutenant Anna Yegorova completed 243 combat missions piloting the Il-2 and received three decorations. Among these honors was the Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union, awarded "posthumously" in late 1944 after she was initially presumed killed when her aircraft was shot down. Yegorova survived captivity in a German prisoner-of-war camp.

Another distinguished pilot, Guards Junior Lieutenant Ivan Drachenko, was one of only four individuals awarded both the Hero of the Soviet Union title and recognized as a Full Cavalier of the Order of Glory—having earned all three classes of that order. Despite losing his right eye during combat on August 14, 1943, Drachenko returned to active duty and flew numerous sorties until the war concluded.

T. Kuznetsov, also a Hero of the Soviet Union recipient, survived after his Il-2 was downed during a reconnaissance mission in 1942. After escaping from the crash site and hiding nearby, he encountered a German Bf 109 fighter pilot inspecting the wreckage—likely searching for souvenirs. Seizing the opportunity, Kuznetsov commandeered the enemy fighter and managed to fly it back home while narrowly avoiding friendly fire from Soviet interceptors.

Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Stepanyan flew numerous combat missions in an Il-2 and participated in multiple air battles and bombing runs. After being shot down once, he returned safely to Soviet lines. On his final sortie over Liepāja, Latvia on December 14, 1944, his plane sustained anti-aircraft damage; despite injuries, he deliberately crashed into a German warship. Soviet records credit Stepanyan with at least 239 combat sorties flown, sinking a total of 53 vessels—13 solo—destroying approximately 80 tanks, around 600 armored vehicles, and shooting down 27 aircraft.

Cosmonaut Georgy Beregovoy flew an impressive total of 185 missions piloting the Il-2 and was honored with the Hero of the Soviet Union award in 1944. Notably, he was both the earliest-born cosmonaut and uniquely received this distinction for achievements predating his spaceflight career.

Variants

The initial two-seat prototype was excessively heavy for the limited output of the early Mikulin AM-35 engine. This led to the rapid development of a redesigned single-seat model that entered combat, especially during the initial stages of the conflict in the Soviet Union. Although the Il-2 demonstrated formidable ground-attack capabilities, it suffered significant losses due to its susceptibility to enemy fighter assaults. As a result, the two-seat configuration was reinstated in February 1942. The Il-2M, featuring a rear gunner positioned beneath an extended canopy, was introduced into service by September 1942, with surviving single-seat units subsequently converted to this layout. Subsequent modifications included upgrading armament from 20 mm (0.79 in) to 23 or 37 mm (0.91 or 1.46 in) cannons, enhancements in aerodynamic design, substitution of metal outer wing panels with wooden ones, and an increase in fuel capacity. In 1943, the Il-2 Type 3 or Il-2m3 was unveiled, characterized by redesigned "arrow-shaped" wings featuring leading edges swept back 15 degrees on the outer sections and nearly straight trailing edges, resulting in a wing shape reminiscent of the AT-6 trainer. This modification shifted the Il-2's aerodynamic center rearward, significantly improving handling and performance issues present in earlier models; this variant became the most prevalent version of the Il-2. A version powered by a radial engine using the Shvetsov ASh-82 was proposed in 1942 to address anticipated shortages of Mikulin inline engines. However, since the Shvetsov ASh-82 was prioritized for the new Lavochkin La-5 fighter, all available engines were allocated to Lavochkin’s bureau. The radial-engine Sukhoi Su-2 ground attack aircraft was produced in limited numbers but generally regarded as inadequate due to poor performance and lack of defensive weaponry.

TsKB-55

Two-seat prototype equipped with an AM-35 engine; maiden flight occurred on 2 October 1939.

BSh-2

Designation used by VVS for the TsKB-55 prototype.

TsKB-57

Single-seat prototype powered by an AM-38 engine; first flown on 12 October 1940.

Il-2 (TsKB-57P)

Single-seat production aircraft with AM-38 engine; initial flight on 29 December 1940 and some units delivered to combat forces between May and June 1941. Renamed Il-2 in April 1941. Armament varied between 20 mm ShVAK or 23 mm VYa-23 cannons depending on manufacturing facility.

Il-2 two-seat

Two-seater variant featuring AM-38 engine; first combat deployment on 30 October 1942 near Stalingrad. Maximum bomb load was reduced from 600 to 400 kg (1,300 to 880 lb). Positioned at formation perimeters to provide defense against German fighters. Rapidly superseded by the "Il-2 production of 1943" model.

Il-2 production of 1943

Known in Western sources as "Il-2M". Powered by an enhanced AM-38F engine and delivered to frontline units starting early 1943. By this time, Il-2s armed with 20 mm ShVAK cannons were phased out, leaving only those equipped with 23 mm VYa guns.

File:Il2 2 ns37 machine cannon moscow march 1943.jpg

An Il-2m armed with NS-37 cannon pods mounted under the wings

Il-2 with NS-37, or Il-2-37

Referred to in Western literature as "Il-2 Type 3M". Based on the two-seat Il-2 platform but armed with Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 cannons housed in conformal pods beneath the wings instead of standard 20/23 mm guns. Designed as an anti-tank aircraft and first deployed during the Battle of Kursk. Despite this role, its combat effectiveness was limited and production totaled approximately 3,500 units. Bomb load decreased from 600 to 200 kg (1,300 to 440 lb), typically carrying either two FAB-100 bombs or four FAB-50 bombs. This variant was eventually replaced by standard Il-2s equipped with bomblet cassettes for anti-tank missions.

Il-2 production 1944 "wing with arrow"

Known in Western terminology as "Il-2M3" or "Il-2 Type 3". With increased availability of duralumin, all-metal wing panels were introduced. The outer wing planform was swept back while maintaining straight trailing edges due to rearward shift in center of gravity after adding a gunner. This alteration restored handling characteristics of the two-seat Il-2 to levels comparable with single-seat versions.

Il-2U

A training model also designated as UIl-2.

Il-2T

A torpedo bomber variant developed for Soviet Naval Aviation that omitted VYa-23 cannons to reduce weight and could carry one 45 cm (18 in) torpedo. However, it appears this remained a conceptual design since the Black Sea Fleet's 23rd Attack Air Regiment operated Il-2M3s fitted with torpedo racks as field modifications rather than official torpedo bombers.

Il-2I

Prototype armored fighter variant inspired by encounters between Il-2s and Luftwaffe bombers. It proved impractical due to its low speed which limited interception capability mainly to older German bombers.

Il-2R

A prototype fitted with a rear rocket motor intended for rapid response roles across frontlines to counter sudden enemy counterattacks. The rocket assisted takeoff and climb phases for quicker target engagement but this concept was abandoned before production approval in 1945 as it was deemed obsolete by then.

Il-2 with M-82/M-82IR engine

A contingency design prepared during evacuation of plants producing AM-series engines. Equipped with additional armor and a rear gunner alongside a Shvetsov ASh-82 or geared Ash-82IR radial engine, this version exhibited reduced climb rate and field performance but retained similar handling traits. Production at Plant No.381 and No.135 was recommended with plans for delivering 678 units by 1943 but ultimately cancelled after AM-38 engine output stabilized.

Military users

People's Republic of Bulgaria

• Bulgarian Air Force – acquired 120 Il-2 and 10 Il-2U trainers in 1945. Operated these aircraft from 1945 until 1954.

Template:HUN

• Hungarian Air Force – received an unspecified quantity of Il-2s, which remained in service from 1945 through 1952.

Template:Country data MongoliaTemplate:Namespace detect showall Mongolian People's Republic

• Mongolian People's Army Aviation – obtained 71 Il-2 units in 1945 and utilized them until 1954.

Template:CSK

File:Il-2 30 lp.jpg

Ilyushin Il-2 of the 30th air regiment, 4. air division Czechoslovak Air Force, 1946

• Czechoslovak Air Force – received a total of 33 Il-2s along with 2 training variants (Il-2U). These aircraft were operated between 1944 and 1949.

Template:POL

• Air Force of the Polish Army (post-1947 known as Polish Air Force) – took delivery of approximately 230 Il-2 aircraft from 1944 to 1946, retiring them all by 1949.

Template:USSR

• Soviet Air Force
• Soviet Naval Aviation

Template:YUG

• SFR Yugoslav Air Force – operated a fleet of 213 Il-2M3 and UIl-2 models until 1954. Units equipped included:
  • 421st Assault Aviation Regiment (1944–1948)
  • 554th Assault Aviation Regiment (1945–1948)
  • 422nd Assault Aviation Regiment (1944–1948)
  • 423rd Assault Aviation Regiment (1944–1948)
  • 3rd Training Aviation Regiment (1945–1948)
  • 81st Assault Aviation Regiment (1948–1953)
  • 96th Assault Aviation Regiment (1948–1954)
  • 107th Assault Aviation Regiment (1948–1953)
  • 111th Assault Aviation Regiment (1948–1952)
  • 185th Mixed Aviation Regiment (1949–1952)

Bulgaria

Displayed

Il-2m3

• Serial number unknown – exhibited at the National Aviation Museum located in Krumovo, Plovdiv.

Czech Republic

Displayed

Il-2m3

• Serial number 12438 – preserved at the Kbely Aviation Museum in Kbely, Prague.

Hungary

Exhibited

Il-2

• Serial number unknown – unrestored example located at the Airplane Museum of Szolnok in Szolnok, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok. Retrieved from a lake. Engine number 259059.Template:Fix/category

Norway

Exhibited

Il-2m3

File:Ilyushin at Sør-Varanger museum.JPG

The restored Ilyushin IL-2m3 Shturmovik displayed at Sør-Varanger museum in Kirkenes, Norway

• 3035560 – showcased at the Grenselandsmuseet in Kirkenes, Finnmark. This aircraft was recovered from a lake on the Norwegian border side in 1985 and underwent restoration in Russia.

Poland

Exhibited

Il-2m3

File:Ilyushin IL-2m3 Shturmovik '21' (11057532965).jpg

Ilyushin Il-2 with serial number 21 in Warsaw

• 21 – on display at the Museum of the Polish Army in Warsaw, Mazovia. This aircraft served with the 3rd Assault Aviation Regiment (3 Pułk Lotnictwa Szturmowego).Template:Fix/category

Russia

Operational

Il-2

• 1872452 – Maintained in flying condition by the Wings of Victory Foundation based in Moscow. This plane was retrieved from a lake near Murmansk in 2015 and restored by Aviarestoration under commission from UAC.

Exhibited

Il-2

• 2440 – exhibited in Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai.

File:Fuselage of Ilyushin Il-2 (c-n 7826) (38218670522).jpg

Forward fuselage of Ilyushin Il-2 c/n 7826 at Patriot Park

• 7826 – (forward fuselage only) unrestored and displayed at Patriot Park in Kubinka, Moscow Oblast. This aircraft was reportedly downed over the Kerch Strait on November 1, 1943, and recovered in 2015.
• Serial number unknown – exhibited in Dubna, Moscow, retrieved locally.Template:Fix/category
• Serial number unknown – displayed at Lebyazhye, Leningrad.Template:Fix/category
• Serial number unknown – positioned within a traffic circle in Samara. This particular aircraft was shot down over Karelia in 1943; despite severe injuries, pilot K. Kotlyarovsky managed to crash-land near Lake Oriyarvi. The plane was returned to Kuybyshev in 1975.
• Serial number unknown – displayed at the UMMC Museum Complex located in Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk.Template:Fix/category

Il-2m3

File:Ilyushin IL-2 Sturmovik, Central Air Force Museum, Monino.JPG

The restored Ilyushin IL-2 Shturmovik exhibited at the Central Air Force Museum, Monino

• 301060 – Il-2m3 exhibited statically at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino, Moscow.

In restoration or storage

Il-2

• 1870930 – Currently undergoing restoration to flying status by the Wings of Victory Foundation based in Moscow. It is noted as the sole surviving single-seat Il-2 manufactured prior to 1942.

Serbia

Exhibited

Il-2m3

• 308831 – exhibited at the Aeronautical Museum Belgrade located in Surčin, Belgrade.

United Kingdom

Stored or undergoing restoration

Il-2

• 1878576 – currently held in storage at Wickenby, Lincolnshire, England.

Il-2m3

• 1870710 – presently being restored at Wickenby, Lincolnshire, England, intended for exhibition at the Royal Air Force Museum London.

United States

Operational

Il-2m3

File:Ilyushin Il-2M3 of Flying Heritage Collection.jpg

The operational Ilyushin Il-2M3 from the Flying Heritage Collection, equipped with an Allison V-1710 engine

• 305401 – part of the collection at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum in Everett, Washington. This aircraft is assembled from components of four separate wrecks recovered in Russia and was restored by Retro Avia Tech using a reversed Allison V-1710-113 engine.

Displayed

Il-2

• 5612 – displayed statically at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

In restoration

Il-2

File:Restored Ilyushin IL-2.jpg

Ilyushin Il-2 undergoing restoration at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

• Composite airframe – currently in restoration at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, having been previously stored at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility of the National Air and Space Museum in Suitland, Maryland. As of August 2024, this aircraft is nearly complete and visible within the restoration workshop, awaiting final finishing touches before public exhibition.

Specifications (Il-2M3)

File:Ilyushin Il-2 3-view.svg

Ilyushin Il-2M3

See also

Bibliography

• Bergström, Christer. Bagration to Berlin: The Last Air Combat in the East 1944–45. Hersham, UK: Classic Publications, 2008. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
• Bergström, Christer. Barbarossa: The Air Campaign July–December 1941. London: Chevron/Ian Allan, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85780-270-2.
• Crosby, Francis. Complete Guide to WWII Fighters and Bombers. London: Anness Publishing Ltd/Hermes House, 2006. ISBN 978-1-42239-156-3.
• Donald, Donald and Jon Lake, editors. Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft Worldwide. London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-880588-24-2.
• Empric, Bruce E. Onward to Berlin!: Valor of the Red Army in WWII - The Full Cavaliers of the Soviet Order of Glory. Seattle: Teufelsberg Press, 2017. ISBN 978-1973498605.
• Glantz, David M. and Jonathan M. House. The Battle of Kursk. Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, 1999. ISBN 978-0-70060-978-9.
• Glantz, David M. and Harold S. Orenstein. The Battle for Kursk 1943: A Study by the Soviet General Staff. London: Frank Cass, 1999. ISBN 0-7146-4493-5.
• Gordon, Yefim, Dmitry Komissarov and Sergei Komissarov. OKB Ilyushin: History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinckley, Leicestershire: Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-187-3.
• Gordon, Yefim and Sergey Kommissarov. Ilyushin IL-2 and IL-10 Shturmovik. Wiltshire: Crowood Press, 2004. ISBN 1-86126-625-1.
• Gordon, Yefim. Soviet Air Power During World War II. Hinckley UK: Midland / Ian Allan Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-1-85780-304-4.
• Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Annals of Ilyusha: Ilyushin's Prolific Shturmovik". Air Enthusiast, Issue Twelve, April–July 1980, pp. 1–10, 71–77. Bromley, Kent: Pilot Press. ISSN 0143-5450.
• Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey Publishing, 1995. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
• Hardesty, Von. Red Phoenix: The Emergence of Soviet Air Power 1941–1945. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Books, 1982. ISBN 1-56098-071-0.
• Jentz, T.L. Panzer Truppen: Comprehensive Guide to Germany’s Tank Forces Creation and Deployment 1943–1945. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History, 1996. ISBN 978-0-88740-915-8.
• Krivosheev, G.F. Soviet Casualties and Combat Losses in the Twentieth Century. London: Greenhill Books, 1997. ISBN 978-1-85367-280-4.
• Liss, Witold. Ilyushin Il-2 (Aircraft in Profile #88). Leatherhead, Surrey: Profile Publications Ltd., 1968; reprinted in 1971 and 1982.
• Ludeke, Alexander. Weapons of the Second World War. Bath, UK: Parragon Books Ltd., 2012. ISBN 978-1-4075-0195-6.
• Michulec, Robert. Ił-2 Ił-10 (Monografie Lotnicze #22) (in Polish). Gdańsk: AJ-Press, 1999. ISBN 83-86208-33-3.
• Ovčáčík, Michal and Karel Susa. Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik: Il-2 Type 3 Variants. Prague: 4+ Publications, 2006. ISBN 80-87045-00-9.
• Povinsky, Viktor. Il-2 Shturmovik. Sandomierz/Redbourn: Mushroom Model Publications, 2014. ISBN 978-83-63678-37-1.
• Шавров В.Б., История конструкций самолетов в СССР (1938–1950) (3-е изд.) (in Russian). Moscow: Машиностроение Publishing House, 1994. ISBN 5-217-00477-0 (Translation: V.B Shavrov's History of Aircraft Design in the USSR: 1938–1950, Moscow: Mashinostroenie Publishing House).
• Rastrenin, Oleg. IL-2 Sturmovik Guards Units of WWII (Osprey Combat Aircraft no.71). Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-1-84603-296-7.
• Sakaida, Henry.Heroines of the Soviet Union: 1941–45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 978-1-84176-598-3.
• Shores, Christopher.Ground Attack Aircraft of WWII. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1977. ISBN 0-356-08338-1.
• Stapfer, Hans-Heiri.Il‑2 Stormovik in Action (Aircraft no.155). Carrollton TX: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1995. ISBN 0-89747‑341‑8.

External links

• Instructional film on flying the Il-2, produced by the Red Army Air Force Research Institute in 1943, featuring English subtitles
• A collection of 25 photographs showcasing the Il-2 memorial located in Novorossiysk, Russia
• A detailed interview with Yuri Khukhrikov, an Il-2 pilot
• The inaugural public flight of the Flying Heritage Collection’s Il-2, accompanied by a P-47 Thunderbolt chase aircraft
• Pilot’s operating manual for the Il-2, including AM-38 engine guidance