ZVEZDA 1:72 ILYUSHIN IL-2 STORMOVIK OBR. 1942
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: Hrvoje Šafhauzer (rec.models.scale)   

Kit Details

History

Ilyushin design Bureau was not one of six asked in 1936 for submitting design for "Ivanov" specification: calling for light recce-bomber/ground attack aircraft. However, it proved advantageous since Spanish Civil War experiences showed vulnerability of unarmored planes to ground fire during attack sorties no matter how fast they were. So Ilyushin decided to undertake development of a veritable flying tank. The novelty was that armor was not added on to the existing airframe structure, but being used as front fuselage structure and skin, protecting engine, cooling system, pilot and fuselage fuel tank. That called for developing new aircraft armor, and being curved for streamlining the new production procedures were to be developed also. For minimizing the vulnerability, the radiator was positioned right beside engine, with air entry port above the engine and efflux below at underside. The oil cooler was belly mounted, protected by an armored tub containing radiator efflux duct exit. Cockpit glazing consisted of armored glass entirely. Bombs were contained in four bomb cells located in wing inward from landing gear fairings, and capable to accommodate all Soviet bombs up to 100 kg in weight. After several modifications to meet requirement changes, including a removal of a gunner, a CKB-55P prototype emerged as an all-metal single seater, armed with two 20 mm ShVAK cannons and two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns mounted in outer wing panels. Eight launching rails for RS-82 rockets were added, together with bomb racks for further 200 kg of bombs externally. It was introduced in series production during April 1941, as Il-2 designation changed from BSh-2 (Russian abbreviation for armored attack plane) due changes in Soviet aircraft designation system. During service incremental changes were made, including more powerful 23 mm VJa cannons replacing 20 mm ones, as well as introduction of RS-132 (132 mm) rockets.

Rushed into combat in summer 1941 in time of German attack, the Il-2 proved to be a valuable weapon. However flying mostly without fighter cover at low level yielded substantial losses as soon as German fighter pilots realized that there was no rear gunner and started coming in very close before opening fire. Moreover, when bullets penetrated the top canopy they continued ricocheting within the armored cockpit until hitting pilot or instruments. So, eventually combat units demanded the introduction/reinstatement of a rear gunner, and in the meantime designers also went in that direction, but exigencies of time dictated that production should be uninterrupted as much as possible and manufacture of the single-seaters continued well into 1942.

With the termination of the Sukhoi Su-2 production, Shvetsov M-82 twin row radials were available for installation in other designs. So Ilyushin bureau installed it in their Il-2's, using an unarmored cowling, and replacing the fuselage fuel tank with a rear gunner who was armed with a 12.7 mm UBS machine gun. Performances were slightly lower than the standard single-seater, but interruption of production for retooling was simply out of question. Similar modification of standard Il-2 with gunner replacing fuselage fuel tank, which was moved to wing bomb cells, and with gunner provided with blister transparent fairing, offering performances similar to single-seater, albeit with reduced bomb load, was rejected also due required modifications of the production lines. Same fate befell a variant with a turret, added drag and weight being considered as unacceptable.

The quickest expedient change for providing a rear defense was placing a gunner with a 12.7 mm UBS machine gun behind a fuel tank, and providing him with a 6 mm thick armor plate towards the tail. The cockpit canopy was extended also, sporting various lengths. Maximum speed was reduced, but it was not considered essential for low level attacking aircraft. This modification required very little changes on production lines and it was accepted in 1942. The center of gravity was shifted to its rear, reducing directional stability, by virtue of additional weight, and it was compensated for by adding weight balances on probes at wing outer panel leading edges. New armor steel of same hardness and lower Nickel percentage was developed and used, AM-38 engine was uprated, and number of underwing rockets was reduced to four. Also, for saving the light metals the wooden rear fuselage and outer wing panels were introduced.

Ilyshin Il-2 two seat variants: - 

In fact this modification was so simple, that regimental workshops started converting single-seaters in a similar manner, continuing with such practice well into 1943. A 12.7 mm sting reduced losses to German fighters significantly. During production the machine gun ring was modified, enabling better field of fire. Unfortunately, the integral armor was not extended to protect the gunner, with casualty rate being as high as 7 gunners per one pilot killed or wounded. For correcting the stability issue, the outer wing panels were swept slightly to rear in latter years, and all metal rear fuselage and wing panels were reintroduced during second half of 1944. Equipped with shaped charge PTAB-bomblets, Il-2s had their prime time during 1943 Kursk battle, and subsequent clashes at Eastern front, decimating enemy whenever catching them at open unprotected. Later development included NS-37 cannon armed version, with heavier anti-tank punch, naturally at expense of handling and speed.

After WW II, Il-2s were supplied in quantities to communist-ruled states in East Europe, and in USSR they were quickly superseded by new faster, more maneuverable and more capable Il-10s, so they were scrapped, and their armor melted. With slightly over 36000 produced, the Il-2 has been one of the most produced combat aircraft in history, second in number only to some general purpose military/civilian types like Polikarpov U-2/Po-2 series.

The kit

I purchased this kit in a hobby/games shop in Zagreb, I was not surprised that Zvezda released a kit of this important warplane, but I was nicely surprised with a price being some 4 Euros lower than some other their kits of same scale and class in the same shop. And being a budget modeler…I grabbed it although I already had Il-2s from Polish producer ZTS. Supplementing my collection of locally used aircraft is always a viable option.  (Upon reading this preview I thought it looked a bit familiar and, indeed, it is the Toko kit, also previewed on the site with images of the sprues - supplied by Gary Phillips)

The kit comes in a sturdy box with a top lid, adorned with drawing of two Il-2s attacking a German column. Bilingual text is provided, stating the variant, plus a Russian only warning stating what to me looks like: "Assistance of the elders is recommended for the modeler under age ten". 

Three sprues of blue-gray plastic contain the parts furnished with recessed panel lines, and clear sprue provides two canopies, one having additional side panels and being slightly longer towards the rear, plus a landing light cover. At the canopies, parts to be painted are slightly etched facilitating easier recognition what to paint and what not to. There are no pilots included, and holes for mounting the rocket rails and external bomb shackle are already opened. My copy had some minor flash around certain parts, but I have not noticed any sink marks. Two external 100 kg bombs are provided, as well as eight RS-82 and RS-132 rockets each. Parts marked not for use are two landing gear fairing front covers, and longer antenna mast. Also, there are two fin external balance weights, numbered 35, but the kit instructions do not mention their position, nor which one is to be used. Fuel tank, side console, and rudder pedals are all molded together with cockpit floor making the life easier.

Instructions are on an "extended" A3 format folded in three to A4 fold out shape, starting with very short history in several languages, going through 23 bilingual (Russian-English) understandable construction steps; and ending with painting and marking schemes, and paint key in both Zvezda (in Russian) an Model Master (in English) paint ranges. Generic paint names are provided, as well as the sprue diagram. Instructions call for trimming the part F43 for getting the reduced length cockpit canopy, but one can use the other supplied part F42 for that purpose. And which canopy is to be used for a certain option is not stated.

Accuracy

The kit is equipped with leading-edge mounted weight balances, definitely representing a 1942 model. Personally, I would like them molded separately. I compared kit parts on the sprues with the 1/72 scale drawings that I developed from reference 1, as well as the beautiful color drawings published in reference 2. Thank God for scanner and photo editing software! I have found, with all my errors in scaling up the drawings, that the kit falls within a mm or two within sizes in this scale, both length wise and span wise. Quite acceptable to me. Panel lines appear to be mostly where they should be. More detailed evaluation can be made with assembled kit, due kit parts layout. And part layout is very similar to above mentioned Polish kit, I guess that there is a limited number of ways how to present a particular aircraft. Only thing that I have found not being superior to Polish kit is UBS detail, but maybe I am too peaky…

Painting and Decals

The kit instructions state interior colors for certain cockpit details and landing gear components. But for the rest, one is on her/his own. Some of us would obviously change some of the paints. 

Decals are provided for two aircraft, both in green/ochre (rather than red ochre or red brown)/aviation blue scheme for Zvezda paint range. For Model Master range, medium green/military brown/ pale blue paints are indicated. One is a red-trimmed white 100, flown by Cpt. V.B. Emelyanenko, from 7th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment (GvShAP), and sporting the guard badges, white rear fuselage band and white fin & rudder tip, plus nice motif of a plane firing notes at port fuselage side. Second one is for box top depicted white 25, "ÌÑÒÈÒÅËÜ" (Vindicator), from an unknown regiment in Baltic area 1944, adorned with some details in white and with white port mid-fuselage lightning bolt. This plane is shown as having a longer length canopy, while there are some photographs and side profiles, including the ZTS kit, showing it with reduced length canopy, i.e. open rear cockpit. Polish kit is having lightning bolt and inscription at starboard fuselage too, but this shall be established by additional research, if possible. And, painting and marking diagrams are showing later Il-2 two-seaters with modified swept back outer wing panels and staggered rocket launchers, so additional research would be really required.

Decal sheet is smallish, typically Zvezda, with only one set of standard yellow bordered stars provided, together with details for the options. Except the yellow inscriptions for propeller blades and white nose sighting lines connected with simplified VV-1 sight, there are no servicing stencils nor decal for instrument panel provided.

Conclusion

Despite the number of parts, it looks to be a relatively easy kit to be built. Some details could be added, like boxing the wheel wells. So I think this would not present any trouble even for a novice, especially since the propeller blades and hub are one part, not separated as were in ZTS kit.

Being spoiled by Academy/Hasegawa/Revell kit instructions I have found painting instructions for interior somewhat lacking. Knowing Revell-Zvezda-Italeri relations, I would expect this kit to appear reboxed and with better painting instructions and more extensive decal sheet. I have seen that in a case of Revell-reboxed MiG-31B kit. 

Review, as usual, courtesy of my valet.

References (main)

  1. Magazine: Hrvatski Vojnik – Povijest zrakoplovstva, article: IL-2 ŠTURMOVIK (in Croatian), mid 90s.

  2. STORIA DELL' AVIAZIONE, PROFILI DI AEREI MILITARI DELLA 2a GUERRA MONDIALE, Fratelli Fabri Editori, Milano, 1977;

  3. The Encyclopedia of AIRCRAFT OF WWII, general editor Paul Eden;

 

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