Enjoyed some of my best ever flying experiences on this characterful machine across Russia and the Baltics. New in 1967, she was operated by the Soviet government in Aeroflot colours as a communications relay aircraft. Later active as a VIP transport with Rossia and now with the Russian AF as RF-75937

Registered 22.5.67; to ER-ICL 1998 then UR-TMD and UR-CEO of Sevastopol Avia. Was operating in Libya illegally as ER-ICS in late 2016

Tarom's Ilyushin Il-18D taxies out on departure on an inclusive tour flight. A BA 757 in the background. The hangar at rear was erected in 1940 for Fairey Aviation to build Beaufighters and Halifaxes.

Ilyushin Il-18D of the Domodedovo Civil Aviation Production Association wearing an early scheme with red fin.

This was a real treat for me, an operational, a real live Il-18, something I had not seen for many years. This one carries "Ukraine West" titles on right-hand side and "Lviv Airlines" titles on left-hand side. Note also the three An-24s in the background.

It was a real privilege to ride the world's last IL-18 in regular airline service. Visiting the nearby Mount Paektu volcano was stunning too. At the time 43 years old, Air Koryo did not plan to withdraw this classic, which has spent its entire career based in North Korea, within the next ten years…

This is really B-224, painted to represent Chairman Mao's aircraft '208' - that identity has appeared on four different Il-18s

Hangar space is limited at Sharjah but due to the climate, servicing that would take place under cover at most airports can be carried out outdoors.

Probably one of the last times that four operational Il-18's could be seen together

HA-MOI leaving the East apron, on its way to the take-off runway for the return flight to Budapest. It is taxiing with its doors still open, which may indicate it's carrying a cargo of livestock. On such flights the doors are kept open as long as possible to reduce the heat inside the aircraft.
Less than three months after this photo was taken, HA-MOI made its last commercial flight and was later used as a restaurant in Abda, Hungary. In late 2014 it went to the Múzeum letectva Košice.

As of 3 October 1990 the East German DDR-prefix was no longer valid, and all active DDR- registered aircraft had to be reregistered. This Interflug Il-18 DDR-STI became D-AOAP. In 1995 it became RA-75554 (2nd use), and it was scrapped at Johannesburg in 2000.