Ilyushin - Il-62
The Ilyushin IL-62 was the first intercontinental jet transport to be designed in the USSR which was not a derivative of a military aircraft.
Like the VC10 the Ilyushin the engines were mounted in pairs on either side of the rear fuselage, a design compromise; as the Ilyushin, design bureau like Vickers did not have experience of podded engine wing design or aerodynamics. The IL-62 first flew in January 1963 using Lyul’ka AL-7 turbojets as development of the intended NK-8-4 turbofans was delayed and testing revealed a number of required design changes including a longer wing and the addition of wing fences. As a result of a protracted development period the first IL-62 did not enter revenue service with Aeroflot until March 1967. In 1972 an improved version the IL-62M entered testing which had more powerful D-30KU engines with thrust reversers on the outer engines and an additional fuel tank in the fin, a refined wing with no fences and differential roll control spoilers. In addition the Il-62m featured improved avionics and cargo handling equipment. The main ‘customer’ for the IL-62 was inevitably Aeroflot and other operators of the IL-62 were confined to airlines and government operators within the Soviet sphere of influence or trading partners like the China. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union many IL-62s were acquired by new operators. As a result of tariffs imposed on imported western aircraft production continued till 1999 to meet domestic demand and in 2005 it was estimated that seventy five aircraft were still in service, the majority being IL-62Ms. Total production was 289 airframes,
