Aero L-59 Super Albatros vs Ilyushin Il-78

FORCETALLY

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ASupport aircraft

Aero L-59 Super Albatros

Military trainer aircraft COIN

Credit

Michal šenki · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

BSupport aircraft

Ilyushin Il-78

Aerial refueling tanker

Credit

Konstantin Tyurpeko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Aero L-59 Super AlbatrosL-59E · Length

12.2 m

Length source ↗

Ilyushin Il-78Il-78M · Length

46.59 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

18 of 31 rows sourced on both sides

12.2mL-59E · Length

46.59mIl-78M · Length

LengthScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

12.2 m

L-59E · Length

Single source

12.20 m (40 ft 0 in)^[source]

46.59 m

Il-78M · Length

Single source

Configuration

Details

Aero L-59 Super Albatros and Ilyushin Il-78 configuration
Specification	Aero L-59 Super Albatros	Ilyushin Il-78
Type	Military trainer aircraft COIN^[source]	Aerial refueling tanker^[source]
Manufacturer	Aero Vodochody^[source]	Ilyushin^[source]
Status	Out of production, in service^[source]	In service and production^[source]
Primary users	Czech Air Force Egyptian Air Force Tunisian Air Force^[source]

Number built	80^[source]	53^[source]

Manufactured	1986–1996^[source]	1984–present^[source]

First flight	30 September 1986^[source]	26 June 1983^[source]

Developed from	Aero L-39 Albatros^[source]	Ilyushin Il-76^[source]

Variant	Aero L-159 ALCA^[source]	—

Fuel capacity	1,537 L (406 US gal; 338 imp gal) including tip tanks^[source]	—

Stall speed	185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn) (flaps down)^[source]	—

Guns	one GSh-23L cannon in under-fuselage pod^[source]	—

Hardpoints	four underwing hardpoints with a capacity of inner hardpoints 500 kg (1,100 lb)capacity, outer hardpoints 250 kg (550 lb)^[source]	—

Country of origin	Czechoslovakia^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 1, row 26, cell 2; revision 1374778711; retrieved 2026-10-01	—

National origin	—	Soviet Union Russia^[source]

Introduction date	—	1984 (Il-78)^[source]

Capacity	—	Max 100,000 kg payload (T-6 military jet fuel)^[source]

Special equipment	—	3 x UPAZ-1M 'Sakhalin', ( U nifitsirovaniy P odvesnoy A gregat Z aprahvki;— standardised suspended refuelling unit), refuelling pods; Two on pylons under the outer wings, and the third on the port side of the rear fuselage.^[source]