Combined model of the aircraft IL 62. The difference between machines with the index "M" from early models

The Il-62M aircraft model has recently appeared in the list of Zvezda's products. As far as I know, the path of its creation was long and thorny. But now - finally, a new product saw the light. It arrived at retail quite quickly, and at a very reasonable price. Model number 7013.

I bought this model for 960 rubles - quite inexpensive. The manufacturer immediately promised that the model is unique, that it can be assembled in several versions, that a more accurate copy has not yet been produced, what, what, what ... And now it's time for me to find out if this is really so. Yes, according to the photos on the box, the model can be made in 3 versions - takeoff - landing, parking with open door and in the form of steering. I’ll add on my own, the 4th option is also possible - flight. How is this achieved? The model has various options performance of mechanization of the wing, movable tail (who does not know, the IL-62 and IL-76 have a movable tail, together with a fairing, swings on the keel, and, for example, in the Tu-154 only the tail wings themselves are slightly movable, and the fairing fixed), various versions of the landing gear, well, and the door itself - it can be opened or closed. I draw your attention to the tail parking support - it is released down at the empty aircraft and at the moment the cargo is taken on board - the centering of the Il-62 is shifted to the tail. With a full load and when taxiing, the tailwheel is raised to the flight position. In principle, you can collect many options, it all depends on your imagination and knowledge. I advise you to study the photo of a real aircraft in order to know how to install wing mechanization, and so on.

Casting quality

The coincidence of the halves is complete, there is no deviation from straightness, the dimensional accuracy is exceptional, I did not encounter any casting defects, although some modellers indicated the presence of shrinkage defects in the castings. I don't know, I didn't notice. I did not count the number of holes in the covers of the rims, although there are such lovers. But, as far as the reviews convince us, everything corresponds there. Decals also allow you to recreate many images - the era of the USSR, civil Russia, including the Olympics-80, Russia MCHS - choose to taste.

An interesting feature is the detailing of the cabin and ancillary facilities. Why - I do not understand, they are not visible. But it is interesting and informative. Even the fact that the first pilot has a larger helm is taken into account. Aerobatics, or, as the Japanese say, overworking. By the way, the interior of the cabin is not visible either, although the glazing is of very high quality, but still, of course, the details are not visible.

So that the model does not "lift up" its nose while standing without a stand (and the standard stand from Zvezda is also included), I recommend loading the nose. The weight of the load is selected empirically, fishing sinkers are convenient.

Paint and glue are not included in the kit, they are purchased separately, the usual paint from Zvezda lays down on the model very well, even without a primer. By the way, do not forget to degrease the model with a dishwasher.

The standard drawback is a weak nose landing gear, I reinforced it with a paper clip on high-strength glue, as on other models, as I indicated in my reviews about the An-24 and Tu-134 models.

If you need a variant of the model in flight - do not glue the landing gear, mechanization of the wing, put the tail unit exactly (it is movable, I remind you), close the wells for the landing gear with flaps, put the model on a stand - and that’s all, the height is 11 thousand, at the bottom Podkamennaya Tunguska, flight Tokyo- Moscow.

Little unpleasant surprise

When I purchased the set for the first time and opened it at home, I discovered that the wing is a set of 2 lower halves. I had to go, show the defect, they exchanged the goods for me. Better look at the store right away. You can safely open the box - the parts are packed in a transparent film , packaging will not be damaged.

In the entire history of the Soviet aircraft industry, the industry of the USSR produced many units of aviation equipment. Il-62M became the first jet intercontinental airliner. The model was used to transport civilians to the most remote corners. Soviet Union. Description and characteristics of the IL-62M are presented in the article.

Acquaintance

IL-62M is a long-haul passenger airliner. This model belongs to the monoplanes - aircraft equipped with one wing. Translated from Greek. monos - one and lat. planum - plane. Since 1930, Soviet designers have used the monoplane scheme as the main one in the creation of cargo, military transport and passenger aircraft.

Start

After 1950, Soviet economists and aviation specialists noted a ninefold increase in passenger and freight traffic. It became possible to transport large volumes of cargo in the shortest possible time as a result of the use of aircraft with gas turbine propulsion systems. The state needed to increase the production of such passenger aircraft. Civil aviation specialists from the country's leadership were instructed to create a relatively inexpensive and unpretentious aviation model for transporting citizens within the Soviet Union. As a result, the IL-62M became such a model. (A photo of an aircraft vehicle is presented in the article).

Developers

The creation of the Il-62M aircraft began in 1969. The work consisted in the modernization of already used in Soviet aviation IL-62. The designers were given the task of improving their flight performance and economic characteristics. Il-62M was designed at the Ilyushin Experimental Design Bureau. This company has all necessary resources to quickly and efficiently complete the task.

Plans

Initially, the Il-62M was designed to carry passengers from 50 to 165 people. The range for which the aircraft was designed was supposed to be from 5 thousand to 9 thousand km. Engines in the Il-62M designers were going to install in the tail section. In the design bureau under the leadership of Kuznetsov, a new NK-8 engine was designed for the future airplane. Simultaneously with the work on the manufacture of an economy class aircraft, it was planned to create a "luxury" airplane designed to carry 100-125 passengers.

Choosing a scheme for the future aircraft, the designers considered various domestic and foreign passenger airliners. The French Caravel, in which the stabilizers are located at half the height of the keel, received special attention from Soviet engineers. In the new aircraft, the developers decided to use the Il-18 concept.

Search

Back in 1960, the well-known designer Ilyushin approached the government with a proposal to modernize the Il-62, equipping it with RD-23-600 engines, which were developed by S.K. Tumansky. After reviewing the blueprints various models passenger airplanes, experts settled on a rear-engined variant.

Soon, the Council of Ministers of the USSR, proposed by the designers of the Design Bureau, the concept of the future aircraft was approved, and the program for the modernization of the Il-62 was accepted for implementation. In January 1974, work on the aircraft was completed. After successful state and operational tests, the Il-62M was officially approved for use in passenger transportation.

innovations

In an effort to improve the performance and economic characteristics of the new aircraft, the developers took the following steps:

• The IL-62 was equipped with new engines of an economical design. The designers made their gondolas more perfect, giving them an aerodynamic shape.
• The keel of the aircraft was equipped with an additional fuel tank. Its capacity was 5 thousand liters. The presence of the tank had a positive effect on the flight range.
• The airplane was equipped with mechanized luggage loading.
• The stabilizer was equipped with automatic control.
• The passenger airplane was equipped with an improved TA-6A airborne turbine unit, which is used to start the engines and air-condition the cabin.
• The aircraft was also equipped with new steering wheels.

The geometric dimensions remained unchanged.

About dimensions

Parameters of the upgraded IL-62:

• The length indicator is 53.12 m.
• Height - 12.35 m.
• Chassis track - 6.8 m.
• The wing area of ​​the aircraft is 279.55 square meters. m.
• Wingspan - 42.5 m.

Below is a photo of the Il-62M.

Device

Since the tail section became the location for the engines, the developers had to strengthen the chassis of the aircraft with the main supports. Rollover of an empty aircraft on its tail was prevented by the use of a tailwheel, which was retracted each time after loading.

For an airplane with a rear engine, the designers of the Ilyushin Design Bureau developed a special suspension design. Over time, it was patented by the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Japan.

The IL-62M is characterized by a rational weight distribution. Distinctive feature wing in this airplane is the presence of unusual stepped edges, reminiscent of a beak, which provided excellent stability of the aircraft. In the production of the wing, the latest caisson technology was used, which consists in cheap pressing. This procedure ensured the lightness and strength of the wing structure. In the arrangement of the plumage, a T-shaped scheme was used for it. The wing in the modernized IL-62, due to the elimination of unnecessarily bulky and not always reliable solutions, is endowed with reduced weight and size characteristics. This had a positive effect on the controllability and reliability of the Il-62M.

About the advantages of the layout

In the entire history of aircraft construction in the USSR, the Il-62M became the first airplane in the manufacture of which a tail engine layout was used. Thanks to this design solution, the wing of this aircraft has improved aerodynamic properties, which is especially important for long-range passenger vehicles. In addition, the remote location of the engines from the fuel tanks had a positive effect on the safety of passengers. Also important, the designers managed to reduce the noise level in the cabin.

Earlier, during the flight of an airplane, its structure was negatively affected by a jet of high-temperature gases. In IL-62M, this negative effect was reduced to zero. total weight the aircraft was lowered due to the rejection of an unnecessarily large tail.

As a result of equipping the Il-62M with spoilers and ailerons, the designers achieved an increased efficiency of lateral control of the aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with more advanced double-slotted flaps and a new device that reverses the thrust of the engines.

The Il-62M differs from its predecessor in significantly improved flight performance: the upgraded aircraft is equipped with new steering wheels and an instrument panel with well-placed instruments for pilots.

The modernization of the Il-62 had a positive effect on the practical range of flights. The distances that the maximum loaded aircraft (23,000 kg) can cover have been increased from 7,000 to 8,270 km. For an airplane carrying 100 passengers (commercial load 10,000 kg), the flight range has increased from 8,700 to 10,000 km. Improvements have also been cruising speed: the designers managed to increase it to 870 km / h.

The operation of the IL-62M is completely unaffected by the most unfavorable weather and meteorological conditions. This became possible thanks to the unique navigation system, which is equipped with a passenger airplane. This fact was duly appreciated by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the USSR. The upgraded Il-62 was the first aircraft to be equipped with a fully automatic control system.

About the weaknesses of the aircraft

An aircraft equipped with a tail-mounted engine has the following disadvantages:

• An increase in the mass of the tail due to its additional reinforcement.
• Lack of unloading of the material of the wings with the help of engines.
• The motors are located at a great distance from each other. In this regard, the fuel equipment used by them is significantly lengthened.
• The concentration of engines exclusively in the tail section has dramatically changed the alignment of the aircraft, which has a negative effect during its operation.

About the technical characteristics of the IL-62M

• The modernized Il-62 is equipped with four turbofan engines.
• Engine model - D-30KU.
• The takeoff weight of the aircraft is 167 tons.
• The aircraft is designed for a payload of not more than 23 tons.
• The capacity of the fuel tanks is 105,300 liters.
• The power plant has a maximum thrust of 11,000 kgf.
• The cruising speed indicator varies between 850-870 km / h.
• The maximum speed is 870 km/h.
• Flight altitude up to 12 thousand meters.
• The flight range is 10-11 thousand km.
• The crew is 4 people.
• Cabin capacity - 165 passengers.

About modifications

On the basis of the Il-62M, the following samples of airliners were created:

• IL-62M-200 (MA). This aircraft differs from its counterpart in a more elongated fuselage and increased passenger capacity. The start of work on this model was due to the rapid development of air transportation in the USSR. Nevertheless, the serial production of the aircraft was not established. The model remained at the design stage.
• IL-62M-250. The tasks of this sample are the same as in the previous airplane. Design work on this aircraft was also terminated.
• Il-62MGr - is a cargo aircraft model.

• IL-62MK. This passenger airplane features a significantly improved interior. In addition, in this model, the changes also affected the design of the wings.

Il-62M airliner. "Star" (7013P)

To the attention of those who are fond of modeling, there is a wide range of various design sets on the gift products market. Judging by the numerous consumer reviews, products from the Russian manufacturer Zvezda are in great demand. Il-62M, presented by the manufacturer, is an assembly model, the scale of which is 1:144. The design consists of 139 parts.

Gift set "Airliner IL-62M" ("Star" (7013) is completed with:

• paints;
• brush;
• stand for paint;
• glue;
• instruction.

Warranty period - up to 14 days.

Finally

Unlike the basic analogue of the Il-62, models containing the “M” index are equipped with D-30KU turbofan engines. These motors are much more economical than those used in the prototype aircraft, they are manufactured in accordance with international standards. The keels and stabilizers of the modernized aircraft have a much improved shape, due to which their ergonomics have been increased. The aircraft is equipped with a new reverse device. Thanks to this, air resistance during the flight, the designers managed to minimize. Due to the increase in on-board fuel capacities, the airplane became suitable for longer flights.

Unlike its analogue, the IL-62M has more electronics. Thanks to the introduction into the aircraft modern system, which provides cabin air conditioning, the degree of pilot fatigue is greatly reduced, which is especially important during long flights.

For the entire glorious history Aeroflot, in the fleet of its cars there were a variety of aircraft. Speaking of passenger aircraft domestic production, the most long-lived is the IL-62M, put into operation in 1974.

And some public services this machine is still in use today. What is the history of this ship and what are its advantages, which allowed it to outlive its, even Western, competitors for a long time in this article.

History of creation

The previous aircraft model, created in 1963 and having the Il-62 index, by the beginning of the 70s was not able to fully meet all the needs of civil aviation on transcontinental routes and domestic flights long range. In this regard, it was decided to modernize this machine.

Initially, the plans concerned the placement of additional fuel tanks in the aft passenger compartment, which would solve the problem with the flight range. However, despite the provision of increased fire safety, chief designer SV Ilyushin rejected the decision of the designers. Thus ended, before it even began, the history of the Il-62D model.

On the advice of Ilyushin, the direction of the designers was changed towards replacing the power plant.

And it was the right decision. The developers settled on the D-30KU engines, created by the team of engineers of the designer Solovyov. To install them, it was necessary to change the shape of the nacelles, as a result of which they became more aerodynamically advanced.

The remaining improvements, coupled with increased engine power, made it possible to increase, in comparison with its predecessor, both the range of the airliner and its carrying capacity.

The first test flight of the new Ila was already made on March 5, 1969, where one of the most famous aircraft designers of the USSR was present as an observer. Test pilots noted that the aircraft has all the advantages of the previous model, while becoming more comfortable to fly (the movement of the aircraft in the air has become smoother), more resistant to adverse conditions especially during landing and takeoff.

Thanks to these and other improvements, already in September 1969, the machine was put into mass production. The tests carried out from January 1970 to November 1973 confirmed the high reliability and excellent flight characteristics of the Il-62M aircraft.

Video - history of creation

The first takeoff as a passenger ship of Aeroflot was made in 1974. According to statistics, the regularity of flights for the first 10 months of operation on international and transcontinental routes amounted to a record 97%. Not a single aircraft of regular flights has reached such indicators.

performance characteristics

Specifications liners are presented in the following table:

Operation history

During serial production, that is, through 1996, exactly 193 Il-62M aircraft were built. The release of such a number of aircraft was not planned, however, the capabilities of the designed airliner could cover the needs of both domestic and foreign airlines for a long time.

In addition to the USSR, and then the Russian Federation, the Il-62M was in the air parks of many other countries, mainly the socialist camp. Among them:

• Hungary;
• Romania;
• Poland;
• North Korea;
• China;
• Angola;
• Cuba;
• Czechoslovakia.

The number of vehicles delivered to other states is 51 units. In some of them, the liner is operated to this day.

Thanks to its performance characteristics, the ship is on for a long time becomes the main long-haul airliner of Aeroflot, and then other domestic companies.

Moreover, in the mid-90s, the average daily flight time on cars of this type was almost 17 hours, especially against the backdrop of a sharp decline in passenger traffic by domestic directions.

After the production of the aircraft was discontinued, it was used for a long time as a medium- and long-haul air transport. The renewal of the fleet of domestic airlines also affected the replacement of the Il-62M with more modern and advanced aircraft, but the story of the glorious aircraft does not end there.

From the 2000s to the present day, the glider (more than 20 pieces) has been used by various federal departments, including the Ministry of Emergency Situations. And one of them was converted into the so-called "Board No. 1" and is still in use, in the form of a modification of the Il-62M "Salon".

Il-62M modifications

Several aircraft modification projects were created, but only a few of them were embodied in the form of finished models, the rest remained, like diagrams and drawings in the archives.

Modifications:

The difference between cars with the index "M" from early models

The first, and most important, difference from the IL-62 model is the use of a new type of power plant - the D-30KU. It was the installation of these engines, developed by the Solovyov group, that allowed the airliner with the “M” index to have improved performance. And this is while maintaining such parameters as the wing area and their span, the length and height of the aircraft, and the chassis track.

Other differences are listed below:

• reduced landing speed, due to some changes in the control elements and the characteristics of the power plants;
• improving the efficiency of the lateral controllability of the aircraft;
• increase in cruising and top speed flight;
• installation of new types of steering wheels;
• changing the arrangement of elements on the dashboard, which made it more convenient to use;
• strengthening of structural elements, which was necessary for increased flight weight;
• reinforced wing structure, which significantly increases the wear resistance and, consequently, the flight life of the liner;
• updated "wide-body" interior with progressive materials.

Advantages and disadvantages

The first, and by no means the last, advantage of the Il-62M airliner is the use of D-30KU jet power plants. They were not only able to increase the flight range and carrying capacity of the aircraft, but also significantly reduce its stopping distance during landing. The reinforced hull made it possible to increase the wear resistance and reliability of the liner.

More convenient, compared to the previous model, the control required less effort from the pilots, which also had a positive effect on the quality of flights. The electric drive of all electronic systems of the Il-62M aircraft is powered by four alternating current generators - one for each engine.

The disadvantages include the centering of the machine body, as a result of which the center of gravity is located behind the main landing gear.

In this regard, pilots flying the Il-62M had to pass special training. The physical data of the pilots were not the last - the control system did not have amplifiers.

Among the disadvantages is the high depreciation cost of the aircraft. This factor was the main reason why airlines refused to operate the liner in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Achievements and incidents

There were in the history of the IL-62M, both glorious pages and sad ones. The first ones include the performance of several unique flights, among which there are world records. And the first such achievement was the repetition of a non-stop flight along the Chkalov route (Moscow-Vancouver via North Pole), spending only 11 hours on it.

The mournful pages of the Il-62 family include 23 air crashes, among which in 12 cases there were passengers on board.

Almost all cases were related to the operation of engines (their depressurization or local breakdown, false operation of automation).

Each such event was followed by work to increase the safety of various components of the airliner. As a result, at the zenith of its existence, the aircraft became one of the most reliable machines among competitors.

Conclusion

Il-62M is a whole era in the domestic aircraft industry and civil aviation. Moreover, a number of solutions used in its design and creation were subsequently used, not without success, on other domestic and foreign airliners.

And despite some design flaws, the car became the personification of the achievements of the aircraft industry of its time, which can be confirmed by about 100 thousand passengers who traveled on it.

Video

Decals for the model manufactured by "Zvezda"

Includes: decal.Catalog number RG–A072.

Price: 50 rub.

1/144 Il-62M Cubana decal.

Decal for Il-62M of Cubana airlines, anniversary and nominal boards.

Catalog number RG–A005.

Price: 350 rubles.

1/144 Il-62M Interflug decal.

Decal for Il-62M airline Interflug, board DDR-SEZ and board DDR–SEW, crashed June 17, 1989

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A006.

Price: 350 rubles.

1/144 Decal Il-62M Aeroflot. Retro series.

Decal for Il-62M with an "arrow" of Aeroflot airlines, boards of the USSR-86700, USSR–86701 and USSR–86656.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A062.

Price: 300 rubles.

1/144 Decal Il-62 Aeroflot. Retro series.

Decal for Il-62 of Aeroflot airlines, boards USSR-86653 and USSR–86677. These aircraft were leased to JAL and KLM. Attention: the decal was designed to convert the Il-62M model into a regular Il-62.

Includes: decal, instructions. The JAL logos are given on a white backing.

Catalog number RG–A063.

Price: 300 rubles.

1/144 Decal Il-62M Tarom. Retro series.

Decal on the Il-62M of the Romanian airline Tarom in early coloring, YR-IRD and YR-IRE sides.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A064.

Price: 250 rubles.

1/144 Decal Il-62M Tarom.

Decal on the Il-62M of the Romanian airline Tarom in an updated color scheme with a logo on the tail, YR-IRD and YR-IRE sides.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A065.

Price: 250 rubles.

1/144 Il-62M CSA decal.

Decal for Il-62M of Czechoslovak Airlines, OK-KBK and OK-OBL . The sides bore the coats of arms of the cities "Ceske Budejovice" and "Osrava" respectively.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A066.

Price: 350 rubles.

1/144 Il-62M Air Koryo decal.

Decal on the Il-62M of the North Korean airline Air Koryo, aircraft P-881 and P-885, as well as government aircraft P-618.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A070.

Price: 300 rubles.

1/144 Decal Il-62M LOT.

Decal on the Il-62M of the Polish airline LOT, the sides were personalized with portraits SP-LBD "Gen. Wladyslaw Sikorski", SP-LBF "Fryderyk Chopin" and SP-LBG "Tadeusz Kosciuszko" .

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A071.

Price: 300 rubles.

1/144 Il-62M decal. Supplement No. 1.

Decal for Il-62M airlines Air India, Panaf Airways, Uzbekistan, Air Ukraine. Attention: this decal is designed as an addition to the main decal from the model set.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A067.

Price: 250 rubles.

1/144 Il-62M decal "1990s". Addition number 2.

Decal for Il-62M Russian airlines Dalavia, Interavia, Tretyakovo, Aerostars. A set of registration numbers will allow you to complete the desired flight of the airline. Attention: this decal is designed as an addition to the main decal from the model kit.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A068.

Price: 250 rubles.

1/144 Il-62M decal. Supplement No. 3.

Decal on Il-62M government aircraft, "Olympic aircraft" with the inscription Official Olympic Carrier and Moscow Airways. Attention: this decal is designed as an addition to the main decal from the model kit.

Includes: decal, instructions.

Catalog number RG–A069.

Price: 250 rubles.

It is difficult to imagine Soviet civil aviation without the Il-62 passenger liner. With this aircraft, many of us, people of the older generation, have the warmest memories of the time when the Soviet airline Aeroflot was considered the largest and most reliable in the world. The Soviet passenger "sixty-second" Ila received and sent all the largest airports in the world. The car connected Moscow and Leningrad with Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, serving the longest domestic airlines. Thanks to Ilyushin's plane, Aeroflot managed to organize non-stop flights to New York, Beijing and Cuba. The longest routes were served by Soviet passenger liners, reducing the distance between continents.

background

In the late 50s, the Soviet airline Aeroflot faced the need to increase the fleet of long-haul passenger airliners. With the beginning Khrushchev thaw» Passenger traffic began to grow rapidly international destinations, the volume of passenger air transportation on long-distance domestic airlines has increased. Intercontinental airlines available passenger aircraft Tu 114, although they were good cars, but no longer met the increased requirements for civil aircraft of this class. A large and roomy car was required, capable of flying over long distances.

Answer to new challenge became the Il-62 long-haul passenger aircraft, created at the Ilyushin design bureau. However, in order for the new aircraft to become a reality, Soviet aircraft designers had to put in a lot of effort.

Having in mind a ready-made concept for creating a passenger aircraft, S.V. Ilyushin turned to D. F. Ustinov, the then Head of the State Commission under the Presidium of the USSR for the military-industrial complex. The aircraft designer's proposal was as follows:

• there are all the technical developments for the creation of a large-capacity passenger aircraft;
• technologically it is possible to create a passenger car capable of flying long distances;
• the new passenger aircraft can be equipped with four turbojet engines.

As the main argument, S.V. Ilyushin cited the fact that it is possible to make non-stop flights to Liberty Island on the new plane. Havana was then in the priority of the Soviet foreign policy. The proposal of the designers was supported by the arguments of officials from the Ministry Civil Aviation, who declared the need to create a new long-haul passenger aircraft.

The result of the dialogue was the Decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of June 18, 1960 on the need to build a new aircraft capable of carrying 150 passengers over distances of 6-8 thousand km. The propulsion system was to be represented by four NK-8 turbojet engines. To create the machine, it was decided to use all the accumulated domestic and foreign experience in the construction and operation of large-capacity aircraft.

Despite the fact that this area was within the competence of the Tupolev Design Bureau, it was decided to entrust all the main work on new car Ilyushin team. Due to the fact that the Ilyushin Design Bureau had ready-made developments for the project, the work was carried out intensively and at a fast pace. Literally a year and a half later, the first prototype of the new aircraft was presented. The aircraft was named Il-62 after the year of creation of the first prototype. Four AL-7 turbojet engines were installed on the liner, capable of developing a total thrust of 30,000 kgf. In January 1963, an experimental machine took to the air. The following years were spent on finalizing the design and improving the main systems of the aircraft. Starting from the second copy, domestic NK-8 turbojet engines with a capacity of 10,500 kgf were installed on the liner. It should be noted that these jet engines became the most massive in the Soviet Union, which were equipped with Tu-154 and Il-62 aircraft.

During these years, there was everything in the history of the aircraft: both tragic moments and successes.

Only in 1966, it was decided to start mass production of the machine. The Kazan Aviation Plant was chosen as the production base, which produced the "sixty-second" for less than thirty years, from 1966 to 1995. Over the years, 289 machines of various modifications have left the workshops of the aircraft factory. Of this number, 81 aircraft were delivered abroad. The main operators of the Il-62 were the Aeroflot airline (USSR), air carriers of the countries of the Socialist Commonwealth, China, Cuba and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The liner was used as the main air vehicle for the first persons of the states. The Il-62 aircraft was the permanent aircraft No. 1 in the Soviet Union. Until the mid-90s, the liner was used in this capacity in Russian Federation and in Ukraine.

aircraft design

The new brainchild of Ilyushin Design Bureau was a low-wing aircraft, ending with a single-fin tail unit. This scheme has long been used abroad. In the Soviet Union, a similar scheme was used on the Tupolev Tu-134, which was created and built almost simultaneously with the Ilyushin aircraft.

The design was distinguished by the presence of a swept wing. This structural element was first used on aircraft designed by Ilyushin Design Bureau. In the tail section of the long fuselage there were four turbojet engines connected in pairs into one engine nacelle. The aircraft landing gear was tricycle. For safety net in case of capsizing the stern, another reserve landing gear was installed on the aircraft in the tail section of the aircraft.

In the USSR and in the world, almost all passenger aircraft were built based on the concept of a narrow-body airliner. The aft location of the engines required a significant strengthening of the aircraft structure. In order to obtain the optimal dimensions of the aircraft structure, aerodynamic tests occupied a special place in the design. It turned out that in order to install four engines on the Il-62, it would be necessary to create strong and durable nacelles. In addition, the stability of the aircraft will ensure the correct location of the landing gear mounted in front of the center of gravity of the aircraft.

The successful arrangement of the landing gear legs made it possible not to resort to an increase in the tail area in the process of creating the machine. There are no boosters on the plane, which in some models were often used in the control system. In this regard, the Ilyushin machine became the first aircraft of this type in the world, on which manual control was carried out. The design of the wing, which was created under difficult technical conditions, deserves special attention. To improve lateral control, the swept wings of the "sixty-second" received a constructive influx on the leading edge. Wing sweep was 32.50.

This innovation allowed the aircraft to maintain stability in all flight modes. This was especially true during the takeoff and landing of the Il-62 aircraft, since the machine had a large glider and an impressive mass. In this form, the aircraft became easier to respond to changes in the flight regime, making various evolutions during the flight.

The propulsion system on all subsequent serial machines was represented by powerful domestic NK-8 turbojet engines. Starting with the modification "M", Ilyushin liners began to be equipped with engines with reverse thrust. This significantly improved the landing characteristics of the aircraft, ensured the manufacturability of servicing the huge aircraft in the conditions of a technically poorly prepared airfield complex. Landing of the IL-62 aircraft of the first series was carried out only on specially prepared runways with a length of at least 2.5 km. The installation of engines with reverse thrust on production vehicles made it possible to significantly reduce landing mileage.

The presence of four motors allowed the car to continue flying with the failure of one or even two engines. In this regard, the Ilyushin machine beat all records. Not a single domestic and foreign jet passenger aircraft could boast such high survivability up to this point. The fuel system on the aircraft was oriented to the individual supply of each engine. Each fuel tank provided fuel separately to each engine. Fuel tanks were placed at the base of the wings.

In this configuration, the aircraft had the following performance characteristics:

• takeoff weight was 161 tons;
• fuselage length 49 meters;
• wingspan 43.2 meters;
• cruising speed 750-850 km/h;
• practical ceiling 12000 m;
• maximum range 10,000 km;
• passenger compartment capacity is 168 people.

The aircraft was operated by a crew of 5 people. It should be noted that on this aircraft, for the first time in the Soviet Union, the cabin began to be divided into parts, giving passengers the right to choose the level of comfort on board. From the inside, the fuselage was trimmed with heat and sound insulating material. Passengers boarding the IL-62 was carried out through two doors on the port side, rear and front. The aircraft is equipped with four wing emergency exits, two on each side.

Aircraft operation

Designed for a narrow-body aircraft, the cabin was originally designed for a capacity of 168 passengers. In the future, the designers managed to increase the capacity of the cabin to 195 people. As a rule, the cabin was divided into three compartments: business class, first class and economy class.

On domestic airlines, the first class was practically absent. Il-62M and Il-62MK aircraft, which are operated on international airlines, were produced in three versions of service equipment.

The first flights that the car began to carry out were on long-distance domestic airlines. At this stage, it became clear that the takeoff and landing characteristics of the aircraft exceeded the technological capabilities of many Soviet airfields. Urgently began work on the modernization of the runway in largest cities Eastern Siberia and in the Far East. They did the same abroad, where they began to operate the Soviet long-haul liner. This process could significantly limit the scope of operation of a good car, so the car was urgently converted to powerful engines with reverse thrust.

In general, the design of the aircraft turned out to be quite strong and reliable, which gave the designers a reason to start modernizing the aircraft. On the following models, which received the designation Il-62M, the capacity increased to 186 people. New powerful D-30KU engines also appeared on the plane. The weight of the aircraft has increased to 164 tons. Since 1973, the updated IL entered the passenger routes, making international flights to North and Latin America.

At that time, the Soviet passenger airliner met all the requirements and standards of ICAO. The presence of an international certificate of airworthiness allowed the Soviet car to fly on almost all international passenger airlines.

Finally

The Il-62 long-range passenger aircraft can certainly be called the flagship of the Soviet civilian fleet. In the 70s and 80s, this aircraft could be found at the airport more often than the American Boeing. The plane flew for a long time until the early 90s, serving the longest routes in the USSR and abroad. However, the design of the liner by that time was obsolete. In addition, the Soviet aircraft did not differ in high economic indicators. Soviet engines did not meet environmental safety standards. Despite this, the machine continued to be used in Russia and abroad until the beginning of the new millennium.

Air carriers gradually decommissioned existing aircraft, replacing them with new, more advanced foreign models. As of 2014, twenty IL-62s in various modifications were in operation. Cars serve charter and freight transportation in Russia, Belarus, in Asia and Africa. In some countries, the passenger Il-62 is used to serve government flights. To date, only one international airline in the world - the North Korean Air Koryo - officially uses the Il-62.