Il-4

[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by AndyJWest

Nice, isn't she.
Not a plane I know much about though. What was their operational history? Wikipedia doesn't tell us much (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilyushin_Il-4), and Google isn't particularly helpful either.

According to my Encyclopedia of World Aircraft (Eden and Moeng) :

- 5,256 built
- Issued to long range air arms (ADD) and also to mine/torpedo regiments attached to Baltic, Black Sea and Northern Fleets
- long range missions carried reduced bomb loads and occasionally used external fuel tanks
- in a short range and battlefield tactical role was deployed with full (2500 kg / 5512 lb) bomb load against local targets


This aircraft would be particulary nice for historical anti shipping missions.

Interesting discussion here:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...?f=79&t=129786