| Il-28 | |
|---|---|
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| Basic version of Il-28 in Polish Air Force colours | |
| Type | Bomber |
| Manufacturer | Ilyushin, HAMC |
| Maiden flight | July 8 1948 |
| Introduction | 1950 |
| Primary users | Soviet Air Force 24 others |
The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force and was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. The NATO reporting name for the type is Beagle for the bomber, Il-28R reconnaissance version, and Il-28T torpedo-bomber, and Mascot for the Il-28U trainer version. It was also licence-built in China as the Hong H-5. Estimates for total production in the two countries ranges from 2,000 to as high as 6,000. In the 1990s, hundreds remained in service with various air forces, over 40 years after the Il-28 first appeared. The aircraft is conventional in layout, with high, unswept wings carrying large engine nacelles beneath them. The bombardier is accommodated in the glazed nose, and the other end of the fuselage carries a turret with two 23mm cannons. These features make it resemble the World War II medium bombers that preceded it, but the swept tail surfaces and the pilot's bubble canopy and ejector seat were more similar to other aircraft of its own era, making it a blend of old and new features.
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Operational service
The Il-28 was widely exported, serving in the air arms of some 20 nations ranging from the Warsaw Pact to various Middle-Eastern and African air forces. Egypt was an early customer, and targeting Egyptian Il-28s on the ground was a priority for the Israeli Air Force during the Suez Crisis, Six Day War, and Yom Kippur War. The Soviet Union was in the process of providing the type for local assembly in Cuba when this was halted by the Cuban Missile Crisis, after which Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove them. The type also saw limited use in Vietnam and with the Soviet forces in Afghanistan. Four ex-Egyptian and two ex-Soviet Il-28s (all with Egyptian crews) were operated by the Nigerian Air Force in the Biafra Wars. Yemeni Il-28s took part in the civil war in that country. Finland also had four examples of this type delivered between 1961 and 1966. They remained in service until the 1980s. The Soviet Union withdrew the type in the 1980s, while the last Soviet-built examples were still flying in Egypt into the 1990s. Chinese-built Il-28s designated H-5 and built by HAMC were also flying in the 1990s, with several hundred in China itself, and a smaller number in North Korea and Romania. The three main Chinese versions are the H-5 bomber, followed by the HJ-5 trainer, and the H-5R (HZ-5) long range (in comparison to the reconnaissance version of Shenyang J-6) reconnaissance aircraft, and later, HD-5 ECM/ESM version. The latter two types have been phased out.
Variants
- Il-28 - Three-seat bomber version.
- Il-28D - Long-range nuclear bomber for the Soviet Air Force.
- Il-28R - Three-seat tactical reconnaissance version.
- Il-28REB - Electronic warfare, electronic jamming version.
- Il-28RTR - Elecronic reconnaissance version.
- Il-28S - Swept-wing version, scrapped before it was completed.
- Il-28T - Torpedo-bomber version for the Soviet Navy. The Ilyushin Il-28T was able to accommodate one large or two small torpedoes in a lengthened weapons bay.
- Il-28P - Civil conversion for Aeroflot mail service.
- Il-28U - Training version.
- Il-28ZA - Atmospheric sampling version.
- H-5 - Chinese bomber version.
- HJ-5 - Chinese trainer version.
- H-5R or (HZ-5): Phased out Chinese long range photo reconnaissance version.
- HD-5 - Chinese ECM/ESM version being phased out.
- H-5 Testbed - Chinese testbed for ejection seat, eventually replaced by the testbed version Shenyang J-6.
- B-5 - Export designation of the H-5.
- B-228 - Il-28s built by Avia under licence in Czechoslovakia.
- CB-228 - Il-28Us built by Avia under licence in Czechoslovakia.
Operators
North Korea is the last operator of the Il-28 with around 80 in service. see North Korean Air Force.
Afghanistan: 54, including 4 Il-28U examples, were acquired by the Afghan Air Force from 1957. The Only trainers were retained beyond 1994.[1][2]
Albania: 1 has been reported to be used by the Albanian Air Force. A single Il-28 was acquired in 1957 and then retired from service in 1997.
Algeria
Bulgaria
China: Hundreds of aircraft were operated by the PLAAF and PLAN. Originally equipped with Soviet built aircraft the Chinese began full production of the H-5 by 1965. A small number may remain for use in secondary roles[1].
Cuba: 42 Il-28N were shipped to Cuba, but soon returned to the Soviet Union as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis[1].
Czechoslovakia: Examples included both Soviet built Il-28 and Il-28U as well as Avia built B-228 and CB-228[1].
East Germany: Used primarily on target tug and engine testing duties.
Egypt
Finland: 4 aircraft were acquired in the 1960s, and used as target tugs[1].
Hungary
Indonesia: 12 Il-28 acquired in 1961. All of the aircraft in Skadron 21 based at Kemayoran Air Force Base, Jakarta. Used during the preparation of Operation TRIKORA in 1962 (retaken Western New Guinea from the Netherlands) in Western New Guinea (now, Papua and Papua Barat). All of the aircraft grounded in 1969. No longer in service since 1970.
Iraq
Morocco
North Korea: H-5 in service.
North Vietnam
Yemen
Nigeria
Poland
Romania 40 years of service, were retired from service since 06/2001.
Somalia
South Yemen
Soviet Union: About 1,500 served with the VVS, AVMF, and the Soviet Navy, with operations beginning in 1950. Front line operations continued through the 1950s, with a few examples remaining into the 1980s. A small number of demilitarized aircraft were provided to Aeroflot[1].
Syria
Vietnam
First Il-28 in the West
On November 11, 1965, Li Xianbin (李显斌), a PLAAF captain of a Ilyushin Il-28 of the 8th division defected by flying his bomber numbered 0195 from Jianqiao (笕桥) air base in Hangzhou to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, and this was the first fully operational Il-28 in western hands. The radio operator / tail gunner Lian Baosheng (廉保生) was found dead at the scene and the navigator Li Caiwang (李才旺) was captured alive after a failed suicide attempt. Both survivors were honored and rewarded positions in the Republic of China Air Force. Li Xianbin (李显斌) was rewarded 2,000 taels (approximately 70 kg) of gold, while Li Caiwang (李才旺) was rewarded 1,000 taels (approximately 35 kg) of gold. Since Lian Baosheng (廉保生) was dead, his reward of 1,000 taels (approximately 35 kg) of gold was divided evenly among Li Xianbin (李显斌) and Li Caiwang (李才旺).
Specifications (Il-28)
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General characteristics
- Crew: Three (pilot, bombardier, gunner)
- Length: 17.60 m (57 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: 21.50 m (70 ft 6 in)
- Height: 6.70 m (22 ft 0 in)
- Wing area: 60.8 m² (654 ft²)
- Empty weight: 11,890 kg (26,210 lb)
- Loaded weight: 17,700 kg (39,000 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 21,200 kg (46,700 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× Klimov VK-1 turbojets, 53.8 kN (12,090 lbf) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 900 km/h (486 kt, 560 mph)
- Range: 2,180 km (1,177 nm, 1,350 miles)
- Service ceiling 12,300 m (40,400 ft)
- Rate of climb: 900 m/min (2,950 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 291 kg/m² (59.6 lb/ft²)
- Thrust/weight: 1:3.2
Armament
- 4 × Nudelman NR-23 cannons (2 in nose and 2 in tail barbette)
- 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) of bombs in internal bay
References
- Il-28 at Greg Goebel's AIR VECTORS
- EDISI KOLEKSI ANGKASA, RUDAL UDARA TRACKED AND DESTROYED, Edition of September 2006
Related content
Related development
- Ilyushin Il-30
- Ilyushin Il-46
- Hong H-5
Comparable aircraft
See also
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| Fighters | |
| Attack | |
| Bombers | |
| Transports | |
| Reconnaissance |
Il-20 (III) · Il-22 (II) · Il-24 · Il-38 · A-50 |
| Experimentals | |
| Trainers |
Il-103 |
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| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
