Difference between revisions of "IL-2 (1942)"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.  
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
  
−
The IL-2 (1942) modification of the IL-2 (1941). As a strike aircraft, it is best used against ground targets and has many payload options and armour plates around the cockpit.
+
The IL-2 (1942) is a modification of the IL-2 (1941). As a strike aircraft, it is best used against ground targets and has many payload options including bombs, unguided rockets or both. It also features armour plates around the cockpit.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 108: Line 108:
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
−
{{main|AO-25M-1 (25 kg)|FAB-50sv (50 kg)|FAB-100sv (100 kg)|FAB-250sv (250 kg)}}
 
−
{{main|RS-82|RBS-82|RS-132|RBS-132}}
 
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
  
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
 +
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_IL-2_(1941).png]]</div>
 +
|-
 +
! [[AO-25M-1 (25 kg)|25 kg AO-25M-1]] bombs
 +
| || || 6* || 6* || ||
 +
|-
 +
! [[FAB-50sv (50 kg)|50 kg FAB-50sv]] bombs
 +
| || 1* || 2* || 2* || 1* ||
 +
|-
 +
! [[FAB-100sv (100 kg)|100 kg FAB-100sv]] bombs
 +
| || 1* || 2* || 2* || 1* ||
 +
|-
 +
! [[FAB-250sv (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250sv]] bombs
 +
| || 1* || || || 1* ||
 +
|-
 +
! [[ROS-82]] rockets
 +
| 2 || || || || || 2
 +
|-
 +
! [[RBS-82]] rockets
 +
| 2 || || || || || 2
 +
|-
 +
! [[ROS-132]] rockets
 +
| 2 || || || || || 2
 +
|-
 +
! [[ROFS-132]] rockets
 +
| 2 || || || || || 2
 +
|-
 +
! [[RBS-132]] rockets
 +
| 2 || || || || || 2
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 625 kg
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="8" | * Bombs on hardpoints 2/5 cannot be equipped in conjunction with bombs on hardpoints 3/4 respectively
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 +
{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 
* Without load
 
* Without load
 +
* 4 x ROS-82 rockets
 +
* 4 x RBS-82 rockets
 +
* 4 x ROFS-132 rockets
 +
* 4 x RBS-132 rockets
 
* 12 x 25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs (300 kg total)
 
* 12 x 25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs (300 kg total)
 
* 4 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (200 kg total)
 
* 4 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (200 kg total)
 
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (400 kg total)
 
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (400 kg total)
 
* 2 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
 
* 2 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
−
* 4 x RS-82 rockets
+
* 4 x ROFS-132 rockets + 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (400 kg total)
−
* 4 x RBS-82 rockets
+
{{Navigation-End}}
−
* 12 x 25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs + 4 x RS-82 rockets (300 kg total)
 
−
* 12 x 25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs + 4 x RBS-82 rockets (300 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs + 4 x RS-82 rockets (200 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs + 4 x RBS-82 rockets (200 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x RS-132 rockets
 
−
* 4 x RBS-132 rockets
 
−
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 4 x RS-82 rockets (400 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 4 x RBS-82 rockets (400 kg total)
 
−
* 12 x 25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs + 4 x RS-132 rockets (300 kg total)
 
−
* 12 x 25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs + 4 x RBS-132 rockets (300 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs + 4 x RS-132 rockets (200 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs + 4 x RBS-132 rockets (200 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 4 x RBS-132 rockets (400 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 4 x RS-132 rockets (400 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 4 x RS-132 rockets (400 kg total)
 
−
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 4 x RBS-132 rockets (400 kg total)
 
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
Line 142: Line 168:
 
The IL-2 is an attacker which excels at low altitude. You'll be flying close to the ground in order to hit your targets with your cannons and machine guns, so watch for obstacles and use the IL-2's phenomenal low-speed performance and tight turning circle to get out of harm's way, though beware of the mediocre roll rate and the weak acceleration. Give yourself time to build up a good amount of speed before going for another attack, otherwise, you'll struggle to climb away. Make note of what targets you can eliminate: light pillboxes can be destroyed by your cannons, and even extended MG fire from your 7.62 mm guns, but other pillboxes will be impossible to destroy with your guns, and bombs will need a direct hit. Likewise, light tanks and armoured cars can be destroyed with your guns, but medium tanks will need to be hit from the top or rear to penetrate the thicker armour, and heavy tanks are invulnerable unless you land a direct bomb or rocket hit.
 
The IL-2 is an attacker which excels at low altitude. You'll be flying close to the ground in order to hit your targets with your cannons and machine guns, so watch for obstacles and use the IL-2's phenomenal low-speed performance and tight turning circle to get out of harm's way, though beware of the mediocre roll rate and the weak acceleration. Give yourself time to build up a good amount of speed before going for another attack, otherwise, you'll struggle to climb away. Make note of what targets you can eliminate: light pillboxes can be destroyed by your cannons, and even extended MG fire from your 7.62 mm guns, but other pillboxes will be impossible to destroy with your guns, and bombs will need a direct hit. Likewise, light tanks and armoured cars can be destroyed with your guns, but medium tanks will need to be hit from the top or rear to penetrate the thicker armour, and heavy tanks are invulnerable unless you land a direct bomb or rocket hit.
  
−
Your bombs and rockets are best used for tougher targets, like pillboxes and medium/heavy tanks. You lack any sort of bombing reticule in Realistic Battles, so aim carefully and get used to how your rockets fall and their velocity. Overall, your load is still very strong. Direct bomb hits will destroy any sized tank, and your rockets can be devastating against ground convoys, especially with your 8 x RBS-132 rockets.
+
Your bombs and rockets are best used for tougher targets, like pillboxes and medium/heavy tanks. You lack any sort of bombing reticule in Realistic Battles, so aim carefully and get used to how your rockets fall and their velocity. Overall, your load is still very strong. Direct bomb hits will destroy any sized tank, and your rockets can be devastating against ground convoys, especially with your 4 x RBS-132 rockets.
  
 
Another way to play is to select the loadout with the 2 x 250 kg bombs which are a lot more powerful and easier to use than the 100 kg bombs. After dropping your bombs gain some altitude and attack with your guns from a high angle to increase your chances of penetrating the target. This loadout has much less damage potential but takes much less skill.
 
Another way to play is to select the loadout with the 2 x 250 kg bombs which are a lot more powerful and easier to use than the 100 kg bombs. After dropping your bombs gain some altitude and attack with your guns from a high angle to increase your chances of penetrating the target. This loadout has much less damage potential but takes much less skill.
  
 
The armoured cockpit keeps your pilot safe from harm, and while your engine does have a tendency to take damage, you should still be safe from anti-aircraft artillery unless you're exposed to it for too long. The biggest threat posed to the IL-2 is enemy fighters since you're slower and less manoeuvrable than any fighter at this rank. Unlike the later Shturmovik models, you lack any form of defensive armament, so once an interceptor is on you, typically your outlook is grim. Keep an eye on the movement of enemy fighters and use terrain to hide your movements to and from targets if you can. Once intercepted, make use of the IL-2's slow speed to force overshoots, and use the adequate turning capabilities to dodge fire and get around the fighters. If you have a shot, take it: the 23 mm cannons will shred even large heavy fighters with ease.
 
The armoured cockpit keeps your pilot safe from harm, and while your engine does have a tendency to take damage, you should still be safe from anti-aircraft artillery unless you're exposed to it for too long. The biggest threat posed to the IL-2 is enemy fighters since you're slower and less manoeuvrable than any fighter at this rank. Unlike the later Shturmovik models, you lack any form of defensive armament, so once an interceptor is on you, typically your outlook is grim. Keep an eye on the movement of enemy fighters and use terrain to hide your movements to and from targets if you can. Once intercepted, make use of the IL-2's slow speed to force overshoots, and use the adequate turning capabilities to dodge fire and get around the fighters. If you have a shot, take it: the 23 mm cannons will shred even large heavy fighters with ease.
−
 
−
From this point on, the IL-2 sports the VV-1 bombsight (white lines on the nose), though it is modelled incorrectly and as such is hard to use consistently. When flying at 360 km/h the white lines indicate bomb release points at level flight for the corresponding altitude, but there is no reference mark on the glass pane the pilot can use.
 
  
 
=== Manual Engine Control ===
 
=== Manual Engine Control ===
Line 192: Line 216:
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
  
−
=== In-game description ===
+
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}|expand=true}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 
The famous IL-2 Sturmovik was a Soviet WWII-era attack aircraft created by the Ilyushin Design Bureau and nicknamed "Hunchback" by Red Army troops due to the distinct fuselage shape. The designers nicknamed their aircraft the "Flying Tank". Luftwaffe pilots, due to the IL-2's incredible ability to withstand battle damage, called it the "Betonflugzeug" or "Concrete Plane". German ground troops, conversely, despised and feared the IL-2, giving it a slew of unpleasant nicknames, such as "Schlachter" (Butcher); "Fleischwulf" (Meatgrinder); "Eiserner Gustav" (Iron Gustav) and "Schwarzer Tod" (the Black Death). Some historians believe that the "Black Death" was actually a successful invention of the Soviet propaganda machine that caught on with the Germans.
 
The famous IL-2 Sturmovik was a Soviet WWII-era attack aircraft created by the Ilyushin Design Bureau and nicknamed "Hunchback" by Red Army troops due to the distinct fuselage shape. The designers nicknamed their aircraft the "Flying Tank". Luftwaffe pilots, due to the IL-2's incredible ability to withstand battle damage, called it the "Betonflugzeug" or "Concrete Plane". German ground troops, conversely, despised and feared the IL-2, giving it a slew of unpleasant nicknames, such as "Schlachter" (Butcher); "Fleischwulf" (Meatgrinder); "Eiserner Gustav" (Iron Gustav) and "Schwarzer Tod" (the Black Death). Some historians believe that the "Black Death" was actually a successful invention of the Soviet propaganda machine that caught on with the Germans.
  
 
The IL-2 was the most mass-produced military aircraft in history. However, early in the war German air superiority coupled with the absence of rear gunners on early variants and poorly organized Soviet fighter escorts led to high rates of losses for the type. A favorite attack tactic for IL-2 pilots was a low-level attack run, first letting loose with rockets at 600-700 meters, then firing on-board armament from a distance of 400 to 600 meters. Bombs would be dropped in subsequent passes from an altitude of 100-200 meters, using an impact fuse. The recommended tactic for attacking concentrations of soft targets was a strafing run in a shallow dive from 100-200 meters and a subsequent dropping of bombs at low level when exiting the dive.
 
The IL-2 was the most mass-produced military aircraft in history. However, early in the war German air superiority coupled with the absence of rear gunners on early variants and poorly organized Soviet fighter escorts led to high rates of losses for the type. A favorite attack tactic for IL-2 pilots was a low-level attack run, first letting loose with rockets at 600-700 meters, then firing on-board armament from a distance of 400 to 600 meters. Bombs would be dropped in subsequent passes from an altitude of 100-200 meters, using an impact fuse. The recommended tactic for attacking concentrations of soft targets was a strafing run in a shallow dive from 100-200 meters and a subsequent dropping of bombs at low level when exiting the dive.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==

Latest revision as of 13:18, 20 August 2023

Rank 7 USA
F-5C Pack
This page is about the Soviet strike aircraft IL-2 (1942). For the captured German version, see IL-2 (1942) (Germany). For other versions, see IL-2 (Family).
IL-2 (1942)
il-2i.png
GarageImage IL-2 (1942).jpg
IL-2 (1942)
USSR flag.png USSR
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
3.0 3.0 2.7
Class:
Research:9 200 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:16 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The IL-2 (1942) is a rank II Soviet strike aircraft with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB/RB) and 2.7 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The IL-2 (1942) is a modification of the IL-2 (1941). As a strike aircraft, it is best used against ground targets and has many payload options including bombs, unguided rockets or both. It also features armour plates around the cockpit.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 2 500 m423 km/h
Turn time25 s
Max altitude9 500 m
EngineMikulin AM-38
TypeInline
Cooling systemWater
Take-off weight6 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 2,500 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 406 391 9500 25.9 26.7 6.2 6.2 450
Upgraded 447 426 24.1 24.9 11.1 8.6

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X ✓ X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
620 320 N/A N/A 270 ~15 ~15
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 320 < 320 < 370 > 360

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural620 km/h
Gear320 km/h
  • 4 mm steel surrounding engine and frontal cooling systems and frontal fuel tank
  • 6 mm steel behind propeller hub
  • 6 mm steel underneath bottom oil cooling system
  • 6 mm steel surrounding pilot
  • 6 mm steel behind and above pilot's head
  • 12 mm steel behind rear fuel tank
  • 64 mm bulletproof glass in front of pilot
  • Self sealing fuel tanks with neutral gas pressurization system (1 underneath pilot, 1 in front of pilot, 1 behind pilot)

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB464 → 706 Sl icon.png
RB657 → 999 Sl icon.png
SB1 361 → 2 071 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications8 440 Rp icon.png
9 510 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost640 Ge icon.png
Crew training4 500 Sl icon.png
Experts16 000 Sl icon.png
Aces180 Ge icon.png
Research Aces190 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
30 / 60 / 140 % Sl icon.png
118 / 118 / 118 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
420 Rp icon.png
Cost:
470 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
420 Rp icon.png
Cost:
470 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
630 Rp icon.png
Cost:
710 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
630 Rp icon.png
Cost:
710 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
530 Rp icon.png
Cost:
600 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
530 Rp icon.png
Cost:
600 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
550 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
550 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png
Mods oil.png
95 octane fuel usage
Research:
550 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
shkas_belt_pack
Research:
420 Rp icon.png
Cost:
470 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
RO-82
Research:
420 Rp icon.png
Cost:
470 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods weapon.png
shkas_new_gun
Research:
630 Rp icon.png
Cost:
710 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
vya_belt_pack
Research:
530 Rp icon.png
Cost:
600 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
Der-21
Research:
530 Rp icon.png
Cost:
600 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
vya_new_gun
Research:
550 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
RO-132
Research:
550 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Main articles: VYa-23 (23 mm), ShKAS (7.62 mm)

The IL-2 (1942) is armed with:

  • 2 x 23 mm VYa-23 cannons, wing-mounted (150 rpg = 300 total)
  • 2 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, wing-mounted (750 rpg = 1,500 total)

Suspended armament

The IL-2 (1942) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

1 2 3 4 5 6
Hardpoints IL-2 (1941).png
25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs 6* 6*
50 kg FAB-50sv bombs 1* 2* 2* 1*
100 kg FAB-100sv bombs 1* 2* 2* 1*
250 kg FAB-250sv bombs 1* 1*
ROS-82 rockets 2 2
RBS-82 rockets 2 2
ROS-132 rockets 2 2
ROFS-132 rockets 2 2
RBS-132 rockets 2 2
Maximum permissible loadout weight: 625 kg
* Bombs on hardpoints 2/5 cannot be equipped in conjunction with bombs on hardpoints 3/4 respectively
Default weapon presets
  • Without load
  • 4 x ROS-82 rockets
  • 4 x RBS-82 rockets
  • 4 x ROFS-132 rockets
  • 4 x RBS-132 rockets
  • 12 x 25 kg AO-25M-1 bombs (300 kg total)
  • 4 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (200 kg total)
  • 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (400 kg total)
  • 2 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
  • 4 x ROFS-132 rockets + 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (400 kg total)

Usage in battles

The IL-2 is an attacker which excels at low altitude. You'll be flying close to the ground in order to hit your targets with your cannons and machine guns, so watch for obstacles and use the IL-2's phenomenal low-speed performance and tight turning circle to get out of harm's way, though beware of the mediocre roll rate and the weak acceleration. Give yourself time to build up a good amount of speed before going for another attack, otherwise, you'll struggle to climb away. Make note of what targets you can eliminate: light pillboxes can be destroyed by your cannons, and even extended MG fire from your 7.62 mm guns, but other pillboxes will be impossible to destroy with your guns, and bombs will need a direct hit. Likewise, light tanks and armoured cars can be destroyed with your guns, but medium tanks will need to be hit from the top or rear to penetrate the thicker armour, and heavy tanks are invulnerable unless you land a direct bomb or rocket hit.

Your bombs and rockets are best used for tougher targets, like pillboxes and medium/heavy tanks. You lack any sort of bombing reticule in Realistic Battles, so aim carefully and get used to how your rockets fall and their velocity. Overall, your load is still very strong. Direct bomb hits will destroy any sized tank, and your rockets can be devastating against ground convoys, especially with your 4 x RBS-132 rockets.

Another way to play is to select the loadout with the 2 x 250 kg bombs which are a lot more powerful and easier to use than the 100 kg bombs. After dropping your bombs gain some altitude and attack with your guns from a high angle to increase your chances of penetrating the target. This loadout has much less damage potential but takes much less skill.

The armoured cockpit keeps your pilot safe from harm, and while your engine does have a tendency to take damage, you should still be safe from anti-aircraft artillery unless you're exposed to it for too long. The biggest threat posed to the IL-2 is enemy fighters since you're slower and less manoeuvrable than any fighter at this rank. Unlike the later Shturmovik models, you lack any form of defensive armament, so once an interceptor is on you, typically your outlook is grim. Keep an eye on the movement of enemy fighters and use terrain to hide your movements to and from targets if you can. Once intercepted, make use of the IL-2's slow speed to force overshoots, and use the adequate turning capabilities to dodge fire and get around the fighters. If you have a shot, take it: the 23 mm cannons will shred even large heavy fighters with ease.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Controllable
Auto control available 		Controllable
Auto control available 		Separate Not controllable
1 gear 		Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Numerous payload arrangements (23) including bombs and rockets of varying size, flexible ground attack options
  • Powerful pair 23 mm VYa cannons, increased firepower over its predecessor, ample ammo capacity
  • Strong protection surrounds the pilot and engine
  • Can be used as a makeshift fighter at higher speeds
  • Great turn rate at higher speeds, can out turn Bf 109 series and even C.205s

Cons:

  • Lacks defensive armament
  • Heavy plane
  • Can't carry bombs larger than 250 kg, difficult to destroy more than one target
  • Restricted visibility from the cockpit in Simulator Battles due to protective armour
  • Higher battle rating
  • Slow acceleration
  • Bad energy retention
  • Sluggish at low speeds

History


Archive of the in-game description

The famous IL-2 Sturmovik was a Soviet WWII-era attack aircraft created by the Ilyushin Design Bureau and nicknamed "Hunchback" by Red Army troops due to the distinct fuselage shape. The designers nicknamed their aircraft the "Flying Tank". Luftwaffe pilots, due to the IL-2's incredible ability to withstand battle damage, called it the "Betonflugzeug" or "Concrete Plane". German ground troops, conversely, despised and feared the IL-2, giving it a slew of unpleasant nicknames, such as "Schlachter" (Butcher); "Fleischwulf" (Meatgrinder); "Eiserner Gustav" (Iron Gustav) and "Schwarzer Tod" (the Black Death). Some historians believe that the "Black Death" was actually a successful invention of the Soviet propaganda machine that caught on with the Germans.

The IL-2 was the most mass-produced military aircraft in history. However, early in the war German air superiority coupled with the absence of rear gunners on early variants and poorly organized Soviet fighter escorts led to high rates of losses for the type. A favorite attack tactic for IL-2 pilots was a low-level attack run, first letting loose with rockets at 600-700 meters, then firing on-board armament from a distance of 400 to 600 meters. Bombs would be dropped in subsequent passes from an altitude of 100-200 meters, using an impact fuse. The recommended tactic for attacking concentrations of soft targets was a strafing run in a shallow dive from 100-200 meters and a subsequent dropping of bombs at low level when exiting the dive.


Media

Skins

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the aircraft;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Ilyushin Design Bureau (Илью́шинa Опытное конструкторское бюро)
Bombers  DB-3B · IL-4
Jet Bombers  IL-28* · IL-28Sh
Strike Aircraft  IL-8 (1944)
Il-2  IL-2 (1941) · IL-2 (1942) · IL-2M type 3 · IL-2M "Avenger" · IL-2M (1943) · IL-2-37 · IL-2 M-82
Il-10  IL-10 · IL-10 (1946)
Export/Captured 
Bombers  ␗DB-3A · ◊IL-28 · ◔IL-28
Strike Aircraft  ▀IL-2 (1942) · ␗IL-10 (1946) · ◔IL-10
  * The Chinese Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation built unlicensed copies of the Il-28 known as the H-5.

USSR strike aircraft
IL-2  IL-2 (1941) · IL-2 (1942) · IL-2M (1943) · IL-2M type 3 · IL-2M "Avenger" · IL-2-37 · IL-2 M-82
IL-8  IL-8 (1944)
IL-10  IL-10 · IL-10 (1946)
Pe-3  Pe-3 (e) · Pe-3 · Pe-3bis
Su-2  BB-1 · Su-2 MV-5 · Su-2 TSS-1 · Su-2 (M-82)
Su-6  Su-6 · Su-6 (AM-42) · Su-6 (M-71F)
Su-8  Su-8
Tandem MAI  Tandem MAI
TIS MA  TIS MA
Tu-1  Tu-1
Yak-2  Yak-2 KABB

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