Ilyushin Il-18 variant
Ilyushin Il-18 Il-18B
First major production version, with higher gross weight, a redesigned nose around a larger radome — adding 20 cm of length — and seating for 84. It first flew on 30 September 1958 with Ivchenko AI-20 engines.
- September 30, 1958
- First flight
- 64
- Units built
- 84
- Passengers
History
The Il-18B addressed the shortcomings of the Il-18A. It raised the permissible gross weight and introduced a nose redesigned around a larger radome, a change that stretched the aircraft by twenty centimetres. The cabin was arranged for 84 seats on medium-haul services.
Its first flight, on 30 September 1958, was made with the Ivchenko AI-20 turboprops that became the family standard. From April 1961 aircraft received a TG-18 auxiliary power unit for ground starting, replacing the bank of lead-acid batteries used until then; some were modified so the APU could also be run in flight. The Il-18S VIP transport for the Soviet Air Force was built on this version, and the Il-18BT military transport and medical evacuation conversion also derived from it.