How the Soviet Union transformed an American airliner into a versatile military workhorse

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Lisunov Li-2 began as a licensed copy of the Douglas DC-3, but Soviet engineers fundamentally overhauled the design to meet local standards. By metricating thousands of parts and adding defensive turrets, they turned a civilian passenger plane into a rugged, multi-role aircraft that served across Eastern Europe for decades.

In 1936, the Soviet government secured a production license for the Douglas DC-3. Aeronautical engineer Boris Pavlovich Lisunov spent two years at the Douglas Aircraft Company in the United States to master the design. Upon returning, his team faced the massive challenge of metricating the aircraft. They issued 1,293 engineering change orders to adapt the design to Soviet materials, dimensions, and manufacturing processes. This effort, led by engineer Vladimir Myasishchev, resulted in a plane that looked like its American cousin but featured distinct structural differences, including heavier skins and different steel substructures.

The resulting aircraft, initially designated PS-84, was powered by Shvetsov ASh-62IR radial engines. Unlike the unarmed American C-47, the Soviet military variants were frequently equipped with defensive armament, including dorsal turrets and machine guns. Some versions, such as the Li-2VV, were even modified to carry up to 2,600 kilograms of bombs for short-range missions. The design proved remarkably adaptable, serving as a transport, ambulance, reconnaissance platform, and even a cropduster in Poland.

Production was a monumental industrial feat. After the German invasion in 1941, the original factory in Khimki was evacuated, and production resumed in Tashkent by January 1942. Between 1940 and 1954, a total of 4,937 aircraft were produced across all variants. While the Li-2 saw extensive service throughout the Cold War, it eventually faded from use, with the last survivors noted in China and Vietnam during the 1980s. Today, only one airworthy example remains in Europe: the Hungarian-registered HA-LIX, which was restored by the Goldtimer Foundation and continues to fly at air shows.

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