Ilyushin Il-10 "Beast"
Ilyushin · Soviet Union · first flew 1944 · fighter
The Ilyushin Il-10 was a Soviet two-seat armoured ground-attack aircraft that succeeded the famous Il-2 Shturmovik, offering significantly improved speed and manoeuvrability while retaining heavy armour protection for the crew. It entered service in the final months of World War II.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.12 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- All-metal armoured ground-attack aircraft, successor to Il-2
- Low-wing monoplane with fully enclosed two-seat cockpit
- Inline liquid-cooled Mikulin AM-42 engine with long nose
Resembles the Il-2 but is smaller, sleeker, and faster-looking with a more streamlined fuselage, fully enclosed tandem canopy, and more refined wing contour — a cleaner second-generation Shturmovik.
Specifications
- The Ilyushin Il-10 has a length of 11.12 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.4 m (44 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 551 km/h (342 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in April 1944, the Il-10 entered production rapidly and saw limited action in the last weeks of the war on the Eastern Front. Postwar it was widely exported to Soviet-aligned states and saw extensive combat in the Korean War with North Korean and Chinese forces. Czechoslovakia manufactured it under licence as the Avia B-33.
Variants
The standard Il-10 was the main version; the Il-10M was a refined postwar variant with a longer fuselage. Czechoslovakia built the Avia B-33 under licence.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Soviet Air Forces, North Korean Air Force, Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force, Czech Air Force, and several other Warsaw Pact states.
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- Ilyushin Il-12
- Ilyushin Il-16
- Ilyushin Il-6
- Ilyushin Il-8
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- Curtiss SC Seahawk
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