Aviation 2 World War. Great Patriotic War: the top five aircraft

Combat aircraft- birds of prey of the sky. For more than a hundred years they have been shining in warriors and at air shows. Agree, it is difficult to take your eyes off modern multi-purpose devices stuffed with electronics and composite materials. But there's something special about World War II planes. It was an era of great victories and great aces who fought in the air, looking into each other's eyes. Engineers and aircraft designers from different countries came up with many legendary aircraft. Today we present to your attention a list of the ten most famous, recognizable, popular and best aircraft of the Second World War, according to the editors of the [email protected].

Supermarine Spitfire (Supermarine Spitfire)

The list of the best aircraft of the Second World War opens with the British fighter Supermarine Spitfire. He has a classic look, but a little awkward. Wings - shovels, a heavy nose, a lantern in the form of a bubble. However, it was the Spitfire that rescued the Royal air Force, stopping German bombers during the Battle of Britain. German fighter pilots, with great displeasure, found that British aircraft were in no way inferior to them, and even superior in maneuverability.
The Spitfire was developed and put into service just in time - just before the outbreak of World War II. True, an incident came out with the first battle. Due to a radar failure, the Spitfires were sent into battle with a phantom enemy and fired upon their own British fighters. But then, when the British tasted the advantages of the new aircraft, they did not use it as soon as they were used. And for interception, and for reconnaissance, and even as bombers. A total of 20,000 Spitfires were produced. For all the good things and, first of all, for saving the island during the Battle of Britain, this aircraft takes an honorable tenth place.

Heinkel He 111 is exactly the aircraft that the British fighters fought. This is the most recognizable German bomber. It cannot be confused with any other aircraft due to the characteristic shape of the wide wings. It was the wings that gave the Heinkel He 111 the nickname "flying shovel".
This bomber was created long before the war under the guise passenger aircraft. He showed himself very well back in the 30s, but by the beginning of World War II he began to become obsolete, both in speed and in maneuverability. For a while, he held out because of the ability to withstand heavy damage, but when the Allies conquered the sky, the Heinkel He 111 was “degraded” to an ordinary transport. This aircraft embodies the very definition of a Luftwaffe bomber, for which it receives the ninth place in our rating.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, German aviation did what it wanted in the sky of the USSR. Only in 1942 did a Soviet fighter appear that could fight on an equal footing with the Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs. It was "La-5" developed in the design bureau Lavochkin. It was created in great haste. The plane is so simple that the cockpit does not even have the most basic instruments like the artificial horizon. But the La-5 pilots immediately liked it. In the very first test flights, 16 enemy aircraft were shot down on it.
"La-5" bore the brunt of the battles in the sky over Stalingrad and Kursk salient. Ace Ivan Kozhedub fought on it, it was on him that he flew with prostheses the famous Alexei Maresiev. The only problem of "La-5" that prevented him from climbing higher in our rating is appearance. He is completely faceless and expressionless. When the Germans first saw this fighter, they immediately gave it the nickname "new rat". And that's all, because it strongly resembled the legendary I-16 aircraft, nicknamed the "rat".

North American P-51 Mustang (North American P-51 Mustang)

The Americans in World War II participated in many types of fighters, but the most famous among them was, of course, the P-51 Mustang. The history of its creation is unusual. The British already at the height of the war in 1940 ordered aircraft from the Americans. The order was fulfilled and in 1942 the first Mustangs among the British Royal Air Force entered into battle. And then it turned out that the planes are so good that they will be useful to the Americans themselves.
The most notable feature of the R-51 Mustang is its huge fuel tanks. This made them ideal fighters to escort bombers, which they did successfully in Europe and in pacific ocean. They were also used for reconnaissance and assault. They even bombed a little. Especially got from the "Mustangs" to the Japanese.

The most famous US bomber of those years is, of course, the Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress". The four-engine, heavy, machine-gunned Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber spawned many heroic and fanatical stories. On the one hand, the pilots loved him for his ease of control and survivability, on the other hand, the losses among these bombers were indecently high. In one of the sorties, out of 300 Flying Fortresses, 77 did not return. Why? Here we can mention the complete and defenselessness of the crew from fire in front and an increased risk of fire. However, the main problem was the persuasion of the American generals. At the beginning of the war, they thought that if there were a lot of bombers and they were flying high, then they could do without any escort. Luftwaffe fighters disproved this misconception. The lessons they gave were harsh. The Americans and the British had to learn very quickly, change tactics, strategy and aircraft design. Strategic bombers contributed to the victory, but the cost was high. A third of the "Flying Fortresses" did not return to the airfields.

In fifth place in our ranking of the best aircraft of the Second World War is chief hunter on the German planes Yak-9. If the La-5 was a workhorse that endured the brunt of the battles of the turning point of the war, then the Yak-9 is the aircraft of victory. It was created on the basis of previous models of Yak fighters, but instead of heavy wood, duralumin was used in the design. This made the aircraft lighter and left room for modifications. What they just didn’t do with the Yak-9. Front-line fighter, fighter-bomber, interceptor, escort, reconnaissance and even courier aircraft.
On the Yak-9, Soviet pilots fought on equal terms with German aces, who were greatly intimidated by his powerful cannons. Suffice it to say that our pilots affectionately nicknamed the best modification of the Yak-9U the "Killer". "Yak-9" became a symbol Soviet aviation and the most massive Soviet fighter of the Second World War. At factories, sometimes 20 aircraft were assembled per day, and in total, almost 15,000 of them were produced during the war.

Junkers Ju-87 (Junkers Ju 87)

Junkers Yu-87 "Stuka" - German dive bomber. Thanks to the ability to fall vertically on the target, the Junkers laid bombs with pinpoint accuracy. Supporting the fighter offensive, everything in the Stuka design is subordinated to one thing - to hit the target. Air brakes did not allow to accelerate during a dive, special arrangements they diverted the dropped bomb away from the propeller and automatically took the plane out of the dive.
Junkers Yu-87 - the main aircraft of the Blitzkrieg. He shone at the very beginning of the war, when Germany was marching victoriously across Europe. True, it later turned out that the Junkers were very vulnerable to fighters, so their use gradually faded away. True, in Russia, thanks to the advantage of the Germans in the air, the Stukas still managed to make war. For their characteristic non-retractable landing gear, they were nicknamed "lappets". The German pilot ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel brought additional fame to the Stukas. But despite their worldwide fame Junkers Yu-87 was in fourth place in the list of the best aircraft of World War II.

In the honorable third place in the ranking of the best aircraft of World War II is the Japanese carrier-based fighter Mitsubishi A6M Zero. This is the most famous aircraft of the Pacific War. The history of this aircraft is very revealing. At the beginning of the war, he was almost the most advanced aircraft - light, maneuverable, high-tech, with an incredible range. For the Americans, Zero was an extremely unpleasant surprise, it was head and shoulders above everything they had at that time.
However, the Japanese worldview played a cruel joke with Zero, no one thought about its protection in air combat - gas tanks burned easily, the pilots were not covered by armor, and no one thought about parachutes. When hit, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero flared up like matches, and the Japanese pilots had no chance to escape. The Americans eventually learned how to deal with Zero, they flew in pairs and attacked from above, avoiding the fight on turns. They released the new Chance Vought F4U Corsair, Lockheed P-38 Lightning and Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters. The Americans admitted their mistakes and adapted, but the proud Japanese did not. Obsolete by the end of the war, Zero became a kamikaze aircraft, a symbol of senseless resistance.

The famous Messerschmitt Bf.109 is the main fighter of World War II. It was he who reigned supreme in the Soviet sky until 1942. The exceptionally successful design allowed the Messerschmitt to impose its tactics on other aircraft. He gained excellent speed in a dive. The favorite technique of the German pilots was the "falcon strike", in which the fighter swoops down on the enemy and, after a quick attack, again goes to the height.
This aircraft also had its shortcomings. He was prevented from conquering the skies of England by a low flight range. It was also not easy to escort the Messerschmitt bombers. At low altitude, he lost his advantage in speed. By the end of the war, the Messers were hard hit by both Soviet fighters from the east and Allied bombers from the west. But the Messerschmitt Bf.109, nevertheless, entered the legends as the best fighter of the Luftwaffe. In total, almost 34,000 pieces were made. This is the second largest aircraft in history.

So, meet the winner in our ranking of the most legendary aircraft of World War II. Attack aircraft "Il-2" aka "Humpback", aka "flying tank", the Germans most often called him " Black Death". The IL-2 is a special aircraft, it was immediately conceived as a well-protected attack aircraft, so it was many times more difficult to shoot it down than other aircraft. There was a case when an attack aircraft returned from a flight and more than 600 hits were counted on it. After a quick repair, the "Humpbacks" again went into battle. Even if the plane was shot down, it often remained intact, the armored belly allowed it to land in an open field without any problems.
"IL-2" went through the whole war. In total, 36,000 attack aircraft were manufactured. This made the "Hunchback" the record holder, the most massive combat aircraft of all time. For its outstanding qualities, the original design and a huge role in World War II, the famous Il-2 rightfully takes first place in the ranking of the best aircraft of those years.

Almost 70 years have passed since the Great Patriotic War, and the memories to this day do not let the inhabitants of Russia. AT war time Soviet fighters were the main weapon against the enemy. Most often, I-16 fighters soared in the sky, which was called a donkey among themselves. In the west of the country, this aircraft model was more than 40 percent. For some time it was the best. The well-known aircraft designer Polikarpov developed fighters, providing for cleaning the landing gear.

It was in the world with retractable landing gear. Most of The body of the I-16 is made of duralumin, a very light material. Every year, the model of this fighter was improved, the hull was strengthened, a more powerful engine was installed, and the steering was changed. In the aircraft, the fuselage consisted entirely of beams and was sheathed with duralumin plates.

The main enemy of the Soviet WWII I-16 fighter was the Messerschmitt Bf 109. It was made entirely of steel, the landing gear was retracted, a powerful engine - the Fuhrer's iron bird - was the best aircraft of the Second World War of the German troops.

The developers of the Soviet and German fighter models tried to develop high speed and active takeoff in the aircraft, but paid little attention to maneuverability and stability, so many pilots died, losing control.

Soviet aircraft designer Polikarpov worked to reduce the size of the aircraft and lighten its weight. The car turned out to be shortened and rounded in front. Polikarpov was sure that with a smaller mass of the aircraft, its maneuverability would improve. The length of the wing did not change, before there were no flaps and shields. The cockpit was small, the pilot had poor visibility, it was inconvenient to aim, and ammunition consumption increased. Of course, such a fighter could no longer win the title of "Best Aircraft of the Second World War."

German aircraft designers were the first to use a liquid-cooled engine in the production of a winged aircraft, due to which it retained good maneuverability and speed. The front end remained elongated and well streamlined. It was the best aircraft of the Second World War from Germany. However, the motor has become more vulnerable than before in previous versions.

Of course, the German ones with powerful engines and aerodynamic shape surpassed their Soviet counterparts in terms of speed, accuracy and flight altitude. The features of the German aircraft gave an additional trump card in the hands of the enemy, the pilots could attack not only in the forehead or behind, but also from above, and then again rise into the clouds, hiding from the Soviet pilots. The I-16 pilots had to defend themselves exclusively, there was no question of an active attack - too unequal forces.

Another advantage of German technology was communication. All aircraft were equipped with radio stations, which allowed the pilots to agree on the tactics of attacking Soviet fighters and warn of danger. Radio stations were installed in some domestic models, but it was almost impossible to use them due to poor signal and low quality equipment. But nevertheless, for our patriotic pilots, the I-16 was the best aircraft of the Second World War.

1. Illegitimate German

Willy Messerschmitt was at odds with General Erhard Milch, State Secretary of the German Aviation Ministry. Therefore, the designer was not admitted to the competition for the development promising fighter, which was supposed to replace Henkel's obsolete He-51 biplane.

Messerschmitt, in order to prevent the bankruptcy of his company, in 1934 concluded an agreement with Romania on the creation new car. For which he was immediately accused of treason. The Gestapo got down to business. After the intervention of Rudolf Hess, Messerschmitt was nevertheless allowed to participate in the competition.

The designer decided to act, not paying attention to the terms of reference of the military for the fighter. He reasoned that otherwise it would turn out to be an average fighter. And, given the biased attitude towards the aircraft designer of the powerful Milch, the competition will not be won.

Willy Messerschmitt's calculation turned out to be correct. Bf.109 on all fronts of World War II was one of the best. By May 1945, Germany had produced 33,984 of these fighters. However, briefly describe them performance characteristics very difficult.

Firstly, almost 30 significantly different modifications of the Bf.109 were produced. Secondly, the characteristics of the aircraft have been constantly improved. And the Bf.109 at the end of the war was significantly better than the 1937 model fighter. 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 develop high speed;

The significant mass of the aircraft and the strength of the nodes made it possible to develop dive speeds unattainable for other fighters;

A large payload made it possible to achieve increased armament;

High armor protection increased the safety of the pilot.

Flaws:

The large mass of the aircraft reduced its maneuverability;

The location of the guns in the pylons of the wings slowed down the execution of turns;

The aircraft was ineffective in supporting bombers, since it could not use the speed advantages in this capacity;

To control the aircraft, highly trained pilots were required.
2. "I am a fighter Yak"

Before the war, Alexander Yakovlev's design bureau made a fantastic breakthrough. Until the end of the 30s, it produced light aircraft, intended mainly for sporting purposes. And in 1940, the Yak-1 fighter was put into production, in the design of which, along with aluminum, there was wood and canvas. He had excellent flying qualities. At the beginning of the war, the Yak-1 successfully repulsed the Fokers, while losing to the Messers.

But in 1942, the Yak-9 began to enter service with our Air Force, which fought the Messers on an equal footing. Moreover, the Soviet machine had a clear advantage in close combat at low altitudes. Yielding, however, in battles at high altitudes.

It is not surprising that it was the Yak-9 that turned out to be the most massive Soviet fighter. Until 1948, 16,769 Yak-9s were built in 18 modifications.

In fairness, it is necessary to note three more of our excellent aircraft - 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 released in smaller quantities, and therefore the main burden in the fight against fascist fighters fell on the Yak-9.

Advantages:

High aerodynamic qualities, allowing dynamic combat in close proximity to the enemy at low and medium altitudes. High maneuverability.

Flaws:

Low armament, largely due to insufficient engine power;

Low engine resource.
3. Armed to the teeth and very dangerous

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 that existed at that time in the world could do this. No one had comparable firepower: Mitchell placed eight machine guns at once in the wing console.

In 1938, the serial production of the Supermarine Spitfire (Spitfire - "spewing fire") for the British Royal Air Force began. But chief designer I did not see this happy moment. He died of cancer at the age of 42.

Further modernization of the fighter was already carried out by the designers of Supermarine. The first production model was called the Spitfire MkI. It was equipped with a 1300-horsepower engine. There were two armament options: eight machine guns or four machine guns and two cannons.

It was the most massive British fighter, produced in the amount of 20,351 copies in various modifications. Throughout the war, the performance of the Spitfire was constantly improved.

The British fire-breathing Spitfire fully demonstrated its belonging to the elite of the world fighters, breaking the so-called Battle of Britain in September 1940. The Luftwaffe launched a powerful air attack on London, in which 114 Dornier 17 and Heinkel 111 bombers took part, escorted by 450 Me 109 and several Me 110. They were opposed by 310 British fighters: 218 Hurricane and 92 Spitfire Mk.I. 85 enemy planes 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.

Big firepower;

Optional high training of pilots;

Some modifications have a high rate of climb.

Flaws:

Focuses only on concrete runways.
4. Comfortable "mustang"

Created American company North American commissioned by the British government in 1942, the P-51 Mustang fighter is significantly different from the three fighters we have already considered. First of all, the fact that completely different tasks were set before him. It was a bomber escort aircraft. long-range aviation. Based on this, the Mustangs had huge fuel tanks. Their practical range exceeded 1500 kilometers. A ferry station - 3700 kilometers.

The flight range was ensured by the fact that the Mustang was the first to use a laminar wing, due to which a flow occurs air flow without 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, staying at the helm of the aircraft for several hours, did not waste his energy unnecessarily.

By the end of the war, the Mustang began to be used not only as an escort aircraft, but also as an attack aircraft, equipping it with missiles and increasing firepower.

Advantages:

Good aerodynamics;

High speed;

Long flight range;

High ergonomics.

Flaws:

Requires high qualification of pilots;

Low survivability against anti-aircraft artillery fire;

Vulnerability of the water cooling radiator

5. Japanese "overdo"

Paradoxically, but the most massive Japanese fighter was deck - Mitsubishi A6M Reisen. He was nicknamed "Zero" ("zero" - Eng.). The Japanese produced 10939 of these "zeros".

So big love to carrier-based fighters is explained by two circumstances. Firstly, the Japanese had a huge carrier fleet - ten floating airfields. Secondly, at the end of the war, "Zero" began to be used en masse for "kamikaze" In connection with which the number of these aircraft was rapidly declining.

The terms of reference 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 offered 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 - up to 6-8 hours. Takeoff distance - 70 meters.

At the beginning of the war, the Zero dominated the Asia-Pacific region, surpassing US and British fighters in maneuverability and speed at low and medium altitudes.

On December 7, 1941, during the attack of the Japanese Navy on the American base at Pearl Harbor, the Zero fully proved their worth. Six aircraft carriers took part in the attack, on which 440 fighters, torpedo bombers, dive bombers and fighter-bombers were based. The result of the attack was disastrous for the United States.

The difference in losses in the air is most eloquent. The United States destroyed 188 aircraft, disabled - 159. The Japanese lost 29 aircraft: 15 dive bombers, five torpedo bombers and a total of nine fighters.

But by 1943, the Allies still created competitive fighters.

Advantages:

Long flight range;

Good maneuverability;

Flaws:

Low engine power;

Low rate of climb and flight speed.

Feature Comparison

Before comparing the same-name 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, put before their fighter aviation various strategic goals. Soviet Yaks were primarily occupied with air support ground forces. In this connection, 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. Equally, he acted effectively both at low altitudes and at high altitudes.

The word "fighter" is most suitable for the German "Messers", which, first of all, were supposed to destroy enemy aircraft near the front.

We present the parameters as they decrease. That is - in the first place in this "nomination" - the best aircraft. If two aircraft have approximately the same parameter, then they are separated by commas.

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

Climb: Me.109, Mustang - Spitfire, Yak-9 - Zero

Practical 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.

After the invention of the first aircraft and structures, they began to be used for military purposes. So there was 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 aircraft 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. The Ilyushin design bureau realized that such an approach noticeably worsens the design and makes it heavier. The new design approach has given new opportunities for more rational use aircraft mass. This is how the Ilyushin-2 appeared - an aircraft that earned the nickname "flying tank" for its especially strong armor.

IL-2 created an incredible number of problems for the Germans. The aircraft was initially used as a fighter, but in this role proved to be not particularly effective. Poor maneuverability and speed did not give the IL-2 the ability to fight fast and destructive German fighters. Moreover, the weak rear protection made it possible for German fighters to attack the Il-2 from behind.

Developers also experienced problems with the aircraft. During the entire period of the Great Patriotic armament IL-2 was constantly changing, and a place for the co-pilot was also equipped. This threatened that the plane could become completely uncontrollable.

But all these efforts gave the desired result. The original 20mm guns were replaced with large caliber 37mm ones. With such powerful weapons, the attack aircraft became afraid of almost all types of ground troops, from infantry to tanks and armored vehicles.

According to some recollections of the pilots who fought on the Il-2, firing from the guns of the attack aircraft led to the fact that the aircraft 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 became actually 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. He became not only the 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

The bomber, from a tactical point of view, is an indispensable part of combat aircraft in any battle. Perhaps the most recognizable Soviet bomber from the Great Patriotic War is the Pe-2. It was developed as a tactical super-heavy fighter, but over time it was transformed and made the most dangerous dive bomber.

It should be noted that Soviet bomber-class aircraft made their debut 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. A special tactic for using bombers was immediately developed, which involved approaching the target at high altitude, a sharp descent to the bombing height, and the same sharp departure into the sky. This tactic has paid off.

Pe-2 and Tu-2

A dive bomber drops bombs without following a horizontal line. He literally falls on his target himself and drops the bomb only when there are some 200 meters left to the target. The consequence of such a tactical move is impeccable accuracy. But, as you know, anti-aircraft guns can hit an aircraft at low altitude, and this could not but affect the bomber design system.

Thus, it turned out that the bomber must combine the incompatible. It should be as compact and maneuverable as possible, while still carrying heavy ammunition. In addition, the design of the bomber was supposed to be strong, able to withstand impact. anti-aircraft gun. Therefore, the Pe-2 aircraft fit this role very well.

The Pe-2 bomber supplemented the Tu-2, which was very similar in terms of parameters. It was a twin-engine dive bomber, which was used according to the tactics described above. The problem of this aircraft was in minor orders for the model at aircraft factories. But by the end of the war, the problem was fixed, the Tu-2 was even modernized and successfully used in battles.

Tu-2 performed a variety of combat missions. He worked as an attack aircraft, bomber, reconnaissance, torpedo bomber and interceptor.

IL-4

The Il-4 tactical bomber rightly earned the title of the Great Patriotic War, making it difficult to confuse it with any other aircraft. Ilyushin-4, despite the complicated control, was popular in the Air Force, the aircraft was even used as a torpedo bomber.

The IL-4 has become entrenched in history as the aircraft that carried out the first bombardments of the capital of the Third Reich - Berlin. And this happened not in May 1945, but in the autumn of 1941. But the bombing did not last long. In winter, the front shifted far to the East, and Berlin became out of reach for Soviet dive bombers.

Pe-8

The Pe-8 bomber during the war years was so rare and unrecognizable that sometimes it was even attacked by its air defenses. However, it was he who performed the most difficult combat missions.

The long-range bomber, although it was produced at the end of the 30s, was the only aircraft of its class in the USSR. The Pe-8 had the highest speed of movement (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 five-ton FAB-5000. It was the Pe-8s that bombed Helsinki, Konigsberg, Berlin at the moment when the front line was in the Moscow area. Because of the working range, the Pe-8 was called a strategic bomber, and in those years given class aircraft was just being developed. All Soviet aircraft of the Second World War belonged to the class of fighters, bombers, reconnaissance or transport aircraft, but in no way 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 the territories occupied by the Nazis. Molotov traveled in the passenger version of the Pe-8. Only a few of these aircraft were developed.

Today, thanks to technological progress, tens of thousands of passengers are transported daily. But in those distant war days, each 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.

Concluding a short review that describes the most popular Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, we should mention the fact that all development, construction and air battles 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.

On May 28, 1935, the first flight of the German Messerschmitt Bf.109 fighter took place, the most massive machine of this class in the last war. But in other countries in those years, wonderful aircraft were also created to defend their own skies. Some of them fought on equal terms with the Messerschmitt Bf.109. Some surpassed it in a number of tactical and technical characteristics.

The Free Press decided to compare the German aircraft masterpiece with the best fighters of Berlin's opponents and allies in that war - the USSR, Great Britain, the USA and Japan.

1. Illegitimate German

Willy Messerschmitt was at odds with General Erhard Milch, State Secretary of the German Aviation Ministry. Therefore, the designer was not admitted to the competition for the development of a promising fighter, which was supposed to replace Henkel's outdated He-51 biplane.

Messerschmitt, in order to prevent the bankruptcy of his company, in 1934 concluded an agreement with Romania to create a new machine. For which he was immediately accused of treason. The Gestapo got down to business. After the intervention of Rudolf Hess, Messerschmitt was nevertheless allowed to participate in the competition.

Willy Messerschmitt's calculation turned out to be correct. Bf.109 on all fronts of World War II was one of the best. By May 1945, Germany had produced 33,984 of these fighters. However, it is very difficult to talk briefly about their tactical and technical characteristics.

Advantages:

- powerful Daimler-Benz engines made it possible to develop high speed;

- a significant mass of the aircraft and the strength of the nodes made it possible to develop dive speeds unattainable for other fighters;

- a large payload made it possible to achieve increased armament;

- high armor protection increased the safety of the pilot.

Flaws:

- the large mass of the aircraft reduced its maneuverability;

- the location of the guns in the pylons of the wings slowed down the execution of turns;

- the aircraft was ineffective in supporting bombers, since in this capacity it could not use the speed advantages;

- to control the aircraft, high training of pilots was required.

2. "I am a fighter Yak"

It is not surprising that it was the Yak-9 that turned out to be the most massive Soviet fighter. Until 1948, 16,769 Yak-9s were built in 18 modifications.

Advantages:

- high aerodynamic qualities, allowing you to conduct a dynamic battle in close proximity to the enemy at low and medium altitudes. High maneuverability.

Flaws:

- low armament, largely caused by insufficient engine power;

- low engine life.

3. Armed to the teeth and very dangerous

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 that existed at that time in the world could do this. No one had comparable firepower: Mitchell placed eight machine guns at once in the wing console.

In 1938, mass production of the Supermarine Spitfire (Spitfire - "spitting fire") for the British Royal Air Force began. But the chief designer did not see this happy moment. He died of cancer at the age of 42.

It was the most massive British fighter, produced in the amount of 20,351 copies in various modifications. Throughout the war, the performance of the Spitfire was constantly improved.

Advantages:

— excellent aerodynamic qualities;

— high speed;

- long flight range;

- excellent maneuverability at medium and high altitudes.

- great firepower;

— optional high training of pilots;

- some modifications have a high rate of climb.

Flaws:

- focused on only concrete runways.

4. Comfortable "mustang"

Created by the American company North American by order of the British government in 1942, the P-51 Mustang fighter differs significantly from the three fighters we have already considered. First of all, the fact that completely different tasks were set before him. It was an escort aircraft for long-range bombers. Based on this, the Mustangs had huge fuel tanks. Their practical range exceeded 1500 kilometers. And the ferry station is 3700 kilometers.

The flight range was ensured by the fact that the Mustang was the first to use a laminar wing, due to which the airflow flows around without 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, staying at the helm of the aircraft for several hours, did not waste his energy unnecessarily.

By the end of the war, the Mustang began to be used not only as an escort aircraft, but also as an attack aircraft, equipping it with missiles and increasing firepower.

Advantages:

— good aerodynamics;

- high speed;

- long flight range;

- high ergonomics.

Flaws:

- high qualification of pilots is required;

- low survivability against anti-aircraft artillery fire;

- Vulnerability of the water cooling radiator

5. Japanese "overdo"

Paradoxically, the most massive Japanese fighter was the carrier-based Mitsubishi A6M Reisen. He was nicknamed "Zero" ("zero" - Eng.). The Japanese produced 10939 of these "zeros".

Such a great love for carrier-based fighters is due to 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 "kamikaze" In connection with which the number of these aircraft was rapidly declining.

At the beginning of the war, the Zero dominated the Asia-Pacific region, surpassing US and British fighters in maneuverability and speed at low and medium altitudes.

But by 1943, the Allies still created competitive fighters.

Advantages:

- long flight range;

— good maneuverability;

H disadvantages:

- low engine power;

— low rate of climb and flight speed.

Feature Comparison

Before comparing the same-name parameters of the considered fighters, it should be noted that this is not a completely correct matter. First of all, because the different countries that participated in the Second World War set different strategic tasks for their fighter aircraft. Soviet Yaks were primarily engaged in air support for ground forces. In this connection, they usually flew at low altitudes.

The word "fighter" is most suitable for the German "Messers", which, first of all, were supposed to destroy enemy aircraft near the front.

- 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

- practical ceiling: Spitfire - Mustang, Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9

- practical range: Zero - Mustang - Spitfire - Me.109, Yak-9

- weapons: Spitfire, Mustang - Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9.

Photo by ITAR-TASS/ Marina Lystseva/ archive photo.