Once on the site, we held an Air Parade contest dedicated to the anniversary of the Victory, where readers were asked to guess the names of some of the most famous aircraft of World War II by their silhouettes. The competition has been completed, and now we are publishing photos of these combat vehicles. We offer to remember what the winners and the vanquished fought in the sky.

Edition PM

Germany

Messerschmitt Bf.109

In fact, a whole family of German combat vehicles, the total number of which (33,984 pieces) makes the 109th one of the most massive aircraft of World War II. It was used as a fighter, fighter-bomber, fighter-interceptor, reconnaissance aircraft. It was as a fighter that the Messer earned notoriety from Soviet pilots - at the initial stage of the war, Soviet fighters, such as the I-16 and LaGG, were clearly inferior in technical terms to the Bf.109 and suffered heavy losses. Only the appearance of more advanced aircraft, such as the Yak-9, allowed our pilots to fight with the "Messers" almost on an equal footing. The most massive modification of the machine was the Bf.109G ("Gustav").

Messerschmitt Bf.109

Messerschmitt Me.262

The aircraft was remembered not for its special role in the Second World War, but for the fact that it turned out to be the first-born jet aviation on the battlefield. Me.262 began to design even before the war, but Hitler's real interest in the project awakened only in 1943, when the Luftwaffe had already lost its combat power. The Me.262 possessed speed (about 850 km/h), altitude and rate of climb that were unique for its time, and therefore had serious advantages over any fighter of that time. In reality, for 150 Allied aircraft shot down, 100 Me.262s were lost. The low effectiveness of combat use was due to the "dampness" of the design, little experience in the use of jet aircraft and insufficient training of pilots.

Messerschmitt Me.262

Heinkel-111

Heinkel-111

Junkers Ju 87 Stuka

Produced in several modifications, the Ju 87 dive bomber became a kind of forerunner of the modern precision weapons, since the bombs were not thrown from a great height, but from a steep dive, which made it possible to more accurately aim the ammunition. It was very effective in the fight against tanks. Due to the specifics of the application in conditions of high overloads, the car was equipped with automatic air brakes to exit the dive in case of loss of consciousness by the pilot. To enhance the psychological effect, the pilot, during the attack, turned on the "Jericho Trumpet" - a device that emitted a terrible howl. One of the most famous aces pilots who flew the Stuka was Hans-Ulrich Rudel, who left rather boastful memories of the war on the Eastern Front.

Junkers Ju 87 Stuka

Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu

The tactical reconnaissance aircraft Fw 189 Uhu is interesting primarily for its unusual two-beam design, for which the Soviet soldiers nicknamed it "Rama". And it was on the Eastern Front that this reconnaissance spotter turned out to be the most useful to the Nazis. Our fighters knew well that after the "Rama" bombers would fly in and strike at reconnoitered targets. But to shoot down this slow-moving aircraft was not so easy because of its high maneuverability and excellent survivability. When approaching Soviet fighters, he could, for example, begin to describe circles of a small radius, into which high-speed cars simply could not fit.

Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu

Probably the most recognizable Luftwaffe bomber was developed in the early 1930s under the guise of a civilian transport aircraft (the creation of the German Air Force was prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles). At the beginning of World War II, the Heinkel-111 was the most massive Luftwaffe bomber. He became one of the main characters in the Battle of England - it was the result of Hitler's attempt to break the will to resist the British through massive bombing raids on the cities of Foggy Albion (1940). Even then it became clear that this medium bomber was obsolete, it lacked speed, maneuverability and security. Nevertheless, the aircraft continued to be used and produced until 1944.

Allies

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

The American "flying fortress" during the war constantly increased its security. In addition to excellent survivability (in the form, for example, of the ability to return to base with one of four engines intact), the heavy bomber received thirteen 12.7-mm machine guns in the B-17G modification. A tactic was developed in which "flying fortresses" walked over enemy territory in a checkerboard pattern, protecting each other with crossfire. The aircraft was equipped with a high-tech Norden bombsight for that time, built on the basis of an analog computer. If the British bombed the Third Reich mainly at night, then the "flying fortresses" were not afraid to appear over Germany during daylight hours.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Avro 683 Lancaster

One of the main participants in the Allied bomber raids on Germany, a British heavy bomber of World War II. The Avro 683 Lancaster accounted for ¾ of the entire bomb load thrown by the British on the Third Reich. The carrying capacity allowed the four-engine aircraft to take on board "blockbusters" - super-heavy concrete-piercing bombs Tallboy and Grand Slam. Low security suggested the use of Lancasters as night bombers, but night bombing was not very accurate. During the day, these aircraft suffered significant losses. Lancasters took an active part in the most devastating bomb raids of World War II - on Hamburg (1943) and Dresden (1945).

Avro 683 Lancaster

North American P-51 Mustang

One of the most iconic fighters of the Second World War, which played an exceptional role in the events on the Western Front. No matter how the Allied heavy bombers defended themselves when raiding Germany, these large, low-maneuverable and relatively slow aircraft suffered heavy losses from German fighter aircraft. North American, commissioned by the British government, urgently created a fighter that could not only successfully fight the Messers and Fokkers, but also have sufficient range (due to external tanks) to accompany bomber raids on the continent. When the Mustangs began to be used in this capacity in 1944, it became clear that the Germans had finally lost the air war in the West.

North American P-51 Mustang

Supermarine Spitfire

The main and most massive fighter of the British Air Force during the war, one of the best fighters of the Second World War. Its high-altitude and speed characteristics made it an equal rival to the German Messerschmitt Bf.109, and the skill of the pilots played an important role in the head-to-head battle of these two machines. "Spitfires" proved to be excellent, covering the evacuation of the British from Dunkirk after the success of the Nazi blitzkrieg, and then during the Battle of Britain (July-October 1940), when British fighters had to fight like German bombers He-111, Do-17, Ju 87, as well as with Bf. 109 and Bf.110.

Supermarine Spitfire

Japan

Mitsubishi A6M Raisen

At the beginning of World War II, the Japanese carrier-based fighter A6M Raisen was the best in the world in its class, even though its name contained the Japanese word "Rei-sen", that is, "zero fighter". Thanks to the external tanks, the fighter had a high flight range (3105 km), which made it indispensable for participating in raids on the ocean theater. Among the aircraft involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor were 420 A6Ms. The Americans learned lessons from dealing with the nimble, quick-climbing Japanese, and by 1943 their fighter aircraft had surpassed their once dangerous enemy.

Mitsubishi A6M Raisen

The most massive dive bomber of the USSR began to be produced even before the war, in 1940, and remained in service until the Victory. The low-wing aircraft with two engines and double fins was a very progressive machine for its time. In particular, it provided for a pressurized cabin and electric remote control (which, due to its novelty, became the source of many problems). In reality, the Pe-2 was not so often, unlike the Ju 87, used precisely as a dive bomber. Most often, he bombed areas from level flight or from a gentle, rather than deep dive.

Pe-2

The most massive combat aircraft in history (36,000 of these "silts" were produced in total) is considered a true legend of the battlefields. One of its features is a load-bearing armored hull, which replaced the frame and skin in most of the fuselage. The attack aircraft worked at heights of several hundred meters above the ground, becoming not the most difficult target for ground-based anti-aircraft weapons and an object of hunting by German fighters. The first versions of the Il-2 were built single-seat, without a side gunner, which led to rather high combat losses among aircraft of this type. And yet, the IL-2 played its role in all theaters where our army fought, becoming a powerful means of support ground forces in the fight against enemy armored vehicles.

IL-2

The Yak-3 was a development of the well-proven Yak-1M fighter. In the process of refinement, the wing was shortened and other design changes were made to reduce weight and improve aerodynamics. This light wooden aircraft showed an impressive speed of 650 km / h and had excellent low-altitude flight characteristics. Tests of the Yak-3 started at the beginning of 1943, and already during the battle on the Kursk Bulge, he entered the battle, where, with the help of a 20-mm ShVAK cannon and two 12.7-mm Berezin machine guns, he successfully opposed the Messerschmites and Fokkers.

Yak-3

One of the best Soviet La-7 fighters, which entered service a year before the end of the war, was a development of the LaGG-3 that met the war. All the advantages of the "ancestor" were reduced to two factors - high survivability and the maximum use of wood in the construction instead of scarce metal. However, the weak engine and heavy weight turned the LaGG-3 into an unimportant opponent of the all-metal Messerschmitt Bf.109. From LaGG-3 to OKB-21 Lavochkin they made La-5, installing a new ASh-82 engine and finalizing the aerodynamics. The modified La-5FN with a boosted engine was already an excellent combat vehicle, surpassing the Bf.109 in a number of parameters. In La-7, the weight was again reduced, and the armament was also strengthened. The plane has become very good, even remaining wooden.

La-7

U-2, or Po-2, created in 1928, by the beginning of the war was certainly a model of obsolete equipment and was not designed at all as a combat aircraft (a combat training version appeared only in 1932). However, in order to win, this classic biplane had to work as a night bomber. Its undoubted advantages are ease of operation, the ability to land outside airfields and take off from small areas, and low noise.

U-2

At low gas in the dark, the U-2 approached the enemy object, remaining unnoticed almost until the moment of bombing. Since the bombing was carried out from low altitudes, its accuracy was very high, and the "corn" inflicted serious damage on the enemy.

The article "Aerial parade of winners and losers" was published in the journal Popular Mechanics (

Soviet military aviation of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War

When the Nazis attacked the USSR, Soviet aviation was destroyed at the airfields. And the Germans in the first year of the war dominated the sky, however, as in the second. What kind of fighter planes were in service with the Soviet army then?

The main one, of course, was I-16.

There were I-5(biplanes), inherited by the Nazis as trophies. modified from I-5 fighters I-15 bis, which remained after the strike on the airfields, fought in the first months of the war.

"Seagulls" or I-153, also biplanes, held out in the sky until 1943. Their retractable undercarriage during flight made it possible to increase the flight speed. And four small-caliber machine guns (7.62) fired directly through the propeller. All of the above aircraft models were outdated already before the start of the war. For example, the speed of the best fighter

I-16(with different engines) was from 440 to 525 km / h. Only his armament was good, two ShKAS machine guns and two cannons ShVAK(latest releases). And the range that the I-16 could fly reached a maximum of 690 km.

Germany was in service in 1941 Me-109, produced by the industry since 1937, of various modifications that attacked the Soviet borders in 1941. The armament of this aircraft consisted of two machine guns (MG-17) and two cannons (MG-FF). The flight speed of the fighter was 574 km / h, this was the maximum speed that the 1150 hp engine could achieve. With. The highest lifting height or ceiling reached 11 kilometers. Only in terms of flight range, for example, was the Me-109E inferior to the I-16, it was 665 km.

Soviet aircraftI-16(type 29) allowed to reach a ceiling of 9.8 kilometers with a 900-horsepower engine. Their range was only 440 km. The length of the takeoff run at the "donkeys" was on average 250 meters. The German fighters of the designer Messerschmitt the run was about 280 meters. If we compare the time during which the plane rises to a height of three kilometers, it turns out that the Soviet I-16 of the twenty-ninth type loses ME-109 seconds 15. In the mass of the payload, the donkey is also behind the Messer, 419 kg against 486.
To replace "donkey" in the USSR was designed I-180, all-metal. V. Chkalov crashed on it before the war. After him, tester T. Suzi fell to the ground on the I-180-2 along with the plane, blinded by hot oil thrown out of the engine. Before the war, the serial I-180 was discontinued as an unsuccessful copy.

OKB Polikarpov also worked on the creation I-153, a biplane with an engine power of 1100 liters. With. But its maximum speed in the air reached only 470 km / h, it was not a competitor ME-109. Worked on the creation of modern fighters and other Soviet aircraft designers. Produced since 1940 Yak-1, which can fly at a speed of 569 km / h and has a ceiling of 10 km. A cannon and two machine guns were mounted on it.

And the Lavochkin fighter LAGG-3, with a wooden hull and a 1050 hp engine. s, showed a speed of 575 km / h. But it, designed in 1942, was soon changed to another model - LA-5 with a flight speed at six-kilometer altitudes up to 580 km / h.

Received under Lend-Lease "Aerocobra" or P-39, which had the engine behind the cockpit, were all-metal monoplanes. On bends they went around "Messers", going to their tail. It was on the Aerocobra that ace Pokryshkin flew.

In flight speed, the P-39 also surpassed the ME-109 by 15 km / h, but was inferior in the ceiling by one and a half kilometers. And the flight range of almost a thousand kilometers made it possible to make deep raids behind enemy lines. The armament of the foreign aircraft was a 20 mm cannon and two or three machine guns.

It 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 belligerents sought to ensure a constant increase in the combat capability of their aviation by increasing the production of aircraft and their continuous improvement and renewal. As never before, the 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 Combat vehicles. It was a time of unusually rapid progress in aircraft construction. At the same time, the era of the evolution of aircraft with piston engines, which had reigned supreme in aviation since its inception, seemed to be ending. Combat aircraft of the end of the Second World War were the most advanced examples of aviation equipment created on the basis of piston engines.

The essential difference between the peaceful and war 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, when ordering and creating new types 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 combat became not only a powerful catalyst in accelerating the progress of aviation, but also the only criterion for comparing the quality of aircraft and choosing the main directions for further development. Each side improved its aircraft based on its own experience of warfare, the availability of resources, the capabilities of technology 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. Among them are many outstanding examples. Of interest is the comparison of these machines, as well as the comparison of those engineering and scientific ideas that were used in their creation. 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 machines to some extent is conditional.

Fighters were the main means of gaining air supremacy in the fight against the enemy. The success of the combat operations of the ground forces and other branches of aviation, the security of rear facilities largely depended on the effectiveness of their actions. It is no coincidence that it was the class of fighters that developed most intensively. The best of them are traditionally called the Yak-3 and La-7 aircraft (USSR), the North American R-51 Mustang (Mustang, USA), the Supermarine Spitfire (Spitfire, England) and the Messerschmitt Bf 109 ( Germany). Among the many modifications of Western fighters, the R-51D, Spitfire XIV and Bf 109G-10 and K-4 were selected for comparison, that is, those aircraft that were mass-produced and entered service with the 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 warring countries. They became, as it were, symbols of the military aviation equipment of their time.

Before comparing different types 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 under which they were created. The war in the East showed that in the presence of a front line where ground forces were 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 vast majority of them were fought at altitudes up to 4.5 km, regardless of the altitude of the aircraft. Soviet designers, improving fighters and engines for them, could not ignore this circumstance. 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 were counting was completely different. In addition, the P-51D had a much longer range needed to escort heavy bombers and was therefore significantly heavier than Spitfires, German Bf 109s and Soviet fighters. Thus, since the British, American and Soviet fighters were created for different combat conditions, the question of which of the machines as a whole was the most effective loses its meaning. It is advisable to compare only the main technical solutions and features of machines.

The situation is different with the German fighters. They were intended for air combat on both the Eastern and Western fronts. Therefore, they can reasonably be compared with all Allied fighters.

So what stood out the best fighters of the Second World War? 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, the Spitfire and Mustang.

“This is not just a good plane, this is a Spitfire!” - such an assessment by the English test pilot G. Powell, no doubt, applies to one of the last fighter variants of this family - the Spitfire XIV, the best fighter of the British Air Force during the war. It was on the Spitfire XIV that a German Me 262 jet fighter was shot down in an air battle.

When creating the Spitfire in the mid-1930s, the designers tried to combine seemingly incompatible things: the high speed inherent in the high-speed monoplane fighters then coming into life with the excellent maneuverability, altitude and takeoff and landing characteristics inherent in biplanes. The goal was basically achieved. Like many other high-speed fighters, the Spitfire had a well-streamlined cantilever monoplane design. But this was only a superficial resemblance. For its weight, the Spitfire had a relatively large wing, which gave a small load per unit of bearing surface, much less than other monoplane fighters. Hence, excellent maneuverability in the horizontal plane, 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 such a large wing, 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 a much thinner relative thickness than 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 company managed to create an outstanding combat aircraft. This does not mean that the Spitfire was devoid of any shortcomings. They were. For example, due to the low load on the wing, it was inferior to many fighters in terms of accelerating properties in a dive. Slower than German, American, and even more so Soviet fighters, it reacted to the actions of the pilot in a roll. However, these shortcomings were not of a fundamental nature, and in general, the Spitfire was undoubtedly one of the strongest air combat fighters, which demonstrated excellent qualities in action.

Among the many variants of the Mustang fighter, the greatest success fell on aircraft equipped with English Merlin engines. These were the R-51B, C and, of course, the R-51D - the best and most famous American fighter of World War II. Since 1944, it was these aircraft that 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 a laminar wing, for the first time in the world practice of aircraft industry, installed on a combat aircraft. About this "highlight" of the aircraft, born in the laboratory of the American research center NASA on the eve of the war, it should be said especially. The fact is that the opinion of experts on the advisability of using a laminar wing on fighters of that period is ambiguous. If before the war high hopes were placed on laminar wings, since under certain conditions they had less aerodynamic resistance compared to conventional ones, then the experience with the Mustang reduced the initial optimism. It turned out that in real operation such a wing is not effective enough. The reason was that in order to implement a laminar flow on a part of such a wing, a very careful surface finish and high accuracy in maintaining the profile were required. Due to the roughness that arose when applying a protective color to the aircraft, and even a small inaccuracy in the profiling, which inevitably appeared in serial production (small wave-like thin metal skin), the effect of laminarization on the R-51 wing was greatly reduced. In terms of their load-bearing properties, laminar airfoils were inferior to conventional airfoils, which caused difficulties in ensuring good maneuverability and takeoff and landing properties.

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

In addition to reduced resistance, laminar profiles had better speed qualities - with an equal relative thickness, the effects of air compressibility (wave crisis) manifested themselves at higher speeds than on conventional type profiles. This already had to be reckoned with. In dives, especially at high altitudes, where the speed of sound is much 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 faster profiles, which turned out to be laminar, or by reducing the relative thickness of the profile, while putting up with the inevitable increase in the weight of the structure and reducing the wing volumes often used (including on the R-51D) for placement of gas tanks and. Interestingly, due to the much smaller relative thickness of the airfoils, the wave crisis on the wing of the Spitfire occurred at a higher speed than on the wing of the Mustang.

Studies at the British Aviation Research 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 due to the later manifestation of the wave flow crisis and its more “soft” character.

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

The way of creating the 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. At that time it was the lightest fighter. 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, two can fight against four, and four against sixteen!

A radical revision of the Yak design was undertaken in 1943 in order to dramatically improve flight performance with a very modest power plant. 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 promote the aircraft, since the Soviet industry had not yet mass-produced new, more powerful engines suitable for installation on the Yak-1.

Such an exceptionally difficult path for the 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 brilliantly with this difficult task. It is unlikely that in the aviation of the period of the Second World War one can find another example of a similar and so effectively performed work.

The Yak-3 compared to the Yak-1 was much lighter, 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 has dramatically improved its rate of climb, acceleration characteristics and vertical maneuverability. At the same time, such an important parameter for horizontal maneuverability, takeoff and landing as the specific load on the wing has changed little. During 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 aircraft that were distinguished by stronger weapons and longer combat flight duration, but perfectly complemented them, embodying the idea of ​​a light, high-speed and maneuverable air combat vehicle, designed primarily to fight fighters. enemy.

One of the few, if not the only air-cooled fighter, which can rightly 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 La 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 the power plant (the liquid-cooled motor was replaced with a much more powerful two-row “star”). In the course of further development of the La-5, the designers focused on its aerodynamic improvement. During the period 1942-1943. fighters of the La brand were the most frequent "guests" in full-scale wind tunnels of the leading Soviet aviation research center TsAGI. The main purpose of such tests was to identify the main sources of aerodynamic losses and to determine design measures that help reduce aerodynamic drag. An important feature of this work was that the proposed design changes did not require major alterations to the aircraft and changes in the production process and could be relatively easily carried out by mass-produced factories. It was a 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 the best fighters of the Second World War. If during the transition from La-5 to La-5FN, the 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 performance of La-7 was achieved solely by means of aerodynamics and a reduction 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 equivalent 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 an air combat fighter were embodied in the La-7: high speed, excellent maneuverability and rate of climb. In addition, compared with the rest of the fighters discussed here, it had greater 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 fighter Messerschmitt Bf 109 was created around the same time as the Spitfire. Like the English aircraft, the Bf 109 became one of the most successful examples of a combat vehicle during the war and went through a long evolutionary path: it was equipped with more and more powerful engines, improved aerodynamics, operational and flight characteristics. In terms of aerodynamics, the last major change was made in 1941 with the introduction of the Bf 109F. Further improvement of flight data was mainly due to the installation of new motors. 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 Nazi Luftwaffe. Throughout almost the entire second world war, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters were among the best examples of aircraft in their class, and only towards the end of the war did they begin 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 qualities. But they solved this problem in a completely different way: unlike the Spitfire, the Bf 109 had a large specific load on the wing, 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 battles could be deflected by the pilot at a small angle. The use of controlled 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 sections of the flaps; a controlled stabilizer was also used. In a word, the Bf 109 had a unique system of direct lift control, largely characteristic of modern aircraft with their inherent automation. However, in practice, many of the designers' decisions did not take root. Due to the complexity, it was necessary to abandon the controlled stabilizer, hanging ailerons, and the flap release 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. Takeoff and landing characteristics were similar.

The experience of aircraft construction shows that the gradual improvement of a combat aircraft is 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 supply of fuel, an increase in the power of weapons, the necessary structural reinforcements and other related measures. In the end, there comes a time when the reserves of this design are exhausted. One of the limitations is the specific load on the wing. This, of course, is not the only parameter, but one of the most important and common to 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 specific wing 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, had about 150 kg/m2. For the Bf 109G-2, this wing loading was close to the limit. With its further growth, the aerobatic, maneuvering and takeoff and landing characteristics of the aircraft deteriorated sharply, despite the very effective mechanization of the wing (slats and flaps).

Since 1942, German designers have been improving their best air combat fighter under very strict weight restrictions, which greatly narrowed the possibilities for 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 weapons, not particularly considering the increase in weight.

The quality of their mass production has a great influence on the aerodynamic properties of aircraft. Careless manufacturing can negate all the efforts of designers and scientists. This doesn't happen very often. 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, 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 the foregoing, it can be seen 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 also have many common features: well-streamlined shapes, careful engine cowling, well-developed local aerodynamics and aerodynamics of cooling devices.

As for the design, Soviet fighters were much simpler and cheaper to manufacture than British, German and, especially, American aircraft. Scarce materials were used in them in very limited quantities. Thanks to this, the USSR managed to ensure a high rate of aircraft production in the face of the most severe material restrictions and a lack of skilled labor. I must say that our country is in the most difficult situation. From 1941 to 1944 inclusive, a significant part of the industrial zone, where many metallurgical enterprises were located, was occupied by the Nazis. Some factories managed to be evacuated inland and set up production in new places. 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. 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 aircraft. However, in many power 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 Mustang looked somewhat preferable. However, Spitfires and Soviet fighters were also well adapted to the conditions of combat operation. But in terms of such very important characteristics as the quality of equipment and the level of automation, the Yak-3 and La-7 were inferior to Western fighters, the best of which were German aircraft (not only Bf 109, but others) in terms of automation.

The most important indicator of high flight performance of the aircraft and its overall combat capability is the power plant. It is in the aircraft engine industry that the latest achievements in technology, materials, control and automation systems are first of all embodied. Engine building is one of the most science-intensive branches of the aircraft industry. Compared to an aircraft, the process of creating and fine-tuning new engines takes much more time and requires a lot of effort.

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

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

A characteristic feature that united all the engines that were on the compared fighters was the use of two-speed drive centrifugal superchargers (PTsN), providing the required altitude. But the difference between Rolls-Royce engines was that their superchargers had not one, as usual, but two successive 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 losses spent by the motor for pumping. This was a very important factor.

The original was the DB-605 motor injection system, driven through a turbo coupling, which, with automatic control, smoothly adjusted the gear ratio from the motor to the blower impeller. In contrast to the two-speed drive superchargers that were on Soviet and British engines, the turbo coupling made it possible to reduce the power drop that occurred between the injection 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 reliability and economy. power plant. Of the other engines, only the Soviet ASh-82FN, which was on the La-7, had a similar direct injection system.

A significant factor in improving the flight performance of the Mustang and Spitfire was that their motors had relatively short-term modes of operation at high power. In combat, the pilots of these fighters could for some time use, in addition to long-term, that is, nominal, either 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 variants of the Mustangs and Spitfires were designed for high combat altitude, which is typical for aviation operations in the West. Therefore, their motors had sufficient altitude. German motor builders were forced to solve a complex technical problem. With the relatively high design height of the engine required for air combat in the West, it was important to provide the necessary power at low and medium altitudes required for combat operations in the East. As is known, 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 English and Soviet engines. To increase power at altitudes below the calculated one, an injection of a water-alcohol mixture was used (MW-50 system), which made it possible, despite the relatively low octane number of fuel, to significantly increase boost, and, consequently, power without detonation. It turned out a kind of maximum mode, which, like the emergency one, could usually be used for up to three minutes.

At altitudes above the calculated one, nitrous oxide injection (GM-1 system) could be used, which, being a powerful oxidizing agent, 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 motor 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 complicated the power plant and its operation. For these reasons, they were used separately and were not used on all Bf 109G and K.

A fighter's 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 very much. 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 forward fuselage), then the Spitfires and Mustangs had them located in the wing outside the area swept by the propeller. In addition, the Mustang had only heavy machine gun armament, while other fighters also had guns, and the La-7 and Bf 109K-4 had only gun armament. In the Western theater of operations, the P-51D was intended primarily to fight 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-3s and La-7s fought against aircraft of any purpose, including bombers, which naturally required more powerful weapons.

Comparing the wing and central installation of weapons, it is difficult to answer which of these schemes was the most effective. But still, Soviet front-line pilots and aviation specialists, like the German ones, preferred the central one, which ensured the greatest accuracy of fire. Such an arrangement turns out to be more advantageous when an attack by an enemy aircraft is carried out from extremely short distances. Namely, this is how Soviet and German pilots usually tried to act on the Eastern Front. In the West, air battles were fought mainly at high altitude, where the maneuverability of fighters deteriorated significantly. It became much more difficult to approach the enemy at close range, and it was also very dangerous with bombers, since it was difficult for a fighter to evade the fire of air gunners due to sluggish maneuvers. For this reason, they opened fire from a long distance and the wing installation of weapons, designed for a given range of destruction, turned out to be quite comparable with the central one. In addition, the rate of fire of weapons with a wing scheme was higher than that of weapons synchronized for firing through a propeller (guns on the La-7, machine guns on the Yak-3 and Bf 109G), the armament turned out to be near the center of gravity and the consumption of ammunition practically did not affect it. position. But one drawback was still organically inherent in the wing scheme - this is an increased moment of inertia relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, which worsened the fighter's roll response to the pilot's actions.

Among the many criteria that determined the combat capability of an aircraft, the combination of its flight data was the most important for a fighter. Of course, they are not important on their own, but in combination with a number of other quantitative and qualitative indicators, such as, for example, stability, aerobatic properties, ease of operation, visibility, etc. For some classes of aircraft, training, for example, these indicators are of paramount importance. But for combat vehicles of the past war, flight characteristics and armament, which are the main technical components of the combat effectiveness of fighters and bombers, are decisive. Therefore, the designers sought, first of all, to achieve priority in flight data, or rather, in those that played a paramount 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, rate of climb, range or time of a sortie, maneuverability, the ability to quickly pick up speed, sometimes a practical ceiling. Experience has shown that the technical excellence of fighters cannot be reduced to any one criterion, which would be expressed by a number, a formula, or even an algorithm designed for implementation on a computer. The question of comparing fighters, as well as the search for 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 air warfare as a whole.

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

The main characteristics of the Bf 109K-4 are given in a rather extensive report prepared at the end of 1944 for the German Chancellor. The report covered 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 firms such as Messerschmitt, Arado, Junkers. In this document, which there is every reason to consider quite serious, when analyzing the capabilities of the Bf 109K-4, all its data correspond only to the continuous operation of the power plant, and the characteristics at maximum power 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 maximum takeoff weight, could not even use the nominal mode for a long time and was forced to reduce speed and, accordingly, power after 5.2 minutes after takeoff. When taking off with less 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 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 rate of climb characteristic), it is clearly visible what increase the use of maximum power could give. However, such an increase is rather formal in nature, since it was impossible to climb in this mode. Only in individual moments flight, the pilot could turn on the MW-50 system, i.e. extreme power boost, and even then, when the cooling systems had the necessary reserves for heat removal. Thus, although the MW-50 boost system was useful, it was not vital for the Bf 109K-4 and therefore it was not installed on all fighters of this type. Meanwhile, the Bf 109K-4 data is published in the press, corresponding precisely to the emergency regime using the MW-50, which is completely uncharacteristic of this aircraft.

The foregoing is well confirmed by the combat practice of the final stage of the war. Thus, the Western press often talks about 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 have seen in combat have been 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

In World War II, the Germans had the following aircraft, here is a list of them with photos:

1. Arado Ar 95 - German two-seater reconnaissance torpedo bomber floatplane

2. Arado Ar 196 - German military reconnaissance seaplane

3. Arado Ar 231 - German light single-engine military seaplane

4. Arado Ar 232 - German military transport aircraft

5. Arado Ar 234 Blitz - German jet bomber

6. Blomm Voss Bv.141 - the prototype of the German reconnaissance aircraft

7. Gotha Go 244 - German medium military transport aircraft

8. Dornier Do.17 - German twin-engine medium bomber

9. Dornier Do.217 - German multipurpose bomber

10. Messerschmitt Bf.108 Typhoon - German all-metal single-engine monoplane

11. Messerschmitt Bf.109 - German single-engine piston fighter-low-wing

12. Messerschmitt Bf.110 - German twin-engine heavy fighter

13. Messerschmitt Me.163 - German missile fighter-interceptor

14. Messerschmitt Me.210 - German heavy fighter

15. Messerschmitt Me.262 - German turbojet fighter, bomber and reconnaissance aircraft

16. Messerschmitt Me.323 Giant - German heavy military transport aircraft with a payload capacity of up to 23 tons, the heaviest land aircraft

17. Messerschmitt Me.410 - German heavy fighter-bomber

18. Focke-Wulf Fw.189 - twin-engine twin-boom triple tactical reconnaissance aircraft

19. Focke-Wulf Fw.190 - German single-seat single-engine piston monoplane fighter

20. Focke-Wulf Ta 152 - German high-altitude interceptor

21. Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor - German 4-engine long-range multipurpose aircraft

22. Heinkel He-111 - German medium bomber

23. Heinkel He-162 - German single-engine jet fighter

24. Heinkel He-177 - German heavy bomber, twin-engine all-metal monoplane

25. Heinkel He-219 Uhu - twin-engine piston night fighter equipped with ejection seats

26. Henschel Hs.129 - German single-seat twin-engine specialized attack aircraft

27. Fieseler Fi-156 Storch - a small German aircraft

28. Junkers Ju-52 - German passenger and military transport aircraft

29. Junkers Ju-87 - German two-seat dive bomber and attack aircraft

30. Junkers Ju-88 - German multi-purpose aircraft

31. Junkers Ju-290 - German long-range naval reconnaissance (nicknamed "Flying Cabinet")

At the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), almost 900 Soviet aircraft were destroyed by the fascist invaders. Most of the aviation equipment, not having time to take off, was burned at the airfields as a result of a massive bombardment. german army. However, in a very short time, Soviet enterprises became world leaders in terms of the number of aircraft produced and thereby brought the victory of the Soviet Army in World War II closer. Consider which aircraft were in service with 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 world aircraft industry. I-15 and I-16 fighters took part in the fighting with Japanese Manchuria, fought in the skies of Spain, 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

So, 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 massive combat aircraft of the Second World War, which was produced in unprecedented quantities and was the pride of the USSR Air Force. However, the model of gigantomania did not justify itself in the real conditions of the war. The mass combat aircraft of the Second World War, according to modern experts, was significantly inferior to the Luftwaffe attack bombers of the Messerschmitt aircraft manufacturing company in terms of speed and quantity of weapons.

New pre-war aircraft

The war in Spain and Khalkhin Gol showed that the most important indicators in modern conflicts are the maneuverability and speed of aircraft. The Soviet aircraft designers were tasked with preventing the backlog in military equipment and creating new types of aircraft that could compete with the best examples of the world's aircraft industry. Emergency measures were taken, and by the beginning of the 1940s, the next generation of competitive aircraft appeared. Thus, the Yak-1, MiG-3, LaGT-3 became leaders in their class of combat aircraft, the speed of which at the estimated flight altitude reached or exceeded 600 km/h.

Start of serial production

In addition to fighter aviation, high-speed equipment was developed in the class of dive and assault bombers (Pe-2, Tu-2, TB-7, Er-2, Il-2) and the Su-2 reconnaissance aircraft. During the two pre-war years, aircraft designers of the USSR 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 far behind the global manufacturers. On June 22, 1941, the entire burden of the war fell on the planes of the 1930s. Only since 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 the airspace of Europe. Consider the best Soviet WWII aircraft, according to the world's leading aviation experts.

Educational and training base

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

• with an engine from the French "Renault" in 140 liters. With.;
• with aircraft engine M-11E.

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

MBR-2: flying boat of war

Naval aviation during the Great Patriotic War played an important role in combat battles, bringing the long-awaited victory over Nazi Germany. So, the second close-range marine reconnaissance, or MBR-2 - a seaplane capable of taking off and landing on the water surface, became a Soviet flying boat. Among the pilots, the air apparatus had the nickname "heavenly cow" or "barn". The seaplane made its first flight in the early 30s, and later, until the very victory over Nazi Germany, it was in service with the Red Army. Interesting fact: an hour before the German attack on 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 the entire naval aviation of the country located in this region. Over the years of the war, naval aviation pilots successfully carried out their 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 massive WWII aircraft, the total number of units of which was more than 1/3 of the country's entire air defense fleet. The novelty of aircraft construction was not sufficiently mastered by combatant pilots, they had to tame the MiG "third" in combat conditions. As a matter of urgency, two aviation regiments were formed from the best representatives Stalin's "falcons". However, the most massive aircraft of the Second World War was significantly inferior to the fighter fleet of the late 30s. Surpassing 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 repulsing attacks on the rear cities at the beginning of the war, it was the “third” MiGs that were used. Fighting vehicles participated in air defense 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 the USSR Air Force.

Yak-9: air defender of Stalingrad

Before the war, the design bureau of A. Yakovlev mainly produced light sports aircraft designed for training and participation in various thematic shows dedicated to the strength and power of Soviet aviation. The Yak-1 possessed excellent flight qualities, the serial production of which was mastered in 1940. It was this aircraft that had to repulse 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 massive front-line aircraft of the WWII era. Fighting machine participated in air battles along the entire front line. Having retained all the main overall dimensions, the Yak-9 was improved with a powerful M-105PF engine with a rated power of 1210 horsepower under flight conditions. exceeding 2500 meters. The mass of the fully equipped combat vehicle was 615 kg. The weight of the aircraft was added by ammunition and metal I-section spars, which were wooden in pre-war times. The aircraft also had a refitted fuel tank, which increased the volume of fuel, which affected the flight range. The new development of aircraft manufacturers had high maneuverability, which made it possible to conduct active combat operations in close proximity to the enemy at high and low altitudes. During the years of mass production of a 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 "y" meant the word killer.

La-5: aerial tightrope walker

In 1942, the single-engine fighter La-5, created in OKB-21 S.A. Lavochkin, replenished the combat aircraft of the Great Patriotic War. 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 possessed impressive maneuverability and speed qualities, misleading the enemy with its aerial feints. So, La-5 could freely enter the "corkscrew", and just as well get out of 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 military battles in the sky 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 performance characteristics of the "air bus" did not match international requirements. So, 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 machine was assembled entirely from American-made units. The aircraft served faithfully until the very end of the war, and in the post-war years continued to carry out cargo transportation on the local airlines of the Soviet Union.

Po-2: "night witches" in the sky

remembering combat aircraft Since the Second World War, it is difficult to ignore one of the most massive workers in combat battles - the U-2 multi-purpose biplane, or Po-2, created at the Design Bureau of Nikolai Polikarpov 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 " sewing machine”(as the Germans called Po-2) the most formidable and effective attacking means of night bombardment. One aircraft could make up to 20 sorties per night, delivering a deadly load to enemy combat positions. It should be noted that female pilots fought mainly on such biplanes. During the war years, four women's squadrons of 80 pilots were formed. For courage and fighting courage, the German invaders called them "night witches". The women's air regiment in the Great Patriotic War made more than 23.5 thousand sorties. Many did not return from the fighting. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was given to 23 "witches", 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 operations. In the entire history of the world aircraft industry, the brainchild of S. V. Yakovlev is considered the most massive combat aircraft of its class. In total, more than 36 thousand units of military air weapons were put into operation. WWII aircraft with the Il-2 logo terrified the German Luftwaffe aces and were nicknamed "concrete aircraft" by them. The main technological feature of the combat vehicle was the inclusion of armor in the power circuit of the aircraft, which was able to withstand a direct hit by a 7.62 mm armor-piercing enemy bullet from almost zero distance. There were several serial modifications of the aircraft: Il-2 (single), Il-2 (double), Il-2 AM-38F, Il-2 KSS, Il-2 M82 and so on.

Conclusion

In general, air vehicles created by the hands of Soviet aircraft manufacturers continued to perform combat missions in postwar period. Thus, the Air Force of Mongolia, the Air Force of Bulgaria, the Air Force of Yugoslavia, the Air Force of Czechoslovakia and other states of the post-war socialist camp for a long time were armed with aircraft of the USSR, which ensured the protection of airspace.