Shturmovik’s rudder pedal helped pilots maintain control

Published 12:53 pm Tuesday, December 9, 2014

The simple rudder pedals on the FHC’s Iluyshin Il-2M3 Shturmovik have one little, useful addition. Unlike most combat aircraft in the collection, the Il-2’s pedals have leather straps that slip over the top of a pilot’s feet. The straps would help a flyer stay in control through violent maneuvers, but considering the Shturmovik is not the fastest or most deft of aircraft, there may be another solution. A more grim reason for the addition of straps to the pedals of the big attack plane is that, should a pilot be severely wounded in battle, he could still fully control the aircraft with just one working leg or foot.