After the invention of the first lethal vehicles and structures, they began to be used for military purposes. So military aviation appeared, becoming the main part of the armed forces of all countries of the world. This article describes the most popular and effective Soviet aircraft, which made a special contribution to the victory over the Nazi invaders.
The tragedy of the first days of the war
Almost all of the samples of Soviet aviation were at the front, and therefore were destroyed at the very beginning of hostilities, not having time to show themselves in air battles. However, such a deplorable situation served as a huge incentive for the development and improvement of all classes of aviation - Soviet engineers had not only to make up for losses, but also to develop new military and more modern aircraft of the Soviet Union. In the current critical circumstances of a lack of resources and time, the developers created a powerful aircraft that was able to not only confront the Luftwaffe, but even surpassed it in many respects.
Biplane U-2
Perhaps the most recognizable and first Soviet aircraft, which made its special contribution to the victory - the U-2 biplane - was quite primitive and not technologically equipped. The reason for its lack of modernity was the initial development of the aircraft as a training tool for piloting. The biplane could not bear any combat load due to its size, design, take-off weight, weak technical parameters of the engine. But the U-2 coped with the role of the "school desk" more than excellently.
And, by the way, quite unexpectedly, the biplane found a very real combat use. The aircraft was equipped with silencers and a holder for small bombs, and thus the biplane became an agile, inconspicuous and very dangerous bomber, firmly securing this new role until the end of World War II. After the first successful experiments with the U-2, a small-caliber machine gun was installed on the aircraft. Before that, pilots had to use only personal small arms.
Fighter aircraft
Rightly, WWII aviation researchers consider this period the golden age of fighter jets. At that time there were no radars, computer equipment, thermal imagers and homing missiles. Only experience, the personal skill of the pilot and, of course, luck played a role.
In the 30s, the USSR occupied a high standard in the production of fighter jets. One of the first fighters to leave the Union factories was the I-16. He was armed with willows in 1941, but, alas, he could not resist the power of the Luftwaffe. Soviet aircraft of World War II only after a long modernization gave a worthy rebuff to the enemy in the sky. Fundamentally different, technologically powerful fighters began to be created.
MiG-3 and Yak-9
The MiG-3 fighter was based on the MiG-1 hull; it was he who was destined to become a thunderstorm of Soviet military aviation, a worthy adversary to German kites. The aircraft could accelerate to 600 km / h (not all Soviet WWII aircraft could afford such a speed). MiG-3 freely rose to a height of 12 kilometers, which was unrealistic for previous models. It was this fact that determined the combat mission of the aircraft. He established himself as a high-altitude fighter and acted in the air defense system. After the war, many Soviet aircraft were developed on the basis of the MiG.
But against the backdrop of the positive aspects, the MiG-3 also had disadvantages. So, at an altitude of more than 5 kilometers, the plane lost speed and lost to the enemy. Therefore, the developers began to replace it in this niche with the Yak-9 fighter. Such light combat vehicles as Yakovlev-9 possessed agility and very powerful weapons. Pilots literally admired this plane, flying on it was the ultimate dream. The fighter also liked the French allies from the Normandy-Neman regiment, having tested several models, they opted for the Yak-9.
Both the MiG-3 and the Yak-9 were armed with machine guns of 12.7 or 7.62 mm caliber. On some models, a 20 mm gun was installed. But despite the fact that these weapons were considered powerful, Soviet WWII aircraft needed improved weapons.
La 5
The novelty from KB Lavochkin no longer had this drawback, the La-5 was equipped with two ShVAK guns. Also, an air-cooled engine was installed on the fighter. The motor was a bit outdated, but it paid off, especially compared to liquid-cooled motors. The fact is that the liquid cooling motor, although compact, was very gentle. It was enough for the smallest fragment to get into the engine and interrupt at least some tube, he immediately stopped working. It was this design feature that forced the developers to put on the La-5 a large but reliable air-cooled engine.
Frankly, during the development of Lavochkin, very powerful and modern M-82 engines already existed, subsequently they became extremely widespread, many Soviet aircraft will be equipped with them. But at that time the engine had not yet passed the proper testing, and they could not install it on the new La-5.
Despite all the difficulties, the La-5 was a solid step forward in terms of the development of fighter aircraft. The model was noted not only by Soviet specialists, but also by the Luftwaffe pilots. Lavochkin terrified the German pilots, however, like all other Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War.
Attack aircraft IL-2
Perhaps the most legendary Soviet attack aircraft is the IL-2. Soviet WWII aircraft were made in a typical design, the frame was made of metal or even wood. Outside, the aircraft was covered with plywood or fabric trim. An engine and associated weapons were installed inside the structure. According to this uniform principle, all Soviet aircraft of the time of the war were constructed.
IL-2 was the first example of a new aircraft design scheme. Ilyushin’s design bureau realized that this approach noticeably worsens the design and makes it heavier. A new design approach has given new opportunities for a more rational use of aircraft mass. This is how Ilyushin-2 appeared - an airplane that earned the nickname “flying tank” for its particularly strong armor.
The IL-2 created an incredible amount of problems for the Germans. At first the plane was used as a fighter, but in this role it did not prove to be particularly effective. Weak maneuverability and speed did not give IL-2 the opportunity to fight fast and flying German fighters. Moreover, the weak protection of the rear of the aircraft allowed the attack of IL-2 to German fighters from behind.
Developers also experienced problems with the aircraft. During the entire period of the Great Patriotic War, the IL-2 weapons were constantly changing, and a place was also equipped for the second pilot. This threatened that the plane could become completely uncontrollable.
But all these efforts gave the desired result. The original 20 mm guns were replaced by large-caliber 37 mm. With such powerful weapons, the attack aircraft began to fear almost all types of ground troops, from infantry to tanks and armored vehicles.
According to some recollections of pilots who fought on the IL-2, firing from 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 attack aircraft became actually a flying fortress. This thesis is also confirmed by the fact that the attack aircraft took on board several bombs.
All these qualities were very successful, and Ilyushin-2 became simply an indispensable 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 period. Thus, Soviet-era aircraft could compete with the Luftwaffe in all respects.
Bombers
From a tactical point of view, a bomber is an indispensable part of military aviation in any battle. Perhaps the most recognizable Soviet bomber since World War II is the Pe-2. It was developed as a tactical superheavy fighter, but over time it was transformed and made a dangerous diving bomber.
It should be noted that Soviet bomber-class aircraft made their debut during the Great Patriotic War. The appearance of the bombers was due to many factors, but the main one was the development of an air defense system. Immediately developed a special tactic for the use of bombers, which implied an approach to the target at high altitude, a sharp decrease to the height of the drop of bombs, the same sharp departure to the sky. Such tactics yielded results.
Pe-2 and Tu-2
A dive bomber drops bombs without following a horizontal line. He literally falls onto his target himself and drops a bomb only when there are some 200 meters left to the target. The consequence of this tactical move is impeccable accuracy. But, as you know, anti-aircraft guns can touch a plane at low altitude, and this could not but affect the design system of the bombers.
Thus, it turned out that the bomber must combine the incompatible. It should be as compact and maneuverable as possible, while carrying heavy ammunition. In addition, the design of the bomber was assumed to be strong, able to withstand the impact of anti-aircraft guns. Therefore, the Pe-2 aircraft very well suited for this role.
The Pe-2 bomber complemented the very similar in parameters Tu-2. He was a twin-engine dive, which was used according to the tactics described above. The problem with this aircraft was in minor model orders at aircraft factories. But by the end of the war the problem was fixed, 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, reconnaissance, torpedo bomber and interceptor.
IL-4
The tactical bomber Il-4 rightly earned the title of the most beautiful aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, making it difficult to confuse it with any other aircraft. Despite the complicated control, Ilyushin-4 was popular in the Air Force; the aircraft was even used as a torpedo bomber.
IL-4 entrenched in history as a plane that carried out the first bombing of the Third Reich capital - Berlin. But this did not happen in May 1945, but in the autumn 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
The Pe-8 bomber during the war years was so rare and unrecognizable that sometimes it was even attacked by its air defense. However, it was he who performed the most difficult combat missions.
Although a long-range bomber was produced at the end of the 1930s, it was the only aircraft of its class in the USSR. The Pe-8 had the highest speed of movement (400 km / h), and the fuel supply in the tank made it possible to deliver bombs not only to Berlin, but also to return back. The aircraft was equipped with the largest bombs up to the five-ton FAB-5000. It was the Pe-8 that bombed Helsinki, Koenigsberg, Berlin at a time when the front line was in the Moscow area. Due to the working range, the Pe-8 was called a strategic bomber, and in those years this class of aircraft was only being developed. All Soviet planes of the Second World War belonged to the class of fighters, bombers, reconnaissance or transporters, but not strategic aviation at all, only the Pe-8 was a kind of exception to the rule.
One of the most important operations that Pe-8 performed was the transportation of USSR Minister of Foreign Affairs V. Molotov to the United States and Great Britain. The flight took place in the spring of 1942 along the route that passed through the territories occupied by the Nazis. Molotov traveled on a passenger version of the Pe-8. Such aircraft were developed only a few pieces.
Today, thanks to technological 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 Soviet aircraft shot down is not only a loss of valuable lives, but also a great damage to the state, which was very difficult to compensate.
Concluding a short review, which describes the most popular Soviet aircraft of the Great Patriotic War, we should mention the fact 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.