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Ilyushin Il-76
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Ilyushin Il-76
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Ilyushin Il-76
Ilyushin Il-76

Ilyushin Il-76

Soviet aircraft
Also known as: Il-76
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Britannica Editors
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History

Ilyushin Il-76, -76, Soviet military transport aircraft, first flown in 1971 and first produced in 1975. It was designed by the Ilyushin design bureau under G.V. Novozhilov. The Il-76 was a heavy transport plane, capable of handling a payload of more than 88,000 pounds (40,000 kilograms). It was equipped with two cranes that traveled on overhead tracks, and its rear ramp doubled as a hoist. Unlike most military transports, the Il-76 was armed, with two guns in a rear turret. Its four turbofan engines produced 26,455 pounds of thrust each. Its maximum speed in level flight was 528 miles per hour (850 km per hour), and its ceiling was 50,850 feet (15,500 m). From 30 to 90 passengers could be accommodated.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.