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Ilyushin Il-10 Shturmovik
Developed from the proven Il-2,
the Il-10 incorporated many improvements. A more powerful engine provided
for better performance throughout the flight envelope. New landing gear
now folded flush with the underside of the wing. Other improvements included
all-metal construction and a more effective gun installation. Great attention
was paid to improving the aerodynamics, and this clearly shows when viewed
alongside the older Il-2. Seeing heavy use at the opening of the North
Korean invasion, the Shturmovik proved to be extremely vulnerable to virtually
every fighter aircraft in the U.N.'s inventory. Losses were prohibitive
as the obsolete attack aircraft was clobbered every time it showed up over
the front. Despite being butchered, the Il-10 remained in front line service,
not only with China and North Korea, but with the Soviet Union's V-VS until
1956 when they were finally retired.
With a maximum clean airspeed
of 329 mph, a loaded Il-10 was a lumbering whale in comparison with the
F-51 Mustang. When faced with jet fighters, thing went from bad to worse.
Although frequently escorted by Yaks and Lavochkins, the Shturmoviks were
set upon with a vengence. When it became obvious that the Soviet designed
piston-engine fighters were unable to protect the Il-10s, the communists
resorted to MiG-15s as escorts. Even then, U.N. fighters would break through
the escorts and hammer the unlucky crews who found themselves in a high-tech
environment with a low-tech aircraft left over from the last war. Within
that context, one need only examine the huge losses of Il-2s to the Luftwaffe
to understand that this aircraft had no business trying to operate in the
face of modern jet aircraft and high performance prop driven F-51, F-82
and F4U fighters.
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