Military aircraft of the USSR have always been famous for their technical potential, especially during and after the Second World War. Our pilots, who flew domestic airplanes, caused significant damage to the fascist enemy in air battles.
The first Soviet military aircraft
Sh-2 can be distinguished among the first interesting models. The first tests of this flying boat began in 1929. Of course, this plane was not a fighter or a bomber in the full sense of the word, but the practical benefits of it were 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 points did he have? These Soviet planes had a power of 450 horsepower and a maximum flight speed of 215 km/h. The average flight range was 960 km. The maximum distance that the MBR-2 has conquered is 5100 km. It was used mainly in the fleets (Pacific, B altic, Amur flotilla). Mass arming of units in the fleets began in 1937. Aircraft based onOn the B altic front, during the Second World War, they made about 700 flights to German airfields that were in the occupied territory. The bombings mostly took place at night, their main feature was surprise, so the Germans could not oppose anything.
Soviet fighters in the 1940s
Before the start of the war, the Red Army was not equipped with 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 mass repressions of the late 1930s. The first Soviet aircraft (fighters) that could really fight against German aircraft appeared in early 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 the Second World War (in particular, the MiG-3) had excellent technical characteristics, but were not very comfortable to pilot. The development and start of mass production of these new generation flying vehicles took place exactly at the time when they were most needed by the Armed Forces - just before the start of Hitler's aggression on the USSR. The maximum height that the MiG-3 fighter managed to reach was 12 km. It was fast enough in climb, because the plane took off to a 5-kilometer altitude in 5.3 minutes. The average optimal flight speed was approximately 620 km.
USSR aircraft (bombers) and their role in the victory over fascism
To effectively fight the enemy, it was necessaryto establish interaction between aviation and the ground army. Probably, among the Soviet bombers that brought the most harm to the Wehrmacht army, it is worth highlighting the Su-4 and Yak-2. Let's talk about each of them separately.
So, the Su-4 was equipped with two large-caliber machine guns, which made it effective in dogfights. The maximum flight range of aircraft of this class is 1000 kilometers, and the average speed during the flight reached 486 km, which made it possible for the pilot to maneuver, saving the aircraft from enemy attacks if necessary.
USSR planes of the World War II series "Yakov" also occupied a significant place in the list of bombers used by the army. The Yak-2 was one of the first twin-engine military aircraft. The power of each of the engines was 750 hp. The flight range of an aircraft with two engines, of course, was much more than single-engine analogues (1300 km). The planes of the USSR of the Second World War of the Yak lineup had excellent performance in terms of speed, as well as in terms of climbing certain heights. Equipped with two machine guns, one of which was stationary, was 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 planes of the USSR during World War II
All the successes of Soviet aviation on the airfields of battles against the Nazis were provided not only by good results of engineering solutions, but also by the high professionalism of our pilots. As you know, the numberThere are no less heroes of the USSR - pilots than tankers or infantrymen. Some aces received this title three times (for example, Ivan Kozhedub).
Try the test pilots too. Military aircraft of the USSR, before entering service with the army, have always been tested at training grounds. It was the testers, risking their own lives, who tested the reliability of the newly created technology.
