Ilyushin Il-2

Ilyushin Il-2, single-seat assault bomber that was a mainstay of the Soviet air force during World War II. The Il-2 is generally considered the finest ground-attack aircraft produced by any nation during World War II. It was designed by Sergey Ilyushin beginning in 1938 and went into production in 1940. The Il-2 was a single-engine, low-wing monoplane 38 feet (11.6 m) long and 48 feet (14.6 m) in wingspan. The early version was armed with two 23-millimetre cannons and two 7.6-millimetre machine guns mounted in the wings. The aircraft could also carry about 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of bombs or a lesser quantity of rockets. Later versions mounted two 37-millimetre cannons, and a two-seat version had provision for a tail gunner. The entire forward part of the aircraft was constructed of a single armour-plated shell that afforded maximum protection to the pilot. The Il-2’s cannons and other weapons made it particularly effective at destroying tanks, and its use against the German panzer divisions in 1941–43 helped turn the tide of battle in the Soviets’ favour. Stalin said of the Il-2 that it was “as necessary to the Red Army as air or bread.” Approximately 36,000 Stormoviks were produced during the war, more than any other aircraft in history.