Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War: Volume 2

Arranged by designers, this second installment of a two-volume set includes the aircraft of such famous names as Ilyushin, Pedyakov, and Tupolev, as well as lesser-known types. Most books on the subject have been heavy on Western sources and light on firsthand information, especially pertaining to political backgrounds, design, production, testing, and combat records.. In preparing this volume, the authors combed untapped archives in the Soviet Union to uncover a wealth of data that rewrites longheld Western beliefs. The war records of the aircraft are accompanied by comparisons to Allied and German aircraft of the period, and more than 300 rare period photographs offer an unprecedented review of these fascinating planes. Includes an introduction by renowned UK aviation journalist Bill Gunston.