IL-18 aircraft: photo, specifications

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The Soviet school of aircraft construction at one time in practice proved many times with its developments that it really was one of the best in the whole world. For several decades, a great many aircraft for various purposes were created in the USSR. Among all this diversity, it is worth noting the Il-18 aircraft. We will tell about this real miracle of domestic mechanical engineering in the article as detailed as possible.

Intro

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the number of military aircraft significantly exceeded the number of civilian ships. In this regard, the issue of providing the air fleet with new aircraft capable of significantly increasing the number of passenger flights by air, the demand for which after the end of hostilities grew day by day, became very acute on the agenda.

Even then it was clear that in the face of ever-increasing demand for air travel, aircraft equipped with piston engines could no longer satisfy all requests in full. And therefore, the leadership of the USSR faced a task, the solution of which was ultimately entrusted to the respected design bureau of Ilyushin.

Brief historical background

Spring 1945The legendary design engineer S. V. Ilyushin began to actively develop the project, on the basis of which the Il-18 aircraft was subsequently created. The developer planned to install on this machine four most powerful aircraft engines ACh-72, created by A. D. Charomsky.

In 1956, the Council of Ministers of the USSR issued a decree that provided for the creation of a turboprop aircraft. The development of the machine proceeded very quickly, and the prototype took to the air after a fairly short period of time. In 1957, the model of the Il-18 aircraft was presented to the then party elite of the Soviet Union and members of the government. The General Secretary of the USSR Nikita Khrushchev liked the ship very much, and the car itself was given its own name "Moscow". It was this nickname that the first secretary of the Moscow Committee of the CPSU Furtseva E. A. suggested giving the aircraft

Purpose

The Il-18 aircraft, the photo of which is given in the article, according to the idea of its legendary creators, should be able to provide comfortable transportation of passengers in the amount of 60-65 people over a distance of 5000 kilometers. At the same time, the cruising speed of the aircraft was planned within 450 kilometers per hour, and the flight altitude was calculated in the range of 7500 meters.

It was planned that a small fleet of IL-18s would fly without additional landings along the longest routes both within the USSR and outside the state. In particular, Moscow - the republics of Central Asia, Moscow - Transcaucasia, Moscow - the Far East, Moscow -industrial part of the Urals. At that time, the main movement of passengers, cargo and mail was carried out along these directions. In addition, such a serious, one might even say, absolutely comprehensive approach to the creation of a civil aviation fleet in practice in the Soviet Union was carried out for the first time in its long history.

Description

The appearance and many design solutions of the newly created IL-18 were largely borrowed from the model of the four-engine high- altitude aircraft IL-12. However, the latest development of Ilyushin at the same time received much larger linear dimensions and dead weight.

As for the aerodynamic layout of the wing, it was able to provide the ideal perfection of aerodynamics and, as a result, a high level of safety for the IL-18. The design bureau decided to obtain very high aerodynamic qualities and cruising speed, and therefore the aircraft used a wing with an extremely high geometric aspect ratio, which was 12.

Also, a very impressive specific load on the wing was provided, equal to 310-340 kilograms per square meter. This approach literally required engineers in the process of its creation to solve several very complex engineering problems aimed at achieving the required strength and rigidity at the lowest possible weight cost while simultaneously ensuring the optimal flutter critical velocity.

Constructive subtleties of the aircraft wing mechanism and the presence of slottedFowler's flap, as well as well-thought-out chassis parameters, made it possible to operate the vessel on unpaved and concrete runways, the length of which was less than 1000 meters. From a practical point of view, this significantly expanded the scope of operation of the aircraft, because not every machine of this kind could take off or land on such short runways.

Fuselage

The passengers and crew of the Il-18 (the USSR is the country of manufacture of this aircraft) were in a fully sealed fuselage, which was necessarily equipped with a ventilation system with air extraction to supply it to the cockpit from the turbocharged compressors of power engines.

Initially, several variants of the fuselage layout were developed, but in the end, a drawing with a circular cross-section, the diameter of which was 3.5 meters, was chosen. Such a fuselage had the lowest possible mass multiplied by good rigidity and strength. The configuration of the main part of the aircraft made it possible to place the baggage and cargo areas below, directly under the floor of the passenger section.

It is worth noting the special pedantry of Ilyushin, who paid close attention to the design of the fuselage. So, for example, the engineer found that the oval-shaped windows used earlier did not work very well in practice. It was clear that at high altitudes, cracks and deformations appeared along the edges of such windows, eventually leading to the final depressurization of the entire fuselage. In this regard, the IL-18 received round windows, and the fuselage itself made it possible to place the cockpit, radio operator,on-board mechanic, passenger compartment, toilet, buffet and cloakroom. The project initially provided for the installation of 66 seats for people flying in first class.

Options

In addition to the main version, an aircraft designed for 40 highly comfortable seats was developed. A night version was also designed, where 28 beds were installed. Moreover, the Il-18, whose characteristics were advanced at that time, could also be used as a landing craft capable of carrying 90 soldiers on its board. The cargo version of the aircraft made it possible to transport 8 tons of cargo of various sizes.

First major design changes

In the summer of 1945, the first Il-18, whose engines were originally ACh-72, received new ASh-73TK gasoline-type air-cooled power plants and TK-19 turbochargers. The takeoff power of these engines was 2400 horsepower. Each of them rotated four-bladed air propellers AB-46NM-95. But in the end they were abandoned, and in the mid-50s they designed a completely new aircraft.

Security level

IL-18, the photo of which is in the article, was equipped with equipment that allowed the ship to operate day and night, even in extremely difficult weather conditions, in which many other aircraft would not even try to take off.

Optimal flight safety was guaranteed by a whole range of different radio navigation aids, as well as the use of special anti-icing protection for the cockpit canopy, windows, bladesscrews, keel, stabilizer and wing edges. The electric heating system consisted of using thoughtful sections of conductive rubber, which warmed up the required structural elements of the aircraft through the use of four fairly powerful generators mounted directly on the engines.

First flight

On August 17, 1946, the IL-18 took to the air for the first time, led by the most experienced test pilot Kokkinaki. As a result of this event, the aircraft received extremely positive reviews. During the operation, it was found that the take-off of the car is very simple, the flight into the air and the takeoff run took place in the normal mode. During the climb, the ship showed stability and stability. Gliding in the air went smoothly and the landing was no problem.

Very highly appreciated the comfort of the aircraft and passengers. The noise during the operation of the engines did not cause discomfort, and people could well communicate with each other in the cabin without raising their voices and hearing each other well, which was rare for flights of that time. The heating system in winter provided the most optimal temperature indicators.

Tests continue

In August 1947, the IL-18 took to the skies at the head of a column of other aircraft in Tushino near Moscow and was demonstrated during the parade. After that, the vessel was repeatedly operated in many more programs. In 1948-1949, the car was equipped with a special device for towing a heavy Il-32 glider. Over time, the IL-18 received turboprops instead of piston engines. AI-20.

Final commissioning

In 1959, after passing all mandatory state checks, the aircraft began to make numerous flights within the Soviet Union. The car was extremely unpretentious in maintenance, reliable and therefore remained in demand in the country for quite a long time, until the 1970s.

Good performance of the vessel allowed it to be sold to most countries of the socialist camp and other friendly powers, where it was positively received by both local specialists and ordinary passengers. But nothing is eternal in the world of technology, and already in the mid-1970s, the scale of production of the Il-18 began to decrease significantly, since it had serious competitors in the form of the Il-62 and Tu-154. These aircraft have already begun, in turn, to use jet engines rather than turboprops. In addition, the obsolescence of the aircraft began to affect.

Main parameters

IL-18, whose technical characteristics allowed it to be among the leaders for a long time, is still in operation in some countries of the world to this day. Among its main indicators are:

• Machine length 35900 mm.
• Height - 10200 mm.
• Weight (empty) - 33760 kg.
• Wingspan - 37400 mm.
• The area of each of the wings is 140 square meters. m.
• Speed (cruising) - 625 km/h.
• The maximum possible speed is 685 km/h.
• Flight ceiling - 10,000 meters.
• Power plants - 4 xAI-20.
• The maximum possible number of passenger seats can reach 120 people.
• Maximum takeoff weight is 64,000 kg.
• Fuel tank capacity - 23700 liters.
• The length of the takeoff run is 1000 m.
• Length of the passenger compartment - 24 m.
• Cabin width - 3.2 m.
• Cabin height - 2 m.

Modifications

During the entire production of the IL-18, a number of its variants were designed and put into operation, including:

• A - the first production model with NK-4 engines.
• The Salon is a car specially designed for the country's highest-ranking officials.
• "Strip" - a vessel equipped with equipment for fully automated flight, landing and takeoff.
• IL-18V is an aircraft with three cabins for passengers.
• D - equipped with fuel tanks with increased capacity. Used to fly to the North Pole.
• IL-18Gr is a cargo version of the aircraft.
• "Pomor" - a machine designed to perform fish reconnaissance.
• Cyclone is a vessel for meteorological research and reconnaissance.
• IL-18E is an aircraft with a superior cabin that can accommodate 110 people.
• LL is a fully autonomous flying research laboratory.
• IL-18RT is a ship used to collect and record telemetric information.
• T - transport and sanitary option.
• IL-18TD is an airborne transport aircraft used for military purposes.

Conclusion

At the end of the article, we can say with confidence that the IL-18 is the first medium-haul passenger airliner of the Soviet Union that has served for several decades. During the years of its operation, there were practically no serious breakdowns with it, but the age of jet cars managed to deprive it of the palm in the issue of air transportation of passengers and cargo.

However, there were also tragic moments in the history of Il-18 flights. So, in December 2016, near the village of Tiksi, the aircraft of the Russian Space Forces crashed, as a result of which 32 servicemen on board were injured. The cause of the accident was a failure in the fuel supply system, although the version and crew errors, and bad weather conditions were considered.