IL-28

This page is about the Soviet jet bomber IL-28. For the version with extra suspended armaments, see IL-28Sh.

IL-28

IL-10 (1946)

IL-28Sh

IL-28

IL-10 (1946)

IL-28Sh

USSR

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
8.0	8.0	8.0

Class:

Bomber

Jet bomber

Research:105 000

Purchase:300 000

Show in game

Description

The IL-28 is a rank V Soviet jet bomber with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.43.

Being a jet bomber, the Soviet post-war IL-28 occupies the traditional role of "fast bomber" previously endowed to aircraft like the Pe-2-359 Peshka. Thus, its major advantage is being able to quickly swoop down to the target area and dispense its payload without being caught by enemy aircraft. The IL-28 relies on speed, acceleration, bomb capacity, and defensive capabilities to survive. Unlike some of the aircraft the IL-28 may face, it is able to quickly accelerate, leaving would-be attackers in the dust. This single facet of the aircraft's performance is often a gamechanger, as it allows the IL-28 to quickly disengage from any dogfight or bombing run. This aircraft features a wide range of payload options including up to 3000 kg of bombs stored in the aircraft's internal bomb bay. To the naked eye, this rather minuscule payload may seem insignificant. However, by utilizing this aircraft's strengths pilots may find themselves able to single-handedly win the match by destroying all of the enemy's ground targets and running down their ticket count. This tactic of attrition is more than plausible, especially on realistic battles maps like Korea, where ground targets are often fairly centrally located and thus easy to destroy.

Unlike its American and British counterparts, the IL-28 features a heavy-hitting defensive armament of two 23 mm NR-23 cannons mounted in the tail barbette. This turret setup is unique in that it features an extremely high degree of manoeuvrability, able to almost fire straight up and down. This single aspect of the IL-28 is what truly makes it a legendary aircraft, especially among the War Thunder community. Often described as being able to fire "23 mm lasers", the IL-28's tail cannons are capable of equipping belts composed entirely of destructive fragmentation incendiary tracer ammunition. The NR-23 cannons also fire unusually quickly, which makes the aircraft's one-second burst mass very high. This makes the aircraft more than capable of defending itself, an invaluable asset in Rank V battles. There is also 102 mm bulletproof glass in front of the gunner along with a lot more armor, making him very hard to knock out. The IL-28 also wields two of these weapons in forward-facing positions under the nose, which allows the aircraft to destroy softer targets like AAA and artillery.

While the 23 mm cannons are extremely potent when they strike both ground and air units, the fact that they fire so quickly makes it very possible to run out of ammunition even when firing in short bursts. Thus, a good aim is essential for success when using these weapons. The same issue applies to the IL-28's tail guns, which utilize the same cannons but with a larger ammunition pool. Having the crew "reload speed" upgrade maxed out allows the aircraft's tail guns to reload much faster which can be invaluable during an engagement. The tail gun can also be used to finish off softer ground targets after a failed frontal attack.

The IL-28 starts off with twelve 100 kg bombs which in some cases are not enough to make a true impact on the match's result. Therefore, attaining the "KD-3" and "BD-4" bomb upgrades is essential. Having these allows the IL-28 to destroy heavier ground targets such as heavy and medium tanks, pillboxes, and various heavy naval units like destroyers.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 4 500 m905 km/h

Turn time48 s

Max altitude11 500 m

Engine2 х Klimov VK-1

TypeJet

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight23 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,500 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	860	834	11500	49.4	50.3	16.4	15.5	1,480
Upgraded	947	933		46.7	48.0	24.0	20.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
✓	✓	✓	X	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	400	577	548	400	~7	~4

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 500	< 600	< 600	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Empty mass			Wing loading (full fuel, no boosters)
Klimov VK-1		2	13,170 kg			326 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load, no boosters)					Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		23m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	77m fuel
892 kg	Centrifugal-flow turbojet		15,172 kg	15,772 kg	17,058 kg	18,344 kg	19,801 kg	23,200 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%, no boosters)
Condition	100%	WEP	23m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	77m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	2,678 kgf	N/A	0.35	0.34	0.31	0.29	0.27	0.23
Optimal	2,678 kgf (0 km/h)	N/A	0.35	0.34	0.31	0.29	0.27	0.23

Booster (Solid fuel rocket)						Aircraft mass
Number	Booster weight (each)	Fuel weight (each)	Burn Time	Can be shutdown	Jettisoned after use	Mass with full booster fuel (no weapons load)
						23m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	77m fuel
2	50 kg	190 kg	13s	No	Yes	15,652 kg	16,202 kg	17,538 kg	18,824 kg	20,281 kg
Condition		Maximum booster thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)		Combined engine & booster thrust @ 0 m		Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100% with booster)
						23m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	77m fuel
Stationary		1,682 kgf		8,720 kgf		0.56	0.54	0.50	0.46	0.43
Optimal		1,682 kgf (any speed)		8,720 kgf (0kph)		0.56	0.54	0.50	0.46	0.43

Survivability and armour

Crew3 people

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear400 km/h

Armour plates

Front gunner

• 6 mm steel plate for the front gunner's seat.
• 10 mm (bottom) and 32 mm (top) steel plates behind the front gunner.
• 10 mm steel plate under the nose.

Pilot

• 6 mm steel plate for the pilot's seat.
• 10 mm steel plate behind the pilot.
• 32 mm (top) steel plate in front of the pilot (part of the steel plate behind the front gunner).

Tail gunner

• 10 mm steel plate under the tail gunner.
• 8 mm steel plates in front of tail gunner.
• 102 mm (rear) and 68 mm (sides) bulletproof glass panes in front of tail gunner.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 092 → 4 242

RB10 690 → 14 666

SB16 188 → 22 209

Total cost of modifications91 100

146 400

Talisman cost2 100

Crew training86 000

Experts300 000

Aces1 700

Research Aces720 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 300 / 600 %

196 / 196 / 196 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 6 100 Cost: 9 800 290 Compressor Research: 6 100 Cost: 9 800 290 Airframe Research: 6 800 Cost: 11 000 320 Wings repair Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 360 Engine Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 360 Cover Research: 7 400 Cost: 12 000 350	EFS Research: 7 400 Cost: 12 000 350	ns23_belt_pack Research: 6 100 Cost: 9 800 290 ns23_new_gun Research: 6 800 Cost: 11 000 320 KD-3 Research: 6 800 Cost: 11 000 320 nr23_turret_belt_pack Research: 7 600 Cost: 12 000 360 nr23_turret_new_gun Research: 7 400 Cost: 12 000 350 BD-4 Research: 7 400 Cost: 12 000 350

The most valuable modules of this aircraft are among the most difficult to attain; the KD-3 bomb upgrade is fairly mandatory for destroying any type of heavy ground target successfully, and having the Turret 23 mm and New 23 mm cannons (turret) upgrades increase the effectiveness of the aircraft's tail guns. However, being able to outrun an enemy before even engaging is often extremely useful as well.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 23 mm NR-23 cannon

Ammunition200 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The IL-28 is armed with:

• 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, nose-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (5)

Setup 112 x 100 kg FAB-100M-43 bomb

Setup 28 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bomb

Setup 34 x 500 kg FAB-500M-46 bomb

Setup 41 x 1500 kg FAB-1500M-46 bomb

Setup 51 x 3000 kg FAB-3000M-46 bomb

The IL-28 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 12 x 100 kg FAB-100M-43 bombs (1,200 kg total)
• 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-46 bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 1 x 1,500 kg FAB-1500M-46 bomb (1,500 kg total)
• 1 x 3,000 kg FAB-3000M-46 bomb (3,000 kg total)

Defensive armament

Turret2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannon

Ammunition450 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The IL-28 is defended by:

• 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, tail turret (225 rpg = 450 total)

Usage in battles

Due to its impressive low-altitude manoeuvring capabilities (for a medium bomber), the IL-28 can be utilized in a variety of roles. In all game modes, if a teammate is struggling to evade an assailant, the IL-28 may be able to provide the supporting fire with its dual 23 mm cannons. The aircraft is hampered in this role partly because of its mediocre roll rate and low ammunition count for its forward-firing cannons. If its bomb load is expended, the IL-28 is also a very capable "gunship", or a bomber aircraft whose role is to attract, distract, and destroy enemy aircraft. Other aircraft that can perform this role include the G8N1 Renzan, IL-10 (1946), B-29 Superfortress, and B-24D Liberator, among others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful rear 23 mm cannon turret
• Very fast - many early jet fighters cannot catch it at top speed
• Powerful and flexible ordnance capacity
• Highly armoured tail gunner position
• Gunner can cover a large area of the rear and the sides because of the turret design
• Good acceleration

Cons:

• Fuel tanks are not protected by any armour
• Fairly small payload compared to its counterparts
• Able to be intercepted by Korean War-era jet aircraft
• Poor roll rate; any wing damage will often result in a roll that is impossible to pull out of
• Cockpit features no rear visibility
• Fast acceleration means that you might break the wings if you don't pay attention

History

The IL-28 was created to meet a requirement for a bomber to carry a 3,000-kilogram payload at 800 kph (500 mph). Although there were several previous attempts to create such an aircraft the IL-28 was the first successful design. It incorporated the new Rolls-Royce Nene engines, produced as the unlicensed "RD-45". After the completion of testing in 1949, the aircraft was ordered into production on 14 May 1949, with the new Klimov VK-1, an improved version of the previous RD-45. The IL-28 was widely exported and was utilized by almost all of the Warsaw Pact nations along with various Middle Eastern and African nations. It was license-built in China as the Harbin H-5 and in Czechoslovakia as the Avia B-228. It is known to still be in service today in the Korean People's Air Force (KPAF). Although few in number, they provide North Korea with a means of strategically bombing targets.

In-game description

An all-metal cantilever monoplane with a crew of three. Created at OKB S.V. Ilyushina.

S.V. Ilyushin put forward his preliminary design for the Il-28 on 12 January 1948. By 8 July 1948, the test pilot V.K. Kokkinaki took the Il-28 out for its maiden flight. It was equipped with two turbojet Rolls-Royce Nene engines. On 30 December 1948, the Il-28 underwent in-plant tests with the Russian series-produced RD-45F engine – a licensed version of the English engine.

But the decision on the aircraft's fate was delayed until 14 May 1949, when the Council of Ministers decided to increase the Il-28's speed to 900 km/h by installing more powerful VK-1 engines with a maximum thrust of 2,700 kgf. In only three months, on 8 August 1949, the Il-28 took its maiden flight with the VK-1 engines.

The turbojet VK-1 engines were located under the wing in streamlined engine nacelles.

The Il-28's armament included two turrets – one to the fore and one to the rear. Two frontal 23 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 cannons with 100 shells each were mounted in a fixed position in side compartments in the front fuselage. The pilot acted as gunner for the frontal cannons.

The movable Il-K6 tail turret also contained two 23 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 cannons, these with 225 shells each.

The aircraft could carry bombs of various calibers internally, up to and including the FAB-3000. Its bomb compartment could contain 12 FAB-100 bombs or eight FAB-250s, or between two and four FAB-500s, or a single FAB-1500 or FAB-3000.

The Il-28 became the most mass-produced jet-powered bomber. The aircraft was easy to manufacture and reliable in use. It was in series production between the years of 1950 and 1956. The Il-28 reached peak production during the Korean War: in 1953, six plants were building them at once. In total, 4,405 Il-28 bombers were produced. In the 50s, the Il-28 was the main front-line bomber in the Soviet Air Forces.

The Il-28 was widely distributed beyond the borders of the USSR. It served in the air forces or air-defense forces of: Algeria, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, East Germany, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Yemen, China, North Korea, Morocco, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Syria, Somalia, Finland and Czechoslovakia. The People's Republic of China and Czechoslovakia produced them under license (with the designation B-228).

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

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

• [Vehicle Profile] Ilyushin IL-28
• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

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.