Ilyushin Il-28

The Ilyushin Il-28 is a medium-range jet bomber, originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Forces, in service since 1950. It was the Soviet Union's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. Total production in the USSR was 6,316 aircraft. The Harbin H-5 was a variant built in the People's Republic of China (without license). Over 319 were built, as well as 187 HJ-5 training variants. The Korean People's Army Air Force is the only remaining operator, with approximately 80 aircraft, believed to be a mix of Soviet and Chinese models. The bomber remained in frontline nuclear and conventional roles for the USSR until the late 1950s, carrying the RDS-4, and for China until the 1990s. Il-28s triggered worldwide attention during the Cuban Missile Crisis, where they were deployed with tactical nuclear bombs.