Il-76

Ilyushin · Soviet Union · first flew 1971 · transport aircraft

The Il-76 is a four-engine heavy transport, the Soviet and Russian equivalent of Western strategic airlifters, prized for rough-field capability and long service across many air forces.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, swept
E — Engines	4 × turbofan, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	46.6 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

High swept wing with four underslung turbofans
Tall T-tail and upswept rear ramp
Heavily glazed navigator nose under the cockpit

Look for the high swept wing with four podded turbofans, a tall T-tail and a markedly upswept rear fuselage with a loading ramp. The glazed bombardier-style navigator station beneath the flight deck is a Soviet hallmark.

Specifications

The Il-76 has a length of 46.6 m (153 ft).
It has a wingspan of 50.5 m (166 ft).
Its maximum speed is 900 km/h (559 mph).
Typical crew: 5 (two pilots, navigator, flight engineer, radio operator).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed by the Ilyushin bureau, the prototype first flew on 25 March 1971 and the type entered service in the mid-1970s. Modernised versions such as the re-engined Il-76MD-90A remain in production in Russia.

Variants

Numerous versions exist, from the baseline Il-76M/MD military transports to the Il-78 aerial tanker, the A-50 AWACS platform and the upgraded Il-76MD-90A with PS-90 engines.

Where you'll see it

The Il-76 is not a UK type, serving instead Russia, the former Soviet states and many export customers. It occasionally appears at Western airshows and is widely used in the civil heavy-cargo charter market.

Related aircraft

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