miket@brspyr1.brs.com (Mike Trout) (10/03/89)
From: amdcad!miket@brspyr1.brs.com (Mike Trout) In sci.military Digest Thu, 21 Sep, 1989 Volume 3 : Issue 3 Adrian Hurt <adrian%cs.heriot-watt.ac.uk@NSFNET-RELAY.AC.UK> writes: > I have a model of the Russian Il-28 bomber. I wish to paint it up as East > German. Do you know what colour scheme I should use? A brief history of the > aircraft, as well as technical data where available, would also be > appreciated. Oh boy! One of my favorite topics...Soviet aircraft! The Ilyushin Il-28 is one of the most successful designs in Soviet aircraft history. Despite its obsolescence today, no fewer than 10,000 of these twin-engined light bombers were built. Its NATO code name is "Beagle". Following the prototype's first flight in 1947, quantity production began in 1949. Il-28s then began appearing in the Red Air Force in large numbers, and by 1951 nearly 3,000 were serving in Air Regiments and another 700 were serving with the Naval Air Squadrons. The Il-28 is powered by two VK-1 turbojets of 5,950 lbs static thrust each. This gives the plane a maximum speed of 580 mph at 19,680 feet. Service ceiling is 41,000 feet, and the combat radius is between 685 and 850 miles, depending on modifications. Wingspan is 64 feet, length is 58 feet, and height of the tailfin is 22 feet. The Il-28 has a crew of three, which consists of a pilot, front gunner/bombardier, and rear gunner. A bombload of 6,600 pounds may be carried in an internal bay, which is rather small and restricts the number of large bombs that may be carried. There are twin 23mm cannons in the nose, and an impressive-looking rear turret with twin 20mm cannons. However, this rear turret does not normally carry any electronic sighting or warning gear. There have been many versions of the Il-28, including those with various radomes for ECM and anti-submarine work. A training version is called the Il-28U, and Il-28s have also been used as target tugs. A civilian version, called the Il-20, briefly served with Aeroflot on mail and freight duties. Many hundreds of Il-28s were supplied by the Soviets to a large number of nations. Virtually every Communist nation has flown Il-28s at one time or another, and 33 of them shipped to Cuba in the early 1960s led to US protests that resulted in their withdrawal. In the early days of the Viet Nam War, US nervousness about a squadron of North Viet Namese Il-28s led to the installation of HAWK SAM missiles at various critical bases in South Viet Nam. Many Il-28s were supplied to a wide variety of non-Communist nations as well, including Finland, Indonesia, Nigeria, the United Arab Republic, and pre-invasion Afghanistan. Il-28s have seen combat in the Middle East, the Biafra Rebellion, and possibly Afghanistan. Although the Il-28's performance was never earth-shaking, its simplicity, ruggedness, and ease of maintenance made it popular with crews. Representing a major advancement for Soviet aircraft technology in the late 1940s, the Il-28 did much of the work in bringing the Red Air Force into the jet age. The Il-28 continued to serve in Red Air Force units well into the 1970s. Checking more recent records, I was quite surprised to discover that despite the staggering number of Il-28s built, very few survive today--even in Third World nations. The most recent records I could find show that as of 1984, Poland and Romania have five and 18 Il-28s respectively, used in a reconnaissance role. Egypt uses five for maritime recon. Afghanistan has 15 left from pre-invasion days, and it is unclear whether these are servicable or not. An impressive stable of 70 Il-28s equips three squadrons of the North Korean Air Force. The largest force is held by China, with 500 Chinese-built copies of the Il-28, called the H-5. About the same number of Soviet-built Il-28s was originally delivered to China, but these have long since been cannibalized to extinction and used as a pattern for the H-5. It is entirely possible that H-5 production may continue even today in China, although extensive modifications could be expected. Some of the North Korean Il-28s may actually be H-5s as well. Markings on the Il-28s were invariably simple, despite its wide international use. Virtually all nations kept the Il-28 in bare aluminum finish, with simple national markings and perhaps one or two identification numbers. Photos of most East Bloc Il-28s show large two-digit numerals on the nose and smaller numerals on the tailfin, above the national insignia. National insignia was normally not carried on the fuselage, but rather on the large tailfin instead. This is probably also the case for the tricolor diamond national insignia of the East German Air Force. Finnish Il-28s show national roundels only on the wings, and the standard Finnish two-letter type identifier on the rear fuselage ("NH" is used to identify Il-28s). Possible unusual markings for the Il-28 might be expected for Chinese aircraft, both Il-28s and H-5s. I seem to recall photos of Chinese Il-28s camoflaged in standard Chinese multi-hued green striping. The Chinese are also known for large identification numbers of four or even five digits, applied on the nose. Other Communist Asian nations, such as North Korea and North Viet Nam, often copy Chinese camoflage and marking styles; however, I can't recall seeing this scheme specifically applied to those nations' Il-28s. Good luck on your model, and congratulations for choosing an important airplane that is quickly disappearing and was always little-known in the West. -- NSA food: Iran sells Nicaraguan drugs to White House through CIA, SOD & NRO. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Michael Trout (miket@brspyr1)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BRS Information Technologies, 1200 Rt. 7, Latham, N.Y. 12110 (518) 783-1161 "Who watches the watchmen?" --Epigraph of the Tower Commission Report, 1987