1. Illegitimate German
Willy Messerschmitt was at loggerheads with the Secretary of State of the German Aviation Ministry, General Erhard Milch. Therefore, the designer was not allowed to participate in the competition for the development of a promising fighter, which was supposed to replace the outdated Henkel biplane - He-51.
Messerschmitt, in order to prevent the bankruptcy of his company, in 1934 entered into an agreement with Romania to create new car. For which he was immediately accused of treason. The Gestapo got down to business. After the intervention of Rudolf Hess, Messerschmitt was still allowed to participate in the competition.
The designer decided to act without paying attention to the military’s technical specifications for the fighter. He reasoned that otherwise the result would be an average fighter. And, given the biased attitude towards the aircraft designer of the powerful Milch, it will not be possible to win the competition.
Willy Messerschmitt's calculation turned out to be correct. The Bf.109 was one of the best on all fronts of World War II. By May 1945, Germany had produced 33,984 of these fighters. However, briefly talk about them tactical and technical characteristics very difficult.
Firstly, almost 30 significantly different modifications of the Bf.109 were produced. Secondly, the aircraft's performance was constantly improving. And the Bf.109 at the end of the war was significantly better than a fighter model 1937. But still, there were “generic features” of all these combat vehicles, which determined the style of their air combat.
Advantages:
Powerful Daimler-Benz engines made it possible to reach high speeds;
The significant mass of the aircraft and the strength of the components made it possible to develop speeds in a dive that were unattainable for other fighters;
The large payload made it possible to achieve increased armament;
High armor protection increased pilot safety.
Flaws:
The large mass of the aircraft reduced its maneuverability;
The placement of the guns in the wing pylons slowed down turns;
The aircraft was ineffective for supporting bombers, since in this capacity it could not take advantage of its speed advantages;
To control the aircraft, highly trained pilots were required.
2. “I am the Yak Fighter”
Alexander Yakovlev's design bureau made a fantastic breakthrough before the war. Until the end of the 30s, it produced light aircraft, intended mainly for sporting purposes. And in 1940, the Yak-1 fighter was launched into production, the design of which, along with aluminum, included wood and canvas. He had excellent flying qualities. At the beginning of the war, the Yak-1 successfully repelled the Fockers, while losing to the Messers.
But in 1942, the Yak-9 began to enter service with our Air Force, which fought with the Messers on equal terms. Moreover soviet car had a clear advantage in close combat at low altitudes. Yielding, however, in battles at high altitudes.
It is not surprising that the Yak-9 turned out to be the most popular Soviet fighter. Until 1948, 16,769 Yak-9s were built in 18 modifications.
In fairness, it is necessary to mention three more beautiful aircraft of ours - the Yak-3, La-5 and La-7. At low and medium altitudes they outperformed the Yak-9 and beat the Bf.109. But this “trinity” was produced in smaller quantities, and therefore the main burden of combating fascist fighters fell on the Yak-9.
Advantages:
High aerodynamic qualities, allowing for dynamic combat in close proximity to the enemy at low and medium altitudes. High maneuverability.
Flaws:
Low armament is largely caused by insufficient engine power;
Low engine life.
3. Armed to the teeth and very dangerous
The Englishman Reginald Mitchell (1895 - 1937) was a self-taught designer. He completed his first independent project, the Supermarine Type 221 fighter, in 1934. During the first flight, the car accelerated to a speed of 562 km/h and rose to a height of 9145 meters in 17 minutes. None of the fighters existing at that time in the world could do this. No one had comparable firepower: Mitchell placed eight machine guns in the wing console.
In 1938, mass production of the Supermarine Spitfire superfighter began for the British Royal Air Force. But chief designer this happy moment I didn't see it. He died of cancer at the age of 42.
Further modernization of the fighter was carried out by Supermarine designers. First production model called Spitfire MkI. It was equipped with a 1300-horsepower engine. There were two weapon options: eight machine guns or four machine guns and two cannons.
It was the most popular British fighter, produced in the amount of 20,351 copies in various modifications. Throughout the war, the Spitfire's performance was constantly improved.
The British fire-breathing Spitfire fully demonstrated its belonging to the elite of world fighters, turning the so-called Battle of Britain in September 1940. The Luftwaffe launched a powerful air attack on London, which included 114 Dornier 17 and Heinkel 111 bombers, accompanied by 450 Me 109s and several Me 110s. They were opposed by 310 British fighters: 218 Hurricanes and 92 Spitfire Mk.Is. 85 enemy aircraft were destroyed, the vast majority in air combat. The RAF lost eight Spitfires and 21 Hurricanes.
Advantages:
Excellent aerodynamic qualities;
High speed;
Long flight range;
Excellent maneuverability at medium and high altitudes.
Great firepower;
High pilot training is not required;
Some modifications have a high rate of climb.
Flaws:
Focused on concrete runways only.
4. Comfortable Mustang
Created by the American company North American by order of the British government in 1942, the P-51 Mustang fighter is significantly different from the three fighters we have already considered. First of all, because he was given completely different tasks. It was a bomber escort plane long-range aviation. Based on this, the Mustangs had huge fuel tanks. Their practical range exceeded 1,500 kilometers. And the ferry line is 3,700 kilometers.
The flight range was ensured by the fact that the Mustang was the first to use a laminar wing, thanks to which flow around air flow no turbulence. The Mustang, paradoxically, was a comfortable fighter. It is no coincidence that it was called the “flying Cadillac.” This was necessary so that the pilot, spending several hours at the controls of the aircraft, would not waste unnecessary energy.
By the end of the war, the Mustang began to be used not only as an escort aircraft, but also as an attack aircraft, equipped with missiles and increased firepower.
Advantages:
Good aerodynamics;
High speed;
Long flight range;
High ergonomics.
Flaws:
Highly qualified pilots are required;
Low survivability against fire anti-aircraft artillery;
Water cooling radiator vulnerability
5. Japanese “overdoing it”Paradoxically, the most popular Japanese fighter was a carrier-based one - the Mitsubishi A6M Reisen. He was nicknamed "Zero" ("zero" - English). The Japanese produced 10,939 of these “zeros”.
So great love to carrier-based fighters is explained by two circumstances. Firstly, the Japanese had a huge aircraft carrier fleet - ten floating airfields. Secondly, at the end of the war, “Zero” began to be used en masse for “kamikazes.” Therefore, the number of these aircraft was rapidly declining.
The technical specifications for the A6M Reisen carrier-based fighter were transferred to Mitsubishi at the end of 1937. For its time, the aircraft was supposed to be one of the best in the world. The designers were asked to create a fighter that had a speed of 500 km/h at an altitude of 4000 meters, armed with two cannons and two machine guns. Flight duration is up to 6−8 hours. The take-off distance is 70 meters.
At the start of the war, the Zero dominated the Asia-Pacific region, outmaneuvering and outperforming US and British fighters at low and medium altitudes.
On December 7, 1941, during the attack of the Japanese Navy on the American base at Pearl Harbor, “Zero” fully confirmed its viability. Six aircraft carriers, which carried 440 fighters, torpedo bombers, dive bombers and fighter-bombers, took part in the attack. The result of the attack was catastrophic for the United States.
The difference in losses in the air is most telling. The United States destroyed 188 aircraft and put 159 out of action. The Japanese lost 29 aircraft: 15 dive bombers, five torpedo bombers and only nine fighters.
But by 1943, the Allies had nevertheless created competitive fighters.
Advantages:
Long flight range;
Good maneuverability;
Flaws:
Low engine power;
Low rate of climb and flight speed.
Comparison of characteristics
Before comparing the same parameters of the considered fighters, it should be noted that this is not a completely correct matter. First of all because different countries who participated in the Second World War, set various goals for their fighter aircraft strategic objectives. Soviet Yaks were primarily engaged in air support for ground forces. Therefore, they usually flew at low altitudes.
The American Mustang was designed to escort long-range bombers. Approximately the same goals were set for the Japanese “Zero”. The British Spitfire was versatile. It was equally effective at low altitudes and at high altitudes.
The word “fighter” is most suitable for the German “Messers”, who, first of all, were supposed to destroy enemy aircraft near the front.
We present the parameters as they decrease. That is, in first place in this “nomination” is the best aircraft. If two aircraft have approximately the same parameter, then they are separated by a comma.
So:Maximum ground speed: Yak-9, Mustang, Me.109 - Spitfire - Zero
Maximum speed at altitude: Me.109, Mustang, Spitfire - Yak-9 - Zero
Engine power: Me.109 - Spitfire - Yak-9, Mustang - Zero
Rate of climb: Me.109, Mustang - Spitfire, Yak-9 - Zero
Service ceiling: Spitfire - Mustang, Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9
Practical range: Zero - Mustang - Spitfire - Me.109, Yak-9
Armament: Spitfire, Mustang - Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9.
At the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), the fascist occupiers destroyed almost 900 Soviet aircraft. Most of aircraft, not having time to take off, were burned at airfields as a result of massive bombing by the German army. However, for a very short time Soviet enterprises became world leaders in the number of aircraft produced and thereby brought closer the victory of the Soviet Army in World War II. Let's look at what aircraft were in service with Soviet Union and how they could resist the planes of Nazi Germany.
Aviation industry of the USSR
Before the start of the war, Soviet aircraft occupied a leading position in the global aircraft industry. I-15 and I-16 fighters took part in hostilities with Japanese Manchuria, fought in the skies of Spain, and attacked the enemy during the Soviet-Finnish conflict. In addition to fighter aircraft, Soviet aircraft designers paid great attention to bomber technology.
Transport heavy bomber
So, just before the war, the world was shown heavy bomber TB-3. This multi-ton giant was capable of delivering deadly cargo thousands of kilometers away. At that time it was the most popular combat aircraft of the Second World War, which was produced in unprecedented quantities and was a source of pride Air Force THE USSR. However, this example of gigantomania did not justify itself in real war conditions. The massive WWII combat aircraft, according to modern experts, was significantly inferior to the Luftwaffe attack bombers of the Messerschmitt aircraft manufacturing company in terms of speed and number of weapons.
New pre-war aircraft models
The war in Spain and Khalkhin Gol showed that the most important indicators in modern conflicts are the maneuverability and speed of aircraft. Before Soviet aircraft designers the task was set to prevent a lag in military equipment and create new types of aircraft that could compete with the best examples world aircraft industry. Emergency measures were taken, and by the early 40s the next generation of competitive aircraft appeared. Thus, the Yak-1, MiG-3, LaGT-3 became the leaders of their class of military aircraft, the speed of which at the design flight altitude reached or exceeded 600 km/h.
Start of serial production
In addition to fighter aircraft, high-speed equipment was developed in the class of dive and attack bombers (Pe-2, Tu-2, TB-7, Er-2, Il-2) and Su-2 reconnaissance aircraft. In two pre-war years USSR aircraft designers created attack aircraft, fighters and bombers that were unique and modern for those times. All military equipment was tested in various training and combat conditions and recommended for mass production. However, there were not enough construction sites in the country. The rate of industrial growth of aviation technology before the start of the Great Patriotic War significantly lagged behind global producers. On June 22, 1941, the entire burden of the war fell on aircraft of the 1930s. Only from the beginning of 1943 did the military aviation industry of the Soviet Union reach the required level of production of combat aircraft and achieve an advantage in European airspace. Let's look at the best soviet planes WWII, according to the world's leading aviation experts.
Educational and training base
Many Soviet aces of World War II began their journey into air aviation with training flights on the legendary U-2 multi-purpose biplane, the production of which began in 1927. The legendary aircraft faithfully served Soviet pilots until the Victory. By the mid-30s, biplane aviation was somewhat outdated. New ones were installed combat missions, and the need arose to build a completely new training aircraft that met modern requirements. Thus, on the basis of A. S. Yakovlev’s design bureau, the Y-20 training monoplane was created. The monoplane was created in two modifications:
- with an engine from the French Renault of 140 hp. With.;
- with an M-11E aircraft engine.
In 1937, three international records were set using a Soviet-made engine. And the car with a Renault engine took part in air competitions along the Moscow-Sevastopol-Moscow route, where it took a prize. Until the very end of the war, training of young pilots was carried out on aircraft of the A. S. Yakovlev Design Bureau.
MBR-2: flying boat of war
Naval aviation during the Great Patriotic War played an important role in military battles, bringing the long-awaited victory over Nazi Germany. Thus, the second marine short-range reconnaissance aircraft, or MBR-2, a seaplane capable of taking off and landing on the water surface, became a Soviet flying boat. Among the pilots aircraft had the nickname “heavenly cow” or “barn”. The seaplane made its first flight in the early 30s, and subsequently, until the victory over Nazi Germany, it was in service with the Red Army. Interesting fact: an hour before Germany attacked the Soviet Union, the planes of the Baltic Flotilla were the first to be destroyed along the entire perimeter coastline. German troops destroyed all of the country's naval aviation located in this region. Pilots naval aviation During the war years, they successfully carried out the tasks assigned to them to evacuate the crews of downed Soviet aircraft, to adjust the enemy’s coastal defensive lines, and to provide transport convoys for warships naval forces countries.
MiG-3: the main night fighter
High-rise soviet fighter differed from other pre-war aircraft in its high-speed characteristics. At the end of 1941, it was the most popular WWII aircraft, the total number of units of which was more than 1/3 of the entire aircraft fleet air defense countries. The novelty of aircraft construction was not sufficiently mastered by combat pilots; they had to tame the MiG “third” in combat conditions. Two aviation regiments were urgently formed from the best representatives of Stalin’s “falcons”. However, the most popular WWII aircraft was significantly inferior to the fighter fleet of the late 30s. Superior in speed characteristics at an altitude of more than 5000 m, at medium and low altitudes the combat vehicle was inferior to the same I-5 and I-6. Nevertheless, when repelling attacks on rear cities at the beginning of the war, it was the “third” MiGs that were used. Combat vehicles took part in air defense Moscow, Leningrad and other cities of the Soviet Union. Due to the lack of spare parts and the renewal of the aircraft fleet with new aircraft, in June 1944, the massive WWII aircraft was decommissioned from service with the USSR Air Force.
Yak-9: air defender of Stalingrad
In pre-war times, the design bureau of A. Yakovlev mainly produced light sports aircraft intended for training and participation in various thematic shows, dedicated to strength and power Soviet aviation. Beautiful flight qualities possessed the Yak-1, the serial production of which was mastered in 1940. It was this aircraft that had to repel the first attacks of Nazi Germany at the very beginning of the war. In 1942, a new aircraft from the design bureau of A. Yakovlev, the Yak-9, began to enter service with the Air Force. It is believed that this is the most popular front-line aircraft of the Second World War. Fighting machine participated in air battles along the entire front line. Keeping all the main dimensions The Yak-9 was upgraded with a powerful M-105PF engine with a rated power of 1210 horsepower under flight conditions. exceeding 2500 meters. The weight of the fully equipped combat vehicle was 615 kg. The weight of the aircraft was added by the ammunition and metal I-section spars, which were made of wood in the pre-war period. The aircraft’s fuel tank was also re-equipped, increasing the volume of fuel, which affected the flight range. New development aircraft manufacturers had high maneuverability, allowing active combat operations in close proximity to the enemy at high and low altitudes. During the years of serial production of the military fighter (1942-1948), about 17 thousand combat units were mastered. The Yak-9U, which appeared in service with the USSR Air Force in the fall of 1944, was considered a successful modification. Among combat pilots, the letter “u” meant the word killer.
La-5: aerial balancing act
In 1942, the combat aircraft of the Second World War were supplemented by the single-engine La-5 fighter, created at OKB-21 by S. A. Lavochkin. The aircraft was made of classified structural materials, which made it possible to withstand dozens of direct machine-gun hits from the enemy. The WWII combat aircraft had impressive maneuverability and speed, misleading the enemy with its aerial feints. Thus, the La-5 could freely enter a “spin” and just as successfully exit it, which made it practically invulnerable in combat conditions. It is believed that this is the most combat aircraft of the Second World War, which played one of the key roles in air battles during the Battle of Kursk and combat battles in the skies of Stalingrad.
Li-2: cargo carrier
In the 30s of the last century, the main means of air transport was the PS-9 passenger aircraft - a low-speed machine with an indestructible landing gear. However, the level of comfort and flight performance of the “air bus” did not meet international requirements. So, in 1942, at the base licensed production The American air transport aircraft Douglas DC-3 was created by the Soviet military transport aircraft Li-2. The car was assembled entirely from American-made components. The aircraft served faithfully until the very end of the war, and in post-war years continued to carry out cargo transportation on local airlines of the Soviet Union.
Po-2: “night witches” in the sky
Remembering combat aircraft since the Second World War, it is difficult to ignore one of the most massive workers in combat battles - the multi-purpose biplane U-2, or Po-2, created in the Nikolai Polikarpov Design Bureau back in the 20s of the last century. Initially, the aircraft was intended for training purposes and operation as an air transport in agriculture. However, the Great Patriotic War made the “sewing machine” (as the Germans called the Po-2) the most formidable and effective attack weapon for night bombing. One plane could make up to 20 sorties per night, delivering deadly cargo to combat positions enemy. It should be noted that mainly female pilots fought on such biplanes. During the war years, four women's squadrons of 80 pilots were formed. For their bravery and courage in battle, the German occupiers nicknamed them “night witches.” The women's air regiment made more than 23.5 thousand combat missions in the Great Patriotic War. Many did not return from the battles. 23 “witches” received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, most of them posthumously.
IL-2: machine of the great Victory
The Soviet attack aircraft of the design bureau of Sergei Yakovlev is the most popular type of combat air transport during the Great Patriotic War. WWII Il-2 aircraft took an active part in the theater of military operations. In the entire history of world aircraft construction, the brainchild of S.V. Yakovlev is considered the most massive combat aircraft of its class. In total, more than 36 thousand combat units were put into operation air weapons. WWII planes with the Il-2 logo terrified German aces Luftwaffe and were nicknamed “concrete planes”. The main technological feature of the combat vehicle was the inclusion of armor in the power structure of the aircraft, which was capable of withstanding a direct hit from a 7.62-mm enemy armor-piercing bullet from almost zero distance. There were several serial modifications of the aircraft: Il-2 (single-seat), Il-2 (double), Il-2 AM-38F, Il-2 KSS, Il-2 M82 and so on.
Conclusion
In general, aircraft created by the hands of Soviet aircraft manufacturers continued to perform combat missions in the post-war period. Thus, in service with the Mongolian Air Force, the Bulgarian Air Force, the Yugoslav Air Force, the Czechoslovak Air Force and other states of the post-war socialist camp for a long time there were USSR aircraft that provided airspace protection.
Many countries entered the Second world war with outdated types of 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 aircraft was armed with several (from 4 to 8) 7.62 mm machine guns, given 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 searchlights. 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, its 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 in terms of its 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 trying to repeat the attack in the same area, all nine SB-2s participating in it were shot down 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-2 continued to be listed in combat strength 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 maximum speed 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 French fighter aviation at the beginning of the Second World War, but was already noticeably inferior in its capabilities. 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. Its superiority over Soviet aircraft of the same class was reflected in 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 fighting qualities were brilliant, for civil war in Spain, where the CR.32 fought for the Francoists, seemed satisfactory. In the air battles that began in the summer of 1940, not only with the British 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 hostilities 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 non-fiction film tells the story of the main Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. These machines replaced the obsolete pre-war I-16 and I-153 fighters. 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 further developments Il-2 attack aircraft, 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 concentratedly 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 in the most important point.
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 the total), 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 active army- 5400, on January 1, 1943 - 21900/12300, on January 1, 1944 - 32500/13400.
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, the Red Army Air Force included 15 air armies, of which three (9, 10 and 12) were located Far East, and the 7th air force- in the Betting Reserve 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, the 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.
By the beginning of the war, there were significantly more MiG-3 fighters in service than other aircraft. However, the “third” MiG was not yet sufficiently mastered by combat pilots, and the retraining of most of them was not completed.
Two MiG-3 regiments were quickly formed with a large percentage of testers familiar with them. This partly helped in eliminating piloting deficiencies. But still, the MiG-3 lost even to the I-6 fighters, common at the beginning of the war. While superior in speed at altitudes above 5,000 m, at low and medium altitudes it was inferior to other fighters.
This is both a disadvantage and at the same time an advantage of the “third” MiG. The MiG-3 is a high-altitude aircraft, all the best qualities of which were manifested at an altitude of over 4500 meters. It found use as a high-altitude night fighter in the air defense system, where its high ceiling of up to 12,000 meters and speed at altitude were decisive. Thus, the MiG-3 was mainly used until the end of the war, in particular, guarding Moscow.
In the very first battle over the capital, on July 22, 1941, Mark Gallay, a pilot of the 2nd Separate Air Defense Fighter Squadron of Moscow, shot down an enemy plane in a MiG-3. At the beginning of the war, one of the ace pilots, Alexander Pokryshkin, flew on the same plane and won his first victory.
Yak-9: the “king” of modifications
Until the end of the 30s, the design bureau of Alexander Yakovlev produced light, mainly sports aircraft. In 1940, the Yak-1 fighter, which has excellent flight qualities, was launched into production. At the beginning of the war, the Yak-1 successfully repelled German pilots.
Already in 1942, the Yak-9 began to enter service with our Air Force. The new Soviet vehicle had high maneuverability, allowing for dynamic combat close to the enemy at low and medium altitudes.
It was the Yak-9 that turned out to be the most popular Soviet fighter of the Great Patriotic War. It was produced from 1942 to 1948, in total almost 17 thousand aircraft were built.
The Yak-9's design used duralumin instead of heavy wood, making the aircraft lighter and leaving room for modifications. It was the Yak-9’s ability to upgrade that became its main advantage. It had 22 main modifications, of which 15 were mass-produced. This includes a front-line fighter, fighter-bomber, interceptor, escort, reconnaissance aircraft, special purpose passenger aircraft and training aircraft.
The most successful modification is considered to be the Yak-9U fighter, which appeared in the fall of 1944. Suffice it to say that his pilots called him “the killer.”
La-5: disciplined soldier
At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, German aviation had an advantage in the skies of the USSR. But in 1942, a Soviet fighter appeared that could fight on equal terms with German aircraft - this is the La-5, developed at the Lavochkin Design Bureau.
Despite its simplicity - the La-5 cockpit did not have even the most basic instruments like an attitude indicator - the pilots immediately liked the plane.
Lavochkin's new plane had a strong design and did not fall apart even after dozens of direct hits. At the same time, the La-5 had impressive maneuverability and speed: turn time was 16.5-19 seconds, speed was above 600 km/h.
Another advantage of the La-5 is that, as a disciplined soldier, it did not perform the “spin” aerobatics without a direct order from the pilot, and if it got into a spin, it came out of it on the first command.
La-5 fought in the skies over Stalingrad and the Kursk Bulge, ace pilot Ivan Kozhedub fought on it, and the famous Alexey Maresyev flew on it.
Po-2: night bomber
The Po-2 (U-2) aircraft is considered the most popular biplane in the history of world aviation. When creating a training aircraft in the 1920s, Nikolai Polikarpov did not imagine that there would be another, serious application for his unpretentious machine.
During World War II, the U-2 developed into an effective night bomber. Aviation regiments armed exclusively with U-2s appeared in the Soviet Air Force. It was these biplanes that carried out more than half of all Soviet bomber missions during the war.
“Sewing machines” - that’s what the Germans called the U-2s that bombed their units at night. One biplane could make several sorties per night, and given the maximum bomb load of 100-350 kg, the aircraft could drop more ammunition than a heavy bomber.
It was on Polikarpov’s biplanes that the famous 46th Guards Taman Aviation Regiment fought. Four squadrons of 80 pilots, 23 of whom received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. For their courage and aviation skill, the Germans nicknamed the girls Nachthexen - “night witches.” During the war years, the women's air regiment flew 23,672 combat missions.
In total, 11 thousand U-2 biplanes were produced during the war. They were produced at aircraft factory No. 387 in Kazan. Cabins for airplanes and skis for them were mass-produced at the plant in Ryazan. Today it is the State Ryazan Instrument Plant (GRPZ), part of KRET.
It was only in 1959 that the U-2, renamed Po-2 in 1944 in honor of its creator, ended its impeccable thirty-year service.
IL-2: winged tank
Il-2 is the most produced combat aircraft in history; in total, more than 36 thousand aircraft were produced. Il-2 attacks brought huge losses to the enemy, for which the Germans nicknamed the attack aircraft “Black Death”, and among our pilots they called this bomber “humpbacked”, “winged tank”, “concrete plane”.
The IL-2 entered production just before the war - in December 1940. The first flight on it was made by the famous test pilot Vladimir Kokkinaki. These serial armored attack aircraft entered service at the beginning of the war.
The Il-2 attack aircraft became the main striking force of Soviet aviation. The key to excellent combat characteristics was a powerful aircraft engine, armored glass necessary to protect the crew, as well as rapid-fire aircraft guns and rockets.
The best enterprises in the country, including those that are part of Rostec today, worked on the creation of components for the most mass-produced attack aircraft in history. The leading enterprise for the production of ammunition for aircraft was the famous Tula Instrument Design Bureau. Transparent armored glass for glazing the Il-2 canopy was produced at the Lytkarino optical glass plant. The assembly of engines for attack aircraft was carried out in the workshops of plant No. 24, today known as the Kuznetsov enterprise. The propellers for the attack aircraft were produced in Kuibyshev at the Aviaagregat plant.
Thanks to modern technologies at that time, the IL-2 became a real legend. There was a case when an attack aircraft returned from a mission and was hit more than 600 times. After quick repair“winged tanks” were sent into battle again.
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