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Ilyushin IL-28 (Beagle)

History

The Ilyushin IL-28 (NATO codename "Beagle") holds many honors in aviation history - some combat-related, others more political. The IL-28 became the first jet bomber to enter service with the Soviet Union in 1949 and became a mainstay of the Soviet Air Force for decades thereafter. The Beagle, along with the missile, was also included in a Cuban military plan designed to launch the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. In addition, the receipt of several IL-28s in Egypt during the 1956 Suez War was one of the decisive factors in the hostilities between the Arab states and Israel.

Beyond these historical details, the IL-28 itself was an excellent aircraft light/medium bomber and was widely exported to pro-Soviet countries and peoples.

The design of the IL-28 peaked when it first flew in 1948, just three short years after the end of World War II and a few years into the jet age. The fuselage is very slim, with a bubble cap for a single pilot. The nose is of the greenhouse variety and has a spot for a bombardier. Another crew member is installed aft of the fuselage and operates the radar and twin NR-23 23mm turrets. The IL-28's most unique design feature is the extended engine nacelles mounted under each elevated monoplane wing assembly.

The engines are of the Klimov type, each supporting nearly 6,000 pounds of thrust. The pilot was armed with another pair of 23mm guns, mounted just below the nose assembly. While the wing design is straight, the tail features a return to the vertical and horizontal surfaces of traditional and more modern aircraft.

The bomb load includes up to 6,600 pounds or 2 anti-ship light torpedoes.

The IL-28 appeared in several mission variants, most notably the torpedo bomber version mentioned above as well as a three-seat tactical reconnaissance aircraft with static cameras. The dual-cockpit version (with a second raised cockpit visible behind the trainer's traditional cockpit) serves as the IL-28U's radar and gunless trainer, which NATO calls its "mascot." Although China received many examples of IL-28 bases, they licensed the system and named it Harbin H-5.

A total of around 6,000 to 10,000 IL-28 Beagles are said to have been built in all variants.