Ilyushin's 11-2 was one of the most prolific and feared aircraft of World War Two. Designed under the codename 'Ivanov', a total of 36,163 machines were produced in several variants, some being more important than others. One such sub-type was the II-2M, which had two seats and 37mm cannons. The II-2 was a key player in the fight against Germany on the Eastern Front, and it entered service just three months after the onslaught of Operation Barbarossa, in June 1941. It was powered by a 1660hp engine (AM-38), while its armament consisted of two 20mm cannon and two 7.62mm machine guns, and various bombs and rockets. The Shturmovik became a formidable and much-feared tank-killer, as its firepower could easily destroy almost any piece of German armour.lts importance was such that in 1942, it accounted for one third of the total aircraft inventory of the Soviet Air Force.
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