1/700 Ilyushin Il-2M 'Shturmovik' Ground Attack Aircraft - (x4) 3D Printed

Description

NO RESERVE. We're offering here a beautifully detailed set of four 1/700 scale Ilyushin Il-2M two-seater models that have just come out of the 3D printer!
This is the aircraft that Joseph Stalin proclaimed to be as essential to the Red Army as air and bread. The heavily-armored Shturmoviks ("Ilyusha" to its crews) were rugged and they employed a lethal array of weapons including 20mm or 23mm (a few had 37 mm) cannons, rockets and/or bombs including payloads of up to 192(!) PTAB bomblets which, although of small caliber, could easily penetrate the thin upper armor of German tanks. Interestingly, the early two-seater prototype proved to be too heavy for the limited power of the early AM-35 engine necessitating development of the single-seat variant which saw extensive combat in the early phases of the war in the Soviet Union. The single-seat Shturmovik proved to be a deadly ground attack weapon but it suffered heavy losses due to its vulnerably to fighter attack. Consequently the two-seat design was revived with a more powerful AM-38 engine. Designated the Il-2M, it accommodated a rear gunner under the stretched canopy and saw combat for the first time on 30 October 1942 near Stalingrad. In 1943, the Il-2M3 came out with redesigned 'arrow-wings' that offered much improved performance and handling.
At the Battle of Kursk on 7 July 1943, 70 tanks from the German 9th Panzer Division were destroyed by mass attacks of Il-2s in just 20 minutes. By the time production ended 38,183 Il-2s in all variants had been built.
These are the first (and only!) Il-2M Two-Seater models ever offered in 1/700 scale and they are the perfect complement to our Il-2 Single-Seat set.
This set actually includes two different models - (2x) each of the early Il-2M and the later Il-2M3 "arrow wing" model (see detail comparison photo #9). While photography of these little gems is a challenge for our equipment and limited skills, check out the well proportioned model including the detailed canopy, engine pipes, tail assembly and even a tiny tail wheel (the Pit-Road German "armored column" is not included!).
The surfaces are not perfectly smooth (3D printing is done in layers) but the plastic used can be sanded and painted much the same way you would handle resin or styrene. The models may still have some powder and oil-like agent on them that needs to be removed by washing in warm water with a drop of detergent
added to
it.
These outstanding Il-2M Shturmovik models should be a welcome addition to any WW2 wargamer's or 1/700 modeler's collection, particularly those interested in VVS ground attack operations on the
Eastern
Front. Please take a look at the other 1/700 scale aircraft models that we have on auction as well. We're always happy to combine shipping for multiple purchases to save whenever possible. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions whatsoever.