Planes

USSR

Li-2

The Lisunov Li-2 was a Soviet variant of the famous Douglas DC-3 / C-47 transport. Initially built in Tashkent, a total of some 2,000 Li-2s were manufactured in the Soviet Union. The plane was powered by two Shvetzov ASh-62IR 1,000-HP engines. The same engine was later used on a prolific post-war AN-2 biplane. First flight: 1939.

The Soviets made the decision to purchase a manufacturing license for the DC-3 on 11th April 1936. Soviet Factory Number 84 soon successfully converted to a new production line and began serial production of the DC-3. The new aircraft was designated DC-3 2M-62IR as it was initially powered by two M-62IR engines. In addition to the power plant, the first Soviet DC-3s had a number of other modifications, including conversion to Soviet-manufactured raw materials, different internal compartments, and the doors opening inwards and not outwards, among others. Therefore, even the first production examples differed from the stock DC-3.

However, the changes did not improve the plane's performance; on the contrary, they increased weight, while replacing some navigational and other equipment with more primitive Soviet equivalents. By 7th November 1939 the 84 Factory had finally built their first production DC-3, based on Douglas-supplied parts. After it was briefly flight tested at the factory, the first production variant was sent to Moscow for official flight trials, which took place between 3rd September and 17th December 1939. Generally, the aircraft proved adequate and further production was recommended. The plane received its first official designation, PS-84. Production numbers began to increase steadily in the summer of 1942. At the same time it was redesignated Li-2, after Boris Lisunov, the project leader in Tashkent.