Thanks guys!
During the Korean War, Ilyushin was busy developing its Il-27 day fighter, in much the same vein as Lavochkin's La-15. As the US B-29 night bombing campaign began to get underway however, Ilyushin OKB was ordered to fulfil an urgent operational requirement for a nightfighter capable of intercepting the B-29. The Il-27 was hastily redesigned as a nightfighter with a new radar nose and lateral intakes. This became the Il-27N, codenamed 'Fennel-B' by the West.
The second prototype was painted in North Korean colours and sent into combat against the B-29s where it claimed two kills. On its fourth sortie it encountered a formation of B-36s and was heavily damaged by cannon fire from its would-be target. In the subsequent forced-landing, the aircraft was written off. Production standard Fennels were too late to see action in Korea. As such the Fennel's impact on the war was minimal.
The Fennel-B went on to serve in the PVO with distinction. It is not known whether the original configuration first prototype (Fennel-A) ever flew.
Ilyushin Il-27N 'Fennel-B' North Korea by
mtpalmer1, on Flickr
[Il-76 Candid shrinks in wash?]