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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Though the Swedish aircraft industry can be traced back to the years before World War I, it was the establishment of Saab in 1937 which laid the foundations for a Swedish industry capable of producing world-standard aeroplanes which in some cases were in advance of those designed elsewhere. The Saab 17 single-engined and the Saab 18 twin-engined bombers were the company's first products. But it was the appearance of the Draken and Viggen which established Saab's reputation for producing world-class aeroplanes. This book covers the history and technology of the airplanes that made Sweden a world leader in the industry. Includes 280 photos.

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.

Until the break-up of the USSR, the development of Soviet aviation was kept secret, and it is only in recent years that authors have been able to gain access to so much previously unpublished material. Bill Gunston has taken full advantage of the new openness and this, along with his connections at Tupolev, has resulted in a history of Tupolev aircraft, from the ANT-1 to the Tu-2000. In the early years, Tupolev followed Junker's methods and built a range of metal aeroplanes with corrugated sheet skins. Among these was a range of four-engined heavy bombers, the ANT-9 twin- and three-engined airliners, the very long-range single-engined ANT-25 which made non-stop flights from the USSR to the West coast of North American and the very large eight-engined "Maxim Gorky". The range of twin-engined SB wartime bombers were of Tupolev design. After the war, Tupolev produced the successful Tu-16 series twin-jet and the Tu-20 (Tu-95) four propeller-turbine military types, to be followed by the supersonic Tu-22 jet bomber. Tupolev also pioneered the jet airliner, beginning with the Tu-104 which was followed by the Tu-124, Tu-134, Tu-154. Not so successful was Tupolev's Tu-144, the first supersonic aeroplane to fly. Amongst the latest products is the Tu-204 airliner with Rolls-Royce engines. The author describes all the Tupolev types and many of the projects in detail, employing the Putnam format.

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.

Red Star vol.36
The Yakovlev Yak-38 Forger was the Soviet Navy's first and only VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) multi-role combat aircraft. Outwardly similar in design to the British-built Harrier, the first prototype of the aircraft was completed on April 14, 1970, and it made its maiden flight January 15, 1971. Before production ceased, 231 aircraft were built, including 38 two-seat trainers. The aircraft suffered from severe payload restrictions, particularly when operating in hot environments, such as the Indian Ocean. Following the break up of the Soviet Union, the Yak-38 saw service with the Russian Federation and Ukraine air forces, although all have been withdrawn from service.

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.

This book is about the interiors of Japanese Army and Navy aircraft flown during the Second World War. It is a detailed survey covering crew stations, instrumentation and other equipment commonly associated within the interior of military aircraft. For quick reference, each aircraft discussed is shown by at least one external overall photograph. Interior colors are also shown and discussed. This is the only English language book of its type in-print today. Fighters, night fighters, jet and rocket special attack aircraft, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and seaplanes of the Imperial Army and Navy are fully covered.

Red Star vol.1
Conceived in the early 1980s to ease the threat posed by the American ATF program, these fighters were developed as the Soviet Union's fifth-generation fighters. This book gives a detailed account of how Russia's two leading fighter aircraft designers competed for the order and how a third contender never made it to the hardware stage. It deals with the way these aircraft were conceived, designed, built, and flown.

The book tells the story of one of the most famous aircraft companies during the WWI. From the Fokker Spinne of 1912, through to the Fokker D.VIII of 1918 and taking in such famous types as the Eindecker, D.VII and Dr.I triplane in between, Paul Leaman describes the aircraft as well as the men who flew and designed them. He also covers the quality problems that plagued the company and the use of the aircraft in combat.

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.

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.

Red Star vol.4
This charts the development and service history of the first-generation Soviet jet fighters designed by such renowned fighter makers as Mikoyan, Yakovlev and Sukhoi, as well as design bureau no longer in existence--the Lavochkin and Alekseyev OKBs, during the 1940s and early 1950s. Each type is detailed and compared to other contemporary jet fighters. As ever the extensive photo coverage includes much which is previously unseen.