The best Soviet aircraft of WWII. Soviet aircraft of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War
War creates a need unseen in Peaceful time. Countries compete to create the next most powerful weapon, and engineers sometimes resort to intricate methods for designing their killing machines. Nowhere else has this been shown more clearly than in the skies of World War II: daring aircraft designers have invented some of the strangest aircraft in human history.
At the start of World War II, the German Imperial Air Ministry stimulated the development of a tactical reconnaissance aircraft to provide information support for army operations. Two companies responded to the task. Focke-Wulf modeled a fairly standard twin-engine airplane, while Blohm & Voss miraculously came up with one of the most unusual aircraft at the time, the asymmetric BV 141.
Although at first glance it may seem that this model was dreamed of by engineers in delirium, it successfully served certain purposes. By stripping the right side of the aircraft, the “BV 141” gained an incomparable field of vision for the pilot and observers, especially to the right and front, as the pilots were no longer burdened by the huge engine and spinning propeller of the familiar single-engine aircraft.
The design was developed by Richard Vogt, who realized that the then aircraft already had, in fact, asymmetrical handling characteristics. With a heavy engine in the nose, the single-engine airplane experienced high torque, requiring constant attention and control. Vogt sought to compensate by introducing an ingenious asymmetric design, creating a stable reconnaissance platform that was easier to fly than most of her contemporary airliners.
Luftwaffe officer Ernst Udet praised the aircraft during a test flight at speeds up to 500 kilometers per hour. Unfortunately for Blohm & Voss, Allied bombing severely damaged one of Focke-Wulf's main factories, forcing the government to dedicate 80 percent of Blohm & Voss's production space to building Focke-Wulf aircraft. Since the already tiny staff of the company began to work for the benefit of the latter, work on the “BV 141” was stopped after the release of only 38 copies. All of them were destroyed during the war.
Another unusual Nazi project, "Horten Ho 229", was launched almost before the end of the war, after German scientists improved jet technology. By 1943, the Luftwaffe commanders realized that they had made a huge mistake by refusing to issue a long-range heavy bomber, like the American B-17 or the British Lancaster. To rectify the situation, the commander-in-chief of the German air force, Hermann Goering, put forward the demand "3x1000": to develop a bomber capable of transporting 1000 kilograms of bombs over a distance of 1000 kilometers at a speed of at least 1000 kilometers per hour.
Fulfilling the order, the Horten brothers set about designing a "flying wing" (a type of aircraft without a tail or fuselage, like later stealth bombers). In the 1930s, Walther and Raymar experimented with gliders of this type, which showed excellent handling characteristics. Using this experience, the brothers built a non-powered model to reinforce their bomber concept. The design impressed Göring, who handed over the project to the Gothaer Waggonfaebrik aircraft manufacturer for mass production. After some refinement, the Horten glider acquired a jet engine. It was also converted into a fighter aircraft for the needs of the Luftwaffe in 1945. They managed to create only one prototype, which, at the end of the war, was placed at the disposal of the allied forces.
At first, "Ho 229" was considered simply as an outlandish trophy. However, when the similarly designed B-2 stealth bomber entered service, aerospace experts became interested in the stealth performance of its German ancestor. In 2008, Northrop Grumman engineers recreated a copy of the Ho 229 based on a surviving prototype held by the Smithsonian. By emitting radar signals at frequencies used during World War II, experts discovered that the Nazi aircraft was in fact directly related to stealth technology: it had much less visibility in the radar range compared to its combat contemporaries. Quite by accident, the Horten brothers invented the first stealth fighter-bomber.
In the 1930s an engineer American company"Vought" Charles H. Zimmerman began experimenting with disc-shaped aircraft. The first flying model was the V-173, which took to the air in 1942. He had problems with the gearbox, but in general it was a durable, highly maneuverable aircraft. While his firm was churning out the famous "F4U Corsair", Zimmerman continued to work on the disk-shaped fighter that would eventually see the light of day as the "XF5U".
Military experts assumed that the new “fighter” would in many ways surpass other aircraft available at that time. Equipped with two huge Pratt & Whitney engines, the aircraft was expected to reach a high speed of about 885 kilometers per hour, decelerating to 32 kilometers per hour on landing. To give the airframe strength while keeping the weight as low as possible, the prototype was built from "metalite" - a material consisting of a thin sheet of balsa wood coated with aluminium. However, various problems with the engines gave Zimmerman a lot of trouble, and the Second World War completed before they could be eliminated.
Vought did not cancel the project, but by the time the fighter was ready for testing, the US Navy decided to focus on jet aircraft. The contract with the military expired, and Vought employees tried to dispose of the XF5U, but it turned out that the metalite structure was not so easy to destroy: the demolition ball that hit the airplane only bounced off the metal. Finally, after several new attempts, the body of the aircraft caved in, and blowtorches incinerated its remains.
Of all the aircraft presented in the article, the Boulton Paul Defiant has been in service longer than others. Unfortunately, this resulted in many deaths of young pilots. The airplane appeared as a result of the delusion of the 1930s regarding the further development of the situation on the air front. The British command believed that the enemy bombers would be unprotected and mostly without reinforcements. In theory, a fighter with a powerful turret could penetrate the attack formation and destroy it from the inside. Such an arrangement of weapons would free the pilot from the duties of a shooter, allowing him to concentrate on bringing the aircraft to the optimal firing position.
And the Defiant did an excellent job during its first sorties of operations, as many unsuspecting German fighter pilots mistook the aircraft for the outwardly similar Hawker Hurricane, attacking it from above or from the rear - ideal points for a machine gunner Defiant. However, the Luftwaffe pilots quickly realized what was happening, and began to attack from below and in front. With no frontal weapons and low maneuverability due to the heavy turret, the Defiant aviators suffered huge losses during the Battle of Britain. The Air Force of Foggy Albion lost almost an entire fighter squadron, and the Defiant gunners were not able to leave the plane in emergency situations.
Although the pilots managed to come up with various timing tactics, the Royal air Force soon realized that the turret fighter was not intended for modern air combat. The Defiant was demoted to a night fighter, after which he gained some success sneaking up and destroying enemy bombers on night missions. The rugged hull of the British was also used as a target for practice shooting and in testing the first Martin-Baker ejection seats.
In the period between the First and Second World Wars in various states, there was growing concern about the issue of defense against strategic bombing during the next hostilities. Italian general Giulio Due believed that it was impossible to defend against massive air attacks, and British politician Stanley Baldwin coined the phrase "a bomber will always break through." In response, the major powers have invested huge amounts of money in the development of "bomber destroyers" - heavy fighters designed to intercept enemy formations in the sky. The English "Defiant" failed, while the German "BF-110" performed well in various roles. And finally, among them was the American "YFM-1 Airacuda".
This aircraft was Bell's first foray into the military aircraft industry and featured many unusual features. In order to give the Airacuda the highest chance of destroying the enemy, Bell equipped it with two 37mm M-4 guns, placing them in front of the sparse pusher engines and propellers located behind them. Each gun was assigned a separate shooter, whose main duty was to manually reload it. Initially, gunners also fired weapons directly. However, the results were a disaster, and the design of the aircraft was changed, putting the control levers of the guns in the hands of the pilot.
Military strategists believed that with additional machine guns in defensive positions - in the main fuselage to repel side attacks - the aircraft would be indestructible both when attacking enemy bombers and when escorting B-17s over enemy territories. All these structural elements gave the aircraft a rather voluminous appearance, making it look like a cute cartoon airplane. The Airacuda was a real death machine that looked like it was made to be hugged.
Despite optimistic forecasts, tests revealed serious problems. The engines were prone to overheating and did not produce enough thrust. Therefore, in reality, Airacuda developed a lower maximum speed than the bombers it was supposed to intercept or protect. The original arrangement of the weapon only added to the complexity, since the gondolas in which it was placed were filled with smoke when fired, making it impossible for the machine gunners to work. On top of that, they couldn't get out of their cockpits in an emergency because the propellers were working right behind them, turning their attempt to escape into a meeting with death. As a result of these problems, the US Army Air Force purchased only 13 aircraft, none of which received baptism of fire. The remaining gliders dispersed across the country to have the pilots add entries about the strange aircraft to their logbooks, and Bell continued to try (already more successfully) to develop a military aircraft.
Despite the arms race, military gliders were an important component aerial technology Second World War. They were lifted into the air in tow and detached near enemy territories, ensuring the rapid delivery of supplies and troops as part of airborne operations. Among all the gliders of that period, the "flying tank" "A-40" of Soviet production, of course, stood out for its design.
The countries participating in the war were looking for ways to quickly and efficiently transport tanks to the front. Transferring them with gliders seemed like a worthwhile idea, but engineers soon discovered that the tank was one of the most aerodynamically imperfect machines. After countless attempts to create a good system for delivering tanks by air, most states simply gave up. But not the USSR.
In fact, Soviet aviation already had some success in landing tanks before the A-40 was developed. Small vehicles like the T-27 were lifted aboard huge transport planes and dropped a few meters from the ground. With the gearbox in the neutral position, the tank landed and rolled by inertia to a stop. The problem was that the tank crew had to be delivered separately, which greatly reduced combat effectiveness systems.
Ideally, the tankers should have arrived in a tank and be ready for battle after a few minutes. To achieve these goals, Soviet planners turned to the ideas of American engineer John Walter Christie, who first developed the concept of a flying tank in the 1930s. Christie believed that, thanks to armored vehicles with fitted biplane wings, any war would be instantly over, since no one could defend against a flying tank.
Based on the work of John Christie, the Soviet Union crossed the T-60 with an aircraft and in 1942 made the first test flight with the brave pilot Sergei Anokhin at the helm. And although due to aerodynamic drag tank glider had to be taken out of tow, not reaching the planned height, Anokhin managed to land softly and even brought the tank back to base. Despite the enthusiastic report compiled by the pilot, the idea was rejected after the Soviet specialists realized that they did not have aircraft powerful enough to tow operational tanks (Anokhin flew with a lightweight machine - without most of the weapons and with a minimum supply of fuel). Unfortunately, the flying tank never left the ground again.
After Allied bombing began to undermine the German war effort, Luftwaffe commanders realized that their failure to develop heavy multi-engined bombers was a huge mistake. When the authorities finally established the corresponding orders, most of the German aircraft manufacturers seized on this opportunity. Among them were the Horten brothers (as noted above) and the Junkers, who already had experience in building bombers. Company engineer Hans Focke led the design of perhaps the most advanced German aircraft of World War II, the Ju-287.
In the 1930s, designers came to the conclusion that a straight-wing aircraft had a certain upper speed limit, but at that time it did not matter, since turboprop engines could not get close to these indicators anyway. However, with the development of jet technologies, everything has changed. German specialists used swept wings on early jet aircraft, such as the Me-262, which avoided the problems - air compression effects - inherent in a straight wing design. Focke took this one step further and proposed to release an aircraft with a reverse swept wing, which, he believed, would be able to defeat any air defense. The new type of wing had a number of advantages: increased maneuverability at high speeds and at high angles of attack, improved stalling characteristics and freed the fuselage from weapons and engines.
First, Focke's invention passed aerodynamic tests using a special stand; many parts of other aircraft, including captured allied bombers, were taken to make the model. The Ju-287 proved to be excellent during test flights, confirming compliance with all the declared operational characteristics. Unfortunately for Focke, interest in jet bombers quickly waned, and his project was shelved until March 1945. By then, desperate Luftwaffe commanders were looking for any fresh ideas to inflict damage on the Allied forces - production of the Ju-287 was launched in record time, but two months later the war ended, after the construction of only a few prototypes. It took another 40 years for the popularity of the reverse swept wing to begin to revive, thanks to American and Russian aerospace engineers.
George Cornelius is a famous American engineer, the developer of a number of extravagant gliders and aircraft. During the 1930s and 1940s, he worked on new types of aircraft designs, among other things, experimenting with a swept back wing (like the Ju-287). His gliders had excellent stalling characteristics and could be towed at high speeds without much braking effect on the towing aircraft. When World War II broke out, Cornelius was brought in to develop the XFG-1, one of the most specialized aircraft ever built. In essence, the "XFG-1" was a flying fuel tank.
George's plans were to produce both manned and unmanned versions of his glider, both of which could be towed by the latest bombers at their cruising speed of 400 kilometers per hour, twice the speed of most other gliders. The idea of using the unmanned "XFG-1" was revolutionary. The B-29s were expected to tow the glider, pumping fuel from its tank through connected hoses. With a tank capacity of 764 gallons, the XFG-1 would have acted as a flying filling station. After emptying the fuel storage, the B-29 would detach the airframe and it would dive to the ground and crash. This scheme would significantly increase the range of the bombers, allowing raids on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. The manned "XFG-1" would have been used in a similar way, but more rationally, since the glider could be landed, and not just destroyed at the end of the fuel intake. Although it is worth considering what kind of pilot would dare to take on such a task as flying a fuel tank over a dangerous war zone.
During testing, one of the prototypes crashed, and Cornelius's plan was left without further attention when the allied forces captured the islands near the Japanese archipelago. With the new airbase layout, the need to refuel the B-29s to reach their mission goals was eliminated, taking the XFG-1 out of the game. After the war, George continued to pitch his idea to the US Air Force, but by then their interest had shifted to specialized refueling aircraft. And “XFG-1” has simply become an inconspicuous footnote in the history of military aviation.
The idea of creating a flying aircraft carrier first appeared during the First World War and was tested in the interwar period. In those years, engineers dreamed of a huge airship carrying small fighters capable of leaving the mother ship to protect it from enemy interceptors. British and American experiments ended in complete failure, and the idea was eventually abandoned, as the loss of tactical value by large rigid airships became apparent.
But while American and British specialists were curtailing their projects, the Soviet Air Force was just getting ready to enter the development arena. In 1931, aviation engineer Vladimir Vakhmistrov proposed using Tupolev's heavy bombers to lift smaller fighters into the air. This made it possible to significantly increase the range and bomb load of the latter in comparison with their usual capabilities as dive bombers. Without bombs, aircraft could also defend their carriers from enemy attacks. Throughout the 1930s, Vakhmistrov experimented with different configurations, only stopping when he attached as many as five fighters to one bomber. By the time the Second World War began, the aircraft designer revised his ideas and came up with a more practical scheme of two I-16 fighter-bombers suspended from the parent TB-3.
The Soviet High Command was impressed enough with this concept to try to put it into practice. The first raid on the Romanian oil storage facilities was successful, with both fighters detaching from the aircraft carrier and striking before returning to the Soviet forward base. After such a successful start, another 30 raids were made, the most famous of which was the destruction of the bridge near Chernovodsk in August 1941. The Red Army tried for months to no avail to destroy it, until they finally activated two of Vakhmistrov's monsters. The carrier planes released their fighters, which began to bomb the previously inaccessible bridge. Despite all these victories, a few months later, the Link project was closed, and the I-16 and TB-3 were discontinued in favor of more modern models. Thus ended the career of one of the strangest - but successful - offspring of aviation in the history of mankind.
Most people are familiar with Japanese kamikaze missions using old aircraft loaded with explosives as anti-ship weapon. They even developed a projectile rocket special purpose"MXY-7". Less widely known is Germany's attempt to build a similar weapon by turning V-1 "cruise bombs" into manned "cruise missiles".
With the end of the war nearing, the Nazi high command was desperately looking for a way to interfere with Allied shipping across the English Channel. The V-1 shells had potential, but the need for extreme accuracy (which was never their advantage) led to the creation of a manned version. The German engineers managed to install a small cockpit with simple controls in the fuselage of the existing V-1, right in front of the jet engine.
Unlike ground-launched V-1 rockets, the Fi-103R manned bombs were supposed to be lifted into the air and launched from He-111 bombers. After that, the pilot needed to make out the target-ship, direct his plane at it, and then take off his feet.
German pilots did not follow the example of their Japanese colleagues and did not lock themselves in the cockpits of aircraft, but tried to escape. However, with the engine roaring just behind the cabin, the escape would probably be fatal anyway. These ghostly chances for the survival of the pilots spoiled the impression of the Luftwaffe commanders from the program, so not a single operational mission was destined to take place. However, 175 V-1 bombs were converted into Fi-103Rs, most of which ended up in Allied hands at the end of the war.
By the beginning of the war, there were significantly more MiG-3 fighters in service than other aircraft. However, the "third" MiG was still insufficiently mastered by combatant pilots, the retraining of most of them was not completed.
In a short time, two regiments were formed on the MiG-3 with a large percentage of testers familiar with them. This partly helped in eliminating the shortcomings of piloting. But still, the MiG-3 lost even to the I-6 fighters, common at the beginning of the war. Surpassing in speed at altitudes of more than 5000 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. MiG-3 is a high-altitude aircraft, all the best qualities of which were manifested at an altitude of over 4500 meters. It found its use as a high-altitude night fighter in the air defense system, where its large ceiling of up to 12,000 meters and speed at altitudes were decisive. So, 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, pilot of the 2nd separate air defense fighter air squadron of Moscow, shot down an enemy plane on a MiG-3. At the beginning of the war, one of the aces-pilots Alexander Pokryshkin flew on the same plane and won his first victory.
Yak-9: the "king" of modifications
Until the end of the 1930s, the design bureau of Alexander Yakovlev produced light, mainly sports aircraft. In 1940, the Yak-1 fighter, which had excellent flight qualities, was put into production. At the beginning of the war, the Yak-1 successfully fought back the German pilots.
Already in 1942, the Yak-9 began to enter service with our Air Force. The new Soviet vehicle was highly maneuverable, allowing it to conduct dynamic combat close to the enemy at low and medium altitudes.
It was the Yak-9 that turned out to be the most massive 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 design used duralumin instead of heavy wood, which made the aircraft lighter and left room for modifications. It was the Yak-9's ability to upgrade that became its main advantage. It had 22 major modifications, of which 15 were mass-produced. This is a front-line fighter, fighter-bomber, interceptor, escort, reconnaissance aircraft, special-purpose passenger aircraft and training aircraft.
The Yak-9U fighter, which appeared in the fall of 1944, is considered the most successful modification. 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 sky of the USSR. But in 1942 there was soviet fighter, which 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 elementary instruments like the artificial horizon - the pilots immediately liked the plane.
Lavochkin's new plane had a solid construction and did not fall apart even after dozens of direct hits. At the same time, La-5 had impressive maneuverability and speed: turn time was 16.5-19 seconds, speed was over 600 km/h.
Another advantage of the La-5 is that, as a disciplined soldier, he did not perform the “corkscrew” aerobatics without a direct order from the pilot, and if he got into a tailspin, he got out of it on the first command.
La-5 fought in the sky over Stalingrad and Kursk salient, ace pilot Ivan Kozhedub fought on it, it was on him that he flew the famous Alexei Maresyev.
Po-2: night bomber
The Po-2 (U-2) aircraft is considered the most massive biplane in the history of world aviation. Creating a training aircraft in the 1920s, Nikolai Polikarpov did not imagine that there would be another, serious application for his unpretentious machine.
During the Great Patriotic War, the U-2 turned into an effective night bomber. Aviation regiments appeared in the Soviet Air Force, armed exclusively with U-2s. It was these biplanes that carried out more than half of all sorties of Soviet bombers during the war years.
"Sewing machines" - that's what the Germans called the U-2, bombing 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 the biplanes of Polikarpov that the famous 46th Guards Taman fought aviation regiment. Four squadrons of 80 female pilots, 23 of which received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. For courage and aviation skills, the Germans nicknamed the girls Nachthexen - "night witches". During the war years, the women's aviation regiment made 23,672 sorties.
In total, 11 thousand U-2 biplanes were manufactured during the war. They were produced at aircraft factory No. 387 in Kazan. Cabins for aircraft and air skis for them were mass-produced at the plant in Ryazan. Today it is the State Ryazan Instrument Plant (GRPZ), which is part of KRET.
It was not until 1959 that the U-2, renamed Po-2 in 1944 in honor of its creator, completed its thirty years of impeccable service.
IL-2: winged tank
IL-2 is the most massive combat aircraft in history, more than 36 thousand aircraft were produced in total. Il-2 attacks brought huge losses to the enemy, for which the Germans called the attack aircraft the "black death", and among our pilots as soon as they did not call this bomber - "humped", "winged tank", "concrete aircraft".
The IL-2 went into 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 performance was a powerful aircraft engine, armored glass necessary to protect the crew, as well as rapid-fire aircraft guns and rocket projectiles.
The best enterprises of the country worked on the creation of components for the most massive attack aircraft in history, including those included today in Rostec. The leading enterprise for the production of ammunition for the aircraft was the well-known 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. 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 departure and more than 600 hits were counted on it. After a quick repair, the "winged tanks" again went into battle.
In World War II, the Russians had a large number of aircraft that performed various tasks, such as: fighters, bombers, attack aircraft, training and training, reconnaissance, seaplanes, transport and also many prototypes, and now let's move on to the list itself with descriptions and photos below.
Soviet fighter planes of World War II
1. I-5- Single-seat fighter, consists of wood metal and linen material. Max speed 278 km/h; Flight range 560 km; Lifting height 7500 meters; 803 built
2. I-7- Single Soviet fighter, light and maneuverable polutoraplan. Maximum speed 291 km/h; Flight range 700 km; Lifting height 7200 meters; 131 built
3. I-14— Single high-speed fighter. Maximum speed 449 km / h; Flight range 600 km; Lifting height 9430 meters; 22 built
4. I-15- Single-seat maneuverable one-and-a-half wing fighter. Maximum speed 370 km/h; Flight range 750 km; Lifting height 9800 meters; 621 built; Machine gun for 3000 rounds, bombs up to 40 kg.
5. I-16- A single-seat Soviet single-engine piston monoplane fighter, simply called "Ishak". Maximum speed 431 km / h; Flight range 520 km; Lifting height 8240 meters; 10292 built; Machine gun for 3100 rounds.
6. DI-6— Double Soviet fighter. Maximum speed 372 km/h; Flight range 500 km; Lifting height 7700 meters; 222 built; 2 machine guns for 1500 rounds, bombs up to 50 kg.
7. IP-1- Single-seat fighter with two dynamo-reactive guns. Maximum speed 410 km/h; Flight range 1000 km; Lifting height 7700 meters; 200 built; 2 ShKAS-7.62mm machine guns, 2 APK-4-76mm cannons.
8. PE-3— Twin-engine, two-seat, high-altitude heavy fighter. Maximum speed 535 km/h; Flight range 2150 km; Lifting height 8900 meters; 360 built; 2 machine guns UB-12.7 mm, 3 machine guns ShKAS-7.62 mm; Unguided missiles RS-82 and RS-132; Maximum combat load - 700kg.
9. MIG-1— Single high-speed fighter. Maximum speed 657 km / h; Flight range 580 km; Lifting height 12000 meters; 100 built; 1 machine gun BS-12.7 mm - 300 rounds, 2 machine guns ShKAS-7.62 mm - 750 rounds; Bombs - 100kg.
10. MIG-3— Single high-speed high-altitude fighter. Maximum speed 640 km/h; Flight range 857 km; Lifting height 11500 meters; 100 built; 1 machine gun BS-12.7 mm - 300 rounds, 2 machine guns ShKAS-7.62 mm - 1500 rounds, machine gun under the wing BK-12.7 mm; Bombs - up to 100kg; Unguided missiles RS-82-6 pieces.
11. Yak-1— Single high-speed high-altitude fighter. Maximum speed 569 km / h; Flight range 760 km; Lifting height 10000 meters; 8734 built; 1 machine gun UBS-12.7 mm, 2 machine guns ShKAS-7.62 mm, 1 machine gun ShVAK-20 mm; 1 gun ShVAK - 20 mm.
12. Yak-3— Single, single-engine high-speed Soviet fighter. Maximum speed 645 km/h; Flight range 648 km; Lifting height 10700 meters; 4848 built; 2 machine guns UBS-12.7 mm, 1 gun ShVAK - 20 mm.
13. Yak-7- Single, single-engine high-speed Soviet fighter of the Great Patriotic War. Maximum speed 570 km/h; Flight range 648 km; Lifting height 9900 meters; 6399 built; 2 machine guns ShKAS-12.7 mm for 1500 rounds, 1 gun ShVAK - 20 mm for 120 rounds.
14. Yak-9— Single, single-engine Soviet fighter bomber. Maximum speed 577 km / h; Flight range 1360 km; Lifting height 10750 meters; 16769 built; 1 machine gun UBS-12.7 mm, 1 gun ShVAK - 20 mm.
15. LaGG-3- Single-seat single-engine Soviet aircraft monoplane fighter, bomber, interceptor, reconnaissance aircraft of the Great Patriotic War. Maximum speed 580 km/h; Flight range 1100 km; Lifting height 10000 meters; 6528 built
16. La-5- A single-seat single-engine Soviet monoplane fighter aircraft made of wood. Maximum speed 630 km/h; Flight range 1190 km; Lifting height 11200 meters; 9920 built
17. La-7- Single-seat single-engine Soviet monoplane fighter aircraft. Maximum speed 672 km/h; Flight range 675 km; Lifting height 11100 meters; 5905 built
Soviet bombers of the Second World War
1. U-2VS- Double single-engine Soviet multi-purpose biplane. One of the most massive aircraft produced in the world. Maximum speed 150 km/h; Flight range 430 km; Lifting height 3820 meters; 33,000 built
2. Su-2- Double single-engine Soviet light bomber with a 360-degree view. Maximum speed 486 km / h; Flight range 910 km; Lifting height 8400 meters; 893 built
3. Yak-2- Two and three-seat twin-engine Soviet heavy bomber reconnaissance. Maximum speed 515 km/h; Flight range 800 km; Lifting height 8900 meters; 111 built
4. Yak-4- Double twin-engine Soviet light reconnaissance bomber. Maximum speed 574 km/h; Flight range 1200 km; Lifting height 10000 meters; 90 built
5. ANT-40— Triple twin-engine Soviet light high-speed bomber. Maximum speed 450 km/h; Flight range 2300 km; Lifting height 7800 meters; 6656 built
6. AR-2— Triple twin-engine Soviet all-metal dive bomber. Maximum speed 475 km/h; Flight range 1500 km; Lifting height 10000 meters; 200 built
7. PE-2— Triple twin-engine Soviet most massive dive bomber. Maximum speed 540 km/h; Flight range 1200 km; Lifting height 8700 meters; 11247 built
8. Tu-2— Quadruple twin-engine daytime Soviet high-speed bomber. Maximum speed 547 km/h; Flight range 2100 km; Lifting height 9500 meters; 2527 built
9. DB-3— Triple twin-engine Soviet long-range bomber. Maximum speed 400 km/h; Flight range 3100 km; Lifting height 8400 meters; 1528 built
10. IL-4— Quadruple twin-engine Soviet long-range bomber. Maximum speed 430 km/h; Flight range 3800 km; Lifting height 8900 meters; 5256 built
11. DB-A— Seven-seat experimental four-engine Soviet heavy long-range bomber. Maximum speed 330 km/h; Flight range 4500 km; Lifting height 7220 meters; 12 built
12. Yer-2- Five-seat twin-engine Soviet long-range monoplane bomber. Maximum speed 445 km/h; Flight range 4100 km; Lifting height 7700 meters; 462 built
13. TB-3- Eight-seat four-engine Soviet heavy bomber. Maximum speed 197 km/h; Flight range 3120 km; Lifting height 3800 meters; 818 built
14. PE-8- 12-seat four-engine Soviet heavy long-range bomber. Maximum speed 443 km / h; Flight range 3600 km; Lifting height 9300 meters; Combat load up to 4000 kg; Years of production 1939-1944; 93 built
Soviet ground attack planes of World War II
1. IL-2- Double single-engine Soviet attack aircraft. This is the most massive aircraft produced in Soviet times. Maximum speed 414 km/h; Flight range 720 km; Lifting height 5500 meters; Years of production: 1941-1945; 36183 built
2. IL-10- Double single-engine Soviet attack aircraft. Maximum speed 551 km/h; Flight range 2460 km; Lifting height 7250 meters; Years of production: 1944-1955; 4966 built
Soviet reconnaissance aircraft of the Second World War
1. R-5- Double single-engine multi-purpose Soviet reconnaissance aircraft. Maximum speed 235 km/h; Flight range 1000 km; Lifting height 6400 meters; Years of production: 1929-1944; Built more than 6000 pcs.
2. R-Z- Double single-engine multi-purpose Soviet lightweight reconnaissance aircraft. Maximum speed 316 km/h; Flight range 1000 km; Lifting height 8700 meters; Years of production: 1935-1945; 1031 built
3. R-6— Quadruple twin-engine Soviet reconnaissance aircraft. Maximum speed 240 km/h; Flight range 1680 km; Lifting height 5620 meters; Years of production: 1931-1944; 406 built
4. R-10- Double single-engine Soviet reconnaissance aircraft, attack aircraft and light bomber. Maximum speed 370 km/h; Flight range 1300 km; Lifting height 7000 meters; Years of production: 1937-1944; 493 built
5. A-7- Double single-engine Soviet wing-type autogyro with a three-bladed rotor reconnaissance aircraft. Maximum speed 218 km/h; Flight range 4 hours; Years of production: 1938-1941.
1. Sh-2- Double first Soviet serial amphibious aircraft. Maximum speed 139 km/h; Flight range 500 km; Lifting height 3100 meters; Years of production: 1932-1964; 1200 built
2. MBR-2 Naval Middle Scout - Five-seater Soviet flying boat. Maximum speed 215 km/h; Flight range 2416 km; Years of production: 1934-1946; 1365 built
3. MTB-2— Soviet heavy naval bomber. It is also designed to carry up to 40 people. Maximum speed 330 km/h; Flight range 4200 km; Lifting height 3100 meters; Years of production: 1937-1939; 2 units built
4. GTS- Marine patrol bomber (flying boat). Maximum speed 314 km/h; Flight range 4030 km; Lifting height 4000 meters; Years of production: 1936-1945; 3305 built
5. KOR-1- Double deck ejection float floatplane (ship reconnaissance). Maximum speed 277 km/h; Flight range 1000 km; Lifting height 6600 meters; Years of production: 1939-1941; 13 built
6. KOR-2- Double deck catapult flying boat (near sea reconnaissance). Maximum speed 356 km/h; Flight range 1150 km; Lifting height 8100 meters; Years of production: 1941-1945; 44 built
7. Che-2(MDR-6) - Four-seater long-range reconnaissance aircraft, twin-engine monoplane. Maximum speed 350 km/h; Flight range 2650 km; Lifting height 9000 meters; Years of production: 1940-1946; 17 built
Soviet transport aircraft of World War II
1. Li-2- Soviet military transport aircraft. Maximum speed 320 km/h; Flight range 2560 km; Lifting height 7350 meters; Years of production: 1939-1953; 6157 built
2. Sche-2- Soviet military transport aircraft (Pike). Maximum speed 160 km/h; Flight range 850 km; Lifting height 2400 meters; Years of production: 1943-1947; 567 built
3. Yak-6- Soviet military transport aircraft (Duglasenok). Maximum speed 230 km/h; Flight range 900 km; Lifting height 3380 meters; Years of production: 1942-1950; 381 built
4. ANT-20- the largest 8-engine passenger Soviet military transport aircraft. Maximum speed 275 km/h; Flight range 1000 km; Lifting height 7500 meters; Years of production: 1934-1935; 2 units built
5. SAM-25- Soviet multi-purpose military transport aircraft. Maximum speed 200 km/h; Flight range 1760 km; Lifting height 4850 meters; Years of production: 1943-1948.
6. K-5- Soviet passenger aircraft. Maximum speed 206 km/h; Flight range 960 km; Lifting height 5040 meters; Years of production: 1930-1934; 260 built
7. G-11- Soviet landing glider. Maximum speed 150 km/h; Flight range 1500 km; Lifting height 3000 meters; Years of production: 1941-1948; 308 built
8. KC-20- Soviet landing glider. This is the largest glider during WWII. On board, he could take 20 people and 2200 kg of cargo. Years of production: 1941-1943; 68 built
I hope you liked the Russian planes of the Great Patriotic War! Thank you for watching!
Soviet aircraft of the Great 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 assistants of the USSR army, it would have been much harder to defeat the enemy. Warbirds significantly brought closer the cherished moment that 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 selfless work of designers, engineers and ordinary workers, domestic aviation was again at its best. So, what kind of steel birds carried victory on their wings to the Motherland?
MiG-3
At that time, this fighter, designed on the basis of the MiG-1, was considered the highest altitude and became a real thunderstorm for German kites. He was able to climb 1200 meters, and it was here that he felt best, developing top speed(up to 600 kilometers per hour). But at an altitude of less than 4.5 km, the MiG-3 significantly lost to other fighters. The very first battle involving this aircraft model dates back to July 22, 1941. He took place over Moscow and was successful. The German plane was shot down. Throughout the Second World War, MiG-3 fighters guarded the sky 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 light 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 the 42nd 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 was its lightness, achieved by replacing wood with duralumin.
Over 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 massive among the "birds" of this kind. The Yak-9 survived 22 modifications, having been a fighter-bomber, a reconnaissance aircraft, a passenger aircraft, and a training aircraft. In the enemy camp, this car received the nickname "killer", which says a lot.
The fighter, which has become one of the most successful developments of the Lavochkin design bureau. The aircraft had a very simple design, which at the same time was distinguished by amazing reliability. Strong 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-cooled system made it much less vulnerable than liquid-cooled motors, which were widespread at that time.
La-5 proved to be an obedient, dynamic, maneuverable and fast machine. Soviet pilots loved him, and the enemies were terribly afraid. This model became the first of the domestic aircraft of the WWII period, which was not inferior to the German kites and could fight with them on an equal footing. It was on La-5 that Aleksey 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. Designed it Soviet designer Nikolai Polikarpov back in the 20s, and then the model was considered educational. But in the 40s, the Po-2 had to fight as a night bomber.
The Germans called the brainchild of Polikarpov a "sewing machine", thereby emphasizing his tirelessness and massive strike. Po-2 could drop more bombs than its heavy "colleagues" because it lifted up to 350 kilograms of ammunition. Also, the car was different in that it was capable of making several sorties in one night.
Legendary female pilots from the 46th Guards Taman Aviation Regiment fought with the enemy on the Po-2. These 80 girls, a quarter of whom were awarded the title of Hero of the USSR, terrified the enemy. The Nazis called them "night witches".
The Polikarpov biplane was produced at a plant in Kazan. Over the entire period of production, 11 thousand aircraft rolled off the assembly line, which allowed the model to be considered the most massive among biplanes.
And this aircraft is the leader in the number of issued copies in the entire history of military aviation. 36 thousand cars took to the skies from the factory floors. The model was developed in Ilyushin Design Bureau. The release of the IL-2 began in the 40th, 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 by armored glass, the "bird" fired rockets and was the main striking force of domestic aviation. The attack aircraft simply shook with its invincibility and stamina. There were cases when aircraft 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 Nazis. Enemies nicknamed him "winged tank", "black death" and "airplane made of concrete."
IL-4
Another brainchild of the Ilyushin Design Bureau is the Il-4, which is considered the most attractive aircraft of the Second World War. His appearance immediately catches the eye and cuts into memory. The model went down in history, primarily due to the fact that the very first bombed Berlin. Moreover, not in the 45th, but in the 41st, when the war was just beginning. Among the pilots, the car was quite popular, although it did not differ in ease of operation.
The rarest "bird" in the sky during the Great Patriotic War. Pe-8 was used rarely, but accurately. He was trusted to perform the most difficult tasks. Since the appearance of the aircraft was not familiar, it happened that he became a victim of his own air defense, mistaking the car for an enemy one.
Pe-8 developed a huge speed 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, to get from Moscow to Berlin and back without refueling). Pe-8 bombs dropped large-caliber (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 poured fiery rain on them from the sky. Another interesting fact o Pe-8 - on it (only on the passenger version of the model) flew to the UK and the United States to meet with colleagues, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR Molotov.
It was thanks to the “magnificent seven players” presented above and, of course, other, less well-known aircraft, that Soviet soldiers defeated 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 given the fact that all 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 military aviation appeared, becoming the main part of the armed forces of all countries of the world. This article describes the most popular and effective Soviet aircraft, which made their special contribution to the victory over the Nazi invaders.
The tragedy of the first days of the war
IL-2 became the first example of a new aircraft design scheme. 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 a more rational use of the mass of the aircraft. 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 cannons 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 aviation 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 region. 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, which 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.
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