Ilyushin Aviation Complex
45 Leningradsky Prospect,
125190 Moscow, Russia
Tel.: + 7 095 943 8325,
fax: + 7 095 212 2132,
telex: 411956 SOKOL
The history of the Bureau goes back to 1933, when a Central Design Bureau was found at the Moscow Aviation Plant #39, named after Menzhinski. The Design Bureau had a section for designing a long-range bomber, the section was headed by S.V.Ilyushin. In 1935 this section got the status of Design Bureau having four main branches: designing of bombers, fighters transport and cargo airplanes.
The Design Bureau history commenced with designing of a long-range bomber. Its production version TsKB-26 was later modified into TsKB-30 and launched (as DB-3) into series production in 1936. The Il-4 (a new name of the latest modification, given in 1942) came to be the essential long-range bomber used in the Great Patriotic War. Creation of the bomber like DB-3 and SB was a transition from bulk (30 tons and more) and huge (wing area more than 400 square meters) with low flight speed (180-210 km/h) to speedy maneuvering bombers (take-off weight of 6-9 tons, wing area 52-68 square meters, flight speed more than 400 km/h). Post-war designs included the Il-22, an experimental jet bomber with four turbojet engines, the Il-28, a combat jet bomber with two turbojet engines, and the Il-46- a jet bomber with two turbojet engines, different from the Il-28 in design and arrangement.
The second branch of the design activity was development of the assault airplanes. The Il-2 is an armoured assault airplane, flying at low altitude to support on-ground troops. Ilyushin stood for powerful defense and armoured protection of all combat airplanes. The military application of the Il-2 during the first days of the war proved the correctness of his concept of an airplane thorough protection. The IL-10 being more maneuvering and speedy also participated in combat actions. Within the given class of airplanes the DB also designed such heavy assault airplanes as the Il-8, Il-20 and the speedy maneuvering assault Il-16. In 1952 the DB started creation of the assault airplane Il-40; in 1982 an experimental jet assault fighter Il-102.
The third branch is passenger airplanes. Designing of a passenger airplanes began during the last years of the war and its aim was creation of mass civil airplane. The Il-12 was a passenger aircraft with two piston engines. This airplane gave rise to a new orientation in the DB activity, and in the scale of the state- to mass airtransportation . The Il-14 is a passenger airplane with two piston engines. TheIl-18 is a medium range passenger airplane with four turbojets, one of the first soviet airplane with gas turbine engines. The Il-62 is along-range passenger airplane with four jet engines. The Il-62M is an updated modification of the Il-62. The Il-86 is a wide-body passenger airplane with four turbojet engines. The Il-114 is a passenger airplane with two turboprop engines. The Il-114 is also designed for operation in Arctic and Antarctic.
The fourth branch of the DB's activity - development of transport (cargo) airplanes-started with the Il-12D, dropping airplane and transport Il-12T and Il-14T, which are modifications of passenger Il-12 and Il-14 versions. In 1949the DB created the first cargo glider-the Il-32 with payload of 7 tons. The Il-76 a transport airplane and its cargo modification the Il-76T with four turbojet engines are destined for long- and medium-range cargo transportation. Most of the Il airplanes were built in mass series.
Sources and Methods
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/industry/ilyushin.htm
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