1. Aircraft technicians of the Leningrad Front of the 1st Mine Torpedo Regiment of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet preparing the bomber for the next flight. 1941
Filming location: Leningrad region
Photo by: Kudoyarov Boris Pavlovich
TsGAKFFD SPb, units. hr. Ar-145181

2. Muscovites on Sverdlov Square inspect a German plane shot down over the capital. 1941
Filming location: Moscow
Photo by: Knorring Oleg Borisovich
RGAKFD, 0-312216

3. Air unit commander Korolev (left) congratulates Captain Savkin on the excellent performance of his combat mission. 1942
Filming location: Leningrad
Photo by: Chernov D.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-177145

4. The soldiers are attacking a copse occupied by the Germans. In the foreground are the wreckage of a downed German plane. 1943
Filming location: Leningrad Front
Photo by: Utkin

RGAKFD, units hr. 0-95081

5. Assembling combat aircraft in the workshop of one of the defense plants. 1942
Filming location: Moscow
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-154837

7. Professor Predchetensky A.M. inspects combat vehicles collected at the expense of the workers of the Ivanovo region. October 7, 1944

Photo by: Karyshev F.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-256694

8. Exterior view of the workshop of the N-sky aviation plant. 1943
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Shaikhet Arkady Samoilovich
RGAKFD, 0-143832

9. Interior view of the aircraft assembly shop at an aircraft factory. March 1943
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Baidalov V.
RGAKFD, 0-154846

10. Suspension of test bombs to the aircraft at the aircraft manufacturing plant No. 18 named after Order of Lenin. Voroshilov. 1942
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Petrov
RGAKFD, 0-295669

11. Participant of the All-Union Socialist Competition, student of a vocational school, Komsomol member A. Fedchenkova, finishing the armored glass of the pilot’s cockpit. 1942
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Nordshtein A.S.
RGAKFD, 0-72488

12. Aerologist-sounder of the Tbilisi airport Krasnikova E. with instruments after a high-altitude flight. 02 February 1945
Filming location: Tbilisi
Photo by: Lutsenko
RGAKFD, 0-274703

13. R.L. Carmen in a group near an airplane on one of the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. 1941
Filming location: not established
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, F. 2989, op. 1, units hr. 860, l. 1

14. One of the aircraft of the squadron, built at the expense of the staff of the State Academic Maly Theater of the USSR, at the airfield before being sent to the front. June 1944
Filming location: Moscow
Author of the photo: Tikhonov
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-163735-v

15. Artists of the State Jazz Orchestra under the direction of L. Utesov inspect the “Jolly Fellows” fighter aircraft, purchased with funds from the musical group. 1944
Filming location: Moscow

RGAKFD, units hr. 0-79801

16. Honored Artist of the RSFSR L.O. Utesov speaks at a rally on the occasion of the transfer to representatives of the Red Army command of aircraft built at the expense of the State Jazz Orchestra. 1944
Filming location: Moscow
Author of the photo: Trakhman Mikhail Anatolyevich
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-91935

17. The Gorky Worker fighter squadron, built at the expense of the workers of the Gorky region, at the airfield. 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Mozzhukhin
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-84196

18. Yak-9 fighter, built at the expense of collective farmer F.P. Holovaty. 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Arkhipov A.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-363668

19. F.P. Golovaty and Guard Major B.I. Eremin near the 2nd plane, purchased with F.P.’s personal funds. Golovaty and handed over to the Soviet pilot. June 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Parusov
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-255910

20. Guard Major B.N. Eremin in the cockpit of an airplane built at the expense of F.P. Holovaty. January 1943
Location: Stalingrad Front
Photo by: Leonidov L.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-178698

21. Komsomol members of the Yaroslavl region at the airfield hand over to Soviet pilots a squadron of aircraft built with funds raised by the youth of the region. 1942
Filming location: not established

RGAKFD, units hr. 0-121109

22. Member of the Krasny Luch agricultural association A.M. Sarskov and Hero of the Soviet Union, Major F.N. Orlov near the plane built with the personal savings of A.M. Sarskova. July 10, 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Sitnikov N.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-256904

23. Guard Lieutenant I.S. Pashayev near the plane, built at the expense of the workers of Kyiv. September 13, 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Zaitsev G.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-256304

24. Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General of Aviation V.I. Shevchenko thanks the representative of collective farmers of the Ivanovo region E.P. Limonov for the planes built at the expense of the region's workers. October 10, 1944
Filming location: Ivanovo region
Photo by: Karyshev F.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-256908

25. Attack aviation pilot G. Parshin thanks Evgenia Petrovna and Praskovya Vasilievna Barinov for the plane built with their personal savings. June 3, 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Konovalov G.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-256899

26. Squadron of “Chapayevtsy” aircraft, built at the expense of the workers of Chapaevsk, and transferred to the 1st Belorussian Front, at the airfield. September 12, 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Avloshenko
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-256911

27. Aircraft of the “Moscow” squadron, built at the expense of the workers of the Kyiv district of Moscow, at the airfield. October 16, 1944
Filming location: Moscow
Photographer: Less A.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-256703

28. A squadron of fighters built with funds raised by Komsomol members of Novosibirsk. 1942
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Shagin Ivan Mikhailovich
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-121104

29. A squadron of fighters built with funds raised by the youth of the Khabarovsk Territory. 1942
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Shagin Ivan Mikhailovich
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-121106

30. Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant General Ryazanov, Marshal of the Soviet Union I.S. Konev and Colonel General S.K. The Goryunovs inspect the planes built at the expense of the workers of Znamensk. 1944
Filming location: not established
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-77880

32. Hero of the Soviet Union, captain I.N. Kozhedub in the cockpit of an airplane built at the expense of collective farmer V.V. Koneva. June 1944
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Navolotsky Ya.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-191840

33. Collective farmer of the agricultural artel “Gudok” K.S. Shumkova talks with Guard Lieutenant Colonel N.G. Sobolev, who received the Krasnoyarsk Komsomolets plane, built with her personal savings. 1943
Filming location: Krasnoyarsk
Photo by: Malobitsky S.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-66084

34. Loading ammunition onto transport aircraft for sending to the front. March 1943

Photo by: Chernov D.
RGAKFD, 0-164550

35. Loading ammunition at the airfield. 1944
Filming location: Romania
Author of the photo: Trakhman Mikhail Anatolyevich
RGAKFD, 0-366841

36. Transport aircraft that delivered ammunition to forward positions. April 29, 1944
Location: Active duty army
Photo by: Chernov D.
RGAKFD, 0-180804

37. Fighter aircraft pilots N.F. Murashov, A.G. Shirmanov and technician N.P. Starostin for the release of the Battle Leaflet. July 1941
Filming location: Southern Front
Photo by: Zelma Georgy Anatolyevich
RGAKFD, 1-104649

39. Junior Sergeant A.V. Smirnov, senior sergeant G.M. Ter-Abramov and military commissar S.I. Yakovlev loading leaflets onto the plane. 1942
Filming location: Western Front
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, 0-153749

40. Commander of the Black Sea Fleet Air Force N.A. Ostryakov (left), military commissar of the Black Sea Fleet Air Force, brigade commissar N.V. Kuzenko and the head of the flight inspection, Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant Colonel N.A. Naumov (right) at the airfield near the plane. 1942
Filming location: Sevastopol
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-56951

41. Captain I.I. Saprykin (left) assigns a combat mission to a fighter flight at the Khersones Lighthouse airfield. 1942
Filming location: Sevastopol
Photo by: Asnin N.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-157855

42. Fighter pilot, captain Balashov V.I. tells his combat friends about his experience in air combat. August 1942
Filming location: Northern Fleet

RGAKFD, 0-54994

43. The flight commander of the guard squadron, Captain V.I. Balashov, explains the combat flight course to the torpedo bomber navigator A.S. Umansky. 1943
Filming location: Northern Fleet
Photo by: Kovrigin V.
RGAKFD, 0-64681

44. Captain I.E. Korzunov at the damaged aircraft. In the background is the main Soviet long-range aviation aircraft - DB3F (IL-4). 1941
Filming location: not established

GARF, F.10140. Op.5. D.6. L.14

45. German fighter "Messerschmidt", which made an emergency landing. 1942
Filming location: not established
Photo by: Temin Viktor Antonovich
GARF, F.10140. Op.5. D 7. L.10

46. ​​An American aircraft in service with one of the flying units of the Northern Marine Fleet. 1942
Filming location: Northern Fleet
Author of the photo: Khaldey Evgeniy Ananyevich
RGAKFD, 0-107826

47. Naval aviation bombers at the airfield. October 1942
Filming location: Northern Fleet
Author of the photo: Khaldey Evgeniy Ananyevich
RGAKFD, 0-155013

48. Suspension of a torpedo on a torpedo bomber at the airfield of a mine-torpedo air regiment. 1943
Filming location: Northern Fleet
Photo by: Kovrigin V.
RGAKFD, 0-154110

49. Return from a combat flight to the naval reconnaissance seaplane base. June 1943
Filming location: Northern Fleet
Photo by: Kovrigin V.
RGAKFD, 0-3935

50. Hurricane fighters at the field airfield of one of the air units. 1942
Filming location: Northern Fleet
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, 0-63665

51. The commander of the Northern Fleet Air Force torpedo bomber, which sank four transports and one enemy patrol ship, Guard Captain Bolashev V.P. talks with crew members: navigator, Guard Captain Umansky A.S., gunner, sergeant Emelianenko V.A. and Gunner-radio operator M.M. Biryukov is at the plane. 1943
Filming location: Northern Fleet
Photo by: Kovrigin V.
RGAKFD, 0-156896

52. Soviet fighter pilot Maksimovich V.P. learning to drive an English Hurricane fighter
under the leadership of the English pilot Vocevis Paul. 1941
Filming location: Northern Front
Author of the photo: Khaldey Evgeniy Ananyevich
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-109848

53. English fighter pilot Sergeant Howe, who fought on the Northern Front,
awarded the Order of Lenin, near his plane. 1941
Filming location: Northern Front
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, units hr. 4-24056

54. Captain Druzenkov P.I. introduces a group of pilots to “Fighting France”
(Normandie-Niemen squadron) with the route of the upcoming combat flight. 1942
Location: Active duty army
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-107266

55. French pilots of the military unit of Fighting France “Normandy” leave the airfield after completing a combat mission. 1943
Location: Active duty army
Photo by: Chernov D.
RGAKFD, 0-110134

56. Major A.F.Matisov. talks with the pilots of the Fighting France “Normandy”, operating as part of the air force of the Red Army. 1943
Location: Active duty army
Photo by: Chernov D.
RGAKFD, 0-110133

57. A group of aces “Normandy” of part of Fighting France is developing a plan for the next flight. 1945
Location: Active duty army
Photographer: Less A.
RGAKFD, 0-109082

58. The crew of the American “Flying Fortress” bomber, upon returning from a combat mission, talks with Soviet pilots. 1944
Filming location: not established
Author of the photo: Tikhanov
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-107383

59. Senior Lieutenant N.I. Dobrovolsky (left) and captain A.G. Machnev - medal-bearing pilots of the attack aviation unit, who distinguished themselves in battles in the Oryol direction at the field airfield near the aircraft. 1943
Filming location: Oryol region
Author of the photo: unknown
SAOO, units hr. 9763

60. View of a damaged U-2 communications aircraft in the Oryol-Kursk direction. 06 July 1943
Filming location: Oryol-Kursk direction
Photo by: Kinelovsky Viktor Sergeevich
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-285245

61. Soviet attack aircraft in the sky near Berlin. 1945
Filming location: Berlin
Photo by: Mark Stepanovich Redkin
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-294780

62. One of ten gliders captured by Yugoslav partisans at one of the German airfields near Belgrade. 1944
Filming location: Yugoslavia
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, 0-77856

63. A meeting at one of the airfields near Berlin before the departure of the Victory Banner to Moscow for the Victory Parade. 1945
Location: 1st Belorussian Front
Photo by: Grebnev V.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-291452

64. Soldiers carry the Victory Banner through the Central Moscow airfield on the day of its arrival in Moscow from Berlin. June 20, 1945
Filming location: Moscow
Photo by: Chernov D.
RGAKFD, units hr. 0-99993

65. The crew of flight commander M. Khazov before departure at the airfield. 1945
Filming location: 2nd Far Eastern Front
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, 0-81819

66. Female calculation of “listeners”. 1945
Filming location: Manzhouli
Photo by: Stanovov Alexander I.
RGAKFD, 0-331372

67. Military photojournalist V. Rudny with the crew of the Catalina aircraft. The year of filming is unknown
Filming location: China
Author of the photo: unknown
RGAKFD, 0-329245

Baranov Mikhail Dmitrievich (21.10.1921 - 17.01.1943)

Hero of the Soviet Union, deputy squadron commander of the 183rd Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 289th Fighter Aviation Division of the 8th Air Army of the Southwestern Front, senior lieutenant.

Participant of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941. He fought on the Southern Front. By October 1941, he personally destroyed 5 enemy aircraft. On November 5 and 6 he was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner, and on November 8 he shot down a He-111 and Me-109 in an air battle. In February 1942 he was appointed deputy squadron commander.

By June 1942, Senior Lieutenant Mikhail Baranov had flown 176 combat missions, personally shot down 20 enemy aircraft and destroyed 6 during attack attacks on airfields.
The title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 578) was awarded to Mikhail Baranov on August 12, 1942.

On August 6, 1942, Mikhail Baranov took off on alert as part of a group of Yak-1 fighters to intercept enemy Ju-87 bombers heading towards the city of Kotelnikovo under the cover of Messerschmitt Bf.109F fighters. The forces were unequal, but the Soviet pilots entered the battle. Baranov shot down two Messerschmitts and one Yu-87, but during the battle he ran out of ammunition. After this, Baranov shot down another Me-109, hitting it on the tail with his wing. Then he collided with another German fighter on a collision course, rammed it, but his plane also received severe damage and crashed. Baranov landed by parachute and soon returned to his regiment.

During the landing he injured his leg and spine. The medical board suspended him from flying, but he continued to fly. Soon he was appointed navigator of the regiment, and then transferred to the 9th Guards Odessa Fighter Aviation Regiment. Due to untreated wounds, he was often sick. On one of the flights in mid-November 1942, a cramp cramped my leg. He was sent to a rest home. There he got worse and was admitted to the hospital.

He returned to the regiment on January 15, 1943 with a medical report: “Subject to outpatient treatment in the unit, temporarily not allowed to fly.” On January 17, he obtained permission to take off. On the first flight one of the instruments failed. Then Baranov took off on another plane. While performing an aerobatics maneuver, the plane suddenly tilted, turned over on its back and in this position fell to the ground and exploded. The pilot died.

He was buried in the city of Kotelnikovo, Volgograd region. After the war he was reburied in Volgograd on Mamayev Kurgan. In less than a year of combat, he made 285 combat missions, in 85 air battles he personally shot down 31 enemy aircraft and 28 as part of a group, and destroyed 6 aircraft at airfields.

Awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner.

After the invention of the first aircraft and structures, they began to be used for military purposes. This is how combat 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 a special contribution to the victory over the fascist invaders.

The tragedy of the first days of the war

Il-2 became the first example of a new aircraft design scheme. Ilyushin’s design bureau realized that this approach noticeably worsened the design and made it heavier. The new design approach provided new opportunities for more rational use of the aircraft's weight. This is how the Ilyushin-2 appeared - an aircraft that, due to its particularly strong armor, earned the nickname “flying tank”.

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

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

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

According to some recollections of pilots who fought on the Il-2, firing from the attack aircraft’s guns led to the plane literally hanging in the air from strong recoil. In the event of an attack by enemy fighters, the tail gunner covered the unprotected part of the Il-2. Thus, the attack aircraft actually became a flying fortress. This thesis is confirmed by the fact that the attack aircraft took several bombs on board.

All these qualities were a great success, and the Ilyushin-2 became simply an indispensable aircraft in any battle. It became not only a legendary attack aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, but also broke production records: in total, about 40 thousand copies were produced during the war. Thus, Soviet-era aircraft could compete with the Luftwaffe in all respects.

Bombers

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

It should be noted that Soviet bomber-class aircraft made their debut precisely during the Great Patriotic War. The appearance of bombers was determined by many factors, but the main one was the development of the air defense system. Special tactics for using bombers were immediately developed, which involved approaching the target at high altitude, sharply descending to the bomb-dropping altitude, and an equally abrupt departure into the sky. This tactic yielded results.

Pe-2 and Tu-2

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

Thus, it turned out that the bomber had to combine the incompatible. It should be as compact and maneuverable as possible, and at the same time carry heavy ammunition. In addition, the design of the bomber was assumed to be durable, capable of withstanding the impact of an anti-aircraft gun. Therefore, the Pe-2 aircraft suited this role very well.

The Pe-2 bomber complemented the Tu-2, which was very similar in parameters. It was a twin-engine dive bomber, which was used according to the tactics described above. The problem with this aircraft was the insignificant orders of the model at aircraft factories. But by the end of the war the problem was corrected, the Tu-2 was even modernized and successfully used in battle.

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

IL-4

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

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

Pe-8

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

Although the long-range bomber was produced back in the late 1930s, it was the only aircraft of its class in the USSR. The Pe-8 had the highest speed (400 km/h), and the fuel supply in the tank made it possible to carry bombs not only to Berlin, but also to return back. The aircraft was equipped with the largest caliber bombs, up to the five-ton FAB-5000. It was the Pe-8 that bombed Helsinki, Koenigsberg, and Berlin at a time when the front line was in the Moscow area. Because of its operating range, the Pe-8 was called a strategic bomber, and in those years this class of aircraft was just being developed. All Soviet aircraft of World War II belonged to the class of fighters, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft or transport aircraft, but not to strategic aviation, only the Pe-8 was a kind of exception to the rule.

One of the most important operations performed by the Pe-8 was the transportation of V. Molotov to the USA and Great Britain. The flight took place in the spring of 1942 along a route that passed through Nazi-occupied territories. Molotov traveled on the passenger version of the Pe-8. Only a few such aircraft were developed.

Today, thanks to technological progress, tens of thousands of passengers are transported every day. But in those distant war days, every flight was a feat, both for pilots and passengers. There was always a high probability of being shot down, and a downed Soviet plane meant the loss of not only valuable lives, but also great damage to the state, which was very difficult to compensate.

Concluding this short review, which describes the most popular Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, it is worth mentioning the fact that all development, construction and air 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.

In the pre-war years, the USSR Air Force developed as an independent branch of the Armed Forces, and on the eve of the war it was organized into several groups. The main tactical formation was the division. Part of the long-range bomber aviation was consolidated into aviation corps. By June 1941 there were 79 air divisions and 5 air brigades. The number of air regiments grew. Compared to 1939, by June 1941 their number had increased by 80%. But by the beginning of the war, the deployment of aviation and the restructuring of the aviation rear could not be carried out; the flight personnel were undergoing retraining.

There was a lack of maintenance and repair equipment and new equipment. The development of the airfield network lagged behind the pace of aviation development. The Air Force was armed with combat aircraft of various designs, most of them had low speed and weak weapons. New aircraft (MIG-3, YAK-1, LaGG-3, PE-2, IL-2 and others) were not inferior to the fascist German ones in combat capabilities, and surpassed them in a number of indicators. However, their entry into the Air Force began not long before the start of the war, and by June 22, 1941, there were only 2,739 of them.

Aviation personnel were trained in three aviation academies, 78 flight and 18 technical schools and colleges.

On the first day of the war, fascist German aviation launched surprise attacks on Soviet airfields, where 65% of the aviation of the western border military districts were based. The armed forces lost 1,200 aircraft on the ground and in the air; the Belarusian Military District alone lost 738 aircraft. Enemy aircraft in a number of directions of the Soviet-German front seized air supremacy. This put the Soviet ground forces and aviation in a difficult position and was one of the reasons for the temporary failures of Soviet Aviation in the first period of the war. Despite great difficulties, Soviet pilots showed great courage, bravery and mass heroism. On the first day of the war they flew 6 thousand sorties. The Soviet government took measures aimed at strengthening the air force, restructuring the aviation industry and training aviation personnel. In August 1941, the State Defense Committee decided to reorganize the air force. The reorganization was generally completed by 1943 and represented a more complex system than on the eve and beginning of the war.

During military operations, aviation provided great support to ground forces. This branch of the military was the key to victory in hundreds of military operations.

By the beginning of the war, the work of the aviation industry, which had become a major branch of the national economy in the mid-1930s, was significantly restructured. In 1939, the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Soviet government took emergency measures to strengthen the aviation industry in order to transfer it to the production of more advanced military aircraft. In 1939 - early 1941, new types of combat aircraft were built, tested, put into service and put into mass production: LaGG-3, MIG-3, Yak-1 fighters, PE-2, PE-8, Il-4 bombers, Il-2 attack aircraft. The aviation industry has completely switched to the production of aircraft - monoplanes with retractable landing gear, a streamlined fuselage, a closed canopy, etc. The speed of Soviet fighters reached 600 - 650 km/h, ceiling 11 - 12 km, flight range 3 - 4 thousand km, bomb load 3 - 4 tons. The number of factories in the industry increased by 1.7 times compared to 1937; by 1941, production capacity increased sharply, exceeding the capacity of German aircraft factories. However, the German aviation industry produced only new aircraft designs, while the Soviet industry produced both new and old ones. Serial production of combat vehicles of new designs began in the USSR in 1940. In total, in 1940 and the first half of 1941, the USSR aviation industry produced 249 Il-2 attack aircraft, 322 LaGG-3 fighters, 399 Yak-1, 111 Mig-1, 1289 Mig-3, 459 Pe-2 dive bombers.

In the first days of the war, the aviation industry was tasked with achieving a significant increase in the production of combat vehicles, especially new types. Many engineering and machine tool factories, as well as enterprises producing electrical equipment, were transferred to the aviation industry. Construction of new aircraft factories has begun.*

In July 1941, more than 1,800 combat aircraft were produced (twice the average monthly production in the first half of 1941), in September - 2,329. However, since October 1941, there was a significant decrease in aircraft production, caused by the relocation of most aircraft factories to the eastern regions of the country. But already from the end of 1941, the industry began to continuously increase the production of new aircraft.

In total, during the war, the aviation industry mastered and put into serial production 25 types of new and modified aircraft (10 types of fighters, 8 bombers, 2 attack aircraft, 4 transport aircraft, 1 training aircraft) and 23 types of aircraft engines.

The new aircraft were built using a simple design from non-scarce materials, which greatly facilitated their mass production in wartime conditions. In terms of simplicity and reliability, Soviet aircraft differed favorably from foreign ones.

Aviation in the Battle of Kursk

By the summer of 1943, the center of gravity of the struggle for air supremacy had moved to the central section of the Soviet-German front.

To support their ground forces from the air, the fascist German command created two powerful groups: one south of Orel, the other north of Kharkov. In total, enemy aviation forces in the Kursk Bulge area numbered 2,050 aircraft (1,200 bombers, 600 fighters, 150 reconnaissance aircraft). In the upcoming battle, the Nazis relied heavily on aviation; they concentrated on the Kursk Bulge 65% of all aircraft available on the Soviet-German front, including new types of combat aircraft - Foke-Wulf-190a fighters, modified Messer- Schmitt-109", attack aircraft "Henschel-129".

The aviation group of the Soviet troops consisted of the 16th Air Army (commander General S.I. Rudenko) of the Central Front, the 2nd (commander General S.A. Krasovsky) of the Voronezh Front and the 17th (commander General V.A. Sudets) Southwestern Front, as well as the main long-range aviation forces. The Steppe Front included the 5th Air Army (commanded by General S.K. Gorchakov). In total, the Soviet aviation formations operating on the Kursk Bulge included 1,650 aircraft.

Thus, the overall balance of forces was 1.3:3, in favor of Germany. By the beginning of the battle, a significant renewal of the Soviet Air Force's aircraft fleet had occurred. The organization of interaction between aviation and ground forces was carefully worked out, for which purpose the headquarters of the air armies allocated their representatives to the ground forces. By the beginning of the battle, the headquarters of the air armies were moving closer to the front (40 - 50 km from the front line. Since October 1942, every second fighter aircraft had transceiver radio stations.

The rear organs of the air armies, with attached engineering battalions, were intensively preparing the airfield network and accumulating supplies of combat and materiel. The population was involved in the construction of airfields.

During the day of July 5, Soviet pilots shot down 260 and destroyed 60 enemy aircraft in air battles. Our losses amounted to 176 aircraft. As a result of the opposition of our fighters and the losses incurred, the activity of enemy aviation in the second half of the day decreased on the Central Front, and in the Voronezh Front, the enemy was not at all able to overcome the resistance of our fighters.

However, not everything went smoothly. Shortcomings were revealed in the actions of our fighters. They were keen on fighting enemy fighters and, at times, ignored bombers. Notification of the approach of an air enemy was not clearly organized. Assessing all this, the Air Force command and the commanders of the air armies the next day (July 6) changed the forms and methods of action of our aviation and moved on to massive strikes against the advancing enemy troops. At the same time, adjustments were made to the organization of fighter operations. Patrol zones were moved into enemy territory. Fighters began to be directed by radio primarily at bombers.

As a result of increased losses, German aviation sharply reduced its activity. If on July 5, 4,298 sorties were recorded on the Central and Voronezh fronts, then on July 6, only 2,100.

Beginning on July 7, Soviet fighters firmly seized the initiative in the air. The activity of German aviation decreased every day. By July 10, the offensive capabilities of the fascist German troops in the Oryol direction had dried up.

During the counteroffensive of our troops in the Battle of Kursk, for the first time in the Great Patriotic War, an air offensive was carried out.** During the counteroffensive near Kursk, Soviet aviation flew over 90 thousand sorties. In 1,700 air battles, 2,100 enemy aircraft were destroyed, in addition, 145 aircraft were destroyed and damaged at airfields and 780 aircraft were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery.

The pilots showed massive heroism and high combat skill during the battles. The immortal feat was accomplished on July 6, 1943 by pilot A.K. Gorovets. In one air battle he shot down 9 enemy aircraft. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. On July 8, squadron commander M. Malov, covering the 2nd Tatsinsky Tank Corps, destroyed several enemy tanks. In the last attack, his plane was hit by anti-aircraft guns, and the courageous pilot sent the burning car into a cluster of enemy tanks. Posthumously M. Malov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Pilots A. Nechaev and M. S. Tokarev died the death of Heroes. Here the pilot, junior lieutenant I.N. Kozhedub, later three times Hero of the Soviet Union, received his baptism of fire.

The air power of Nazi Germany melted away in air battles. The conquest of air supremacy was ensured by the continuous quantitative and qualitative growth of the Soviet air force, a more decisive massing of aviation in the main directions, an increase in the military skills of the flight personnel, and new methods of using aviation.

At the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), the fascist occupiers destroyed almost 900 Soviet aircraft. Most of the aircraft, before they could take off, were burned at the airfields as a result of the massive bombing of the German army. However, in a very short time, Soviet enterprises became world leaders in the number of aircraft produced and thereby brought closer the victory of the Soviet Army in World War II. Let's consider what aircraft were in service with the Soviet Union and how they could resist the aircraft of Nazi Germany.

Aviation industry of the USSR

Before the start of the war, Soviet aircraft occupied a leading position in the global aircraft industry. I-15 and I-16 fighters took part in hostilities with Japanese Manchuria, fought in the skies of Spain, and attacked the enemy during the Soviet-Finnish conflict. In addition to fighter aircraft, Soviet aircraft designers paid great attention to bomber technology.

Transport heavy bomber

Thus, just before the war, the TB-3 heavy bomber was demonstrated to the world. This multi-ton giant was capable of delivering deadly cargo thousands of kilometers away. At that time, it was the most popular combat aircraft of the Second World War, which was produced in unprecedented quantities and was the pride of the USSR Air Force. However, this example of gigantomania did not justify itself in real war conditions. The massive WWII combat aircraft, according to modern experts, was significantly inferior to the Luftwaffe attack bombers of the Messerschmitt aircraft manufacturing company in terms of speed and number of weapons.

New pre-war aircraft models

The war in Spain and Khalkhin Gol showed that the most important indicators in modern conflicts are the maneuverability and speed of aircraft. Soviet aircraft designers were tasked with preventing a lag in military equipment and creating new aircraft that could compete with the best examples of the world aircraft industry. Emergency measures were taken, and by the early 40s the next generation of competitive aircraft appeared. Thus, the Yak-1, MiG-3, LaGT-3 became the leaders of their class of military aircraft, the speed of which at the design flight altitude reached or exceeded 600 km/h.

Start of serial production

In addition to fighter aircraft, high-speed equipment was developed in the class of dive and attack bombers (Pe-2, Tu-2, TB-7, Er-2, Il-2) and Su-2 reconnaissance aircraft. During the two pre-war years, USSR aircraft designers created attack aircraft, fighters and bombers that were unique and modern for those times. All military equipment was tested in various training and combat conditions and recommended for mass production. However, there were not enough construction sites in the country. The rate of industrial growth of aviation technology before the start of the Great Patriotic War lagged significantly behind global manufacturers. On June 22, 1941, the entire burden of the war fell on aircraft of the 1930s. Only from the beginning of 1943 did the military aviation industry of the Soviet Union reach the required level of production of combat aircraft and achieve an advantage in European airspace. Let's look at the best Soviet aircraft of the Second World War, according to the world's leading aviation experts.

Educational and training base

Many Soviet aces of World War II began their journey into air aviation with training flights on the legendary U-2 multi-purpose biplane, the production of which began in 1927. The legendary aircraft faithfully served Soviet pilots until the Victory. By the mid-30s, biplane aviation was somewhat outdated. New combat missions were set, and the need arose to build a completely new training aircraft that met modern requirements. Thus, on the basis of A. S. Yakovlev’s design bureau, the Y-20 training monoplane was created. The monoplane was created in two modifications:

  • with an engine from the French Renault of 140 hp. With.;
  • with an M-11E aircraft engine.

In 1937, three international records were set using a Soviet-made engine. And the car with a Renault engine took part in air competitions along the Moscow-Sevastopol-Moscow route, where it took a prize. Until the very end of the war, training of young pilots was carried out on aircraft of the A. S. Yakovlev Design Bureau.

MBR-2: flying boat of war

During the Great Patriotic War, naval aviation played an important role in military battles, bringing the long-awaited victory over Nazi Germany closer. Thus, the second marine short-range reconnaissance aircraft, or MBR-2, a seaplane capable of taking off and landing on the water surface, became a Soviet flying boat. Among pilots, the aircraft was nicknamed “heavenly cow” or “barn”. The seaplane made its first flight in the early 30s, and subsequently, until the victory over Nazi Germany, it was in service with the Red Army. Interesting fact: an hour before Germany attacked the Soviet Union, the planes of the Baltic Flotilla along the entire perimeter of the coastline were the first to be destroyed. German troops destroyed all of the country's naval aviation located in this region. During the war years, naval aviation pilots successfully completed their assigned tasks of evacuating the crews of downed Soviet aircraft, adjusting enemy coastal defense lines, and providing transport convoys for warships of the country's naval forces.

MiG-3: the main night fighter

The high-altitude Soviet fighter differed from other pre-war aircraft in its high-speed characteristics. At the end of 1941, it was the most popular aircraft of the Second World War, the total number of units of which amounted to more than 1/3 of the entire air defense fleet of the country. The novelty of aircraft construction was not sufficiently mastered by combat pilots; they had to tame the MiG “third” in combat conditions. Two aviation regiments were urgently formed from the best representatives of Stalin’s “falcons”. However, the most popular WWII aircraft was significantly inferior to the fighter fleet of the late 30s. Superior in speed characteristics at an altitude of more than 5000 m, at medium and low altitudes the combat vehicle was inferior to the same I-5 and I-6. Nevertheless, when repelling attacks on rear cities at the beginning of the war, it was the “third” MiGs that were used. Combat vehicles took part in the air defense of Moscow, Leningrad and other cities of the Soviet Union. Due to the lack of spare parts and the renewal of the aircraft fleet with new aircraft, in June 1944, the massive WWII aircraft was decommissioned from service with the USSR Air Force.

Yak-9: air defender of Stalingrad

In pre-war times, the design bureau of A. Yakovlev mainly produced light sports aircraft intended for training and participation in various thematic shows dedicated to the strength and power of Soviet aviation. The Yak-1, whose serial production was mastered in 1940, had excellent flight qualities. It was this aircraft that had to repel the first attacks of Nazi Germany at the very beginning of the war. In 1942, a new aircraft from the design bureau of A. Yakovlev, the Yak-9, began to enter service with the Air Force. It is believed that this is the most popular front-line aircraft of the Second World War. The combat vehicle took part in air battles along the entire front line. Having retained all the main overall dimensions, the Yak-9 was improved by a powerful M-105PF engine with a rated power of 1210 horsepower under flight conditions. exceeding 2500 meters. The weight of the fully equipped combat vehicle was 615 kg. The weight of the aircraft was added by the ammunition and metal I-section spars, which were made of wood in the pre-war period. The aircraft’s fuel tank was also re-equipped, increasing the volume of fuel, which affected the flight range. The new development of aircraft manufacturers had high maneuverability, allowing for active combat operations in close proximity to the enemy at high and low altitudes. During the years of serial production of the military fighter (1942-1948), about 17 thousand combat units were mastered. The Yak-9U, which appeared in service with the USSR Air Force in the fall of 1944, was considered a successful modification. Among combat pilots, the letter “u” meant the word killer.

La-5: aerial balancing act

In 1942, the combat aircraft of the Second World War were supplemented by the single-engine La-5 fighter, created at OKB-21 by S. A. Lavochkin. The aircraft was made of classified structural materials, which made it possible to withstand dozens of direct machine-gun hits from the enemy. The WWII combat aircraft had impressive maneuverability and speed, misleading the enemy with its aerial feints. Thus, the La-5 could freely enter a “spin” and just as successfully exit it, which made it practically invulnerable in combat conditions. It is believed that this is the most combat aircraft of the Second World War, which played one of the key roles in air battles during the Battle of Kursk and combat battles in the skies of Stalingrad.

Li-2: cargo carrier

In the 30s of the last century, the main means of air transport was the PS-9 passenger aircraft - a low-speed machine with an indestructible landing gear. However, the level of comfort and flight performance of the “air bus” did not meet international requirements. Thus, in 1942, on the basis of the licensed production of the American air-haul transport aircraft Douglas DC-3, the Soviet military transport aircraft Li-2 was created. The car was assembled entirely from American-made components. The aircraft served faithfully until the very end of the war, and in the post-war years it continued to carry out cargo transportation on local airlines of the Soviet Union.

Po-2: “night witches” in the sky

Remembering the combat aircraft of the Second World War, it is difficult to ignore one of the most massive workers in combat battles - the multi-purpose biplane U-2, or Po-2, created in the Nikolai Polikarpov Design Bureau back in the 20s of the last century. Initially, the aircraft was intended for training purposes and operation as an air transport in agriculture. However, the Great Patriotic War made the “sewing machine” (as the Germans called the Po-2) the most formidable and effective attack weapon for night bombing. One aircraft could make up to 20 sorties per night, delivering deadly cargo to enemy combat positions. It should be noted that mainly female pilots fought on such biplanes. During the war years, four women's squadrons of 80 pilots were formed. For their bravery and courage in battle, the German occupiers nicknamed them “night witches.” The women's air regiment made more than 23.5 thousand combat missions in the Great Patriotic War. Many did not return from the battles. 23 “witches” received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, most of them posthumously.

IL-2: machine of the great Victory

The Soviet attack aircraft of the design bureau of Sergei Yakovlev is the most popular type of combat air transport during the Great Patriotic War. WWII Il-2 aircraft took an active part in the theater of military operations. In the entire history of world aircraft construction, the brainchild of S.V. Yakovlev is considered the most massive combat aircraft of its class. In total, more than 36 thousand units of combat air weapons were put into operation. WWII planes with the Il-2 logo terrified the German Luftwaffe aces and were nicknamed “concrete planes” by them. The main technological feature of the combat vehicle was the inclusion of armor in the power structure of the aircraft, which was capable of withstanding a direct hit from a 7.62 mm enemy armor-piercing bullet from almost zero distance. There were several serial modifications of the aircraft: Il-2 (single-seat), Il-2 (double), Il-2 AM-38F, Il-2 KSS, Il-2 M82 and so on.

Conclusion

In general, aircraft created by the hands of Soviet aircraft manufacturers continued to perform combat missions in the post-war period. Thus, the Mongolian Air Force, the Bulgarian Air Force, the Yugoslav Air Force, the Czechoslovak Air Force and other states of the post-war socialist camp were in service with USSR aircraft for a long time, which ensured the protection of airspace.