Ilyushin Il-6

Image: Wikimedia Commons

An ambitious Soviet design of 1943, the Il-6 long-range bomber represented escalation toward true heavy bomber capability. Its five-crew layout distributed responsibilities across pilot, bombardier, navigators, and gunners, while 26.1-metre span and 5450-kilometre range enabled strategic bombing across vast Soviet territory. The 400 km/h speed balanced bomb load and endurance against defensive manoeuvrability.