Ilyushin Il-2 attack aircraft. photo. video. story.

IL-2 – video

The designers called the aircraft they developed a “flying tank.” Luftwaffe fighter pilots nicknamed the Il-2 “concrete plane” (German: Betonflugzeug). According to some Soviet authors, Wehrmacht soldiers called it “plague” (German: Schwarzer Tod, literally: “black death”).

Il-2 took part in battles in all theaters of military operations of the Great Patriotic War, as well as in the Soviet-Japanese War. In February 1941, serial production began (order of A.I. Shakhurin No. 739 dated December 14, 1940).

The first production IL-2s were manufactured in February 1941 in Voronezh at plant No. 18 (in November 1941 the plant was evacuated to Kuibyshev). Il-2 was also mass-produced at aircraft factories No. 1 and No. 18 in Kuibyshev, and at aircraft factory No. 30 in Moscow. Of the total number of IL-2s (36,183 units), 74% were produced in Kuibyshev (26,888 units). For some time during 1941-1942, the aircraft was produced by plant No. 381 in Leningrad and Nizhny Tagil.

The prototype - BSh-2 (factory name TsKB-55) made its first flight on October 2, 1939 (test pilot V.K. Kokkinaki).

Design

Glider

Single-engine aircraft of mixed design. The main feature is the inclusion of armor in the power circuit of the aircraft airframe.

Hull armor replaced the frame and skin of the entire nose and middle fuselage. The load-bearing armored body, riveted from homogeneous steel armor AB-1 (AB-2), covered the engine, cockpit, radiators and some components (on the prototype, the armored body also protected the gunner side). The transparent frontal armor of the cockpit visor was 64 mm thick and could withstand a 7.62 mm armor-piercing bullet from zero distance.

The plane was originally designed as a two-seater. There is a widespread misconception that Ilyushin was forced to convert the attack aircraft into a single-seat one at the direction of the country's military leadership. As is known, the lack of defensive weapons on the Il-2 was associated with unjustifiably large losses of these aircraft in the first year of the Great Patriotic War.

In fact, the plane was ordered as a two-seater, and its single-seat version was the initiative of Ilyushin himself, since during tests the BSh-2 showed unsatisfactory flight qualities - its speed, climb rate and range were below the requirements stated by the Air Force. At the same time, other Soviet designers were also working on an armored attack aircraft. To save his attack aircraft in competition with other design bureaus, Ilyushin proactively created its single-seat version. The gunner side was removed, which significantly reduced the volume of the armored hull; In place of the shooter, an additional fuel tank was installed and additional armor for the rear weight centering was installed, which also caused criticism - it worsened handling. The saved weight allowed the attack aircraft to meet the speed requirements for it, and the additional tank increased the flight range.

Faced with heavy losses of the Il-2, which did not have defensive weapons in the rear hemisphere, the Air Force demanded that Ilyushin again make the aircraft a two-seater, which was implemented by the end of 1942. However, it was no longer possible to change the armored hull, so the gunner side was located outside the armored hull and was protected only by a 6-mm armor plate on the tail side. At the same time, the pilot’s protection from the rear hemisphere was carried out by transverse armor of the “HD” brand, 12 mm thick (+6 mm armor-back), which was part of the armor-hull scheme.

In 1942, a modification of the armored hull appeared in the drawings, covering the gunner side. To maintain alignment, the wing consoles had a swept-back shape, and the center section was moved back so that the front spar was under the edge of the cockpit canopy. However, there was a strict decree not to slow down the production rate of attack aircraft, which, of course, would have resulted from the introduction of a new modification into the series. As a result, only the later modification of the aircraft, the Il-10, whose production began in 1944, received an armored hull protecting both crew members.

Engine

AM-38 - piston, 12-cylinder with 60° V-shaped camber of liquid cooling cylinders, power in various versions from 1620 to 1720 hp. pp., developed at the Mikulin Design Bureau.

IL-2 armament

– Two guns in the wing consoles (initially - 20 mm ShVAK, in the main series - 23 mm VYa, in the anti-tank version - 37 mm), a sample with 45 mm guns was tested. – Two ShKAS machine guns (wing-mounted) – Air bombs, PTAB containers – RS-82 or RS-132 rockets – A 12.7 mm UBT machine gun was installed as a defensive weapon on the two-seat versions.

Modifications

It was produced in single-seat (pilot) and double-seat versions (pilot and air gunner). Various technological and design changes were constantly made, for example, at the end of 1941, a wooden structure of the rear fuselage, with external metal stringers, was introduced. The armor and weapons changed.

IL-2 (single-seat) - a serial modification of the attack aircraft, not equipped with a cockpit for the rear gunner. Due to the large combat losses of the single-seat version, some aviation units made successful attempts to convert the single-seat Il-2 into a two-seat one[9]. In some cases, they even limited themselves to simulating the rear cannon, installing a dummy aimed at the tail in the cockpit slot, which from a distance effectively scared off German fighter pilots from approaching such an attack aircraft “in the tail” by its very appearance.

IL-2 (double) - a serial modification, equipped with a gunner's cabin with a canopy and ShKAS or UBT machine guns mounted on a semi-turret. Began to be widely used in the later periods of the war (the second photo at the beginning of the article shows a flight of such Il-2(D) aircraft)

Il-2 AM-38F is an attack aircraft with an uprated AM-38f engine, which, compared to the AM-38, had greater take-off power (by 100 hp). The first single-seat production Il-2 (production number 182412) with an experimental AM-38f engine was delivered to take flight data under the program of acceptance tests of production aircraft with the addition of testing the operation of the VMGvLIS of the 18th aircraft plant on July 31, 1942. Since January 1943, AM-38f engines began to be installed on all production Il-2 attack aircraft, both single and double, at all aircraft factories that produced these aircraft. By January 1943, the 24th Aircraft Engine Plant managed to produce 377 AM-38f engines. Since January 1943, the two-seat Il-2 with the AM-38f engine went into large-scale production, and from February 1, all the main ones - the 1st, 18th and 30th aircraft factories - completely switched to its production.

Il-2 KSS (wing with an arrow) is a serial modification of the Il-2 AM-38F with the same AM-38F engine, but boosted to 1720 hp. pp., with some aerodynamic and design improvements. Instead of a metal tank, fiber protected gas tanks were installed, in which most of the small holes were repaired after some time with a special protector compound that tends to thicken in the open air. During testing, the tanks remained sealed even with 17 holes from 7.92 and 13 mm bullets fired from German weapons. In order to improve the stability of the Il-2 in flight and control, shock-absorbing springs and a counterbalancer were installed in the elevator control system, developed at the LII NKAP by M. L. Mil (later the Chief Designer of helicopters) on the Il-2 AM-38f aircraft. The counterbalancer balanced the inertial forces arising from the weight compensation of the elevator during curved flight. The shock-absorbing spring was intended to increase the stock of longitudinal dynamic stability of an attack aircraft when flying with the control stick thrown - the tension of the shock-absorbing spring created a constantly acting force that returned the elevator to its original position when the aircraft's flight mode changed under the influence of external forces. To improve the alignment of the Il-2 aircraft, the ends of the wing consoles are moved back, which returns the alignment of the aircraft to the alignment of the single-seat Il-2 aircraft, that is, to 28.0%. Instead of a wooden wing, a metal wing was installed, which increased survivability and improved the repair and operational qualities of the IL-2. By the end of 1944, factories No. 18, 1 and 30 sent 7377 modified Il-2 attack aircraft with metal wings of a pointed design to the Air Force KA 7377 units, while aircraft factory No. 1 produced Il-2 with a wooden wing.

Il-2 M-82 is an experimental version of the attack aircraft, equipped with an air-cooled M-82 engine with a take-off power of 1675 hp. With. This development was started after the capture of Smolensk by the Germans on July 16, 1941, which led to the threat of the capture of Moscow and the forced evacuation of the plant that produced A. Mikulin AM-38 engines to the Urals. There is a risk of a shortage of these engines. However, since May 1942, production of the M-82 engine with a power of 1676 hp began in Perm. This engine was available in quantities sufficient to prompt the Ilyushin Design Bureau to develop a variant of the Il-2 for the new engine. The M-82 engine was installed slightly lower and without armor (since it was air-cooled) and, therefore, was more vulnerable to enemy fire. At the same time, the position of an air gunner with a UBT machine gun was armored. The aircraft had a new propeller with a conical spinner and fuel tanks increased to 724 liters. In terms of its characteristics, the IL-4 was slightly inferior to the original IL-2, but by that time it became clear that there would be no interruptions with the AM-38 engines. A single-seat Il-2 M-82IR was also built, which successfully passed factory tests by mid-August 1942 (the test report was approved on August 18, 1942), but the attack aircraft was not transferred to state tests and subsequently all work on installing the air-cooled engine was discontinued. The Il-4 designation was transferred to the DB-3F long-range bomber.

Il-2 ShFK-37 is an experimental single-seat version of an attack aircraft with an AM-38 engine, armed, in addition to two wing-mounted ShKAS machine guns, with two 37-mm aircraft cannons designed by OKB-15 B. G. Shpitalny ShFK-37 (Shpitalny, fuselage-wing, caliber 37 mm). 9 attack aircraft took part in the combat operations of the 688th ShAP of the 228th ShchAD of the 16th VA from December 27, 1942 to January 23, 1943 near Stalingrad during the destruction of the German encircled group in the zone of the 65th Army of Lieutenant General P. I. Batov . Combat operations were carried out from agricultural field airfields. “Proletary”, then the village of Kachalinskaya. Didn't go into the series.

Il-2 NS-37 is a serial modification of the two-seat Il-2 AM-38F, on which, in order to increase the anti-tank properties of attack aircraft, two 37 mm 11P-37 OKB-16 cannons were installed with an ammunition load of 50 rounds per gun, without rockets, with a bomb load of 100 kg in the normal version and 200 kg in the overload version.

Il-2 NS-45 is a prototype of the Il-2 AM-38f aircraft with two NS-45 wing cannons. Field tests of the Il-2 with the NS-45 showed unsatisfactory effectiveness of firing them in the air at small targets. Mainly due to the strong recoil of the guns when firing - the maximum recoil force of an aircraft gun on a ground-based machine reached 7000 kg. Didn't go into the series.

Il-2T - according to the published testimony of a former aircraft mechanic of the 23rd OSHAP Black Sea Fleet, one of the squadrons of the regiment had a flight of Il-2T aircraft that flew combat missions in 1944. The modification was an Il-2M3, in which, to save weight, the VYA-23 cannons were dismantled and 3 machine guns remained from small arms: 2 wing ones and a rear gunner’s machine gun. Thanks to this, the vehicle was capable of lifting the smallest Soviet torpedo, the 45-36AN. However, no documents have yet been discovered confirming the existence of this modification, although there are numerous aircraft models and the modification is used in video games.

Stormtrooper design

The aerodynamic design of the Il-2 is a cantilever monoplane with a low wing, one engine in the nose and a conventional tail.

The front part of the attack aircraft's hull consists of bent welded armor plates that protect the engine and cockpit. The armor shell weighed 990 kg. The semi-monocoque rear fuselage and fin are made of wood, plywood and veneer. The fuel tank, located between the pilot's and gunner's cabins, is covered with a 12-mm armor plate, the gunner's cabin is protected at the rear by 6-mm-thick armor.

Layout diagram of IL-2M3

The wing is made with a metal center section and wooden consoles covered with plywood; landing flaps and ailerons are installed on the rear of the consoles. Cannons were attached to the wing on consoles, and in the center section there was space for four containers with aircraft bombs, closed with bomb bay flaps.

Twelve cylinders of the uprated AM-38F engine created a power of 1720 hp. The propeller for this motor had three blades and an adjustable pitch. A water cooling radiator was installed in the tunnel compartment located between the pilot's cabin and the engine; an oil radiator was located in the front lower part of the aircraft body, lined with armor plates.

Monument to Il-2 in Samara

The three landing gear legs consisted of two main struts and a tail wheel. The robust frame structure of the main supports withstood heavy shock loads and forgave the pilot rough landings. When the landing gear was retracted, the wheels protruded from the metal gondolas, thus protecting the fuselage in the event of a forced landing without the landing gear extended.

Combat use

Tactics

Attack with:

- low altitudes (400-1000 m) in a shallow dive - low level flight at altitudes of 15-50 m, low altitude, high angular velocity and terrain folds were supposed to protect the aircraft from anti-aircraft gun fire, while the armor protected it from small arms fire enemy infantry. – After expending its ammunition of bombs and missiles, the Il-2 could engage in air combat with enemy aircraft[12]. Sometimes Soviet pilots, to attack German Ju 87 bombers (“laptezhniki”), taking advantage of the external similarity of the machines, used the tactical technique of “putting on bast shoes,” that is, lowering the landing gear and joining the formation of German aircraft. When blocking the Demyansk and Stalingrad cauldrons, the Il-2 was used to attack Ju-52 transport vehicles - its speed capabilities were quite enough for this, and its powerful armor protection made it possible to ignore the defensive fire of onboard machine guns.

"Death Cabin"

In the very first days of the war, it became clear that single-seat attack aircraft suffered unreasonably large losses from enemy fighters. At the request of the pilots in all attack regiments, the engineering and technical staff, with the participation of the pilots themselves, began to find ways to protect the aircraft from attack by fighters. A hole was cut in the upper part of the fuselage to accommodate a gunner and mount at least a primitive machine gun installation with minimal ammunition. The first air gunners were mechanics and weapons masters. The workload on the armed forces increased sharply - they had to fly on missions and, upon returning, have time to prepare weapons for flight. They flew with great desire, although among themselves they called the temporary structure of the gunner’s position a “death cabin.”

Efficiency

The least effective means of destroying enemy armored vehicles in the initial period of the war were aerial bombs. On June 25, 780 sorties allowed the destruction of only 30 tanks, 16 guns and 60 vehicles with manpower. During field tests, “three pilots of the 245th Shap, who had combat experience, were able to achieve only 9 hits on the tank with a total ammunition consumption of 300 shells for ShVAK cannons and 1290 rounds for ShKAS machine guns. At the same time, the best results were achieved using high-explosive bombs of the FAB-100 type. However, FAB-100 fragments penetrated the 30-mm side and rear armor of German medium tanks only at a distance of 5 m and closer. And when they hit the ground, the bombs ricocheted and exploded far from the target. In addition, with low bombing accuracy, the use of the FAB-100 was ineffective. When struck from a strafing flight by a group of 4-6 aircraft, the first part of the aircraft was forced to use the FAB-100 with a fuses slowed down by 22 seconds (so that the explosion did not damage the aircraft flying behind), so that during this time the targets managed to move a considerable distance from the crash site bombs.

The most effective anti-tank weapons in the initial period of the war were capsules with white phosphorus, which were dropped en masse on tank columns. However, phosphorus turned out to be very “capricious” in terms of humidity, temperature and wind, as a result of which it was used very limitedly. In 1943, during the battles on the Kursk Bulge, PTAB (anti-tank bombs) with a cumulative warhead appeared in the Il-2 arsenal, which were loaded into containers of 48 pieces. Dropping them at a speed of 340-360 km/h from a height of 200 m gave a spread of about 1 bomb per 15 m² and a continuous destruction zone of ~30x100 m. In the first days, the effectiveness was amazing (up to 6-8 tanks from the 1st approach) . However, within a week, a change in the formation of German tanks on the march sharply reduced the effectiveness of these ammunition, and since the consumption of full ammunition to defeat 1-2 tanks (with a successful approach) was no longer considered appropriate, preference was given to air guns. Despite the fact that 12.37 million PTAB-2.5-1.5 were manufactured during the war, they are not mentioned directly by German sources, although their potential high efficiency is confirmed by the urgency with which the above-mentioned decision to change the formations of German tanks on the march. The total losses of German tanks, according to Russian official data, amounted to 32.5 thousand units, and most of them were destroyed by IPTAP and Red Army tanks. This indirectly indicates the limited effectiveness of using this IL-2 ammunition.

Soviet pilots on Il-2 planes attack an enemy convoy

The combat use of the Il-2 was hampered by the lack of appropriate instructions and instructions in the initial period of the war:

“I don’t know how it happened, but not only in the units, but in the administration of the 8th Air Army itself there were no necessary documents on the combat use of the Il-2. And if so, then the pilots acted according to their own understanding, often not in the most rational way.”

— From the memoirs of Air Marshal I. I. Pstygo

Firing from a ShVAK cannon while targeting a separate tank from a column during testing at the Air Force Armament Research Institute ensured that in three flights with a total consumption of 553 rounds, 20 hits were made in the tank column (3.6%), of which only 6 hits were made on the aiming point tank (1 ,0%), the rest - to other tanks from the column. When firing from the VYA-23 cannon with a total consumption of 435 shells in 6 sorties, the pilots of the 245th ShAP received 46 hits in the tank column (10.6%), of which 16 hits in the aiming point tank (3.7%). However, enemy opposition in real combat reduced the chances of hitting the target. In addition, VYa armor-piercing shells did not penetrate the armor of German medium tanks from any direction of attack. Moreover, even the relatively powerful 23-mm Il-2 fragmentation shells contained only 10 g of explosive, that is, even unarmored targets could only be hit by a direct hit.

The protection of the shooter was also a serious and unresolved problem. In the first years of the war, attack aircraft (and their pilots were not even trained in the basics of air combat), often deprived of fighter cover, when meeting with enemy fighters, tried to break away at low level flight. This technique led to massive losses, and the pilots demanded the placement of a gunner. Such modernization was often carried out directly in the units, the place for the shooter was cut out behind the armored hull and its protection was completely absent. Since 1942, a two-seat factory version appeared, but due to problems with alignment, the shooter was protected by 6 mm armor plate (for comparison, the rear wall of the armored hull is 12 mm) only on the tail side. The consequence of insufficient protection was a high mortality rate among shooters: during military tests, for every 8 shooters hit, only 1 pilot was out of action. On average, according to statistical estimates, when attacked by a fighter, the probability of hitting the shooter was 2-2.5 times higher than the aircraft he was protecting, although from anti-aircraft fire this ratio was 1:1. It should be noted that Ilov’s losses from fighters throughout the war were lower than losses from anti-aircraft artillery, and since 1943, attack aircraft sorties were carried out only with fighter cover. This reduced the importance of the gunner in the crew, and since 1944, experienced pilots often flew without gunners. Nevertheless, the next attack aircraft, the Il-10, was initially built as a two-seater, just like Ilyushin’s jet projects (Il-40, Il-102).

History of combat use

The combat use of such an unusual aircraft as the Il-2 faced a lot of problems: technical, tactical, in pilot training, and so on. The first results of the battles were unsuccessful:

“Summarizing the results of 1941, we can say that it was one of the most tragic periods in the history of the Sturmovik crews. The pilots were hastily retrained to fly these planes and sent to the front, where they were shot down in large numbers.

...For example, one of the regiments, 280 ShAP, lost 11 aircraft during three days in the second ten days of October. Only on October 10, three of the five vehicles of this regiment did not return from the flight, and those that reached their airfield were in deplorable condition.”

— “War in the Air” No. 7, 8 Il-2/10

Taking into account the high risk of using the Il-2, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded for 10 combat missions. According to other sources, before 1943, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded for 30 combat missions, and after 1943 this qualification was increased to 80.

According to official statistics from the Red Army Air Force Headquarters, out of approximately 1,500 Il-2s sent to units before December 31, 1941, 1,100 were lost. However, the Il-2 had fairly good armor and a significant portion of the total losses were non-combat losses: accidents due to maneuvers at too low an altitude in bad weather conditions.

Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft strike the enemy in Pomerania

In total, from 1941 to 1945, the USSR lost 23.6 thousand attack aircraft, of which 12.4 thousand were combat losses. A total of 7,837 attack pilots were lost. 356 air regiments were trained. 140 air regiments were formed once, 103 air regiments 2 times, 61 air regiments 3 times, 31 air regiments 4 times and 21 air regiments 5 times. By May 10, 1945, the air armies of the fronts included 3,075 Il-2 and Il-2U attack aircraft, 214 Il-2KR and 146 Il-10. In addition, the Navy Air Force had 197 Il-2s. If at the beginning of the war there were less than 0.2% of IL-2s, then by the fall of 1942 their share increased to 31% and subsequently remained at the level of 29-32% of the total number of combat aircraft of front-line aviation. The overall survival rate of the Il-2 during the war was about 53 sorties per one irretrievable loss. Throughout the war, survival rate in attack aircraft was lower than in bomber and fighter aircraft, despite the fact that the Il-2 was superior in security to all Soviet aircraft. The reason for this is the tactics of use. The Ilas hung above the front line at low altitudes most of the time, attracting the fire of all enemy anti-aircraft artillery. According to an analysis of the combat work of the assault units of the 3rd Air Army in the Vitebsk, Polotsk, Dvina, Bauska and Siauliai operations, the overall level of combat losses of the Il-2, characterized by irretrievable losses, amounted to 2.8% of the total number of sorties. At the same time, combat damage was recorded in 50% of sorties. There have been cases when an aircraft independently returned from a combat mission, having more than 500 holes in the wing and fuselage. After refurbishment carried out by army field workshops, the aircraft returned to service. On May 10, 1945, 3289 Il-2s and 146 Il-10s were in service.

A flight of Il-2 attack aircraft of the 140th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment in the sky over Berlin

The problem with the Il-2 was not only the high level of losses, but also the incorrect tactics of its use, which is why the effectiveness of attack aircraft in the early years was very low.

Typically, IL-2s were sent to attack the front line of enemy defenses. But the front line soldiers were always on the alert and always knew where to hide in case of unexpected shelling or an air raid. In such conditions, it was possible to hit enemy personnel only with a direct hit. It is no coincidence that according to statistics, IL-2s destroyed only 1% of targets (although at least 5% were expected from them).

Again, the “line up in a circle and dive one by one” tactics made it possible for the enemy to hide from the attack, and the high level of flight personnel losses prevented them from accumulating and passing on new tactical techniques to newcomers. Only in 1944 did a number of attack aircraft units switch to “all at once” tactics, when an Il-2 group, unexpectedly appearing over enemy positions, simultaneously dropped all bombs and missiles on it.

Even more effective were the assaults on columns on the march, accumulations of vehicles, crossings, artillery positions, etc. (but for this it was not necessary to persistently aim the IL-2 at the leading edge).

In particular, during Operation Bagration, Il-2s were primarily aimed at suppressing artillery positions, and the effectiveness of their use was quite high.

Il-2 also took an active part in the fight against the enemy as part of the air forces of the Baltic, Black Sea and Northern fleets. Along with traditional “work” against ground targets and targets (enemy airfields, troop and anti-aircraft artillery positions, ports and coastal fortifications, etc.), attack aircraft also effectively attacked surface targets using top-mast bombing. For example, during the battles in the Arctic, the 46th ShAP of the Northern Fleet Air Force had more than 100 sunk enemy ships.

Reviews from veterans

Averyanov, Valentin Grigorievich - pilot, GSS:

“The plane was good and necessary for this war. Yes, it did not save crews very much, but as a weapon it was an excellent machine... Yes, it could not dive, but due to its work at low altitude it was very effective. We took 400 kg of bombs, rarely 600 - it didn’t take off. True, the attack aircraft did not have a real bomber sight, but it seems to me that they did not need one. What is it for? There's no time to aim! The same applies to RS - they flew, they scared. The stormtrooper's most accurate weapons are cannons. Very good 23 mm VYa cannons. We also had to fly with 37-mm NS-37 cannons. When you shoot from them, the plane stops - very strong recoil. No pleasure, but a powerful weapon, of course.”

Purgin, Nikolai Ivanovich - pilot, GSS:

“IL-2 was resistant to damage, but iron. You can’t make a hill on it, it takes ten minutes to climb a thousand meters with bombs... He could dive at 45-60 degrees.”

Shtangeev, Nikolai Ivanovich - pilot:

“The car, of course, is not maneuverable, but very durable. The plane remained stable in flight, even with serious damage. The visibility from the cabin was excellent, and the cabin itself was spacious.”

Usov, Valentin Vladimirovich - mechanic, air gunner:

“I think that at that time it was the only aircraft that successfully combined firepower, good maneuverability and armor protection... Of course, the armor did not hold up a 20-mm projectile, but it took a lot of hits to ricochet... In addition, the armored hull and The wheels, which were not completely retractable, made it possible to sit the car on its stomach. In this case, naturally, the oil radiator was demolished, but such damage could be corrected in the field. The only drawback that I can highlight is the low operability.”

Veteran attack aircraft Yu. M. Khukhrikov:

“We ended up in the 566th assault aviation regiment... He fought near Moscow. Every single one of them died. Only Afonya Machny remained from 1941, and he went crazy after fifty missions.”

Flagship (of the regiment commander's aircraft) air gunner of the Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft, Sergeant Major P. Shulyakov. In the foreground is a 12.7 mm UBT (universal Berezina turret) machine gun.

Further development

The Il-10 attack aircraft was used in the last months of the Great Patriotic War, as well as during the Korean War (as part of the North Korean Air Force).

Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft take off on a combat mission near Stalingrad. January 1943.

Through the eyes of front-line soldiers: the Il-2 attack aircraft

Created by aircraft designer S.V. Ilyushin, the Il-2 attack aircraft, became the main attack aircraft of Soviet aviation during the Great Patriotic War and, at the same time, the most popular combat aircraft in the world. It so happened that in mass publications information about this legendary aircraft was often contained in one or two paragraphs consisting of excellent epithets. Speaking about the shortcomings, it was allowed to mention only the lack of a gunner’s cockpit in early modifications - but this was also eliminated with the advent of the two-seat version of the Il-2. Meanwhile, as usual, “not everything was so simple,” as evidenced by the pilots and gunners who fought on the attack aircraft, as well as the technicians who serviced the aircraft.

When two heads are worse

Design changes made at aircraft factories were often caused by critical feedback from the “end user” - pilots, gunners and technicians of attack air regiments. They did not only concern the gunner’s cockpit. Thus, in 1943, pilots of the 214th Attack Air Division, presenting to the command conclusions about the actions of the two-seat Ilovs, along with positive effects (continuous observation of the rear hemisphere, the ability to fire at enemy fighters attacking from above and behind), also noted a number of shortcomings:

"1 .
Compared to a single-seat Il-2, a two-seat aircraft is less maneuverable and has a decrease in flight speed by 10–15 km/h.
2. The bomb load is significantly reduced
- instead of the usual 600 kg, only 300 kg. Attempts to increase the load to 400 kg were unsuccessful, and the aircraft's flight performance deteriorated sharply.
3. The landing speed of a two-seater aircraft increases by 15–20 km/h, which increases the aircraft’s mileage during landing and requires larger airfields.”

The single-seat attack aircraft Il-2, equipped with a gunner's seat in front-line conditions, received heavy damage in battle, but managed to return to the airfield

"4. The firing sector of the rear machine gun is insufficient, namely:

a) the side rotation angles of the machine gun are small, which require a minimum of 45 °
towards both sides;
b) there is absolutely no downward rotation, which is required at least 30 ° ;

c) the vertical rotation angle fully ensures firing.

In addition, the tail of the aircraft and the fuselage create a non-firing sector, especially back and back-down.

5. The underwater hoses for feeding cartridges are poorly adapted, so when the machine gun is in a horizontal position, delays occur, cartridge failure and belt rupture occur.

6. The turret installation requires great physical effort when working with it."

Further in the tactical instructions it was noted that in order to eliminate the possibility of an attack from below during air combat, it is recommended to go to a minimum height, up to 20 meters. Advice was also given to reduce speed and actively maneuver in the direction. Another assault division proposed a radical solution to the problem: “Put armored glass on the bottom of the gunner’s cabin and install a second dagger-action machine gun.”

.

Little things are the source of big problems

More complete surveys conducted in 1944 also revealed not only the positive aspects of the aircraft, but also a number of shortcomings. In this regard, the report from the 62nd Attack Aviation Regiment is especially interesting, where it was the technical personnel who were brought in to answer the questions in order to receive specific recommendations on the equipment of the aircraft.

"1. Thermometers TME-41 and TVE-41 [thermometers of incoming oil and water - approx. author] - frequent breaks of the resistance winding at the soldering points. It is advisable to move the soldering area away from the receiver glass.

2. Tachometer TE-22 - frequent failures of the indicator due to poor quality lubrication of the bearings. It is necessary to improve lubrication and provide the combat parts with it.

3. Three-pointer indicator [gasoline pressure, oil pressure, outlet oil temperature - approx. author] - frequent breaks of the capillary at the place where the siphon is soldered due to poor-quality capillary material and cotton braid. It is necessary to replace the capillary material with a more elastic one and the cotton braid with a metal braid (with a metal braid for all indicators).”

Women's brigade at the assembly of the Il-2 attack aircraft

"Radio equipment:

1 .
Umformer RU-11A - filters are manufactured very poorly and, in addition, due to insufficient shock absorption during installation, breaks in the windings in the chokes are observed.
2.
SPU-FB from plant No. 327.
An amplifier with four 12M1M type lamps often fails due to the failure of 12M1M lamps, which in terms of service life do not meet the requirements and the ability to use them in shelves on Il-2 aircraft, since lamp stocks are not supplied. 3.
Headsets produced recently do not meet technical requirements.
The resistance of laryngophones, instead of 150 Ω, in most cases reaches from 500 to 1000 Ω. Headsets do not fit tightly to the head due to the rigidity of the celluloid gaskets on the phones, as a result of which the acoustic interference exceeds the norm. Electrical equipment: GS-10-350 generators [standard power 350 W and output voltage 27.5 volts] have increased voltage (about 30 volts and above). Suggest to the factory that the voltage regulator be adjusted within a range of no higher than 27.5 volts.”

Armor and plywood

You can find a lot of kind words in reports about the survivability of an armored attack aircraft - the armored hull perfectly protected the pilot and the vital components of the aircraft in battle. The strength of the center section also helped during forced landings. When landing on the belly, even in uneven terrain (stumps and cobblestones), it was indicated that this only “reduces the survivability of the aircraft”

, although any other car would most likely fall into the category of scrap metal. The carbon dioxide-filled gas tanks located in the hull also earned high praise from the pilots. In addition, the good stability of the Il was mentioned in the event of significant damage to the airframe and control system, which made it possible to return “on my word of honor and one wing.”

The damaged Il-2 made an emergency landing with its landing gear retracted

By the way, there were complaints specifically about the wing - more precisely, about the replacement of duralumin elements with wooden ones. It was indicated that when hit by an anti-aircraft shell, the plywood sheathing was torn off in very large pieces, up to 3 m² in area. Although sometimes the planes managed to return with such damage, as the aviators diplomatically wrote, “gluing work in the field in winter takes a lot of time.”

.
In other units, regarding plywood sheathing, they noted that this option was certainly cheaper, but due to the complexity of repairs, it was delayed and “prevented the rapid commissioning of damaged aircraft, reduced the aircraft fleet... was burdensome and did not provide the necessary efficiency to division units in fulfilling a combat mission, [ aircraft ] stand idle for a long time for repairs
.

As for other structural elements, the reports noted that anti-aircraft shells and their fragments enter the pilot’s cabin through the movable windows of the canopy, and shells from enemy fighter guns hit the joint between the movable part of the canopy and the fuselage, exploding behind the pilot’s head. On two-seater vehicles, alas, the shooter was much worse protected than the pilot, so from the front they asked to install armored glass on his part of the canopy, at least on the left and right.

Replacement of the wing plane of the attack aircraft of the Guard, Senior Lieutenant S.I., damaged during a combat mission. Kuznetsova

Among the damage to the controls, the most serious consequences were caused by the failure of the depth control - the plane went into a steep dive and crashed. Considering the operating heights of the attack aircraft above the target, the crew had practically no chance of salvation.

The pilots unanimously called the oil cooler the most vulnerable point of the IL-2. Even if hits did not cause a fire, the engine left without oil would very quickly fail. The pilots also reported that when a fighter was attacked from below, the gas systems could also be damaged, which also caused fires, and with a higher probability. Damage to the water radiator was noted, but in this case the pilot still had a chance to pull it across the front line if the target was not too far from it.

There were also complaints about the design of the oil cooler:

“a) the flow (arrival) of oil into the right tank is greater than the flow from it, as a result of which it overflows, while in the left tank the oil level drops;

b) if you allow 10–12 liters of oil to be filled less than the established norm, the engine will starve of oil, even if the right oil tank is overfilled.”

Even with a rather hard landing, a durable armored hull often saved not only the crew, but also the plane

An interesting observation was made by pilots of the 198th Attack Aviation Regiment regarding damage to the landing gear:

“Vulnerable spots of the aircraft: experience has shown that at the beginning of the war, the vulnerable spots of the Il-2 aircraft are the center section, landing gear and damage to the wheels. It is enough to point out that from September 1, 1941 to April 1, 1942. For 160 aircraft damaged by enemy anti-aircraft artillery in various forms, there were 60 damage to wheels, 12 damage to propellers, 7 damage to motor armor, 19 damage to breaking landing gear struts, as well as brake pipes. The rest is distributed over the fuselage, planes and tail. Currently [February 1944 - approx. author] damage from anti-aircraft artillery is distributed over the entire aircraft, but more cases occur on the plane (explained, obviously, by the inaccuracy of aiming of the German army service personnel).”

Bomb the boot

Finally, another extremely serious problem was the lack of a normal bomber sight on the IL-2.

Applying aiming marks-stripes on the planes of an attack aircraft (from the report of the 243rd attack air division)

In many sources there are statements that this drawback was not particularly significant - they say that the defeat by machine-gun and cannon fire and rocket shells was carried out at the rifle sight, and bombs from the Ilov could be thrown “by eye”. However, the pilots themselves thought differently. In addition, the density of German air defense, especially in areas of important targets, was constantly growing, which forced attack aircraft to climb higher and master a new role for themselves as a short-range bomber. For example, in March 1943, pilots of the 243rd Attack Aviation Division had to do this:

«Stormtroopers on the Northwestern Front had to work in conditions of strong opposition from enemy air defense systems, since the 16th German Army organized a perimeter defense, and the front line was especially saturated with anti-aircraft weapons. Each strong point had its own air defense. The attack aircraft suffered losses at low altitudes from fire from ZA, ZP, MZA, from ground machine-gun points, from tank fire, and even from enemy mortar fire. The enemy used all their firepower on the attack aircraft, which forced us to change the tactics of the attack aircraft on the battlefield

».

Applying aiming marks on the windshield of an attack aircraft (from the report of the 243rd Attack Air Division)

The document further described the rather painful path of attempts to adapt the Il-2 to the role of a short-range bomber. Attempts to bomb from medium altitudes (600–1000 meters) reduced losses, but bombing by eye was ineffective. As a result, after a series of experiments at the training ground, the division came to the conclusion that the best option would be bombing from horizontal flight based on time delay. However, even if bombs were dropped at the command of the leading, that is, the most experienced pilots, practice has shown that the method, which includes sighting along the edge of the wing planes, is only suitable for bombing over areas.

As a result, the pilots of the 243rd Attack Air Division nevertheless came to the conclusion that the best option would be to operate from a dive. It was noted that “the absence of a bomber sight forced ...
to look for options for other primitive sights
.

To do this, we had to start applying marks on the planes of the aircraft and the windshield armored glass. The division was pleased with the results, since this method allowed even pilots with average training to have the opportunity to hit point targets. How much these capabilities would increase if the Il-2 had a normal bomber sight, one can only guess.

Air bombs (presumably four FAB-100s) hit the German auxiliary supply ship Franken as a result of an attack by Il-2 attack aircraft of the Baltic Fleet Air Force southeast of the Hel Spit, East Prussia, April 8, 1945. Photocontrol of impact. The ship broke into two parts. White splashes in the upper part of the image are places where bombs ricochet off the water during top-mast bombing

It must be said that although the Il-2 was the most popular attack aircraft of World War II and, in general, the most widespread combat aircraft, the air forces of other participants in the war also had their own attack or fighter-bomber aircraft. Comparing concepts, as well as specific aircraft, can take a long time and with varying degrees of success. What can be said with absolute certainty about the Il-2 is that this aircraft corresponded very well to the capabilities of the Soviet aviation industry and the level of training of wartime pilots, many of whom it was its armor that helped them survive until Victory.

Performance characteristics of the Il-2 M3

IL-2 crew

– 2 people

Dimensions of IL-2

– Length: 11.6 m – Wing span: 14.6 m – Height: 4.2 m – Wing area: 38.5 m² – Wing load: 160 kg/m²

Weight of IL-2

– Empty weight: 4360 kg – Curb weight: 6160 kg – Maximum take-off weight: 6380 kg – Armor weight: 990 kg

Il-2 engine

– Engines: 1× liquid-cooled V-shaped 12-cylinder AM-38F – Thrust: 1× 1720 l. With. (1285 kW) – Thrust-to-weight ratio: 0.21 kW/kg

IL-2 speed

– Maximum speed: 414 km/h – Maximum speed at an altitude of 1220 m: 404 km/h – Maximum ground speed: 386 km/h – Climb rate: 10.4 m/s – Take-off length: 335 m (with 400 kg bombs) )

Flight range of IL-2

– 720 km

Il-2 service ceiling

– 5500 m

Armament

Cannon-machine gun: – 2× 23 mm VYA-23 cannon, 150 rounds per barrel – 2× 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, 750 rounds per barrel – 1× 12.7 mm UBT defensive machine gun in the rear cabin, 150 rounds

Combat load:

– up to 600 kg of bombs – 4× RS-82 or RS-132

Photo of IL-2

Il-2M flight over Berlin in 1945

A German soldier is photographed on a crashed Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft that made an emergency landing.

A flight of Il-2 attack aircraft from the 6th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment during a combat mission

Missiles under the wing of the Il-2

Pilot, commander of the Il-2 attack aircraft squadron E.N. Petrov. and air gunner Brodsky G.S. Kalinin Front, May 1943

Winter version with 20 mm ShVAK and RS-82 cannons

Technicians are preparing an Il-2 attack aircraft for takeoff at a field airfield. Il-2 of the first series, built at plant No. 381.

VYA-23 cannon and RS-82 launcher on Il-2

Guard weapons mechanic Sergeant of the 15th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment K. Ugodin prepares a bomb load for the Il-2 aircraft.

Soviet attack aircraft Il-2 on a ski chassis. RS-132 rockets are suspended under the wings of the attack aircraft. Winter 1941-1942

German soldiers on a downed Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft

IL-2 damaged in battle

A heavily damaged single-seat Il-2 attack aircraft, which managed to reach its airfield and landed on its belly.

Replacement of the damaged wing of the Il-2 attack aircraft of the Guard, senior lieutenant S.I. Kuznetsov after returning from a combat mission.

Source

IL-2 Sturmovik

creating an atmosphere.
I’ll just say one more thing about the realism of control. And not so much about realism (“Stormtrooper” is extremely reliable), but about the “emotionality of control.” Even when playing from the keyboard, without a joystick (no need to throw stools, testing involves checking all types of interfaces), you feel how the plane sits elastically in the air. This happened to me for the first time. Still, the keyboard implies an “arcade” style - left-right, up-down. But in the IL-2, even it makes you feel the power of a hurricane wind, raised by the propeller and beating against the sides of the fuselage. Well, I’m not even talking about the joystick - this game alone is worth buying it right away. Course of a young fighter A couple of months ago I was with a big

wrote with approval about the training course in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002
. Let me say briefly: he is much better here. The main difference is that you don't just watch a movie, but actually fly with an instructor. First he shows you the flying techniques, you see how the controls in the cockpit move, and then you can try it all yourself. The training goes quickly, and, despite the historical nature of the simulator, after 10-20 minutes you begin to enjoy the flight. Settings also make learning the game easier. 18 parameters can be configured, from “invulnerability” to “taking into account the gyroscopic moment of the propeller.” Therefore, in a rare case, it turned out to be a game for all categories of “aviators”: from arcade fans to ardent hardcore players. “Conventions” make flying very easy (it’s a game, after all). There are three main “conventions” - a map with an inertial navigation system, an indicator on and around the windshield, and the ability to change the time scale. Let's talk about them in a little more detail, since only the latest Soviet aircraft are equipped with these devices. Naturally, this information is top secret; in the second section you must leave a non-disclosure receipt.

When you press the M
, a map appears at the top right with a route laid out on it. It can be moved and scaled, which is much more convenient than the “radar” screen from strategies. The map shows the location of your and enemy aircraft, as well as the course to the next control point! A sort of AWACS, INS and radio compass in one bottle. I confess that in battle (especially when approaching) I looked at the map more often than around me.

The windshield indicator displays information received from the state aircraft identification system (in common parlance “friend or foe responders”). At the same time, thanks to Colonel M. M. Isaev, we managed to find out the enemy codes, and at a distance of 8-9 km the inscription “He.111” and even the tail number appear. There are no words for how helpful it is - even in close combat, when you need to quickly determine whether someone is in your sights or someone else's. Time while moving can be accelerated by two, four or eight times. This is convenient, especially when you have to replay a mission for the fifth time. But, in addition, our scientists have invented adrenaline injections ( [
] key, thanks to which time can be slowed down eight times!
At the same time, you see how the Messer flying past smoothly floats into the sight and literally freezes in it. The machine behaves extremely smoothly, accuracy increases by an order of magnitude. Using this trick, on my first flight I shot down two Heinkels and two Messerschmitts. The encyclopedia not only shows the characteristics of your car and opponents. She is interesting in her own right. I have been interested in aviation history for many years, but only now have I looked at exactly how the wing gunners were located on Messerschmitt’s Giants. The cockpits are modeled very reliably, almost everything was verified according to the “Flight Manuals” and other similar documents. This applies not only to the dashboard, but also to the side panels (look at the picture). Instrument readings are also individual for each type of machine. In the same MSFS'2000 training course, you will be taught how to use six “main instruments”, around which the entire instrument panel is built. Not so here. If the LaGG-3 and La-5 did not have an attitude indicator, then there will not be one in the game. And then you will understand that problems with avionics did not begin in Russia during perestroika. Especially when you get into a cloud on such a plane. powerful Soviet water-cooled engines and at the same time very reliable. The only thing is that they were noticeably heavier than Klimov’s engines, which originated from licensed Hispano-Suiza. The game engine combines the reliability and power of Mikulin engines with the ease of the M-105. The quality of the models is excellent. The only note: at the junction of polygons they “shine through” the seams. The earth is simply beautiful. As fuzzy as it looks in Microsoft Flight Simulator, it's just as good here. Increase the resolution further, “add” rooks (birds, not Su-25) - and the painting “Spring” can be

hang in the Tretyakov Gallery.
"IL-2" runs on a Celeron-400 with 64MB of RAM and a GeForce 2MX, and it actually runs, and does not barely drag. Despite the intensive use of the video card, the game reacts absolutely calmly to switching windows. While writing this article, I had IL-2, Word, HyperSnap, FAR, FrontPage and Internet Explorer running simultaneously, and without the slightest problem. I was amazed by the IL-2’s reaction to such an incorrect action as switching to another window at the moment the mission was loaded. Usually games just crash. And here a cultural window appeared with the inscription “Error. The download was interrupted by the user." This suggests that Stormtrooper is not only a beautiful game, but also a well-programmed one, and that it handles unacceptable situations correctly. For which honor and praise go to its creators. And one note for those who like to relax at work: the game does not stop if you go to another window! Airplanes (including enemy ones) continue to fly, and can even fly very far. The efficiency-cost ratio has made a kind of revolution in the games market in Russia. A licensed disc in a Jewel in Moscow on Kuznetsky Most costs 70 rubles. This is amazing. A boxed version is also available (recommended price

- 24 dollars). IL-2 will probably be one of the few “games in a box” that I will buy. What inspired me to do this was the book “Manual on Combat Operations of Attack Aviation” by Valentin Loginov
, the online version of which I saw on the Russian website of the game. This is a careful stylization of the times of the Great Patriotic War, both the cover and the paper - everything is like in the library of my father, Viktor Fedorovich Kuzmin, navigator 260bap 243bad of the 17th Air Army. And the gift set includes four more books, a T-shirt and a poster.

IL-2: modernization and options Already two weeks after the game went on sale, the first add-ons appeared. For example, Vadim "Starshoy" Kolosov

created a campaign generator. It works like this: the campaign author draws a very large map, regardless of performance limitations. At least the entire front line from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Many objects are plotted on the map. Then select

the goal of this mission (the generator itself can do this), and when playing, only part of the objects are loaded into memory - namely those that are located in a 30 km wide strip along the route of the main group. The generator itself can be downloaded from the game website (direct link https://campaigns.il2center.com/IL2gen.zip
, size - only 245Kb).

Pay attention to the non-trivial approach and speed of development.
This suggests that the game engine has a lot of reserves and good stability in operation. As for new aircraft, Maddox Games has a lot of plans for this. They are going to both create their own models and certify and include models made by players in the game. The Fw.190A-5 and four missions for it have already been added to the game. You can download them from the Russian website of the game. One can, of course, spitefully report that the A-5, in general, is no different from the A-4, except for the engine mount extended by 15 cm and the fuselage length increased as a result to 8.95 m. But we will do things differently and note that this add-on was released at the most intense moment - in the first weeks after the launch of the game, and in addition, 15 cm for Oleg Medox is a reason to make a new model. And this is yet another proof of the deepest historical authenticity of this military history textbook, made in the form of a computer game. A fly in the ointment in a barrel of gasoline There is hardly a gaming magazine or website that will not publish a laudatory article about the IL-2. This means that we have a very simple way to stand out among our friends and competitors: write about the shortcomings of the game. So, let's begin. The funniest glitch is your own empty seat. In other planes there are real pilots who even turn their heads. If you activate the external camera and look at the cabin from the side, a manly mustachioed profile (or face, depending on what you like) will appear behind the armored glass. But

to see your own knees is

no way. It’s a pity that this “stealth technology” has no effect on the behavior of enemies - bullets hit the canopy glass with depressing frequency. Another flaw. To turn on the motor there is a separate button - I
on the keyboard (on the IL-2 it was called the “vibrator button”).
An obvious oversight by the developers is that the gas sector and even the afterburner button work even when the engine is turned off. It’s very funny to sit on the ground with a stationary propeller and see the words “Thrust 100%” and “afterburner on” on the right. Descriptions in the encyclopedia do not always correspond to the game models of equipment. For example, the armament indicated for the Italian torpedo boat MAS501 is one 13.2mm machine gun, but the model has two. Finally, the Italian MC.202 and the Romanian IAR.80 and IAR.81 are described as German in the Encyclopedia. Users are often annoyed by “Are you sure?” messages. in Windows, but without them, as it turned out, it’s even worse. Here the “Continue” button in the career (campaign) screen does not mean “continue the mission”, but complete it automatically and record it in the career file. The “delete career” action also does not require confirmation. Let us remember, however, that we are discussing the very first version of the game. It is known that Maddox is preparing a patch, which, we hope, will fix even what we did not notice. **************************************** ************** Ratings
Gameplay: 10 Graphics: 10 Sound and music: 10 Interface and controls: 10 Novelty: 7
Mania rating:
10
Wait?
The best flight simulator.
Stunning historicity. Stunning playability and immersion. In total - a masterpiece of world significance. Expectations met: 100%