Ilyushin Il-2: 5 Fast Facts About The World’s Most Produced Warplane

Critics have many unflattering things to say about early Soviet aircraft, but opinions change when it comes to the Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack plane. The Il-2 had a crew of 2 and played a central role on the Eastern Front. Stalin once said that it was as vital to the Red Army as air and bread. The Ilyshin Il-2 should not be confused with the Lisunov Li-2 – the licensed Soviet production of the American Douglas DC-3.