ILYUSHIN

Open Joint Stock Company Ilyushin Aviation Complex (also referred to as ILYUSHIN) was founded in 1933. The order of USSR People's Deputy Commissar of Heavy Industry and Head of the Main Directorate of Aviation Industry P.I. Baranov established the Design Bureau for Experimental Light Aircraft and Military Series Engineering at the facilities of V. R. Menzhinsky Plant No.39. Sergei Ilyushin was appointed Head of the Design Bureau. Under his guidance, the Bureau became one of the leading complex aircraft engineering enterprises in USSR and Russia.

Within 80 years, the Bureau developed over 200 various aircraft modifications, and saw 120 going into production. Throughout the Ilyushin Design Bureau existence, production facilities manufactured over 60 000 IL branded airplanes. They feature simple design, high reliability, long lifetime, ease of handling and low maintenance.

Bomber, ground-attack aircraft, military airlifters and special-purpose aircraft were built for the Air Force of the country. The legendary ground-attack aircraft IL-2 and IL-10 and long-range bombers IL-4, constituting over 30% of the entire military fleet, made a considerable contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War. In post-war years, IL-28 became the first mass-produced jet bomber for the Air Force.

The entire history of passenger aircraft construction is traceable in the Design Bureau.

In mid 1940s, the first mass-produced passenger carriers IL-12 and IL-14 appeared; these marked the beginning of civil transport aviation development. The turboprop IL-18 made flying affordable for a large number of Soviet citizens; it was in service for international airways and provided basis for Soviet aircraft export sales.

The turbojet long-range airliner IL-62 and its modification IL-62M provided high flight safety and comfort for passengers and contributed to further development of international airlines. Passenger flights started in 1967 and continue to the present.

The creation of special-purpose aircraft that played a key role for the country's Air Force defined the special character of Ilyushin's school. Most notable are anti-submarine aircraft IL-38, special-purpose scout aircraft IL-20, refueling tanker IL-78 et al.

In 1970, upon S.V. Ilyushin's recommendation, his student Genrikh Vasilievich Novozhilov was appointed General Designer - Executive Officer of the enterprise by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. Led by Novozhilov, the Company created the most widely used military and civil jet airlifter IL-76 with engines D30-KP, which has been adopted by Air Force since 1974.