Ivan Ilyin was born in 1918.

He graduated from flight school in 1940.

When Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, mladshiy leitenant Ilyin served in 38 IAP, flying Polikarpov I-153s on the North-Western Front.

Starshiy leitenant Vasiliy Grishin and mladshiy leitenant Ilyin both claimed a shared Ju 88 ”in group” on 12 August. It’s possibly that this was the same claim.

The same thing happened two days later, on 14 August, when both claimed a shared Bf 109 ”in group”.

On 17 August, 38 IAP claimed one shared destroyed Do 17 and one shared destroyed Bf 110. Involved pilots seems to have included starshiy leitenant Vasiliy Grishin, leitenant Ivan Konovchenko and mladshiy leitenant Ilyin.
Leitenant Konovchenko also claimed one Bf 109 during the day.

He left 38 IAP in September 1941.

On 11 February 1942, he was decorated with the Order of the Red Banner.

In May 1942, he was posted to 12 IAP on the Crimean Front and with this unit he flew Yak-1s.

On 13 May 1942, leitenant Ilyin became MIA when he didn’t return from a combat mission.

At the time of his death, Ilyin was credited with 4 shared biplane victories and a total of 2.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
	12/08/41		1/?	Ju 88	Shared destroyed	I-153		North-Western Front	38 IAP
	14/08/41		1/?	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	I-153		North-Western Front	38 IAP
	17/08/41		1/?	Do 17	Shared destroyed	I-153		North-Western Front	38 IAP
	17/08/41		1/?	Bf 110	Shared destroyed	I-153		North-Western Front	38 IAP
	1942
1	08/05/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Crimean Front	12 IAP
2	08/05/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Crimean Front	12 IAP

Biplane victories: 4 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 2 and 4 shared destroyed.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936-1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov