 | Li-2 the Russian counterfeit| Aviation Discuss Li-2 the Russian counterfeit in the World War II - Aviation forums; Some of you will already know about this (Il-2 Sturmovik game owners) but I thought it was interesting so ... |
|
05-26-2005, 04:58 PM
|
#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere near nothing.
Posts: 103
| Li-2 the Russian counterfeit
Some of you will already know about this (Il-2 Sturmovik game owners) but I thought it was interesting so I posted it anyway!
Before the war Russia imported 21 pre-built and 2 un-built airframes of the Douglas DC-3 (later to become the C-47 Dakota/Skytrain in the west) with the intention of building their own licensed versions under the designation of PS-84, (Passazhirskii Samolet, Plant 84) they were fitted with Russian Shvetsov M-62 engine which was delevoped from the licensed Wright SGR-1820F engine which was fitted to the earlier DC-2s. However by the 17th of September 1942, they re-designated their aircraft Li-2 after Boris P. Lisunov, who was an aeronautical engineer who was a production supervisor at the American Douglas plant. They refitted their aircraft with the more powerful ASH-62 engine, after the refit they modified the Li-2 into several different variants, most noteworthy was the bomber version, the Li-2B which was capable of carrying up to 1,500 kg of bombs, and the Li-2G, which was a freighter which was kitted out with a gun turret on its back. The Russians had managed to turn the West's "workhorse" into a multi purpose aircraft which could be used for far more than a cargo/troop carrier. The Americans later modified some of their ageing C-47's during the Vietnam war, the AC-47 Gunship "Spooky" was fitted with 4 mini-guns on the portside, and used with devastating effect against the Vietcong. The AC-47 showed how useful a gunship could be, and inspired the creation of the AC-130 Gunship "Spectre" (C-130 Hercules) which is still in service today (AC-130U). Russia manufactured 6,157 Li-2's by the end of WW2, and some are still in service with companies and airfields all over the world (one was even turned into a stationary cafe at an airport in Yugoslavia!). But the funniest thing is that Russia never paid any money to Douglas for the license to build them! Russia claimed they had only built 3,500 but the Americans claim they built nearer 20,000, since then the actual production numbers have been documented. The end result is that America (although without their consent) gave their WW2 allies Russia a stable platform on which to expand, which they did to great effect, and in return America was shown how to use an aircraft far beyond its original concept.
__________________  | 
|  | |
05-26-2005, 07:19 PM
|
#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Saffron Walden/Sheffield
Posts: 3,001
Country:  | The Japanese had a version of it aswell but I've forgotten it's name
Good pics BTW, I didn't know there were any left
__________________ 
When you realise that the light at the end of the tunnel is actually an oncoming train, you know it's time to run for your life | |
| | |
05-27-2005, 10:40 AM
|
#3 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country:  | Yeah the L2D was the Japanese one. 
__________________  with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
| | |
05-27-2005, 10:57 AM
|
#4 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,675
Country:  | Quote: |
Originally Posted by cheddar cheese Yeah the L2D was the Japanese one. | "TABBY"
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT"  | 
| | |
05-27-2005, 10:59 AM
|
#5 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country: | Ok the pic didnt work...here it is again. 
__________________ with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
| | |
05-27-2005, 12:20 PM
|
#6 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country: | pretty cool.......
__________________ 
"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
| | |
09-01-2005, 06:56 PM
|
#7 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Strathclyde
Posts: 13
Country: | The thing about some li2s was that they were fitted with a wood burning stove in the rear!!!!  | |
| | |
09-02-2005, 06:36 AM
|
#8 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country: | Really? 
__________________ with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
| | |
09-02-2005, 10:59 AM
|
#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London
Posts: 2,794
| A slight aside but after the war a film was made in Czechoslovakia about a Czech Wellington bomber. For the film they modified an Li2 but the guns were German from old stocks.
So you had a Russian copy of an American design modified to a British bomber, flown by Czech crew armed with German guns.
Confusing or what | |
| | |
09-02-2005, 11:00 AM
|
#10 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,276
Country: | Certainly an international craft!
__________________  http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
| | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:37 PM. | | |
