SOVIET X-PLANES

A detailed review of Soviet experimental aircraft from the early 1900s through to the latest Russian prototypes of today. Protected by a rigid regime of secrecy, the outside world knew little about Soviet aircraft of any description until World War II when it gradually did become apparent that the Soviet Union was home to an incredible diversity of aircraft. The book is the first to collect the stories of the more important of the Soviet experimental aircraft into one volume. Ironically, experimental aircraft and projects of the Soviet Union are today better documented than those of many Western companies and working from these original sources the authors have been able to produce an outstanding reference which although concentrating on hardware also includes many projects which were built but never flew and even a few which never got off the proverbial drawing board. About 150 aircraft types are described, each with relevant data, and including many three-view drawings.