From “Flying tank” to board №1. In the shops of the Voronezh aircraft factory several legendary aircrafts were produced for 85 years of its history. During the war – the famous Il-2 (the designers called it “Flying Tank”). At the end of 1960-s – the world’s first supersonic passenger airliner Tu-144. Today the plant produces the aircraft IL-96, AN-148, as well as individual units for SSJ 100 and MS-21 aircraft. Work on transport aircraft IL-112 is resumed. Voronezh Aircraft Manufacturing Company (VAMC) produces the main Russian aircraft – a presidential Il-96, better known as the board №1.
The decision about the organization of the plant made in 1929. Before 1966, the plant had only numbered titles: firstly №18, then №64. During the war, production lines were evacuated to Kuibyshev (now – Samara), after the Victory factory in Voronezh was actually rebuilt.
Voronezh aircraft factory over the years of its history produced such planes as the ANT-25 (Chkalov and Gromov flied over the North Pole to the US on them), the legendary Il-2, bomber Tu-16, passenger Il-86 and the first in the world supersonic Tu-144.
VAMC – the country’s only producer of long-haul wide-body passenger aircraft IL-96-300. Created in DB named in honor of Ilyushin with the direct participation of the VAMC prototype took off to the skies for the first time on September 28, 1988. The flight lasted 40 minutes.
IL-96 was the first Soviet long-haul wide-body aircraft.
Modern Il-96-300 can carry up to 300 passengers. The new modification of the Il-96-400M with lengthened fuselage, increased wingspan and more powerful engines, can carry up to 435 passengers.
The aircraft crew consists of three people (two pilots and a flight engineer). IL-96 was the first aircraft of “IL” family, in which the team hadn’t got the navigator.
The so-called “glass” cockpit for pilots of Il-96-300. The major of the aggregate and flight-navigation information displayed on multiple displays. Traditional round analog instruments only duplicate information. Avionics equipment of liner is made in Russia.
Wingspan of Il-96-300 – is more than 57 meters, length – 55 meters, maximum takeoff weight of 250 tons and a payload of 40 tons.
The maximum flight range – up to 13 500 km.
Il-96 rises in the air with the help of four PS-90A. This Russian turbofan engine with a maximum thrust of 16 000 kg (manufactured by JSC “Perm Engine Company”).
In this shop of the Voronezh aircraft factory in the second half of 1960 was made the world’s first supersonic passenger airliner Tu-144. Here at the end of the 1970s, we began building of the wide-body Airbus Il-86.
On the photo: Now there is an assembling of fuselages of Il-96-300.
The diameter of fuselage of Il-96-300 – 6 m 8 cm. It is 42 cm less than the Boing 747.
Drilling and cutting holes for the rivets in the fuselage panels.
The wing of the IL-96-300.
It is difficult to say exactly how much does this wing cost, but in a well-known saying, “It costs as a wing of the aircraft,” there is some truth, because the cost of all Il-96-300 starts with $ 40 million, and very strongly varies depending on the application and configuration of a particular board.
In 2014, VAMC has received a big order for the production of 14 wide-body Il-96 of various modifications – until 2024. We are primarily talking about boards for government agencies. Aircrafts of Voronezh production are used by a special flight group “Russia” – it serves the country’s leadership, including the President of the Russian Federation. Also VAMC makes aircraftes ordered by the Ministry of Defence (in particular, a flying command post, which is popularly called “doomsday plane”). On Il-96 base the creation of strategic tanker is planned.
An-148 – short-haul narrow-body aircraft, developed by ANTK named in honor of O.K. Antonov (Ukraine).
Can carry up to 85 passengers, flight range is around 3,500 km.
The first aircraft took off from the airport VAMC on July 19, 2009.
To date, the An-148 is used in Russia, Ukraine and North Korea.
The global demand on regional liners estimates by 500 boards.
In 2015, the President of Ukraine Petr Poroshenko said that he selects the AN-148 as his presidential plane.
The wing of AN-148 is located above the fuselage, due to the large distance from the engine to the ground plane can work even on the unadapted lines.
During the wing assembly are used layouts of powerplant. Mass of yellow cube – is about 1400 kg, what corresponds to the mass of the gas turbine engine D-436-148.
Since 2012, “Angara”, based in Irkutsk, uses 5 planes An-148-100E. They often landed in Yakutia during overboard minus 49 ° C and at 350 meters of horizontal visibility.
29 aircrafts AN-148 of various modifications went down from VAMC building berth. They are operated by the SFD, “Russia” and the FSB. Now the enterprise carries out the order of Russian Ministry of Defense supplying 15 aircrafts AN-148-100E.
Stand-layout for the pre-assembly of the aircraft wiring.
The total length of the wiring, for example, IL-96-300 – 345 km! For comparison, the way along a straight line from Moscow to Voronezh is 463 km.
Installation of electrical equipment in the fuselage.
The number of employees of VAMC is about 5000.
In 2013-14 was resumed program to create a light military transport aircraft Il-112V.
On the photo: the production of fuselage sections F-1 and F-2 (forward and centeral) of the first prototype of the Il-112V in the aggregate-assembly shop of VAMC.
Riveting nose compartment of IL-112V.
The aircraft is designed to replace the veteran An-26. The developer of the Il-112V is the Aviation Complex named in honor S.V. Ilyushin, final assembly is performed at VAMC.
The aircraft can carry up to 6 tons of cargo (or about 40 paratroopers). Range of flight – is about 1000 km. Il-112V is equipped with two turboprop engines.
The first Il-112 plans to take off in the summer of 2017, and to transfer the second sample to the static and fatigue tests.
Mass production could be started in 2019. Capacities of VAMC allow to produce 8-12 Il-112 aircrafts in the year.
MS-21 – is a project of the family of medium passenger aircraft developed by the Yakovlev Design Bureau and “Irkut” corporation.
Within the cooperation VAMC releases: pylons for engines, flaps of the main and nose landing gear and fairing “fuselage-wing” elements of the vertical and horizontal tail and other parts of the liner. By 2020 VAMC should deliver 72 sets of parts for aircraft.
During the preparation for the release of the Airbus IL-86 in the late 1970s, there were made a large-scale reconstructions of the plant, a new plant area of 48 000 sq m was built, mastered the production of parts made of composite materials machining of long workpieces and other technologies.
In 2006 VAMC became a part of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), which unites the largest Russian airlines.
The test flights of new VAMC aircrafts are carried out on the airport “Pridacha”, located on the territory of plant. At the airport we tested all types of airplanes, produced by VAMC.
I thank the press center of PJSC “VASO” for their help in organizing taking photos!
Lovely! May Russian aviation continue to go a long way!
Fascinating to see and to read,great posting.