The DB-3 and Il-4 arose from the Soviet Union's awkward strategic geography: access to multiple oceans without one contiguous naval front. Separate maritime theaters created pressure to maintain several naval forces rather than one fleet that could move freely between coasts. Long-range torpedo bombers offered a way to shift striking power more readily than ships. The apparent economy was deceptive because moving and sustaining aircraft still demanded bases, infrastructure, trained crews, and eventually thousands of airframes.
Chapter · 3:01-5:17
Soviet geography made torpedo bombers attractive
The opening argument links Soviet maritime geography to the appeal of long-range torpedo bombers as a way to cover separated naval theaters.