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Ilyushin Il-4 (DB-3F)

National origin:- Soviet Union
Role:- Long-range bomber
Manufacturer:- Ilyushin
Designer:-
First flight:- 31st March 1936
Produced:- 1936-1939 (DB-3), 1942-1945 (Il-4)
Number built:- 1,528 (DB-3), 5,256 (Il-4)
Primary users:- Soviet Air Force
Developed from:- Ilyushin DB-3
Developed into:- Ilyushin Il-6

The Ilyushin Il-4 (DB-3F) (Russian: Ильюшин Ил-4 (ДБ-3Ф)) was a Soviet twin-engined long-range bomber and torpedo bomber, widely used by the Soviet Air Force and the Soviet Naval Aviation during the World War II.

Design and Development

Design and Development

In 1938, the Ilyushin design bureau redesigned the Ilyushin DB-3 to ease production and improve its performance, the revised version receiving the designation DB-3F (Forsirovanniye or 'boosted'). The aircraft's internal structure, particularly the wings, was extensively changed, eliminating the need for hand finishing of the structure, and with duralumin replacing the large scale use of steel in the earlier version.[1][2]

The aircraft's fuel system was redesigned, increasing its internal capacity while reducing the number of fuel tanks.[1] The fuselage nose was lengthened to give more room for the navigator/bombardier while reducing drag. The prototype DB-3F, powered by the same 949 hp (708 kW) Tumansky M-87B engines of the DB-3M, was piloted on its maiden flight by Vladimir Kokkinaki on 21 May 1939.[3] It successfully passed through state acceptance tests and entered production in January 1940, with the 1,100 hp (820 kW) Tumansky M-88 quickly replacing the M-87.[4][5]

The DB-3F was redesignated Il-4 in March 1942.[5] Some series had wooden outer wings and front fuselages to conserve metals, and throughout the production, engines and fuel tanks were upgraded for improved performance while retaining the same range. However the most notable change was the addition of larger defensive guns in the turret, using the 12.7 mm (0.5 in) UBT machine gun in place of the earlier 7.62 mm (0.3 in) weapons. In addition, it was found that the gunners were attacked first, so blocks of armor were placed around the gunner positions.

This extra weight was not offset by the newer engines however, and the Il-4 proved to be slower than the earlier versions at only 404 km/h (251 mph). An attempt to improve performance was made as the Il-6, adding large diesel engines and heavier armament. The engines proved unreliable and production was never started. The Il-4 remained in production until 1945, when just over 5,200 had been built.

Operational history

Operational history

Soviet Union

Soviet Union

Although the Il-4 was only a medium bomber, it had the range to be used on strategic missions. The use of the bombers in this role was not a priority for the VVS, but nevertheless the Il-4 was used on several long-range bombing raids against Berlin in 1941. Most would be used on much shorter range missions, often adding another 1,000 kg (2,204 lb) of bombs under the wings, in addition to the internal 2,500 kg (5,512 lb).

Finland

Finland

Finland bought four captured DB-3Fs from German stocks. These were given the Finnish Air Force serials DF-22 to DF-25 and flown from Bryansk, Russia to Finland (one aircraft, DF-22, was destroyed en route and crashed near Syeschtschinskaya airfield). The aircraft were later flown by No. 48 Sqn during 1943 (DF-23, DF-24 and DF-25), No. 46 Sqn during 1944 (DF-23 and DF-24) and No. 45 Sqn for a short time in 1945 (DF-23), until the last remaining serviceable aircraft went into depot on February 23, 1945. After the war, DF-25 was lost in a snowstorm, landed on the ice and crashed into the woods in Öja near the city of Kokkola. Most parts of the plane were rescued and taken to a depot.[6]

Operators

Operators

Republic of China

Chinese Nationalist Air Force 24 aircraft

Finland

Finnish Air Force 11 aircraft of the type DB-3M and four aircraft of the type DB-3F (Il-4)

Nazi Germany

Luftwaffe (tests only)

Soviet Union

Soviet Air Force

Regiments as at 1945-46:[7]
10th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment
290th Bomber Aviation Regiment
303rd Bomber Aviation Regiment (Zavitinsk, Amur Oblast)
442nd Bomber Aviation Regiment (Belogorsk, Amur Oblast) with Il-4
other regiments

Soviet Naval Aviation

Specifications Ilyushin Il-4 (DB-3F)

Data from From DB-3 To Il-4...The Soviet Long-Range Bomber[8]

General characteristics

    Crew: four (pilot, bombardier/navigator, dorsal gunner/wireless-operator, ventral gunner)
    Length: 14.76 m (48 ft 5 in)
    Wingspan: 21.44 m (70 ft 4 in)
    Wing area: 66.70 m2 (718.0 sq ft)
    Empty weight: 5,800 kg (12,787 lb)
    Max takeoff weight: 12,120 kg (26,720 lb)
    Powerplant: 2 × Tumansky M-88B 14-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engines, 820 kW (1,100 hp) each

Performance

    Maximum speed: 410 km/h (250 mph, 220 kn) at 6,500 m (21,325 ft)
    Range: 3,800 km (2,400 mi, 2,100 nmi) (max internal fuel), 2,600 km (1,404 nmi; 1,616 mi) with 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bombs
    Service ceiling: 8,700 m (28,500 ft)
    Time to altitude: 13.6 min to 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

Armament

    Guns:
    2 × 7.62×54mmR ShKAS machine guns (1 in nose, 1 in ventral hatch)
    1 × 12.7×108mm UBT machine gun in dorsal turret
    Rockets: 2 × BETAB-750DS 305 mm rockets.[10]
    Missiles: 1 × 940 kg (2,100 lb) Type 45-36 torpedo[9]
    Bombs: Up to 2,700 kg (6,000 lb) of bombs or mines.
 Flight Simulators
 

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    Ilyushin Il-2 Citations

  1. Michulec 1999, pp. 27-28.
  2. Michulec 1999, p. 27.
  3. Stapfer, 1995
  4. Rastrenin, 2008
  5. Jane's 1989, p. 529.
  6. Gunston 1995, p. 106.
  7. Hardesty 1982, p. 170.
  8. Gunston 1995, p. 104.
  9. 'Ilyushin Il 2 Shturmovik'. century-of-flight.net.
  10. Green and Swanborough 1980, p. 2.
  11. Gunston 1995, pp. 105-106.
  12. Green and Swanborough 1980, p. 3.
  13. Широкорад А.Б. (2001) История авиационного вооружения Харвест (Shirokorad A.B. (2001) Istorya aviatsionnogo vooruzhenia Harvest. ISBN 985-433-695-6) (History of aircraft armament), pages 110-112
  14. Евгений Кравченко, Борис Прибылов, 'К гранатомёту Таубина Archived 19 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine', КАЛАШНИКОВ. ОРУЖИЕ, БОЕПРИПАСЫ, СНАРЯЖЕНИЕ 12/2011, p. 90
  15. Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2004, p. 18.
  16. Austerslått, Tor Willy. 'Ilyushin Il-2.' Archived 9 June 2011 at Wikiwix break-left.org, 2003. Retrieved: 27 March 2010.
  17. Goebel, Greg. 'Ilyushin Il-2.' www.vectorsite.net, June 2006. Retrieved: 27 March 2010. Archived 26 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  18. Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2004, p. 38.
  19. Bergstrom 2007, p. 26. Cites document 'TsAMO f. 319, op.4799d.25.' Russian Central Military Archive at Podolsk.
  20. Shores 1977, p. 73.
  21. Shores 1977, pp. 72-82.
  22. Liss 1966
  23. Ralph Wetterhan (May 2015). 'Kursk'. Air & Space Magazine. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  24. Gordon 2008, p. 296.
  25. D. M. Glantz, J.M. House. The Battle of Kursk. Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, Surrey, UK, 1999, p. 349.
  26. F. Crosby. The Complete Guide to Fighters and Bombers of World War II. Anness Publishing Ltd: Hermes House, London, 2006, p. 365.
  27. Crosby, p. 350.
  28. Glantz and House, p. 353.
  29. T. L. Jentz. Panzer Truppen: The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Deployment of Germany’s Tank Force, 1943-1945. Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA, 1996, p. 80.
  30. Biaudet, Bob. Ohiampujat: Ilmatorjuntamiesten kokemuksia jatkosodan ratkaisutaisteluista ('Anti-aircraft Men's Experiences in The Continuation War'). Helsinki: WSOY, 2002. ISBN 978-951-0-26704-2.
  31. Gordon 2008, pp. 295-296.
  32. Rastrenin 2008
  33. Michulec 1999, p. 3.
  34. Gordon 2008, p. 293.
  35. Gordon 2008, p. 294.
  36. Green and Swanborough 1980, p. 10.
  37. Gordon 2008, p. 297.
  38. Bergström 2008, p. 132.
  39. Sakaida 2003, p. 20.
  40. Bruce E. Empric. Onward to Berlin!: Red Army Valor in World War II - The Full Cavaliers of the Soviet Order of Glory. Teufelsberg Press, Seattle, WA, 2017, p. 34.
  41. Empric, pp. 107-108.
  42. (in Armenian) Anon. «Ստեփանյան, Նելսոն Գևորգի» (Stepanyan, Nelson Gevorgi). Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1985, vol. xi, p. 130.
  43. Green and Swanborough 1980, p. 76.
  44. Morisov, Miroslav. 'Топи их всех' Archived 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine История Авиации, No. 4, Part 1, 2000. Retrieved: 18 September 2011.
  45. Michulec 1999, p. 29.
  46. Michulec 1999, p. 28.
  47. 'AIRCRAFTS [sic] COLLECTION'. Aviation Museum. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  48. 'Airframe Dossier - Ilyushin Il-2M3, s/n 425 BBC'. Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  49. 'Iljušin Il-2m3 Šturmovik - bitevní letoun'. Vojenský Historický Ústav Praha (in Czech). Vojenský Historický Ústav. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  50. 'Airframe Dossier - Ilyushin Il-2M3, s/n 38 VVS, c/n 12438'. Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  51. 'ILYUSHIN IL-2M-3 'STURMOVIK' ATTACK AIRCRAFT'. Reptar. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  52. 'Airframe Dossier - Ilyushin Il-2M, s/n Unknown Russian AF'. Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  53. 'Iljushin IL-2 Stormovik'. DigitaltMuseum (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  54. 'Wystawa plenerowa'. Muzeum Wojska Polskiego (in Polish). Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  55. 'Airframe Dossier - Ilyushin Il-2M3, s/n 21 SPRP'. Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  56. 'Russian Relics' Classic Wings, vol.23 no.1, pg.12.
  57. 'Il-2 attack aircraft restored to flight condition in Novosibirsk'. Aviation of Russia. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  58. 'В Новороссийске состоялась торжественная церемония открытия памятника легендарному штурмовику Ил-2'. Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  59. 'Il-2 forward fuselage display'. Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  60. 'Monument Il-2'. Aviation of World War II. AirPages. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  61. КОЗЛОВ, П. Я. ''ШТУРМОВИКИ''. АВИАБИБЛИОТЕКА (in Russian). Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  62. 'Airframe Dossier - Ilyushin Il-2M3, s/n 19 red VVS, c/n 301060'. Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  63. 'Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik Recovery - Updated Story'. Warbirds News. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  64. 'Ilyshin IL-2m3 Shturmovik'. Aeronautical Museum Belgrade. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  65. 'Ilyushin Il-2 United Kingdom'. AerialVisuals. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  66. 'Ilyushin Il-2 Restoration United Kingdom'. AerialVisuals. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  67. 'Il-2m3 UK'. ABPic. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  68. 'Ilyushin II-2M3 Shturmovik'. Flying Heritage Collection & Combat Armor Museum. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  69. 'The Flying Heritage Collection Adds Another Vintage Warbird'. Flying Heritage Collection. 27 October 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  70. Marsh, Elliott (23 August 2017). 'Flying the Winged Tank - Modern impressions of the legendary Il-2 Sturmovik'. vintageaviationecho.com. The Vintage Aviation Echo. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017. The original Mikulin AM-38F engine was impractical to restore (no such engines are airworthy in the 21st century), and the aircraft was instead mated with a reliable Allison V-1710-113 engine, the same powerplant used in the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.
  71. 'Ilyushin Il-2 Flies Again'. EAA. 13 October 2011. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  72. 'ILYUSHIN IL-2M SHTURMOVIK'. Pima Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  73. Crellin, Evelyn (27 November 2016). 'Preparing to Restore the 'Concrete Plane''. National Air and Space Museum. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  74. Green and Swanborough 1980, p. 72.

    Bibliography:

  • Bergström, Christer. Bagration to Berlin: The final Air Battle in the East 1944-45. Hersham UK, Classic Publications, 2008. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
  • Bergström, Christer. Barbarossa: The Air Battle: July-December 1941. London: Chevron/Ian Allen, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85780-270-2.
  • Crosby, Francis. The Complete Guide to Fighters and Bombers of WWII. London: Anness Publishing Ltd: Hermes House, 2006. ISBN 978-1-42239-156-3.
  • Donald, Donald and Jon Lake, eds. Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-880588-24-2.
  • Glantz, David M. and Jonathan M. House. The Battle of Kursk. London: Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, Surrey, UK, 1999. ISBN 978-0-70060-978-9.
  • Glantz, David M. and Harold S. Orenstein. The Battle for Kursk 1943: The Soviet General Staff Study. London: Frank Cass, 1999. ISBN 0-7146-4493-5.
  • Gordon, Yefim, Dmitry Komissarov and Sergei Komissarov. OKB Ilyushin: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK: 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 Airpower in World War II. Hinckley UK: Midland / Ian Allen Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-1-85780-304-4.
  • Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Annals of Ilyusha: Ilyushin's Proliferous Shturmovik". Air Enthusiast, Issue Twelve, April-July 1980, pp. 1-10, 71—77. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press. ISSN 0143-5450.
  • Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995. London: Osprey, 1995. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
  • Hardesty, Von. Red Phoenix: The Rise of Soviet Air Power, 1941-1945. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books, 1982. ISBN 1-56098-071-0.
  • Jentz, T. L. Panzer Truppen, The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Deployment of Germany's Tank Force: 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 number 88). Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1968. No ISBN. Reprinted in 1971 and 1982.
  • Matricardi, Paolo. Aerei Militari: Bombardieri e da trasporto. Milano, Mondadori Electa, 2006. NO ISBN.
  • 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, Il-2 Type 3M,Il-2KR, UIl-2. Prague, Czech Republic: 4+ Publications, 2006. ISBN 80-87045-00-9.
  • Шавров, В.Б. История конструкций самолетов в СССР 1938-1950 гг. (3 изд.). (in Russisn) Moscow: Машиностроение, 1994. ISBN 5-217-00477-0. (Shavrov, V.B. Istoriia konstruktskii samoletov v SSSR, 1938-1950 gg. (3rd ed.). translation: History of Aircraft design in USSR: 1938-1950. Moscow: Mashinostroenie Publishing House, 1994. ISBN 5-217-00477-0.)
  • Rastrenin, Oleg. IL-2 Sturmovik Guards Units of World War 2 (Osprey Combat Aircraft, no 71). Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-1-84603-296-7.
  • Sakaida, Henry. Heroines of the Soviet Union: 1941-45. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 978-1-84176-598-3.
  • Shores, Christopher. Ground Attack Aircraft of World War II. London: Macdonald and Jane's, 1977. ISBN 0-356-08338-1.
  • Stapfer, Hans-Heiri. Il-2 Stormovik in Action (Aircraft number 155). Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1995. ISBN 0-89747-341-8.

    Magazine References: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

    Web References: +

  • History of RAF Organisation: http://www.rafweb.org
  • Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilyushin_Il-2
  • Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/

 

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This webpage was updated 14th July 2021