lwo ilyushin il2 hero - Ilyushin IL2 by pbratt

The IL-2 was produced in greater numbers than any other world war II combat aircraft, and was a truly war winning weapon, being responsible to a very large extent for the destruction of German armour on the Eastern Front. The Shturmovic or 'armoured attacker' was extremely heavilly armoured with a retractactable radiator and a devastating array of weaponry.

The prototype first flew on 30th December 1939 and featured a novel armoured shell which formed an integral part of the fuselage, and protected the crew, engine and fuel tank. Production began in 1941, in time for the German invasion. No fewer than 26 Shturmovic pilots were twice awarded the title 'Hero of the Soviet Union' during the WWII.