Five of the best Soviet aircraft during the Great Patriotic War. Aviation of the second world war

Always, especially during and after the Second World War, they were famous for their technical potential. Our pilots, who flew on domestic airplanes, caused significant damage to the fascist enemy in air battles.

Among the first interesting models, Sh-2 can be distinguished. The first tests of this flying boat began in 1929. Of course, this plane was not a fighter or bomber in the full sense of the word, but the practical use of it was great, because during the war it was used to transport wounded soldiers and communicate with partisan detachments.

The MBR-2 aircraft was developed in 1931. Mass deliveries of the aircraft to the army began in 1934. What technical aspects did he possess? These aircraft of the USSR had a power of 450 Horse power, flight - 215 km / h. The average flight range was 960 km. The maximum distance that the MBR-2 conquered is 5100 km. It was used mainly in the fleets (Pacific, Baltic, Amur flotilla). The massive arming of units in the fleets began in 1937. The aircraft, which were based on the Baltic Front, during the Second World War made about 700 sorties to German airfields located in the occupied territory. The bombing took place mainly at night, their main feature was surprise, so the Germans could not oppose anything.

Before the Red Army was not equipped with high-quality fighters. Historians believe that the main reasons for this are the Soviet leadership's lack of understanding of the threat of a defensive war and the massive repression of the late 1930s. The USSR (fighters), which could actually fight against German machines, appeared at the beginning of 1940. The People's Commissariat of Defense approved an order for the production of three models at once: MiG-3, LaGG-3, Yak-1. The new aircraft of the USSR of World War II (in particular the Mig-3) had excellent specifications, but were not very comfortable to fly. The development and start of mass production of these new generation flying machines took place exactly at the time when they were most needed by the Armed Forces - just before the start of Hitler's aggression against the USSR. The maximum height that the MiG-3 fighter managed to reach is 12 km. He was fast enough in the ascent, because the plane took off to a 5-kilometer altitude in 5.3 minutes. The average optimal flight speed was approximately 620 km.

Aircraft of the USSR (bombers) and their role in the victory over fascism

For effective fight with the enemy it was necessary to establish interaction between the aviation and the ground army. Probably, among the Soviet bombers that caused the most damage to the Wehrmacht army, it is worth highlighting the Su-4 and Yak-2. Let's talk separately about each of them.

So, the Su-4 was equipped with two large-caliber machine guns, which made it effective in aerial combat. The maximum flight range of aircraft of this class is 1000 kilometers, and during the flight it reached 486 km, which made it possible for the pilot to maneuver, saving the aircraft from enemy strikes if necessary.

Aircraft of the USSR of the Second World Series "Jacob" also occupied a significant place in the list of bombers used by the army. The Yak-2 became one of the first twin-engine military aircraft. The power of each of the engines was 750 hp. The flight range of the aircraft with two motors was certainly much greater than the single-engine counterparts (1300 km). The aircraft of the USSR of the Second World War of the Yak model range had excellent performance in terms of speed, as well as the time to climb certain heights. Equipped with two machine guns, one of which was stationary, located on the nose of the fuselage. The second machine gun was supposed to ensure the safety of the aircraft from the sides and rear, so it was at the disposal of the second navigator.

Pilots and aircraft of the USSR during World War II

All successes on the air battlefields with the Nazis were ensured not only good results engineering solutions but also by the high professionalism of our pilots. As you know, the number of Heroes of the USSR - pilots is no less than tankers or infantrymen. Some ases received this title three times (for example, Ivan Kozhedub).

The test pilots should also be given credit. Military aircraft of the USSR, before entering service with the army, were always tested at ranges. It was the testers, risking their own lives, to check the reliability of the newly created technology.

At the end of the 30s, a powerful research and production base was created in the USSR, capable of designing and producing a large number of machines of various types. In 1940, 40% of the Soviet military budget was spent on aviation, and the total number of aircraft factories increased by 75%. As a result, in June 1941, the production base was one and a half times larger than the German one.

Before the war, 53.4% ​​of the total number of combat aircraft were fighters, 41.2% were bombers, 3.2% were reconnaissance aircraft, and 0.2% were attack aircraft. About 80% of all aircraft belonged to the older types (I-15, I-16, SB, TB-3, DB-3 and R-5). With the advent of new aircraft in early 1941, the total number of aircraft types was 27, of which 7 were upgraded versions (there were 86 types of bombs). All this variety of types made it difficult to supply and complicate the organization and use of air units.

A large documentary series tells about most types and individual aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, I recommend!

Soviet combat donkeys

"Ishak" or affectionately "Ishachek" is nothing more than the most massive fighter of the pre-war era, the I-16. Either the I-16 is consonant with the word "Ishak", or the character of this aircraft turned out to be very similar to the behavior of this cloven-hoofed creature, but Soviet aviation owes its first victories to this very creation of the king of fighters, Polikarpov. This film describes in detail the fate of this aircraft, as well as the history of other machines of this designer (R-5, I-15, I-153, etc.)

Soviet dive bombers

This popular science film tells about the Pe-2 - "Pawn". The Pe-2 was the most massive front-line dive bomber made in the USSR. In small bomber aviation, this type of weapon was the most effective. The production of the Pe-2 ceased in the winter of 1945-1946. More of these machines were built than any other Soviet bombers. After the end of the war, the Pe-2 was quickly removed from service. Soviet aviation and replaced with more advanced Tu-2. We will also tell you about the Tu-2 as a worthy replacement for the "Pawn" in this film.

Soviet training and multipurpose aircraft

This film tells about the training, transport and multipurpose aircraft of the USSR in the thirties and forties. You will learn about the R-5 reconnaissance aircraft, the Ut-2l training aircraft, the Li-2 and Shche-2 carrier-bombers, as well as the simplest and safest, but terrifying U-2 (Po-2 ).

DB and SB bombers

Bombers DB-3 and SB compared the main fleet of bomber aircraft at the first stage of the Great Patriotic War. SB bombers took an active part in hostilities in Spain (from the fall of 1936) and China (from the fall of 1937). For the first time in the history of aviation, a bomber aircraft surpassed fighters in speed. Serial production of SB lasted until 1941 inclusive. SB were actively used in the battles of the Great Patriotic War, at the beginning of which they were the main force of the domestic front-line bomber aviation. Bombers DB-3 or IL-4 were successfully used from the beginning to the end of the Second World War. Only appearance nuclear weapons and new strategic doctrines forced the discontinuation of these highly successful machines.

MIG and LA

This popular science film tells about the main Soviet fighters of the Second World War. These machines replaced the outdated pre-war fighters I-16 and I-153. Even before the war, their prototypes were superior to those of Nmets, but their real superiority began to show only in the second half of the Great Patriotic War. They easily surpassed all enemy counterparts, and also were not inferior to the vehicles of the allies.

Soviet attack aircraft

This film tells about the deadliest part of the Soviet Air Force of the Second World War - the stormtroopers. This story will consist mainly of the IL-2 ("Flying Tank" - as our designers called it) and its modifications. German pilots called it “Concrete Plane” for its ability to endure damage. Among the ground forces of the Wehrmacht, the plane has earned several impartial nicknames, such as "The Butcher", "Meat Grinder", "Iron Gustav" and "Black Death". Also, the film will describe the further development of the Il-2 attack aircraft, Il-8 and Il-10 aircraft. The film examines the plane, which, according to the designers' plan, was supposed to form the basis of the fifteen thousandth air anti-tank army - the Pegasus plane.

Fighters Yak

During the Great Patriotic War, the Yakovlev Design Bureau worked with unusual tension, normal for that difficult time. The most successful Soviet fighters were created by enormous efforts. Yaks were produced at 15 factories. Up to 38 cars left the conveyors every day. The park of these beautiful celestial predators made up two-thirds of all Soviet fighter aircraft. The words "Yak" and "Fighter" have become synonymous. This film tells about the history of creation and the features of these wonderful machines.

A comparison between the Air Force and the Luftwaffe on 22 June cannot be made simply on the basis of the number of vehicles, which would mean more than twofold superiority for the Air Force. It is necessary to take into account the lack of crews and the non-combat capability of some of the aircraft. Most important was German superiority in aircraft quality and crew training. German aircraft were superior to ours in terms of flight performance and firepower. The extensive, nearly two-year combat experience of German pilots predetermined most aerial combat. The qualitative superiority of the Germans was complemented by organizational advantages. While the Soviet air units were dispersed across military districts, armies and military units, and could not be used in a concentrated manner, as a whole, german aircraft were brought together in air fleets, each of which consisted of up to 1000 cars. As a result, the Air Force acted in fragmentation, and the Luftwaffe was concentrated to attack key sectors and at the most important moment.
On December 31, 1941, the combat losses of the Red Army Air Force amounted to 21,200 aircraft.
Recognizing the courage and valor of Soviet pilots of that time, adoring their feat and self-sacrifice, one cannot but admit the fact that the USSR managed to revive its Air Force after the catastrophe of 1941 solely at the expense of enormous human resources, redeploying almost the entire aviation industry to areas inaccessible to German aviation and the fact that in the first months of the war, the Air Force lost mainly equipment, and not flight and technical personnel. It was they who became the basis of the revived Air Force.
In 1941, the Soviet aviation industry transferred 7,081 fighters to the front, and the Allies supplied 730 fighters. On January 1, 1942, the Red Army Air Force consisted of 12,000 aircraft. of which 5,400 are combat.
In the first half of 1942, the following types of aircraft were in the combat composition of fighter aircraft domestic production: I-153 (18% of the total), I-16 (28%), MiG-3 (23.9%), LaGG-3 (11.5%), Yak-1 (9.2%).
Since January 1942, the production of aircraft has steadily increased. If in the first quarter the average monthly production of combat aircraft was 1100 aircraft, then in the second quarter - 1700. In total, 9744 aircraft were produced in the first half of the year, of which 8268 were combat aircraft. Aircraft production in the second half of the year was as follows: July - 2224 (total) / 1835 (combat), August - 2492/2098, September - 2672/2286, October - 2839/2462, November - 2634/2268, December - 2831/2464 ...
During 1942, the Soviet aviation industry produced 9,918 fighters, and the German - 5,515. In 1942, within the framework of Lend-Lease, the Allies supplied 1,815 fighters to the Soviet Air Force.
In 1943, within the framework of Lend-Lease, the Allies delivered 4,569 fighters, and the Soviet aviation industry transferred 14,627 fighters to the front.

On January 1, 1942, the Soviet Air Force had 12,000 aircraft, including active army- 5400, on January 1, 1943 - 21900/12300, on January 1, 1944 - 32500/13400.
At the end of 1944, the Air Force had 16 air armies, which included 37 air corps and 170 air divisions (63 fighter, 50 assault, 55 bomber and 2 mixed). In total, 18 air armies were created in the USSR during the war years. In 1945, there were 15 air armies in the Red Army Air Force, of which three (9, 10 and 12) were in the Far East, and the 7th Air Army was in the Supreme Command Headquarters Reserve.
According to Soviet data, on January 1, 1944, there were 10,200 (of which 8,500 are so-called new types) combat aircraft in the army, on July 1, 1944 - 12,900 (11,800), on January 1, 1945 - 14700 (14,500) ... At the beginning of 1945 g. Soviet Union had 22,600 combat aircraft.
As of May 9, 1945, there were 47,300 combat aircraft in the USSR, of which 9,700 were bombers, 10,100 attack aircraft, and 27,500 fighters.
According to Soviet data, in 1945, the combat losses of Soviet aviation (for four months of the war) amounted to 4,100 combat aircraft, thus, the average monthly losses were equal to 1,025 aircraft.

On the war planes of a new type, on the eve of the war, various modifications were continuously carried out to eliminate the identified design, production and operational shortcomings and defects. Therefore, it was difficult to prepare these aircraft for the urgently needed tests - operational tests and tests on their combat use, during which the cases of emergencies would be excluded.

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 that made their special contribution to the victory over the Nazi invaders.

The tragedy of the first days of the war

The Il-2 became the first example of a new aircraft design scheme. The Ilyushin design bureau realized that this approach significantly worsens the structure and makes it heavier. The new design approach has given new opportunities for more rational use the mass of the aircraft. This is how the Ilyushin-2 appeared - an airplane that earned the nickname "flying tank" for its particularly durable armor.

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

The developers also experienced problems with the aircraft. During the entire period of the Great Patriotic War, the Il-2's armament 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 desired result... The original 20mm cannons were replaced with large-bore 37mm cannons. With such powerful weapons, almost all types of ground troops, from infantry to tanks and armored vehicles, have become afraid of the attack aircraft.

According to some recollections of the pilots who fought on the Il-2, firing from attack aircraft guns led to the fact that the plane literally hovered 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 stormtrooper became, in fact, a flying fortress. This thesis is confirmed by the fact that the attack aircraft took on board several bombs.

All these qualities met with great success, and the Ilyushin-2 became simply an irreplaceable 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

A bomber, from a tactical point of view, is an indispensable part of combat aviation in any battle. Perhaps the most recognizable soviet bomber during the Great Patriotic War - this 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 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. A special tactic for the use of bombers was immediately developed, which implied an approach to the target at a high altitude, a sharp drop to the bomb drop altitude, and the same sharp flight into the sky. This tactic yielded results.

Pe-2 and Tu-2

The dive bomber drops bombs without following a horizontal line. He literally falls on his target and drops the bomb only when there are some 200 meters to the target. The consequence of this tactical move is impeccable precision. But, as you know, an aircraft at low altitude can touch 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, while still carrying heavy ammunition. In addition, the design of the bomber was assumed to be strong, capable of withstanding the impact of an anti-aircraft gun. Therefore, the Pe-2 plane was very well suited for this role.

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 above described tactics. The problem with this aircraft was in the minor model orders from aircraft factories. But by the end of the war, the problem was corrected, the Tu-2 was even modernized and successfully used in battles.

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

IL-4

The Il-4 tactical bomber has 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 the complicated control, was popular in the Air Force, the plane was even used as a torpedo bomber.

The Il-4 was entrenched in history as the plane that carried out the first bombing raids on the capital of the Third Reich - Berlin. And this did not happen 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 was out of reach for Soviet dive bombers.

Pe-8

During the war years, the Pe-8 bomber was so rare and unrecognizable that sometimes it was 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 at the end of the 30s, it was the only aircraft of its class in the USSR. The Pe-8 had the highest travel speed (400 km / h), and the fuel in the tank made it possible to carry the 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, Konigsberg, Berlin at a time when the front line was in the Moscow area. Because of the 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 the Second World War belonged to the class of fighters, bombers, reconnaissance 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 the Nazi-occupied territories. Molotov traveled in the passenger version of the Pe-8. Only a few of these aircraft were developed.

Today, thanks to technical progress, tens of thousands of passengers are transported daily. 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 a small review, which describes the most popular Soviet aircraft during the Great Patriotic War, it should be mentioned that all development, construction and air battles took place in conditions of cold, hunger and lack of personnel. However, each new aircraft 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 World War II, aviation was one of the main branches of the military and played a very important role in the course of hostilities. It is no coincidence that each of the warring parties strove to ensure a constant increase in the combat effectiveness of their aviation by increasing the production of aircraft and their continuous improvement and renewal. As never before, scientific and engineering potential was widely involved in the military sphere, many research institutes and laboratories, design bureaus and test centers worked, through the efforts of which the latest military equipment was created. It was a time of unusually rapid progress in aircraft construction. At the same time, the era of evolution of aircraft with piston engines, which reigned supreme in aviation from the moment of its inception, seemed to be ending. Combat aircraft at the end of the Second World War were the most advanced models of aviation technology based on piston engines.

A significant difference between the peaceful and military periods of the development of combat aviation was that during the war, the effectiveness of technology was determined directly by experience. If in peacetime military specialists and aircraft designers, ordering and creating new models of aircraft, relied only on speculative ideas about the nature of a future war or were guided by the limited experience of local conflicts, then large-scale military operations dramatically changed the situation. The practice of air battles has become not only a powerful catalyst in accelerating the progress of aviation, but also the only criterion when comparing the quality of aircraft and choosing the main directions for further development. Each side improved its aircraft based on its own combat experience, the availability of resources, technology capabilities and the aviation industry as a whole.

During the war years in England, the USSR, the USA, Germany and Japan, a large number of aircraft were created, which played a significant role in the course of the armed struggle. There are many outstanding examples among them. It is interesting to compare these machines, as well as to compare the engineering and scientific ideas that were used to create them. Of course, among the numerous types of aircraft that took part in the war and represented different schools of aircraft construction, it is difficult to single out the indisputably best ones. Therefore, the choice of cars is to some extent conditional.

Fighters were the main means of gaining air supremacy in the fight against the enemy. The success of combat operations of ground forces and other types of aviation, the safety of rear facilities largely depended on the effectiveness of their actions. It is no coincidence that it was the class of fighters that developed the most intensively. The best of them are traditionally called Yak-3 and La-7 (USSR), North American P-51 Mustang (Mustang, USA), Supermarine Spitfire (Spitfire, England) and Messerschmitt Bf 109 ( Germany). Among the many modifications of Western fighters, the P-51D, Spitfire XIV and Bf 109G-10 and K-4 were selected for comparison, that is, those aircraft that were serially built and entered service air force at the final stage of the war. All of them were created in 1943 - early 1944. These machines reflected the richest combat experience already accumulated by that time by the belligerent countries. They became, as it were, symbols of the military aviation technology of their time.

Before comparing different types of fighters, it is worth saying a little about the basic principles of comparison. The main thing here is to keep in mind the conditions of combat use for which they were created. The war in the East showed that in the presence of a front line, where ground forces are the main force of the armed struggle, relatively low flight altitudes were required from aviation. The experience of air battles on the Soviet-German front shows that the overwhelming majority of them were fought at altitudes up to 4.5 km, regardless of the altitude of the aircraft. Soviet designers, improving fighters and motors for them, could not fail to take this circumstance into account. At the same time, the British "Spitfires" and the American "Mustangs" were distinguished by their higher altitude, since the nature of the actions for which they counted was completely different. In addition, the P-51D had a much longer range required to escort heavy bombers, and therefore was significantly heavier than Spitfires, German Bf 109s and Soviet fighters. Thus, since British, American and Soviet fighters were created for different combat conditions, the question of which of the machines was generally the most effective loses its meaning. It is advisable to compare only the basic technical solutions and machine features.

The situation is different with German fighters. They were intended to fight in the air on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Therefore, they can reasonably be compared with all Allied fighters.

So what made the best WWII fighters stand out? What was their fundamental difference from each other? Let's start with the main thing - with the technical ideology laid down by the designers in the projects of these aircraft.

The most unusual in terms of the concept of creation were, perhaps, "Spitfire" and "Mustang".

"It's not just a good plane, it's a Spitfire!" - such an assessment of the English test pilot G. Powell, undoubtedly, applies to one of the last variants of the fighter of this family, the Spitfire XIV, the best fighter of the British Air Force during the war. It was on "Spitfire" XIV that the German Me 262 jet fighter was shot down in an air battle.

Creating "Spitfire" in the mid-30s, the designers tried to combine seemingly incompatible things: the high speed characteristic of high-speed monoplane fighters that were then entering life, with the excellent maneuverability, altitude and takeoff and landing characteristics inherent in biplanes. The goal has basically been achieved. Like many other high-speed fighters, the Spitfire had a well-streamlined cantilever monoplane design. But that was only outward resemblance... For its weight, "Spitfire" had a relatively large wing, which gave a low load per unit of the bearing surface, much less than that of other monoplane fighters. Hence the excellent horizontal maneuverability, high ceiling and good takeoff and landing properties. This approach was not something exceptional: Japanese designers, for example, did the same. But the creators of Spitfire went further. Due to the high aerodynamic drag of a wing of such significant dimensions, it was impossible to count on achieving a high maximum flight speed - one of the most important indicators of the quality of fighters of those years. To reduce drag, they used profiles of much smaller relative thickness than those of other fighters, and gave the wing an elliptical shape in plan. This further reduced aerodynamic drag when flying at high altitude and in maneuver modes.

The firm managed to create an outstanding combat aircraft. This does not mean that the Spitfire was devoid of any flaws. They were. For example, due to the low wing loading, it was inferior to many fighters in dive acceleration. Slower than German, American and even more Soviet fighters, it reacted in roll to the pilot's actions. However, these shortcomings were not of a fundamental nature, and in general, the Spitfire was indisputably one of the strongest air combat fighters, which demonstrated excellent qualities in practice.

Among the many variants of the Mustang fighter, the greatest success fell to the share of aircraft equipped with British Merlin engines. These were the P - 51B, C and, of course, the P-51D - the best and most famous American fighter of the Second World War. It was these aircraft that, since 1944, ensured the safety of heavy American B-17 and B-24 bombers from attacks by German fighters and demonstrated their superiority in battle.

The main distinguishing feature of the Mustang in terms of aerodynamics was its laminar wing, which was installed on a combat aircraft for the first time in the world aviation industry. This "zest" of the aircraft, which was born in the laboratory of the American scientific research center NASA on the eve of the war, deserves special mention. The fact is that the opinion of experts about the advisability of using a laminar wing on fighters of that period is ambiguous. If, before the war, great hopes were pinned on laminar wings, since under certain conditions they had less aerodynamic drag compared to ordinary ones, then the experience of working with the Mustang diminished the initial optimism. It turned out that in real operation such a wing is not efficient enough. The reason was that for the implementation of a laminar flow on a part of such a wing, a very careful surface finish and high accuracy in maintaining the profiling were required. Due to the roughness that arose when the protective paint was applied to the aircraft, and even a slight inaccuracy in the profiling that inevitably appeared in mass production (a slight undulation of the thin metal skin), the laminarization effect on the P-51 wing was greatly reduced. In terms of their bearing properties, laminar profiles were inferior to the usual ones, which caused difficulties in ensuring good maneuverability and takeoff and landing properties.

At low angles of attack, laminar wing profiles (sometimes called laminated) have less aerodynamic drag than conventional airfoils.

In addition to reduced resistance, laminar airfoils had better speed qualities - with an equal relative thickness, the effects of air compressibility (wave crisis) were manifested in them at higher speeds than on conventional airfoils. Even then it had to be reckoned with. In a dive, especially at high altitudes, where the speed of sound is significantly lower than near the ground, aircraft began to reach speeds at which the features associated with approaching the speed of sound were already manifested. It was possible to increase the so-called critical speed either by using higher-speed profiles, which turned out to be laminar, or by reducing the relative thickness of the profile, while reconciling with the inevitable increase in the weight of the structure and a reduction in wing volumes, which are often used (including on the P-51D) for placement of gas tanks and. Interestingly, due to the much smaller relative thickness of the airfoils, the wave crisis on the Spitfire wing occurred at a higher speed than on the Mustang wing.

Studies at the British Aviation Science Center RAE showed that, due to the significantly smaller relative thickness of the wing profiles, the Spitfire fighter at high speeds had a lower drag coefficient than the Mustang. This was explained by the later manifestation of the wave crisis of the flow and its "softer" nature.

If air battles were fought at relatively low altitudes, the crisis phenomena of air compressibility almost did not appear, so the need for a special high-speed wing was not acutely felt.

The way of creating Soviet aircraft Yak-3 and La-7 turned out to be very unusual. In essence, they were deep modifications of the Yak-1 and LaGG-3 fighters, developed in 1940 and mass-produced.

In the Soviet Air Force, at the final stage of the war, there was no fighter more popular than the Yak-3. It was the lightest fighter at the time. The French pilots of the Normandie-Niemen regiment, who fought on the Yak-3, spoke of its combat capabilities in the following way: “The Yak-3 gives you complete superiority over the Germans. On the Yak-3, you can fight together against four, and four against sixteen! "

A radical revision of the Yak's design was undertaken in 1943 with the aim of dramatically improving flight characteristics with a very modest power of the power plants. The decisive direction in this work was the lightening of the aircraft (including by reducing the wing area) and a significant improvement in its aerodynamics. Perhaps this was the only opportunity to qualitatively advance the aircraft, since the Soviet industry had not yet mass-produced new, more powerful engines suitable for installation on the Yak-1.

Such, extremely difficult to implement, the path of development of aviation technology was extraordinary. The usual way to improve the aircraft flight data complex was then to improve aerodynamics without noticeable changes in the dimensions of the airframe, as well as to install more powerful engines. This was almost always accompanied by a marked increase in weight.

The designers of the Yak-3 coped with this difficult task brilliantly. It is unlikely that in the aviation period of the Second World War one can find another example of a similar and so effectively performed work.

The Yak-3 was much lighter than the Yak-1, had a smaller relative profile thickness and wing area and had excellent aerodynamic properties. The power-to-weight ratio of the aircraft has increased significantly, which sharply improved its climb rate, acceleration characteristics and vertical maneuverability. At the same time, such an important parameter for horizontal maneuverability, takeoff and landing, as the specific wing loading, has changed little. In the war, the Yak-3 turned out to be one of the easiest fighters to fly.

Of course, in tactical terms, the Yak-3 by no means replaced the aircraft, which were distinguished by stronger weapons and longer duration combat flight, but perfectly complemented them, embodying the idea of ​​a light, high-speed and maneuverable air combat vehicle, designed primarily to combat enemy fighters.

One of the few, if not the only fighter with an air-cooled engine, which with good reason can be attributed to the best air combat fighters of the Second World War. On the La-7, the famous Soviet ace I.N.Kozhedub shot down 17 German aircraft (including the Me-262 jet fighter) out of 62 destroyed by him on the La brand fighters.

The history of the creation of La-7 is also unusual. At the beginning of 1942, on the basis of the LaGG-3 fighter, which turned out to be a rather mediocre combat vehicle, the La-5 fighter was developed, which differed from its predecessor only in its power plant (the liquid-cooled motor was replaced by a much more powerful two-row "star"). In the course of the further development of the La-5, the designers focused on its aerodynamic improvement. In the period 1942-1943. fighters of the "La" brand were the most frequent "guests" in the full-scale wind tunnels of the leading Soviet aviation research center, TsAGI. The main goal such tests were the identification of the main sources of aerodynamic losses and the definition of design measures to reduce aerodynamic drag. An important feature of this work was that the proposed design changes did not require major alterations of the aircraft and changes in the production process and could be relatively easily carried out by serial plants. It was truly "jewelry" work, when, it would seem, a rather impressive result was obtained from mere trifles.

The fruit of this work was the La-5FN, which appeared at the beginning of 1943 - one of the strongest Soviet fighters of that time, and then the La-7 - an aircraft that rightfully took its place among best fighters World War II. If, in the transition from La-5 to La-5FN, an increase in flight data was achieved not only due to better aerodynamics, but also due to a more powerful engine, then the improvement in the characteristics of La-7 was achieved exclusively by means of aerodynamics and a decrease in the weight of the structure. This aircraft had a speed of 80 km / h more than the La-5, of which 75% (that is, 60 km / h) was given by aerodynamics. Such an increase in speed is tantamount to an increase in engine power by more than a third, and without increasing the weight and dimensions of the aircraft.

The best features of the air combat fighter were embodied in the La-7: high speed, excellent maneuverability and rate of climb. Also, compared to the rest of the fighters about which here in question, he had more survivability, since only this aircraft had an air-cooled engine. As you know, such motors are not only more viable than liquid-cooled engines, but also serve as a kind of protection for the pilot from fire from the front hemisphere, since they have large cross-sectional dimensions.

The German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter was being built around the same time as the Spitfire. Like the British aircraft, the Bf 109 became one of the most successful examples of a combat vehicle of the war period and went a long way of evolution: it was equipped with more and more powerful engines, improved aerodynamics, operational and aerobatic characteristics. In terms of aerodynamics, the most significant changes were last made in 1941, when the Bf 109F was introduced. Further improvement of flight data went mainly through the installation of new engines. Externally, the latest modifications of this fighter - Bf 109G-10 and K-4 differed little from the much earlier Bf 109F, although they had a number of aerodynamic improvements.

This aircraft was the best representative of the light and maneuverable combat vehicle of the Hitlerite Luftwaffe. Throughout almost the entire Second World War, Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters were among the best examples of aircraft in their class, and only by the end of the war they began to lose their positions. It turned out to be impossible to combine the qualities inherent in the best Western fighters, designed for a relatively high combat altitude, with the qualities inherent in the best Soviet "medium-altitude" fighters.

Like their British counterparts, the designers of the Bf 109 tried to combine a high top speed with good maneuverability and takeoff and landing properties. But they solved this problem in a completely different way: unlike the Spitfire, the Bf 109 had a large specific wing loading, which made it possible to obtain high speed, and to improve maneuverability, not only well-known slats were used, but also flaps, which at the right time the battle could be deflected by the pilot at a small angle. The use of steerable flaps was a new and original solution. To improve takeoff and landing characteristics, in addition to automatic slats and controlled flaps, hovering ailerons were used, which worked as additional flap sections; a controlled stabilizer was also used. In a word, the Bf 109 had a unique system of direct lift control, in many respects characteristic of modern aircraft with their inherent automation. However, in practice, many of the designers' decisions have not taken root. Due to the complexity, it was necessary to abandon the controlled stabilizer, hovering ailerons, and the flap extension system in battle. As a result, in terms of its maneuverability, the Bf 109 did not differ much from other fighters, both Soviet and American, although it was inferior to the best domestic aircraft. The takeoff and landing characteristics were also similar.

The experience of aircraft construction shows that gradual improvement combat aircraft almost always accompanied by an increase in its weight. This is due to the installation of more powerful, and therefore heavier engines, an increase in the fuel supply, an increase in the power of weapons, the necessary structural reinforcements and other related measures. In the end, a moment comes when the reserves of a given structure are exhausted. One limitation is the specific wing loading. This, of course, is not the only parameter, but one of the most important and common for all aircraft. So, as the Spitfire fighters were modified from version 1A to XIV and Bf 109 from B-2 to G-10 and K-4, their wing specific load increased by about a third! Already in the Bf 109G-2 (1942) it was 185 kg / m2, while the Spitfire IX, which was also released in 1942, was about 150 kg / m2. For the Bf 109G-2, this wing loading was close to the limit. With its further growth, the aerobatic, maneuverable and take-off and landing characteristics of the aircraft sharply deteriorated, despite the very effective wing mechanization (slats and flaps).

Beginning in 1942, German designers have been improving their best air combat fighter in conditions of very strict weight restrictions, which greatly narrowed the possibilities for a qualitative improvement of the aircraft. And the creators of the "Spitfire" still had sufficient reserves and continued to increase the power of the installed engines and strengthen the armament, not particularly considering the increase in weight.

The quality of their serial production has a great influence on the aerodynamic properties of aircraft. Careless manufacturing can negate all the efforts of designers and scientists. This is not so rare. Judging by the captured documents, in Germany, conducting a comparative study of the aerodynamics of German, American and British fighters at the end of the war, they came to the conclusion that the Bf 109G had the worst quality of production performance, and, in particular, for this reason, its aerodynamics turned out to be the worst, which with a high probability can be extended to the Bf 109K-4.

From what has been said, it is clear that in terms of the technical concept of creation and the aerodynamic features of the layout, each of the compared aircraft is quite original. But they have many common features: well-streamlined shape, careful engine hooding, well-developed local aerodynamics and aerodynamics of cooling devices.

In terms of design, Soviet fighters were much simpler and cheaper to manufacture than British, German and, especially, American machines. Scarce materials were used in them in very limited quantities. Thanks to this, in the USSR, it was possible to ensure a high rate of aircraft production in conditions of the most severe material constraints and a lack of qualified work force... I must say that our country found itself in the most difficult situation. From 1941 to 1944 inclusively, a significant part of the industrial zone, which housed many metallurgical enterprises, was occupied by the Nazis. Some factories were successfully evacuated inland and production began at new locations. But a significant part of the production potential was still irretrievably lost. In addition, a large number of skilled workers and specialists went to the front. At the machines, they were replaced by women and children who could not work at the appropriate level. And nevertheless, the aircraft industry of the USSR, although not immediately, was able to meet the needs of the front in aircraft.

Unlike all-metal Western fighters, wood was widely used in Soviet vehicles. However, in many load-bearing elements, which actually determined the weight of the structure, metal was used. That is why, in terms of weight perfection, the Yak-3 and La-7 practically did not differ from foreign fighters.

In terms of technological sophistication, ease of access to individual units and ease of maintenance in general, the Bf 109 and the Mustang looked somewhat preferable. However, Spitfires and Soviet fighters were also well adapted to combat conditions. But for such a very important characteristics As the quality of the equipment and the level of automation, the Yak-3 and La-7 were inferior to Western fighters, the best of which in terms of the degree of automation were German aircraft (not only Bf 109, but others).

The most important indicator of the aircraft's high flight performance and its overall combat effectiveness is the power plant. It is in aviation engine building that first of all find their embodiment recent achievements in the field of technology, materials, control systems and automation. Motor building is one of the most knowledge-intensive branches of the aviation industry. Compared to an airplane, the process of creating and fine-tuning new motors takes much longer and requires more effort.

During the Second World War, England occupied the leading position in aircraft engine building. It was the Rolls-Royce engines that were used to equip Spitfires and the best versions of Mustangs (P-51B, C and D). It can be said without exaggeration that the installation of the British Merlin motor, which was produced in the USA under license by Packard, made it possible to realize great opportunities"Mustang" and brought it to the category of elite fighters. Prior to this, the R-51 was, although original, a rather mediocre aircraft in terms of combat capabilities.

The peculiarity of British engines, which largely determined their excellent characteristics, was the use of high-grade gasoline, the relative octane number of which reached 100-150. This made it possible to apply a large degree of air pressurization (more precisely, the working mixture) into the cylinders and thereby obtain high power. The USSR and Germany could not meet the aviation needs for such a high-quality and expensive fuel. Usually gasoline with an octane rating of 87-100 was used.

A characteristic feature that united all the motors that were on the compared fighters was the use of two-speed driven centrifugal superchargers (CCP), which ensure the required altitude. But the difference between Rolls-Royce motors was that their superchargers had not one, as usual, but two consecutive compression stages, and even with intermediate cooling of the working mixture in a special radiator. Despite the complexity of such systems, their use turned out to be fully justified for high-altitude motors, since it significantly reduced the power loss spent by the motor for pumping. This was a very important factor.

The original was the pumping system of the DB-605 motors, which was set in motion through a turbo coupling, which, when automatically controlled, smoothly adjusted the gear ratio from the motor to the impeller of the supercharger. Unlike the two-speed drive blowers that were on Soviet and British engines, the turbo coupling made it possible to reduce the power drop that took place between pumping speeds.

An important advantage of German engines (DB-605 and others) was the use of direct fuel injection into the cylinders. Compared to a conventional carburetor system, this increased the reliability and economy of the power plant. Of the rest of the engines, only the Soviet ASh-82FN, which was on the La-7, had a similar direct injection system.

A significant factor in increasing the flight performance of the Mustang and Spitfire was the fact that their engines had relatively short-term operating modes at increased power. In battle, the pilots of these fighters could for some time use, in addition to the long-term, that is, nominal, or combat (5-15 minutes), or in emergency cases, emergency (1-5 minutes) modes. The combat, or, as it was also called, the military regime became the main one for the operation of the engine in air combat. The engines of Soviet fighters did not have high power modes at altitude, which limited the possibility of further improving their flight characteristics.

Most versions of the Mustangs and Spitfires were designed for the high altitude of combat use, typical of aviation operations in the West. Therefore, their motors had sufficient altitude. German engine builders were forced to solve a complex technical problem. With a relatively high design altitude of the engine, necessary for fighting in the air in the West, it was important to provide the necessary power at low and medium altitudes required for conducting hostilities in the East. As you know, a simple increase in altitude usually leads to increasing power losses at low altitudes. Therefore, the designers showed a lot of ingenuity and applied a number of extraordinary technical solutions.In terms of its altitude, the DB-605 engine occupied, as it were, an intermediate position between British and Soviet motors. To increase the power at altitudes below the calculated one, the injection of a water-alcohol mixture (MW-50 system) was used, which made it possible, despite the relatively low octane number of the fuel, to significantly increase the boost, and, consequently, the power without detonation. The result was a kind of maximum mode, which, like the emergency, could usually be used for up to three minutes.

At altitudes above the calculated one, injection of nitrous oxide (GM-1 system) could be used, which, being a powerful oxidizer, seemed to compensate for the lack of oxygen in a rarefied atmosphere and made it possible for some time to increase the altitude of the engine and bring its characteristics closer to the data of Rolls motors. Royce. True, these systems increased the weight of the aircraft (by 60-120 kg), significantly complicating the power plant and its operation. For these reasons, they were used separately and were not used on all Bf 109G and K.

Armament has a significant impact on the combat capability of a fighter. In terms of the composition and location of weapons, the aircraft in question differed greatly. If the Soviet Yak-3 and La-7 and the German Bf 109G and K had a central location of weapons (cannons and machine guns in the nose of the fuselage), then in the Spitfires and Mustangs it was located in the wing outside the area swept away by the propeller. In addition, the Mustang had only large-caliber machine-gun armament, while other fighters also had cannons, and the La-7 and Bf 109K-4 had only cannon armament. In the Western theater of operations, the P-51D was intended primarily to combat enemy fighters. For this purpose, the power of his six machine guns was quite sufficient. Unlike the Mustang, the British Spitfires and the Soviet Yak-3 and La-7 fought aircraft of any purpose, including bombers, which naturally required more powerful weapons.

Comparing the wing and central weapons installation, it is difficult to answer which of these schemes was the most effective. But nevertheless, Soviet front-line pilots and aviation specialists, like the German ones, preferred the central one, which ensured the greatest accuracy of fire. This arrangement turns out to be more advantageous when the attack of the enemy aircraft is carried out from extremely small distances. And this is how Soviet and German pilots usually tried to act on the Eastern Front. In the West, air battles were conducted mainly at high altitudes, where the maneuverability of fighters significantly deteriorated. It became much more difficult to get close to the enemy at close range, and with bombers it was also very dangerous, since it was difficult for a fighter to evade aerial gunners due to a sluggish maneuver. For this reason, they opened fire from a long distance and the wing mount of the weapon, designed for a given range of destruction, turned out to be quite comparable to the central one. In addition, the rate of fire of the weapon with the wing scheme was higher than that of weapons synchronized for firing through a propeller (cannons on the La-7, machine guns on the Yak-3 and Bf 109G), the armament was near the center of gravity and the ammunition consumption had practically no effect on it. position. But one drawback was nevertheless organically inherent in the wing design - it was an increased moment of inertia relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, due to which the roll response of the fighter to the pilot's actions worsened.

Among the many criteria that determined the combat capability of an aircraft, the most important for a fighter was the combination of its flight data. Of course, they are not important in themselves, but in combination with a number of other quantitative and qualitative indicators, such as stability, flight characteristics, ease of use, visibility, etc. For some classes of aircraft, training, for example, these indicators are of paramount importance. But for the combat vehicles of the last war, it is the flight characteristics and armament that are decisive, which are the main technical components of the combat effectiveness of fighters and bombers. Therefore, the designers sought, first of all, to achieve priority in flight data, or rather in those of them that played a primary role.

It is worth clarifying that the words "flight data" mean a whole range of important indicators, the main of which for fighters were maximum speed, climb rate, range or time of combat mission, maneuverability, ability to quickly pick up speed, sometimes a practical ceiling. Experience has shown that the technical perfection of fighters cannot be reduced to any one criterion, which would be expressed by a number, a formula, or even an algorithm calculated for implementation on a computer. The question of comparing fighters, as well as finding the optimal combination of basic flight characteristics, is still one of the most difficult. How, for example, to determine in advance what was more important - superiority in maneuverability and practical ceiling, or some advantage in maximum speed? As a rule, priority in one is obtained at the expense of the other. Where is the "golden mean" that gives the best fighting qualities? Obviously, much depends on the tactics and nature of the air war in general.

It is known that the maximum speed and rate of climb significantly depend on the operating mode of the motor. A long-term or nominal mode is one thing, and an extreme afterburner is quite another. This is clearly seen from the comparison of the maximum speeds of the best fighters of the final period of the war. The presence of increased power modes significantly improves flight characteristics, but only for a short time, since otherwise the engine could be destroyed. For this reason, the very short-term emergency operation of the engine, which gave the greatest power, was not considered at that time to be the main one for the operation of the power plant in air combat. It was intended for use only in the most urgent, fatal situations for the pilot. This position is well confirmed by the analysis of flight data of one of the last German piston fighters - Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4.

The main characteristics of the Bf 109K-4 are given in a fairly extensive report prepared at the end of 1944 for the German Chancellor. The report highlighted the state and prospects of the German aircraft industry and was prepared with the participation of the German aviation research center DVL and leading aviation companies such as Messerschmitt, Arado, Junkers. In this document, which there is every reason to consider it quite serious, when analyzing the capabilities of the Bf 109K-4, all its data given correspond only to the mode of continuous operation of the power plant, and the characteristics at the maximum power mode are not considered or even mentioned. And this is not surprising. Due to thermal overloads of the engine, the pilot of this fighter, when climbing with the maximum takeoff weight, could not use even the nominal mode for a long time and was forced to reduce the speed and, accordingly, power already 5.2 minutes after takeoff. When taking off with a lighter weight, the situation did not improve much. Therefore, it is simply not necessary to talk about any real increase in the rate of climb due to the use of an emergency mode, including with the injection of a water-alcohol mixture (MW-50 system).

On the above graph of the vertical rate of climb (in fact, this is the characteristic of the rate of climb), it is clearly visible what an increase could be obtained by using the maximum power. However, such an increase is rather formal in nature, since it was impossible to climb in this mode. Only at certain moments of the flight could the pilot switch on the MW-50 system, i.e. extraordinary power boost, and even then when the cooling systems had the necessary reserves for heat removal. Thus, the MW-50 forcing system, although it was useful, was not vital for the Bf 109K-4 and therefore it was not installed on all fighters of this type. Meanwhile, the press publishes data on the Bf 109K-4, corresponding to the emergency regime with the use of the MW-50, which is absolutely not typical for this aircraft.

The above is well confirmed by the combat practice of the final stage of the war. Thus, the Western press often speaks of the superiority of Mustangs and Spitfires over German fighters in the western theater of operations. On the Eastern Front, where air battles took place at low and medium altitudes, the Yak-3 and La-7 were out of competition, which was repeatedly noted by the pilots of the Soviet Air Force. And here is the opinion of the German combat pilot V. Wolfrum:

The best fighters I encountered in combat were the North American Mustang P-51 and the Russian Yak-9U. Both fighters had a clear performance advantage over the Me-109, regardless of modification, including the Me-109K-4.

From the moment airplanes evolved from single designs of enthusiasts into more or less mass-produced and suitable for practical application aircraft, aviation has earned the closest attention of the military, eventually becoming an integral part of the military doctrine of most developed countries.

All the more difficult were the losses of the first days of the Great Patriotic War, when the overwhelming majority of aircraft were destroyed, without even having time to get off the ground. However, the current situation became the best incentive for the development of aircraft manufacturing in all classes - it was necessary not only to replenish the Air Force fleet. In this critical situation, with an acute shortage of time and resources, create fundamentally different aircraft that could at least fight on equal terms with the Luftwaffe machines, and ideally surpass them.

Combat teacher

One of the most recognizable Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, which made a huge contribution to the Victory, was the primitive U-2 biplane, later renamed Po-2. This two-seater airplane was originally conceived for primary training in piloting, and practically could not carry any useful load - neither the dimensions of the aircraft, nor its design, nor the take-off weight, nor the small 110-horsepower motor would allow. But the U-2 coped well with the role of a "school desk" all his life.

However, quite unexpectedly for the U-2, they found quite military use. Equipped with silencers and light bomb holders, the aircraft evolved into a light, diminutive, yet unobtrusive and dangerous night bomber, firmly entrenched in this role until the end of the war. Later I even managed to carve out some free weight to install a machine gun. Prior to that, pilots got along with only personal small arms.

Air knights

Some aviation enthusiasts consider World War II to be the golden age of fighter aircraft. No computers, no radars, no television, radio, or thermal missiles. Only personal skill, experience and luck.

At the end of the 30s, the USSR came close to a qualitative breakthrough in the production of fighters. No matter how much the capricious "Ishachok" I-16 was loved and mastered, if he could resist the Luftwaffe fighters, it was only due to the heroism of the pilots, and it is unrealistic high price... At the same time, in the depths of the Soviet design bureaus, despite the rampant repression, fundamentally different fighters were created.

The firstborn of the new approach, the MiG-1, quickly enough transformed into the MiG-3, which became one of the most dangerous Soviet aircraft of the Second World War, the main German enemy. The plane could accelerate over 600 km / h and climb to an altitude of more than 11 kilometers, which was clearly beyond the capabilities of its predecessors. This is what determined the niche of the MiG-a - it showed itself perfectly as a high-altitude fighter, operating in the air defense system.

However, at altitudes up to 5000 meters, the MiG-3 began to lose speed to enemy fighters, and in this niche it was supplemented first by the Yak-1, and then the Yak-9. These light aircraft had a large thrust-to-weight ratio and powerful enough weapons, for which they quickly earned the love of pilots, and not only domestic ones - the soldiers of the French Normandie-Niemen regiment, having tested several models of fighters from different countries, opted for the Yak-9, which they received as a gift from the Soviet government.

However, these relatively light Soviet aircraft had a noticeable drawback - weak armament. Most often these were machine guns of 7.62 or 12.7 mm caliber, less often a 20 mm cannon.

The novelty of the Lavochkin Design Bureau was devoid of this drawback - two ShVAK guns were installed on the La-5. Also, on the new fighter, a return was made to air-cooled engines, which were abandoned during the creation of the MiG-1 in favor of liquid-cooled engines. The fact is that the liquid-cooled engine was much more compact - and, therefore, created less drag. The disadvantage of such an engine was its "tenderness" - it was enough for a small fragment or an accidental bullet to interrupt the pipe or radiator of the cooling system, and the engine would immediately fail. It was this feature that forced designers to return to bulky air-cooled engines.

By that time, a new high-power engine, the M-82, had appeared, which subsequently became very widespread. However, at that time, the engine was frankly damp, and caused many problems for aircraft designers who used it on their machines.

However, the La-5 was a major step in the development of fighters - the ego was celebrated not only Soviet pilots, but also the testers of the Luftwaffe, who eventually got the captured aircraft in good working order.

Flying tank

The design of the aircraft during the Great Patriotic War was typical - a wooden or metal frame, acting as a power set and taking on all the loads. Outside, it was covered with sheathing - fabric, plywood, metal. An engine, armor plates, and weapons were mounted inside this structure. One way or another, but according to this principle, all aircraft of the Second World War were designed.

This aircraft became the firstborn of a new design scheme. The Ilyushin Design Bureau realized that such an approach significantly overweight the structure. At the same time, the armor is strong enough and may well be used as an element of the power structure of the aircraft. The new approach has opened up new possibilities for the rational use of weight. This is how the Il-2 arose - an aircraft that was nicknamed the "flying tank" because of its armor protection.

IL-2 became an unpleasant surprise for the Germans. At first, the attack aircraft was often used as a fighter, and in this role it proved far from brilliant - the low speed and maneuverability did not allow it to fight on equal terms with the enemy, and the lack of any serious protection of the rear hemisphere was quickly used by the Luftwaffe pilots.

And for the developers, this plane did not become problem-free. Throughout the war, the aircraft's armament was constantly changing, moreover, the addition of a second crew member (initially the plane was single) shifted the center of gravity so much back that the plane threatened to become uncontrollable.

However, the efforts paid off. The initial armament (two 20 mm cannons) was replaced with a more powerful caliber - 23 mm, and then 37 mm. With such an armament of the aircraft, almost everyone began to be afraid - both tanks and heavy bombers.

According to the recollections of the pilots, while firing from such weapons, the plane literally hovered in the air due to recoil. The tail gunner successfully covered the rear hemisphere from fighter attacks. In addition, the plane could carry several light bombs.

All this was successful, and the Il-2 became an indispensable aircraft on the battlefield, and not only the most popular and recognizable attack aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, but also the most massive combat aircraft - more than 36 thousand of them were produced. And if we consider that at the beginning of the war there were only 128 of them in the Air Force, then there is no doubt about its relevance.

Destroyers

The bomber has been an integral part of combat aviation almost from the very beginning of its use on the battlefield. Small, large, super-large - they have always been the most technologically advanced type of combat aviation.

One of the most recognizable Soviet aircraft of the Second World War of this type is the Pe-2. Conceived as a super-heavy fighter, this aircraft has evolved over time to become one of the most dangerous and effective dive bombers of the war.

It is worth saying that the dive bomber, as a class of aircraft, made its debut precisely in the Second World War. Its appearance was due to the evolution of weapons: the development of air defense systems forced the creation of more and more high-altitude bombers. However, than more height dropping bombs, the lower the bombing accuracy. The developed tactics of using bombers meant breaking through to targets at high altitude, lowering to bombing altitude, and leaving again at high altitude. The idea of ​​dive bombing was only a matter of time.

The dive bomber does not drop bombs in level flight. He literally falls on the target, and drops from a minimum height, literally hundreds of meters. As a result, the highest possible accuracy. However, at low altitude, the aircraft is as vulnerable as possible to anti-aircraft guns - and this could not but leave an imprint on its design.

It turns out that a dive bomber must combine the incompatible. It should be as compact as possible in order to minimize the risk of being shot down by anti-aircraft gunners. In this case, the plane must be roomy enough, otherwise the bombs will simply have nowhere to hang. Moreover, we must not forget about the strength, because the loads on the aircraft structure during a dive, and especially when withdrawing from a dive, are enormous. And the failed Pe-2 fighter did an excellent job with a new role for itself.

The "Pawn" was supplemented by its relative in the Tu-2 class. A small twin-engine bomber could "work" both from a dive and by the method of a classic bomber. Its problem is that at the beginning of the war the plane was very, very rare. However, the machine came out so effective and successful that the number of modifications created on its basis is perhaps the maximum for Soviet aircraft of the Second World War.

Tu-2 was a bomber, attack aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, interceptor, torpedo bomber ... In addition to all this, there were several different variations, differing in range. However, before the bombers really long range these machines were far away.

To Berlin!

This bomber is perhaps the most beautiful of the wartime aircraft, making the Il-4 impossible to confuse with anyone else. Despite the complexity in control (it explains the high accident rate of these aircraft), the Il-4 was very popular among the troops and was used not only as a "land" bomber. Despite the excessive flight range, the aircraft was used in the Air Force as a torpedo bomber.

However, the Il-4 left its mark on history as the plane that carried out the first sorties to Berlin. It happened in the fall of 1941. However, soon the front line shifted to the East so much that the capital of the Third Reich became inaccessible to the Il-4, and then other aircraft began to "work" on it.

Heavy and rare

During the Great Patriotic War, this plane was so rare and "closed" that it was often attacked by its own air defense. But he carried out, perhaps, the most difficult operations of the war.

The long-range bomber Pe-8, although it appeared in the late 30s, for a long time was not just the most modern aircraft of this class - it was the only one. The Pe-8 had a high speed (over 400 km / h), and the fuel supply made it possible not only to fly to Berlin and back, but also to carry large-caliber bombs, up to the five-ton FAB-5000. It was Pe-8 that bombed Konigsberg, Helsinki, Berlin, when the front line was dangerously close to Moscow. Because of its "operating range", the Pe-8 is sometimes called a strategic bomber, and then this class of machines was just in its infancy.

One of the most specific operations performed by the Pe-8 was the transportation of the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs V.M. Molotov to Great Britain and the United States. The flights took place in the spring of 1942, the route crossed the occupied territories of Europe. The People's Commissar traveled in a special, passenger version of the Pe-8. A total of two such aircraft were built.

Nowadays, planes perform several dozen intercontinental flights every day, carrying thousands of passengers. However, in those years, such a flight was a real feat not only for pilots, but also for passengers. It's not even that there was a war, and the plane could be shot down at any moment. In the 40s, comfort and life support systems in airplanes were very, very primitive, and navigation systems, in the modern sense, were completely absent. The navigator could only rely on radio beacons, the range of which was very limited, and they were not over the occupied territories, but on his own experience and special instinct of the navigator - after all, on long-haul flights he, in fact, became the main person on the plane. It depended on him whether the plane would arrive at a given point, or would wander over a poorly oriented and, moreover, enemy territory. Say what you like, but the courage Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was not to take.

Concluding this brief overview of Soviet planes of the Great Patriotic War, it will probably be useful to recall all those who, in conditions of hunger, cold, lack of basic necessities (often even freedom), developed all these machines, each of which was a serious step forward for the entire world aviation ... The names of Lavochkin, Pokryshkin, Tupolev, Mikoyan and Gurevich, Ilyushin, Bartini will forever remain in world history. All those who helped the chief designers - ordinary engineers - will forever stand behind them.