Ilyshin Il-2m3 Shturmovik

(Ильюшин Ил-2м3)

The prototype of the best ground attack aircraft in the W.W.II, designed by Sergei V. Iliushin, had maiden flight on 12th October 1940, designated CKB-57, and there were built total of 36.163 those planes, what made it the most produced aircraft during the W.W.II. Soviet airmen called it "Flying Tank” because of bath rub like steel armor protecting engine and cockpit. The armor weigh one 1/6 of aircraft fuselage, but in the same time was scarring part of aircraft structure, and could stand a direct hit of a 20 mm shell. Though the first examples were single seat, the combat experience soon showed that aircraft needed a backward firing weapon – and a gunner. Therefore, in December 1942 appeared "m3” (Il-2m3) variant, which, due to improvement of stability had changed geometry of outer parts of wings. As on attack missions planes flew on an altitude of 50 to 100 meters, firing cannons and machine guns, and launching of rockets, practically were horizontally!

The first three Shtormoviks in Yugoslav aviation – still with the e Air Force insignias – were Il-2UT trainer variant, intended for conversion of Yugoslav airmen to the aircraft type at airfield Zemun late 1944 and in the beginning of f 1945, and afterwards Yugoslav crews flew on combat ready planes of Il-2 type in composition of the 42nd Attack Division on the Srem front. which had total of 122 Shtormoviks, and executed 747 combat missions. After the war followed delivery of a greater number of these planes, which in coming years represented the back0bonbe of the YAF air attack aviation. As original planes IL-2 had rear part of fuselage and tail unit of wooden construction, "Ikarus” aircraft factory undertook manufacture of metal 300 mentioned rear sections, and replacement of wooden by metal part prolonged the time-limit of their usage. Through the YAF passed over 300 planes of Il-2 and 2UT (also designated as UIl-2) variants, allotted to six regiments. Shtormoviks were removed from an inventory in 1955, and one, (the YAF serial 4154, c/n 308831), which arrived to the YAF via Bulgarian AF, was handed over to the Air Museum in 1961.