picture 181246

One of the principal targets of RAF Bomber Command’s air raids on Egypt was the EAF’s fleet of 40 Ilyushin Il-28 bombers. All were painted in the same fashion as the MiG-15s and wore the same set of national insignia. Instead of serials, they received large letter codes on the front fuselage, from A to Z. Unofficial Egyptian sources have confirmed the loss of several Il-28s, prepared for a nocturnal raid on Israeli air bases, during the RAF strike on Cairo West AB late on 31 October 1956. This example survived not only the strike on that base but also subsequent attacks on Luxor airport and was eventually evacuated to Saudi Arabia. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)