The Il-2 was a Soviet ground-attack aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, developed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau. For its impressive armour protection and effectiveness in striking ground targets, it earned many fearsome nicknames among German troops. The Il-2 took part in combat on all fronts of the Great Patriotic War, as well as in the Soviet–Japanese War. It remained in service from 1941 to 1954 and is still the most mass-produced military aircraft in history, with over 36,000 units built across all variants. In 1942, a simplified single-seat version of the aircraft appeared, lacking a rear gunner and equipped with an early version of the Mikulin AM-38 engine.

One of these aircraft, an Il-2 with the callsign “Red-White 4”, was captured by German forces on the Eastern Front. All Soviet markings were painted over and replaced with Luftwaffe insignia, along with a yellow band in front of the tail section and under the wingtips. The captured aircraft was most likely used only as a ground-attack bomber while captured ordnance lasted, and was then decommissioned.

The German IL-2 (1942) was introduced in Update 1.51 “Cold Steel”. It is a very durable aircraft, uncommon in the German tree. It can not only cause significant trouble for ground forces but also hold its own in a dogfight.