U.S. Aircraft in the Soviet Union and Russia
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Author: Yefim Gordon
Publisher: Midland Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-85780-308-2
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Lend lease aircraft has always been a popular subject. The idea of US aircraft in Soviet markings is appealing to many, but this was not the sole use of American aircraft in Russia. Indeed, the transfer of aviation technology began much earlier, and continues to this day (in both directions). This latest title from Midland Publishing provides an encyclopedic examination of all the American aircraft used in the Soviet Union and Russia, from 1908 to present day.
With such a long history, the only way to present this subject is chronologically by eras, and this book begins with the waning years of the Imperial period. In these early days of aviation, everyone was learning from everyone, and it was not uncommon to find French, Italian, German, British, American, and Russian aviators and engineers sharing information, directly or indirectly. And example of this is Stepan Grizodubov, who 'copied' a Wright aircraft in 1910. I say 'copy' because it really was not a copy, but a fresh design based loosely on the Wright aircraft. This is because Grizodubov did not have a Wright aircraft to work from, or even drawings of the plane. Instead, he created his own drawings from repeatedly examining a documentary film on the Wright aircraft. Unfortunately, his efforts were not successful and his G-1 never flew. However, it does show how many fledgling aviation engineers tried to get their start.
The rise of the Soviet Union led to an explosion of aviation interest in the Russian mind. From both an exploration standpoint and as an example of Soviet prowess, aviation was at the forefront of public awareness throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The rapid growth of the industry worldwide, though, meant that some of these achievements were made with equipment that was either wholly or at least based on technology from other nations. Many of these aircraft came from the United States, and indeed there was very close camaraderie between the aviators of Alaska and the Russian Far East. The weather conditions in that realm did not care if you were a capitalist or a communist, it was harsh to all, and only through cooperation were so many of those aviators able to survive.
The transfer of aviation designs from the US to the Soviet Union continued throughout the 1930s until war broke out, when the process continued, but under the aegis of Lend Lease. This period marked the peak of US aircraft imports, with thousands making their way along the ALSIB route. In fact, the majority of this book is taken up with the Lend Lease years.
The post-war years are marked by a dramatic chilling between the United States and the Soviet Union (it WAS called the Cold War, after all), and the US aircraft that made their way into the Soviet Union did so via non-traditional means. Much of this period is taken up by the B-29/Tu-4 story, but other aircraft obtained by the Soviet Union during this period included those captured during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as well as the famous U-2 of Gary Powers.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, American aviation once again began to find its way into Russia, this time in the form of civil airliners. With the rapid growth of airlines in the former Soviet Union, Boeing designs quickly filled the gaps, making such aircraft types as the 737 a popular sight at airports around Russia. Light aircraft also began to arrive, from the small Cessnas up to the large Gulfstream business jets.
As you can see, the amount of US aircraft in the Soviet Union and Russia is a large amount, and this book does an outstanding job of keeping them all straight. Each aircraft is given a short history (some shorter than others; the entry on the DC-3/C-47/Li-2 is almost book length), and there are lots of accompanying photos. Additionally, there are some scale drawings and a mix of color profile illustrations, adding to the quality of reference. This is easily the best single reference on all the US aircraft used in Russia and the Soviet Union, and one that will be a valuable addition to any Russian aviation library. My thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy.