Projected variant of the Ilyushin TsKB-60 (Il-6) shturmovik. Improvements to the design were a rear gunner, slight changes in armament, and different engines.

Features

• Two Shvetsov M-82FN (later called ASh-82FN) radial engines producing 1,850 hp.
• Custom landing gear.
• Armor everywhere.
• One 37mm ShFK-37 cannon (green tracers).
• Two 23mm VYa-23 cannons (white tracers).
• Two .30 cal ShKAS machine guns (red tracers).
• One dorsal .50 cal UBT machine gun.
• Flaps.
  

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Pilots Notes

• AG-1: bomb bay doors
• AG-2: dorsal .50 cal UBT machine gun
• VTOL: flaps
  

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History

The project of the Ilyushin TBSh-2 heavy attack aircraft with M-82 engines, was aimed at eliminating almost all the shortcomings that the classic Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik had.

On July 9, 1941, S. V. Ilyushin sent a letter to the NKAP People's Commissar A. I. Shakhurin with a proposal to build a heavy armored attack aircraft designated TBSh-2 at plant No. 156, which was basically a twin seat version with Shvetsov M-82 radial engines of the Ilyushin TsKB-60 attack aircraft project.

The speed of the TBSh-2 was calculated to be around 298 mph (480 km/h), and the range was estimated to be about 434 miles (700 km). The rear armored wall of the cockpit was 13 mm thick, the front armored wall of the cockpit had 15 mm armor plates, and the bottom and sides of the cabin were covered in 10 mm armor plates.. The main weapons consisted of one 37mm Shpitalniy ShFK-37 cannon wit 40 shells, two 23mm Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23 cannons with 100 rounds each, two .30 cal ShKAS machine guns with 750 rounds each, 882 lbs (400 kg) of bombs (2,205 lbs [1000 kg] overload) and eight RS-82 rockets, or eight RS-132 rockets instead of bombs.

When the blueprints of the airplane were ready, the TBSh-2 project was submitted to and approved by the Air Force and the NKAP in early 1942. The Narkomaviaprom Shakhurin in its resolution asked Ilyushin contemplate the idea of building the Ilyushin TBSh-2 prototype at another plant, since Plant No. 156 had to relocated to Omsk because of the German invasion.

The project was shelved for another time, but was picked back up again by Ilyushin in early 1944. Unfortunately, time has been hopelessly lost. The projected TBSh-2 shturmovik appeared too late. In the current conditions of the war, the construction of new shturmoviks was considered worthless.

• Source: Alternathistory.com
  

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Gallery

Ilyushin TsKB-60 (also called Il-6) three-view drawing; this was the airplane that the TBSh-2 was based upon.

Ilyushin TBSh-2 three-view drawing.