SOVIET AIRPOWER IN WORLD WAR II

As distinct from previous books on the Soviet Air Force in the Second World War, which dwell largely on individual aircraft types, this book takes a closer look at the Soviet Air Force’s structure and aircraft fleet. The order of battle is analysed from the top (Air Armies) down to regiment and squadron level – on the eve of the war, showing how it developed over the wartime years, including the Winter War of 1939, the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and the armed conflicts with Japan prior to and at the end of the Second World War. The reader will be interested to see the unit insignia of Soviet air armies, divisions and regiments, as well as the varied artwork and camouflage schemes on individual aircraft represented by numerous photographs and colour side views. The book features brief descriptions (including performance data) of all aircraft types operated by the Soviet Air Force in the immediate pre-war years and in the Second World War. The most important combat operations conducted by the Air Force and the Soviet Naval Aviation are described and illustrated by tactical maps. Since the majority of the aircraft in question were manufactured by the indigenous aircraft industry under the auspices of NKAP (the People’s Commissariat of Aircraft Industry), a brief history is given of NKAP and its enterprises; as the invading German forces advanced, most of these enterprises had to be evacuated east – to the Urals region and beyond to Siberia; there the production process had to be mastered anew. Tables included in the book show the year-by-year production of Soviet combat aircraft and aero engines. The book also tells about the Soviet Air Force commanders and famous Soviet aces of the period; the aces’ aircraft and their personal insignia are illustrated. The colour schemes and artwork included in the book will be of interest not only to aviation and military history fans but to scale modellers as well.