Roadside attractions - Russian style

[Chris Brame]

From englishrussia.com:

http://englishrussia.com/?p=1139#more-1139

Note the Shturmovik - is it real or replica?

[Steve Nelson]

Cool pics. Sad to see a rare bird like that Shturmovik up on a stick in the weather like that, though. Although I suppose there wouldn't be much general interest, I'd love to see an IL-2 on the airshow circuit.

SN

[Curtis Block]

I'll second that desire to see an IL-2, flying.

[daveymac82c]

Those pictures are fantastic.

Too bad their own sticks, but still, it would be fun to say "I live in the building with the Mig in front of it."

Thanks for posting those. Very cool.

Cheers,

David

[snafubar]

Here's another couple of shots of that Il-2.





And some others. This overall green one looks a bit suspect.

[Junkyard36]

VERY cool pics!

I third the notion of an IL-2 on the airshow circuit; that would be too cool.

Mike

[armyjunk2]

Here is one in St Petersburg

[tom d. friedman]

REAL........ PASS THE VODKA!!

[bdk]

The Il-2 has a wooden tailcone as I recall, so at least that part must have been replicated. Can't imagine that could be preserved outdoors for over 60 years.

[Mudge]

St. Petersburg??? We were there to watch the Redskins play the Bucs but I don't recall seeing that.

Mudge the disappointed

Sorry...

[Warbird Kid]

SO MANY!

There has to be a couple of these on the circuit soon! And I predict that in a given twenty years we might see three to four flyable examples out there.

I see the IL-2 as one of those warbirds that hasn't really been discovered yet by the general public. Look at the Hurricane. In the 80's you could only find two to three examples flying. How many are flying now?

Give it time.

[JDK]

Interesting.

There were 21 Il-2 'identities' listed in the 4th edition of the Warbird Directory, about half of which were in the west then. I think there may have been more recovered since. However I'm not aware of any rebuilds to airworthy condition at present. Anyone know better?

They are often confused with the essentially post-war, improved, and much more common Il-10 / Avia B-33.

I'm not aware of any wood in the construction (I may be wrong) but it is a fact that the forward fuselage was essentially made from armour-plate, protecting the engine, pilot and systems, and only partly the (later-installed) gunner. (As to wooden aircraft on display, there have been numerous DH Vampires on external show around the Commonwealth, and although they've mostly deteriorated badly by now, you might be surprised at how much they've held up, considering.)

Another pole-mounted example: http://scalemodels.ru/modules/photo/vie ... d_113.html

As with the Ju-87 Stuka it is one of the most important types of W.W.II, it is a great pity so much more effort is expanded on getting bright shiny P-51D Mustangs airworthy instead.

Regards

[Tillerman]

Anyone who likes these kind of Russian aircraft put up on poles etc. throughout that vast country can indulge himself in this website:

http://www.aviamonuments.ru/

Its all in Cyrillic, but Babelfish can be helpful for some rough translations.

Tillerman.

[Michel Lemieux]

Wow...did not know.....Tks for the link

[Jesse C.]

html

As with the Ju-87 Stuka it is one of the most important types of W.W.II, it is a great pity so much more effort is expanded on getting bright shiny P-51D Mustangs airworthy instead.

I think its the Ugly Betty syndrome in effect here. Mustangs are a bit more glamourous while the poor Stuka looks like Rodney Dangerfield! No respect, no respect at all!

But how many Stukas actually exist out there that can be made airworty, not couting Museum pieces that will probably never see the light of day again.

Time to take a field trip to the Russian Junk piles and backwoods.