Soviet aircraft from the Great era Patriotic War is a topic that deserves special attention. After all, it was aviation that played a huge role in the victory over fascism. Without the winged helpers of the USSR army, it would have been many times more difficult to defeat the enemy. War birds significantly brought the cherished moment closer, which cost the lives of millions of Soviet citizens...And although at the very beginning of the war our forces lost more than nine hundred aircraft, by the middle of it, thanks to the dedicated work of designers, engineers and ordinary workers, domestic aviation was again at its best. So, what kind of steel birds carried victory to the Motherland on their wings?
MiG-3
At that time, this fighter, designed on the basis of the MiG-1, was considered the highest altitude and became a real threat to the German kites. He was able to climb 1200 meters, and it was here that he felt best, developing the highest speed (up to 600 kilometers per hour). But at an altitude of less than 4.5 km, the MiG-3 was significantly inferior to other fighters. The very first battle involving this aircraft model dates back to July 22, 1941. It took place over Moscow and was successful. The German plane was shot down. Throughout World War II, MiG-3 fighters guarded the skies over the capital of the Soviet Union.
The brainchild of the design bureau of Alexander Yakovlev, which in the 30s was engaged in the production of lightweight sports “birds”. Serial production of the first fighter began in 1940, and at the dawn of the war, Yak-1 aircraft took an active part in hostilities. And already in 1942, Soviet aviation received the Yak-9.
The fighter boasted excellent maneuverability, which made it the king of close combat situations at relatively low altitudes. Another feature of the model is its lightness, achieved by replacing wood with duralumin.
Over the 6 years of production, more than 17 thousand aircraft of this model rolled off the assembly line, and this allows us to call it the most popular among the “birds” of this type. The Yak-9 has gone through 22 modifications, having served as a fighter-bomber, a reconnaissance aircraft, a passenger aircraft, and a training aircraft. In the enemy camp, this machine received the nickname “killer,” which says a lot.
A fighter that became one of the most successful developments of the Lavochkin design bureau. The aircraft had a very simple design, which at the same time was amazingly reliable. The robust La-5 remained in service even after several direct hits. Its engine was not ultra-modern, but it was characterized by power. And the air cooling system made it much less vulnerable than liquid-cooled engines, widespread at that time.
La-5 proved to be an obedient, dynamic, maneuverable and high-speed machine. Soviet pilots loved him, but his enemies were terrified of him. This model became the first of the domestic aircraft of the Second World War period, which was not inferior to the German kites and could fight with them on equal terms. It was on La-5 that Alexey Meresyev accomplished his exploits. Also at the helm of one of the cars was Ivan Kozhedub.
The second name of this biplane is U-2. It was developed by the Soviet designer Nikolai Polikarpov back in the 20s, and then the model was considered a training model. But in the 40s, the Po-2 had to fight as a night bomber.
The Germans called Polikarpov’s brainchild “ sewing machine", thereby emphasizing his tirelessness and massive impact. Po-2 could reset more bombs than its heavy “colleagues”, since it lifted up to 350 kilograms of ammunition. The aircraft was also distinguished by the fact that it was capable of making several sorties in one night.
On Po-2 we fought with the enemy legendary pilots from the 46th Guards Taman Aviation Regiment. These 80 girls, a quarter of whom were awarded the title of Hero of the USSR, terrified the enemy. The Nazis nicknamed them “night witches.”
Polikarpov's biplane was produced at a plant in Kazan. Over the entire production period, 11 thousand aircraft rolled off the assembly line, which allowed the model to be considered the most popular among biplanes.
And this aircraft is the leader in the number of units produced in the entire history of combat aviation. 36 thousand cars took to the skies from the factory floors. The model was developed at Ilyushin Design Bureau. Production of the IL-2 began in 1940, and from the first days of the war the attack aircraft was in service.
The IL-2 was equipped with a powerful engine, the crew was protected armored glass, the “bird” fired rockets and was the main striking force domestic aviation. The attack aircraft simply shocked with its invincibility and durability. There were cases when planes returned from battle with traces of hundreds of hits and were able to fight further. This made the IL-2 a real legend among both Soviet soldiers and the Nazis. His enemies called him the “winged tank,” “the black death,” and “the plane made of concrete.”
IL-4
Another brainchild of the Ilyushin Design Bureau is the Il-4, considered the most attractive aircraft of the Second World War. His appearance immediately catches the eye and is etched in the memory. The model went down in history, first of all, due to the fact that it was the very first to bomb Berlin. Moreover, not in ’45, but in ’41, when the war was just beginning. The aircraft was quite popular among pilots, although it was not easy to operate.
The rarest “bird” in the sky during the Great Patriotic War. The Pe-8 was used rarely, but accurately. He was trusted to carry out the most complex tasks. Since the appearance of the plane was not familiar, it happened that it became a victim of its own air defenses, which mistook the car for an enemy one.
The Pe-8 developed a speed that was enormous for a bomber - up to 400 kilometers per hour. It was equipped with a giant tank, which allowed the “bird” to make the longest flights (for example, get from Moscow to Berlin and back without refueling). The Pe-8 dropped large-caliber bombs (maximum weight - 5 tons).
When the Nazis came close to Moscow, this powerful defender of the Motherland circled over the capitals of enemy states and rained fire on them from the sky. Another interesting fact about the Pe-8 is that USSR Foreign Minister Molotov flew it (only on the passenger version of the model) to the UK and the United States to meet with his colleagues.
It is thanks to the “magnificent seven players” presented above and, of course, other, lesser-known aircraft, soviet soldiers won over Nazi Germany and its allies not 10 years after the start of the war, but only 4 years later. The strengthened aviation became the main trump card of our soldiers, and did not allow the enemy to relax. And considering that all the aircraft were developed and produced in conditions of cold, hunger and deprivation, their mission and the role of the creators looks especially heroic!
After the invention of the first aircraft and structures, they began to be used for military purposes. This is how it appeared combat aviation, becoming the main part of the armed forces of all countries of the world. This article describes the most popular and effective soviet planes who made their special contribution to the victory over the fascist invaders.
The tragedy of the first days of the war
IL-2 became the first model new scheme aircraft design. Ilyushin’s design bureau realized that this approach noticeably worsened the design and made it heavier. The new design approach provided new opportunities for more rational use aircraft mass. This is how the Ilyushin-2 appeared - an aircraft that, due to its particularly strong armor, earned the nickname “flying tank”.
IL-2 created an incredible number of problems for the Germans. The aircraft was initially used as a fighter, but did not prove particularly effective in this role. Weak maneuverability and speed did not give the IL-2 the opportunity to fight fast and destructive German fighters. Moreover, the weak rear protection allowed the Il-2 to be attacked by German fighters from behind.
The developers also experienced problems with the aircraft. During the entire period of the Great Domestic weapons The IL-2 was constantly changing, and a seat for a co-pilot was also equipped. This threatened that the plane could become completely uncontrollable.
But all these efforts yielded the desired result. The original 20mm cannons were replaced with large-caliber 37mm ones. With such powerful weapons, the attack aircraft became feared by almost all types of ground troops, from infantry to tanks and armored vehicles.
According to some recollections of pilots who fought on the Il-2, firing from the guns of the attack aircraft led to the fact that the plane literally hung in the air from strong recoil. In the event of an attack by enemy fighters, the tail gunner covered the unprotected part of the Il-2. Thus, the attack aircraft actually became a flying fortress. This thesis is confirmed by the fact that the attack aircraft took several bombs on board.
All these qualities were a great success, and the Ilyushin-2 became simply an indispensable aircraft in any battle. It became not only a legendary attack aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, but also broke production records: in total, about 40 thousand copies were produced during the war. Thus, Soviet-era aircraft could compete with the Luftwaffe in all respects.
Bombers
Bomber, with tactical point vision, an indispensable part of combat aviation in any battle. Perhaps the most recognizable Soviet bomber of the Great Patriotic War is the Pe-2. It was developed as a tactical super-heavy fighter, but over time it was transformed into a dangerous dive bomber.
It should be noted that Soviet bomber-class aircraft made their debut precisely during the Great Patriotic War. The appearance of bombers was determined by many factors, but the main one was the development of the air defense system. Special tactics for using bombers were immediately developed, which involved approaching the target at high altitude, sharply descending to the bomb-dropping altitude, and an equally abrupt departure into the sky. This tactic yielded results.
Pe-2 and Tu-2
A dive bomber drops its bombs without following a horizontal line. He literally falls on his target and drops the bomb only when there are only 200 meters left to the target. The consequence of this tactical move is impeccable accuracy. But, as you know, an aircraft at low altitude can be hit by anti-aircraft guns, and this could not but affect the design system of bombers.
Thus, it turned out that the bomber had to combine the incompatible. It should be as compact and maneuverable as possible, and at the same time carry heavy ammunition. In addition, the design of the bomber was assumed to be durable, capable of withstanding impact. anti-aircraft gun. Therefore, the Pe-2 aircraft suited this role very well.
The Pe-2 bomber complemented the Tu-2, which was very similar in parameters. It was a twin-engine dive bomber, which was used according to the tactics described above. The problem with this aircraft was the insignificant orders of the model at aircraft factories. But by the end of the war the problem was corrected, the Tu-2 was even modernized and successfully used in battle.
Tu-2 performed a wide variety of combat missions. It served as an attack aircraft, bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, torpedo bomber and interceptor.
IL-4
The Il-4 tactical bomber rightly earned the title of the most beautiful aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, making it difficult to confuse it with any other aircraft. The Ilyushin-4, despite its complicated controls, was popular in the Air Force; the aircraft was even used as a torpedo bomber.
The IL-4 is entrenched in history as the aircraft that carried out the first bombing of the capital of the Third Reich - Berlin. And this happened not in May 1945, but in the fall of 1941. But the bombing did not last long. In winter, the front shifted far to the East, and Berlin became out of reach of Soviet dive bombers.
Pe-8
During the war years, the Pe-8 bomber was so rare and unrecognizable that it was sometimes even attacked by its own air defenses. However, it was he who performed the most difficult combat missions.
Although the long-range bomber was produced back in the late 1930s, it was the only aircraft of its class in the USSR. The Pe-8 had the highest speed (400 km/h), and the fuel supply in the tank made it possible to carry bombs not only to Berlin, but also to return back. The aircraft was equipped with the largest caliber bombs, up to the five-ton FAB-5000. It was the Pe-8 that bombed Helsinki, Koenigsberg, and Berlin at a time when the front line was in the Moscow area. Because of its operating range, the Pe-8 was called strategic bomber, and in those years this class of aircraft was just being developed. All Soviet aircraft of World War II belonged to the class of fighters, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft or transport aircraft, but not to strategic aviation, only the Pe-8 was a kind of exception to the rule.
One of the most important operations performed by the Pe-8 was the transportation of V. Molotov to the USA and Great Britain. The flight took place in the spring of 1942 along a route that passed through Nazi-occupied territories. Molotov traveled on the passenger version of the Pe-8. Only a few such aircraft were developed.
Today, thanks to technological progress, tens of thousands of passengers are transported every day. But in those distant war days, every flight was a feat, both for pilots and passengers. There was always a high probability of being shot down, and a downed Soviet plane meant the loss of not only valuable lives, but also great damage to the state, which was very difficult to compensate.
Completing short review, which describes the most popular Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, it is worth mentioning the fact that all development, construction and air combat took place in conditions of cold, hunger and lack of personnel. However, each new machine was an important step in the development of world aviation. The names of Ilyushin, Yakovlev, Lavochkin, Tupolev will forever remain in military history. And not only the heads of design bureaus, but also ordinary engineers and ordinary workers made a huge contribution to the development of Soviet aviation.
Many countries entered World War II with obsolete types combat aircraft. This applies, first of all, to the countries of the anti-fascist coalition, while the Axis countries, which were the first to begin active operations (Germany, Japan), rearmed their aircraft in advance. The qualitative superiority of Axis aviation, which managed to gain air supremacy, over the aviation of the Western powers and the USSR largely explains the successes of the Germans and Japanese in the initial stages of World War II.
TB is short for “heavy bomber”. It was created in the design bureau of A.N. Tupolev back in 1930. Equipped with four piston engines, the aircraft reached a maximum speed of less than 200 km/h. The service ceiling was less than 4 km. Although the plane was armed with several (from 4 to 8) 7.62 mm machine guns, with its tactical and technical characteristics(TTX) it was easy prey for fighters and could only be used with strong fighter cover or against an enemy who was not expecting an attack. TB-3 at low speed and flight altitude and huge sizes was a convenient target for anti-aircraft artillery, including at night, as it was well illuminated by spotlights. In fact, it became obsolete almost immediately after its adoption. This was shown by the Sino-Japanese War that began in 1937, where TB-3s fought on the Chinese side (some with Soviet crews).
Also in 1937, production of the TB-3 ceased, and in 1939 it was officially withdrawn from service with bomber squadrons. However, it combat use continued. So, on the first day of the Soviet-Finnish war, they bombed Helsinki and achieved success there, since the Finns did not expect an attack. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, more than 500 TB-3s remained in service. Due to the huge losses of Soviet aviation in the first weeks of the war, ineffective attempts were made to use the TB-3 as a night bomber. Due to the commissioning of more advanced aircraft, by the end of 1941 the TB-3 was completely re-qualified as a military transport aircraft.
Or ANT-40 (SB - high-speed bomber). This twin-engine monoplane was also developed at the Tupolev bureau. By the time it was put into service in 1936, it was one of the best front-line bombers in the world according to their performance characteristics. This was shown by the civil war that soon began in Spain. In October 1936, the USSR delivered the first 31 SB-2s to the Spanish Republic, a total of 1936-1938. 70 of these machines arrived. The combat qualities of the SB-2 turned out to be quite high, although their intensive combat use led to the fact that by the time of the defeat of the Republic, only 19 of these aircraft survived. Their engines turned out to be especially unreliable, so the Francoists converted the captured SB-2s with French engines and used them in this form as training ones until 1951. SB-2 also performed well in the skies of China until 1942, although they could only be used under fighter cover - without it they became easy prey for Japanese Zero fighters. Enemies acquired more advanced fighters, and the SB-2 became completely obsolete by the early 40s.
By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the SB-2 was the main aircraft of the Soviet bomber aviation - it accounted for 90% of the aircraft of this class. On the very first day of the war they suffered heavy losses at the airfields. Their combat use usually ended tragically. So, on June 22, 1941, 18 SB-2s attempted to strike at German crossings across the Western Bug. All 18 were shot down. On June 30, 14 SB-2s, together with a group of other aircraft, attacked German mechanized columns while crossing the Western Dvina. 11 SB-2s lost. The next day, when attempting to repeat the attack in the same area, all nine SB-2s participating in it were shot down by German fighters. These failures forced the production of the SB-2 to cease that same summer, and the remaining such vehicles to be used as night bombers. The effectiveness of their bombing was low. However, SB-2s continued to be in service until 1943.
Aircraft designed by N.N. The Polikarpov was the main fighter of the Soviet Air Force in the first year of the war. In total, about 10 thousand of these machines were produced, almost all of which were destroyed or crashed before the end of 1942. The I-16 had many advantages that emerged during the war in Spain. So, it had a retractable landing gear and was armed with automatic 20-mm aircraft cannons. But the maximum speed of 470 km/h was clearly insufficient to fight enemy fighters in 1941. I-16s suffered heavy losses already in the skies of China from Japanese fighters in 1937-1941. The main drawback was poor handling. The I-16 was deliberately made dynamically unstable, since it was mistakenly assumed that this quality would make it difficult for the enemy to fire on it. This, first of all, made it difficult for him to control his pilots and made targeted maneuvering in battle impossible. The plane often went into a tailspin and crashed. Explicit combat superiority German Me-109s and the high accident rate forced the I-16 to be removed from production in 1942.
French fighter Morane-Saulnier MS.406
The backwardness of the I-16 is clearly visible when compared with the MS.406, which formed the basis of the French fighter aircraft by the beginning of the Second World War, but was already noticeably inferior in its German performance characteristics Me-109. It reached speeds of up to 480 km/h and was a first-class aircraft when it entered service in 1935. His superiority over Soviet cars the same class affected Finland in the winter of 1939/40, where, piloted by Finnish pilots, they shot down 16 Soviet aircraft, losing only one of their own. But in May-June 1940, in the skies over Belgium and France in battles with German aircraft, the ratio of losses turned out to be the opposite: 3:1 more for the French.
Italian fighter Fiat CR.32
Italy, unlike the major Axis powers, did little to modernize its air force by the start of World War II. The most popular fighter remained the Fiat CR.32 biplane, which was put into service in 1935. For the war with Ethiopia, which did not have aviation, its combat qualities were brilliant; for the civil war in Spain, where the CR.32 fought for the Francoists, it seemed satisfactory. In the summer of 1940 air battles not only with the English Hurricanes, but also with the already mentioned French MS.406, the slow-moving and poorly armed CR.32 were absolutely helpless. Already in January 1941 it had to be removed from service.
At the end of the 30s, a powerful research and production base was created in the USSR, capable of designing and producing a large number of machines of different types. In 1940, 40% of the Soviet military budget was spent on aviation, and total number aircraft factories increased by 75%. As a result, in June 1941 the production base was one and a half times larger than the German one.
Before the war, of the total number of combat aircraft, 53.4% were fighters, 41.2% were bombers, 3.2% were reconnaissance aircraft and 0.2% were attack aircraft. About 80% of all aircraft were older types (I-15, I-16, SB, TB-3, DB-3 and R-5). With the advent of new aircraft at the beginning of 1941, the total number of machine types was 27, of which 7 were modernized versions (there were 86 bomb types). All this variety of types complicated the supply and complicated the organization and use of air units.
A large documentary series tells about most types and individual aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, I recommend it!
Soviet military donkeys
“Ishak” or affectionately “Ishachek” is nothing more than the most popular fighter of the pre-war era, the I-16. Either the I-16 is consonant with the word “Donkey”, or the character of this aircraft turned out to be very similar to the behavior of this artiodactyl creature, but Soviet aviation owes its first victories to this creation of the king of fighters, Polikarpov. This film describes in detail the fate of this aircraft, as well as the history of other aircraft of this designer (R-5, I-15, I-153, etc.)
Soviet dive bombers
This popular science film tells about Pe-2 - "Pawn". The Pe-2 was the most popular front-line dive bomber produced in the USSR. In small bomber aircraft this type of weapon was the most effective. Production of the Pe-2 ceased in the winter of 1945-1946. More of these machines were built than any other Soviet bomber. After the end of the war, the Pe-2 was quickly removed from service with Soviet aviation and replaced by the more advanced Tu-2. We will also tell you about the Tu-2, as a worthy replacement for the Pawn, in this film.
Soviet training and multi-role aircraft
This film tells about the training, transport and multi-purpose aircraft of the USSR in the thirties and forties. You will learn about the R-5 reconnaissance aircraft, the U-2L training aircraft, the Li-2 and Shche-2 transporter-bombers, as well as about the simplest and safest, but which terrified the brave soldiers of the Wehrmacht, the U-2 (Po-2) multipurpose aircraft ).
Bombers DB and SB
The DB-3 and SB bombers compared the main fleet of bomber aircraft at the first stage of the Great Patriotic War. SB bombers took an active part in combat operations in Spain (from the fall of 1936) and China (from the fall of 1937). For the first time in the history of aviation, a bomber aircraft surpassed fighters in speed. Serial production of SB continued until 1941 inclusive. SBs were actively used in the battles of the Great Patriotic War, at the beginning of which they were the main force of the domestic front-line bomber aviation. DB-3 or IL-4 bombers were successfully used from the beginning to the end of the Second World War. Only appearance nuclear weapons and new strategic doctrines forced the production of these very successful machines to cease.
MIG and LA
This popular science film talks about the main Soviet fighters Second World War. These machines replaced the obsolete pre-war fighters I-16 and I-153. Their prototypes even before the war they were superior to German developments, but real superiority began to show itself only in the second half of the Great Patriotic War. They easily surpassed all enemy counterparts, and were also not inferior to allied vehicles.
Soviet attack aircraft
This film tells the story of the deadliest part of the Soviet Air Force of World War II - the attack aircraft. This story will consist mainly of the Il-2 (“Flying Tank” - that’s what our designers called it) and its modifications. German pilots called it the “Concrete Airplane” for its ability to withstand damage. The aircraft earned several unpleasant nicknames from the Wehrmacht ground forces, such as “Butcher”, “Meat Grinder”, “Iron Gustav” and “Black Death”. The film will also describe the further development of the Il-2 attack aircraft, the Il-8 and Il-10 aircraft. The film examines the aircraft that, according to the designers' plans, was to form the basis of a fifteen thousand air anti-tank army - the Pegasus aircraft.
Yak fighters
During the Great Patriotic War, the Yakovlev Design Bureau worked with unusual tension, normal for that difficult time. The most successful Soviet fighters were created with enormous effort. "Yaks" were produced at 15 factories. Up to 38 cars rolled off the assembly lines every day. The fleet of these beautiful celestial predators accounted for two-thirds of all Soviet fighter aircraft. The words “Yak” and “Fighter” have become synonymous. This film tells the history of the creation and features of these wonderful machines.
A comparison between the Air Force and the Luftwaffe on June 22 cannot be made based simply on the number of vehicles, which would imply a more than two-fold superiority of the Air Force. It is necessary to take into account the lack of crews and the non-combat capability of some aircraft. Most important was German superiority in aircraft quality and crew training. German aircraft were superior to ours in terms of flight performance and firepower. The extensive, almost two-year combat experience of German pilots predetermined most aerial duels. The qualitative superiority of the Germans was complemented by organizational advantages. While Soviet aviation units were dispersed among military districts, armies and military units, and could not be used in a concentrated manner as one whole, german planes were consolidated into air fleets, each of which consisted of up to 1000 aircraft. As a result, the Air Force acted fragmented, and the Luftwaffe concentrated to strike key sectors and at the most important moment.
As of December 31, 1941, combat losses of the Red Army Air Force amounted to 21,200 aircraft.
Recognizing the courage and valor of the Soviet pilots of that time, admiring their feat and self-sacrifice, one cannot help but recognize the fact that the USSR managed to revive its Air Force after the disaster of 1941 solely due to its enormous human resources, the relocation of almost the entire aviation industry to areas inaccessible to German aviation and the fact that in the first months of the war the Air Force lost mainly equipment, and not flight and technical personnel. It was they who became the basis of the revived Air Force.
In 1941, the Soviet aviation industry transferred 7081 fighters to the front, and the Allies supplied 730 fighters. On January 1, 1942, the Red Army Air Force had 12,000 aircraft in service. of which 5,400 are combat.
In the first half of 1942, fighter aviation included the following types of domestically produced aircraft: I-153 (18% of total number), I-16 (28%), MiG-3 (23.9%), LaGG-3 (11.5%), Yak-1 (9.2%).
Beginning in January 1942, aircraft production increased steadily. If in the first quarter the average monthly production of combat aircraft was 1,100 aircraft, then in the second quarter it was 1,700. In total, 9,744 aircraft were produced in the first half of the year, of which 8,268 were combat aircraft. The production of aircraft in the second half of the year was as follows: July - 2224 (total)/1835 (combat), August - 2492/2098, September - 2672/2286, October - 2839/2462, November -2634/2268, December - 2831/2464 .
During 1942, the Soviet aviation industry produced 9,918 fighters, and the German - 5,515. In 1942, as part of Lend-Lease, the Allies supplied 1,815 fighters to the Soviet Air Force.
In 1943, as part of Lend-Lease, the Allies delivered 4,569 fighters, and the Soviet aircraft industry transferred 14,627 fighters to the front.
On January 1, 1942, the Soviet Air Force had 12,000 aircraft, including 5,400 in the active army, on January 1, 1943 - 21,900/12,300, on January 1, 1944 - 32,500/13,400.
At the end of 1944, the Air Force had 16 air armies, which included 37 air corps and 170 air divisions (63 fighter, 50 attack, 55 bomber and 2 mixed). In total, during the war years, 18 air armies were created in the USSR. In 1945, there were 15 air armies within the Red Army Air Force, of which three (9, 10 and 12th) were located in the Far East, and the 7th air force- in the Reserve Headquarters of the Supreme High Command.
According to Soviet data, as of January 1, 1944, there were 10,200 (of which 8,500 were so-called new types) combat aircraft in the active army, on July 1, 1944 - 12,900 (11,800), on January 1, 1945 - 14,700 (14,500) . At the beginning of 1945 Soviet Union had 22,600 combat aircraft.
On May 9, 1945, the USSR had 47,300 combat aircraft, including 9,700 bombers, 10,100 attack aircraft, and 27,500 fighters.
According to Soviet data, in 1945, combat losses of Soviet aviation (over four months of the war) amounted to 4,100 combat aircraft, so the average monthly losses were 1,025 aircraft.
On the eve of the war, various modifications were continuously carried out on new type combat aircraft to eliminate identified design, production and operational shortcomings and defects. Therefore, it was difficult to prepare these aircraft for carrying out urgently needed tests - operational tests and tests for their combat use, during which cases of emergency accidents would be excluded.
World War II was a war in which the air force played a key role in the fighting. Before this, aircraft could influence the results of one battle, but not the course of the entire war. A huge breakthrough in the field of aerospace engineering has led to the fact that air front became an important part of the war effort. Because it had great value, opposing nations constantly sought to develop new aircraft to defeat the enemy. Today we will talk about ten unusual aircraft from the Second World War that you may not have even heard of.1. Kokusai Ki-105
In 1942, during the fighting in the Pacific, Japan realized that it needed large aircraft that could carry the provisions and ammunition needed to wage maneuver warfare against the Allied forces. At the request of the government, the Japanese company Kokusai developed the Ku-7 aircraft. This huge double-boom glider was large enough to carry light tanks. The Ku-7 was considered one of the heaviest gliders developed during World War II. When it became clear that the fighting in the Pacific was protracted, Japanese military leaders decided to focus on the production of fighters and bombers instead of transport aircraft. Work on improving the Ku-7 continued, but progressed at a slow pace.
In 1944, the Japanese war effort began to collapse. Not only were they quickly losing ground to the rapidly advancing Allied forces, but they were also faced with a fuel crisis. Most of Japan's oil production facilities were either captured or were experiencing material shortages, so the military was forced to start looking for alternatives. At first they planned to use pine nuts to produce a petroleum substitute. Unfortunately, the process dragged on and led to massive deforestation. When this plan failed miserably, the Japanese decided to supply fuel from Sumatra. The only way to do this was to use the long-forgotten Ku-7 aircraft. Kokusai installed two engines and expansion tanks on the airframe, essentially creating a flying fuel tank for the Ki-105.
The plan initially had a lot of flaws. Firstly, to get to Sumatra, the Ki-105 needed to use up all its fuel reserves. Secondly, the Ki-105 aircraft could not transport unrefined crude oil, so the fuel had to first be extracted and processed at an oil field. (The Ki-105 only ran on purified fuel.) Thirdly, the Ki-105 would have consumed 80% of its fuel during the return flight, leaving nothing left for military needs. Fourth, the Ki-105 was slow and unmaneuverable, making it easy prey for Allied fighters. Fortunately for Japanese pilots, the war ended and the program to use the Ki-105 aircraft was closed.
2. Henschel Hs-132
At the start of World War II, Allied forces were terrorized by the infamous Ju-87 Stuka dive bomber. The Ju-87 Stuka dropped its bombs with incredible accuracy, causing huge losses. However, as Allied aircraft reached higher standards of performance, the Ju-87 Stuka proved unable to compete with the fast and maneuverable enemy fighters. Unwilling to abandon the idea of picket bombers, the German air command ordered the creation of a new jet aircraft.
The design of the bomber proposed by Henschel was quite simple. Henschel engineers managed to create an aircraft that was incredibly fast, especially when diving. Due to the emphasis on speed and dive performance, the Hs-132 model had a number of unusual features. The jet engine was located on top of the aircraft. This, along with the narrow fuselage, required the pilot to take a rather strange position while flying the bomber. Hs-132 pilots had to lie on their stomachs and look into the small glass nose to see where to fly.
The prone position helped the pilot counteract the forces that created g-forces, especially when he was rapidly climbing to avoid hitting the ground. Unlike most of the German experimental aircraft produced at the end of the war, the Hs-132 could have caused a lot of problems for the Allies if it had been produced in large numbers. Fortunately for ground forces allies, soviet soldiers captured the Henschel plant before the construction of prototypes was completed.
3. Blohm & Voss Bv 40
Efforts played a key role in the Allied victory Air Force USA and UK Bomber Command. The air forces of these two countries carried out countless raids on German troops, essentially depriving them of the ability to wage war. By 1944, Allied planes were bombing German factories and cities almost unopposed. Faced with a significant decline in the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe (Hitler's German air force), German aircraft manufacturers began to come up with ways to counter enemy air attacks. One of them was the creation of the Bv 40 aircraft (the creation of the mind of the famous engineer Richard Vogt). The Bv 40 is the only known glider fighter.
Given the declining technical and material capabilities of the German aircraft industry, Vogt designed the airframe as simple as possible. It was made of metal (cabin) and wood (rest). Despite the fact that the Bv 40 could be built even by a person without special skills or education, Vogt wanted to make sure that the glider would not be so easy to shoot down. Since it did not need an engine, its fuselage was very narrow. Due to the recumbent position of the pilot, the front part of the glider was significantly trimmed. Vogt hoped that the high speed and small size of the glider would make it invulnerable.
The Bv 40 was lifted into the air by two Bf 109 fighters. Once at the appropriate altitude, the towing aircraft “released” the glider. After this, the Bf 109 pilots began their attack, which was later joined by the Bv 40. To achieve the speed necessary to carry out an effective attack, the glider had to dive at an angle of 20 degrees. Given this, the pilot had only a few seconds to open fire on the target. The Bv 40 was equipped with two thirty-millimeter cannons. Despite successful tests, for some reason the glider was not accepted for service. The German command decided to focus its efforts on creating interceptors with a turbojet engine.
4. Rotabuggy by Raoul Hafner
One of the challenges military commanders faced during World War II was getting military equipment to the front lines. To address this issue, countries have experimented with different ideas. British aerospace engineer Raoul Hafner had the crazy idea to equip everything vehicles helicopter propellers.
Hafner had many ideas on how to increase the mobility of British troops. One of his first projects was the Rotachute, a small gyroplane (a type of aircraft) that could be dropped from a transport aircraft with one soldier inside. This was an attempt to replace parachutes during an airborne landing. When Hafner's idea didn't take root, he took on two other projects - Rotabuggy and Rotatank. The Rotabuggy gyroplane was eventually built and tested.
Before attaching the rotor to the Jeep, Hafner first decided to test what would be left behind when the vehicle was dropped. To this end, he loaded the jeep with concrete objects and dropped it from a height of 2.4 meters. The test car (it was a Bentley) was successful, after which Hafner developed a rotor and tail to make it look like a gyrocopter.
The British Air Force became interested in Hafner's project and conducted the first test flight of the Rotabuggy, which ended in failure. The gyroplane could theoretically fly, but it was extremely difficult to control. Hafner's project failed.
5. Boeing YB-40
When the German bombing campaigns began, Allied bomber crews faced a fairly strong and well-trained enemy in the form of Luftwaffe pilots. The problem was further aggravated by the fact that neither the British nor the Americans had effective escort fighters for long-range combat. Under such conditions, their bombers suffered defeat after defeat. British Bomber Command ordered night bombing while the Americans continued daylight raids and suffered heavy losses. Finally, a way out of the situation was found. This was the creation of the YB-40 escort fighter, which was a modified B-17 model equipped with an incredible number of machine guns.
To create the YB-40, the US Air Force entered into a contract with the Vega Corporation. The modified B-17s had two additional turrets and dual machine guns, which allowed the YB-40 to defend against frontal attacks.
Unfortunately, all these changes significantly increased the weight of the aircraft, which caused problems during the first test flights. In combat, the YB-40 was much slower than the rest of the B-17 series of bombers. Due to these significant shortcomings further work work on the YB-40 project was completely abandoned.
6. Interstate TDR
Use of drones aircraft for various purposes, sometimes extremely contradictory, is a hallmark of military conflicts of the 21st century. Although drones are generally considered a new invention, they have been used since World War II. While the Luftwaffe command was investing in the creation of unmanned guided missiles The United States of America was the first to field remotely piloted aircraft. The US Navy has invested in two drone projects. The second ended with the successful birth of the “flying torpedo” TDR.
The idea to create unmanned aerial vehicles dates back to 1936, but was not realized until the Second World War began. Engineers from the American television company RCA developed a compact device for receiving and transmitting information, which made it possible to control TDR using a television transmitter. US Navy leaders believed that precision weapons would be critical in stopping Japanese shipping, so they ordered the development of an unmanned aerial vehicle. In an effort to reduce the use of strategic materials in the production of the flying bomb, the TDR was built primarily from wood and had a simple design.
The TDR was initially launched from the ground by the control crew. When it reached the required height, it was taken under control of a specially modified TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bomber, which, keeping a certain distance from the TDR, directed it to the target. One Avenger squadron flew 50 missions using the TDR, flying 30 successful strikes on the enemy. Japanese troops were shocked by the actions of the Americans, as they appeared to resort to kamikaze tactics.
Despite the success of the strikes, the US Navy has become disillusioned with the idea of unmanned aerial vehicles. By 1944, Allied forces had virtually complete air superiority in the Pacific theater, and the need to use complex experimental weapons was no longer necessary.
7. Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster
At the height of World War II, the famous American aircraft manufacturer Douglas decided to begin developing a revolutionary bomber aircraft to bridge the gap between light and high-altitude heavy bombers. Douglas focused its efforts on developing the XB-42, a high-speed bomber capable of outrunning Luftwaffe interceptors. If Douglas engineers had managed to make the plane fast enough, they could have devoted more of the fuselage to bomb load, reducing the significant number of defensive machine guns that were present on almost all heavy bombers.
The XB-42 was equipped with two engines, which were located inside the fuselage rather than on the wings, and a pair of propellers rotating in different directions. Given the fact that speed was a priority, the XB-42 bomber could accommodate a crew of three. The pilot and his assistant were inside separate "bubble" canopies located next to each other. The bombardier was located in the nose of the XB-42. Defensive weapons were reduced to a minimum. The XB-42 had two remotely controlled defensive turrets. All the innovation paid off. The XB-42 was capable of speeds of up to 660 kilometers per hour and could carry bombs weighing a total of 3,600 kilograms.
The XB-42 made an excellent advanced bomber, but by the time it was ready for mass production, the war was already over. The XB-42 project fell victim to the changing desires of the US Air Force command; it was rejected, after which the Douglas company began creating a jet-powered bomber. The XB-43 Jetmaster was successful, but did not attract the attention of the United States Air Force. However, it became the first American jet bomber, paving the way for other aircraft of its kind.
The original XB-42 bomber is stored National Museum aviation and astronautics and is currently awaiting its turn for restoration. During transport, his wings mysteriously disappeared and were never seen again.
8. General Aircraft G.A.L. 38 Fleet Shadower
Before the advent of electronics and precision weapons, aircraft were designed in accordance with a specific combat mission. During World War II, this need led to a number of absurdly specialized aircraft, including the General Aircraft G.A.L. 38 Fleet Shadower.
At the outbreak of World War II, Great Britain faced a threat from the enormous German navy (Kriegsmarine). German ships blocked British waterways and interfered with logistics. Because the ocean is large, it was extremely difficult to scout out the positions of enemy ships, especially before the advent of radar. To be able to track the location of Kriegsmarine ships, the Admiralty needed observation aircraft that could fly at night at low speed and high altitude, reconnaissance of enemy fleet positions and reporting on them by radio. Two companies - Airspeed and General Aircraft - simultaneously invented two almost identical aircraft. However, the General Aircraft model turned out to be stranger.
Airplane G.A.L. 38 was formally a biplane, despite the fact that it had four wings, and the length of the lower pair was three times less than the upper one. The crew of G.A.L. 38 consisted of three people - a pilot, an observer, who was located in the glazed nose, and a radio operator, located in the rear fuselage. Since planes move much faster than battleships, G.A.L. The 38 was designed to fly slowly.
Like most dedicated aircraft, the G.A.L. 38 eventually became unnecessary. With the invention of radar, the Admiralty decided to focus on patrol bombers (such as the Liberator and Sunderland).
9. Messerschmitt Me-328
The Me-328 was never accepted into service because the Luftwaffe and Messerschmitt could not decide on the functions it was supposed to perform. The Me-328 was a conventional small fighter. The Messerschmitt company presented three Me-328 models at once. The first was a small, unpowered fighter glider, the second was powered by pulse jet engines, and the third was powered by conventional jet engines. They all had a similar fuselage and a simple wooden structure.
However, as Germany desperately tried to find a way to turn the tide of the air war, Messerschmitt offered several models of the Me-328. Hitler approved the Me-328 bomber, which had four pulse-jet engines, but it was never put into production.
The Caproni Campini N.1 looks and sounds a lot like a jet plane, but in reality it is not one. This experimental aircraft was designed to bring Italy one step closer to the jet age. By 1940, Germany had already developed the world's first jet aircraft, but kept this project a closely guarded secret. For this reason, Italy was mistakenly considered the country that developed the world's first jet turbine engine.
While the Germans and British experimented with the gas turbine engine, which helped birth the first real jet plane, the Italian engineer Secondo Campini decided to create a “motor-compressor air-breathing engine” (eng. motorjet), which was installed in the forward part of the fuselage. According to the principle of operation, it was very different from a real gas turbine engine.
It is curious that the Caproni Campini N.1 aircraft had a small space at the end of the engine (something like an afterburner) where the fuel combustion process took place. The N.1 engine was similar to a jet front and rear parts, but in other respects was fundamentally different from him.
Although the engine design of the Caproni Campini N.1 aircraft was innovative, its performance was not particularly impressive. N.1 was huge, bulky and unmaneuverable. The large size of the “motor-compressor air-breathing engine” turned out to be a limiting factor for combat aircraft.
Due to its massiveness and the shortcomings of the “motor-compressor air-breathing engine,” the N.1 aircraft developed a speed of no more than 375 kilometers per hour, much less than modern fighters and bombers. During the first long-range test flight, the N.1 afterburner “ate” too much fuel. For this reason, the project was closed.
All these failures did not instill confidence in the Italian commanders, who by 1942 had more serious problems (such as the need to defend their homeland) than useless investments in dubious concepts. With the outbreak of World War II, testing of the Caproni Campini N.1 ceased completely and the aircraft was put into storage.
The Soviet Union also experimented with a similar concept, but jet-powered aircraft were never put into mass production.
Either way, the N.1 prototype survived World War II and is now a museum piece showcasing an interesting technology that unfortunately turned out to be a dead end.
The material was prepared by Rosemarina - based on an article from listverse.com
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