Series "Red stars in the sky" aims to cast more light on the aircraft and the pilots of the Soviet Air Arm in WWII. Like the first part of "Red Stars" this part concentrates on fifhter aircraft and pilots.

Series "Red stars in the sky" aims to cast more light on the aircraft and the pilots of the Soviet Air Arm in WWII. This second part focuses on bombers and assault aircraft.

Series "Red stars in the sky" aims to cast more light on the aircraft and the pilots of the Soviet Air Arm in WWII. This first part concentrates on fifhter aircraft and pilots.

This book represents probably the most detailed study published in the English language of the camouflage and markings of the fighter aircraft of the Soviet Air Force during World War II. Erik Pilawskii is a scholar of the Soviet Air Force in World War II and has undertaken several years of research to produce this ground-breaking book. With information drawn from previously inaccessible Soviet archives, the author first presents a detailed analysis of the developments, trends, patterns and irregularities of the color systems seen on Russian fighters and offers a fascinating insight into the workings of the Soviet manufacturing system responsible for this task. He then brings readers a technical study of each of the main fighter aircraft and variants, and each description is followed by coverage of camouflage and markings, factory-applied, field variations and seasonal.

Weapons design is as crucial an aspect of a combat aircraft's development as the work of the airframers or propulsion specialists. Soviet and Russian combat aircraft generally have a well-earned reputation as capable fighting machines -- a reputation due in no small part to the punch they pack.
This new book examines the development of different classes of weapons carried by Soviet/Russian aircraft. One chapter is devoted to cannons, while others cover missiles developed by various design bureaus, including the now-famous Vympel, Raduga and Zvezda companies -- air-to-air missiles, from the Mikoyan KS-1 anti-shipping missile of the mid-1950s to 'smart weapons' of today, such as the laser-guided Raduga Kh-29L and TV-guided Kh-29T.

In the early 1950s a need arose in the Soviet Union for a heavy transport and assault helicopter capable of airlifting cargo weighing up to 6 tons (13,230 lbs) - primarily artillery systems. THe chief Soviet "helicopter maker" - OKB-329 headed by Mikhail L. Mil - took on this important task. The prototype of the V-6 (eventually redesignated Mi-6), which first flew in June 1957, was a much larger machine. For the first time not only in the Mil OKB's practice but also in the world helicopter design practice, the powerplant consisted of two gas turbine engines; another peculiarity was the use of auxiliary wing offloading the main rotor in cruise flight. The Mi-6 provided a major boost to the Soviet Air Force's capability. In 1959 it served as the basis for the unconventional Mi-10 capable of straddling bulky loads.

The first of a two-volume set detailing Soviet Second World War combat aircraft - both prototype and operational.

Red Star vol.20
While Soviet combat aircraft have received extensive coverage, the many UAVs developed in the Soviet Union and, more recently, Russia remain unsung. Nevertheless, this is a subject deserving attention. The first Soviet UAV to find large-scale use was the La-17 developed by the Lavochkin OKB, a fighter maker of World War II fame; it came in both target drone and reconnaissance versions. The Tupolev OKB, best known for its heavy bombers and commercial aircraft, also had a line of UAVs of varying size. The first of these was the Tu-123 Yastreb which started life as a heavy cruise missile but evolved into a supersonic unmanned spyplane; the book also describes the Tu-141 Strizh (Swift), which again came in reconnaissance and target versions, the Tu-243 Reys (Flight) and the latest Tu-300 recce/strike UAV.

This detailed review of Soviet experimental aircraft from the early 1900s to the latest Russian prototypes of today is the first book to take a close look at all of the major Soviet experimental aircraft in one concise volume. Working from original sources, the authors have produced an outstanding reference which, although concentrates on hardware, also includes many projects that were built but never flew, and even a few that never got off the proverbial drawing board. About 150 aircraft types are described, each with relevant data, including many three-view drawings.

Red Star vol.19
In the nervous 1950s, the Soviet Union faced the task of defending its borders against intrusions by Western spyplanes and deterring an attack by Western bomber armadas. The mission was to intercept incoming adversaries at long range, which required plenty of engine power, ample fuel and heavy armament. Several Soviet design bureaus took on this priority task. The first heavy interceptor from the Mikoyan stable was the swept-wing I-3 of 1956 which, though never flown, was the precursor of the cannon-armed I-7U and the missile-armed I-75. These were followed by the delta-winged Ye-150 series of the late 1950s and early 1960s - the single-engined Ye-150 and Ye-152 and the twin-engined Ye-152A. Known to the outside world as the Ye-166, the huge Ye-152M set an impressive speed record of 2,681 km/h on 7th July 1962. These aircraft paved the way for the MiG-25 interceptor. Other contenders included the Sukhoi T-37, terminated by government order before it had a chance to fly. Even the Tupolev OKB, traditionally specializing in heavy bombers and airliners, developed the twin-engined Tu-128 - the world's largest interceptor - which was so huge that it was initially mistaken for a medium bomber.

As the Warsaw Pact disbands and the military information on Soviet material becomes more accessible, aviation professionals and enthusiasts are studying Russian topics more intensively than before. This volume seeks to act as a base for a broader study of Soviet rotary wing aviation.

The aeroplane grew up very quickly during World War I. From being a novelty flown by rich schoolboys it matured into an effective weapon in less than four years. With over 450 contemporary and many previously unpublished photographs, this is the story of the formation of the world's first independent air force, from the early years through to 1918.

Alexandr S. Yakovlev was one of the most versatile aircraft designers of his age, but he had the misfortune to work in the USSR which made him almost unknown to the outside world. In 1926-27 he built his first aeroplane and from then on he designed structures which were, time and again, ahead of their time. In 1934, he was offered a derelict bed factory which he shortly transformed into a major design and manufacturing plant. From those premises came, to mention just some, a spate of sporting and training aircraft which gained many world-class records: the chief family of Soviet single-seat fighters of World War II, the Yak-1, -3, -7 and -9 of which 36,769 were built.

The twin-engine Petlyakov Pe-2, or 'Peshka', formed the mainstay of the Soviet dive and light-bomber force in World War Two. Of advanced design, and sleek appearance, the twin-engine Pe-2 was an extremely fast and reliable aircraft. Aviation historian Peter C Smith tells the full story of this remarkable aircraft, and places it in the context of the Russian campaign, the success of which owed much to this reliable and very numerous machine. Using official sources, including the official Pe-2 handbook, and numerous color and black-and-white photographs from private sources, this deeply-researched book will be invaluable for the historian, enthusiast and modeler alike.

Arranged by designers, this second installment of a two-volume set includes the aircraft of such famous names as Ilyushin, Petlyakov, and Tupolev, as well as lesser-known types. In preparing this volume, the authors combed untapped archives in the Soviet Union to uncover a wealth of data that rewrites longheld Western beliefs.

Red Star vol.9
The book gives the full story of how the Soviet Union's most potent strategic bomber, the Tupolev Tu-160 (known to the Western world as the Blackjack) was designed, built and put into operational service. The author reveals many unknown aspects of the Tu-160 story, including the development tender in which many of the Soviet Union's top-class aircraft design companies participated.

Formed at the start of the "Cold War" era, the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) sprung out of the newly-created United States Air Force to serve the U.S. military throughout the world. From the Berlin Airlift to Vietnam, MATS crews and aircraft were found at every "hot spot," and MATS represented a golden era for the United States Air Force.
As well as the history of the service in general, Williams provides in-depth coverage of each type of aircraft operated. A superb selection of photographs in high quality, large-format reproduction accents the text.

Книга выдающегося русского ученого А. Л. Чижевского затрагивает широкий круг вопросов, связанных с влиянием солнечной активности на земные природные процессы: климатические, геофизические, биологические. Центральное место в книге занимают проблемы медицинской географии и эпидемиологии.