Ilyushin Il-28
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Famous Russian Aircraft
Authors: Yefim Gordon & Dmitriy Kommissarov
Publisher: Crécy Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-8578-0371-6
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 336
After the Second World War, nations around the globe turned towards jet power for their military aviation. The primary avenue for this new powerplant was fighter aircraft, but bombers were soon to follow. For the Soviet Union, their first operational jet-powered bomber was the Ilyushin Il-28. The Il-28 first took to the skies in 1948 and continued to fly well into the 1980s, proving the value of a solid design. Over 6,300 were built, and after frontline service, the Il-28 became a regular sight in the testbed realm, serving as a research and development platform for ejection tests, inflight refueling tests, and even had involvement in the Soviet nuclear program.
This book provides an extensive examination of the Il-28, from its development to its construction and variant production to its operational record and current status. It starts out by detailing the origins of the Il-28, code-named Beagle by NATO. Following this introduction, the book dives into the prototypes and testing, which includes sections on engine development and armament concepts. After the prototype and testing period, production comes next, and the book follows suit. Complementing that section is a large portion of the book detailing the different variants of the Il-28. This section has quite a bit to it, as there were extensive mainstream and one-off Beagle designs. Finally, we get to the Il-28 in service, both within the Soviet Union and worldwide.
Throughout the book there are lots and lots of great photographs, both in color and in black and white, showing the Il-28 in various states. There are close ups of various systems as well as overall views of operational and test aircraft. For the worldwide Il-28s, there are lots of photos of Chinese license-built examples, as well as Soviet-supplied Beagles to other nations such as Algeria, East Germany, Egypt, and Nigeria. Color profile illustrations help identify some of the more interesting color schemes, while scale line drawings provide details of variant differences.
For those looking for a single-source reference on the Il-28, this book will be hard to beat. From the well-written text to the copious photographs and illustrations, this book does an excellent job of showcasing this famous bomber. My thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy.