Yakovlev Aircraft Since 1924

Alexandr S. Yakovlev was one of the most versatile aircraft designers of his age, but he had the misfortune to work in the USSR which made him almost unknown to the outside world. In 1926-27 he built his first aeroplane and from then on he designed structures which were, time and again, ahead of their time.

8-1/2 x 11, 400 b/w photos, 16 pgs of color, plus line drawings

In this precise, interpretive and informative volume, Higham looks at everything from the roots of strategic bombing and tactical air power to the lessons learned and unlearned during the invasion of Ethiopia, the war in China and the Spanish Civil War. He also considers the problems posed by jet aircraft in Korea and the use of Patriot missiles in the Persian Gulf. He covers anti-guerrilla operations, doctrine, industrial activities and equipment, as well as the development of commercial airlines.

In the light of new archival material the editors take a fresh look at Russian aviation in the twentieth century. Presenting a comprehensive view of Russian aviation, from its genesis in the late czarist period to the present era, the approach is essentially chronological with a major emphasis on the evolution of military aviation. The contributions are diverse, with appropriate attention to civilian and institutional themes.

Book discusses the requirement for and the design, development, and operation of the U-2, from 1954 when the design began, to the current overflights of the Balkans and Iraq. Includes extensive discussions of U-2 overflights of hostile countries (USSR, China, North Korea, North Vietnam) and NASA's use of the U-2.

MiG Aircraft since 1937 reunites Bill Gunston, and Moscow-based Yefim Gordon, who previously worked together on Yakovlev Aircraft since 1924, also in the Putnam series. With their contacts in Russia, the authors have been allowed unprecedented access to the archives of both the former Soviet Union's design bureaux and the MiG company itself. As a result, they present here the first definitive and fully accurate work of reference on all the MiG designs, complete with hundreds of photographs and drawings - several of which have never been published before - as well as previously unrecorded details of MiG variants.

The Red Air Force had just started to re-equip with modern monoplane fighters when the Germans opened Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Hundreds of fighters were destroyed in the first few days, but many of these were obsolete biplanes. Soviet Fighters of the Second World War details fighter development from the dark days of Barbarossa to eventual triumph over Berlin. Starting with outdated aircraft such as the Polikarpov Po-2 biplane and monoplane fighters, the Soviets then settled on two main lines of development: the inline-engine LaGG-3 and its radial-engine derivatives, the La-5 and La-7, and the inline-engine Yakovlev fighters, which were produced in greater numbers than any other series of fighters. Not only are these aircraft accurately described, but experimental fighters are also dealt with. In addition, colour profiles illustrate these aircraft in terms of design, camouflage and markings. From the I-15bis biplane of the late 1930s to the superb La-7 and Yak-3 fighters of the last year of the war, all Red Air Force fighters are covered in this comprehensive volume.

The latest volume in the 'Red Star' series examines the development of Soviet VTOL aircraft designed by the Yakovlev Aircraft company. As with other volumes in the 'Red Star' series, the book includes a comprehensive account of the development and operational record of the aircraft.

The Yak-23 was the final development of the highly successful Soviet fighter series which began with the Yak-1 in 1940. Its immediate predecessors were the Yak-15 and Yak-17, both simple jet-powered Seriesversions of the wartime Yak-3; the Yak-23 was an updated all-metal version of the basic design. It saw service with several Warsaw Pact air forces, as a lightweight fast-climbing interceptor. The design, development and operations of the Yak-15, -17 and -23 are described and illustrated in this book, which is complete with photos, scale plans, drawings and color profiles. An essential guide to these first-generation Soviet fighter aircraft!