Air International 2008-10
W.Mellberg - Ilyushin Il-18 /Aircraft profile/
An early production Ilyushin Il-18B, CCCP-75669, in the colour scheme Aeroflot first applied to the type. This aircraft has the original interior layout hence the position of the cabin window and door.
Ilyushin Il-18E SP-LSF of LOT - Polish Airlines (Polskie Linie Lotnicze) circa 1979. The Il-18 was the first turboprop to serve in Poland and LOT used this prestigious and well-equipped aircraft to launch several new routes. The airline operated ten Il-18s, with SP-LSF entering service in 1965 and was finally sold to Balkan Bulgarian Airlines in 1991.
Ilyushin Il-18D, OM-STK, of Interflug circa 1973. The state airline for East Germany had a large Il-18 fleet which undertook a wide variety of work including passenger, charter, cargo, relief missions and VIP flights. The airline was declared bankrupt in 1991 and the entire fleet was sold off thus ending over 30 years of Il-18 operations.
Ilyushin Il-18V, CU-T831, of Cubana, circa 1976. Hijacked in 1966, Capt Fernando Alvarez, who the aircraft was later named after, refused to fly to Miami and instead landed at Havana. The hijacker killed Alvarez and seriously wounded the co-pilot Evans Rosales.
Ilyushin Il-18D, UN-75001, of Yuzhnaya Aircompany circa 2005. This Kazakhstan airline operates one Il-18 and a few other Soviet-era types. The robust nature of the Il-18 is borne out by the fact it is still in service with several small ad-hoc and charter companies despite the design dating back to the 1950s.
Many of the remaining airworthy Il-18s can be found in the Middle East. Flown by Sayegh Airlines this aircraft wears National Paints titles. Originally an Il-18D, the aircraft had a side cargo door installed and was re-designated Il-18GrM.
Ilyushin Il-18s were exported to many countries outside the Soviet Union. One of these was North Korea where the state carrier. Air Koryo, still operates two examples. This aircraft is P-836, an Il-18V, which is pictured taking off from Beijing.
Ilyushin Il-38, IN301, of the Indian Navy. The Il-38 is a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft developed from the Il-18, and five were delivered to India. These aircraft are currently being upgraded to the new Sea Dragon standard. Note the Il-38s' re-positioned wing, MAD boom and forward fuselage search radar. There are two internal weapons bays, one forward and one aft of the wing. This illustration depicts the original aircraft configuration.
Ilyushin has produced several dedicated military variants of the Il-18. Although the legend on the nose states this is an Il-18, the fairings under the fuselage and on top of the fin mark this out as an Il-22 airborne command post.