Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) [Paperback]

George Mellinger (Author), Jim Laurier (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Aircraft of the Aces | Publication Date: November 28, 2006

By the end of 1941 the Soviet Union was near collapse and its air force almost annihilated, leaving large numbers of surviving pilots with no aircraft to fly. At this juncture the United Kingdom put aside its prewar animosities toward the Communists and despatched several hundred Hurricane fighters despite the fact that at this time the British were still struggling to supply the RAF with modern fighters in North Africa and the Far East. A total of 4300 Hurricanes and Spitfires, as well as several hundred Tomahawks, Kittyhawks and Airacobras, obtained from the USA under Lend-lease, were eventually supplied to the USSR in an attempt to present a Russian defeat. After the United States had entered the war, the Americans extended Lend-lease to include direct supply to the Soviets as well as the British, and among the aircraft sent were almost 10,000 fighters - mainly P-39s, P-40s and P-63s. Although many of these aircraft were outdated when they arrived, and some were not particularly suited to Russian operating conditions, they served when they were needed. A number of Russian pilots became Heroes of the Soviet Union flying Lend-lease aircraft, and many more gained their early experience before converting to their own Yaks and Lavochkins. All of these types, including the Hurricane, remained in active units until the end of the war, and even into the post-war period.

The Soviet government tried to play down or conceal the importance of Lend-lease fighters until well into the 1980s, and the pilots who flew them were discriminated against as 'foreigners'. Only in recent years have these pilots felt free to admit what they flew, and now the fascinating story of these men and their heroic achievements can emerge.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Osprey's Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces is a fascinating read, it will entertain and inform a variety of connoisseurs of WW2 aviation and the Eastern Front." -Fred Boucher, Aeroscale

"...the fascinating story [of the fighter pilots] is told in this informative volume." -George Hulett, Warbirds International

"The machines of war and pilot heroism are well explained and depicted here." -Alex Ness, popthought.com

About the Author

George Mellinger is a specialist in Russian aviation history living in the United States. He is an associate of the Russian Aviation Research Group-Air Britain and a member of the Twin Cities Aero Historians. He is working on major studies of Soviet Air Force organisation and of Soviet aces. This is his fouth volume for Osprey. The author lives in South Dakota, USA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (November 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846030412
• ISBN-13: 978-1846030413
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #933,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soviet Falcons in Action!, January 2, 2007

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (Paperback)

The over 15,000 fighters supplied to Russia by America and Great Britain played a vital role in Russia's survival and ultimate triumph in WW II. That total encompassed Hurricanes, Spits, P-39s, P-40s and P-63s along with small numbers of P-47s and -51s. The exploits of the VVS aces who flew lend-lease fighters are recounted in George Mellinger's latest Osprey volume, #74 in their 'Aircraft of the Aces' series.

Of the fighters supplied, Britain's fighters drew a mixed response. The Huricanes were viewed as rugged but slower than its Bf 109 opponents, poorly armed with .303 popguns, etc. Though the Russians demanded Spits, upon arrival, they found the Spitfire's landing gear wasn't up to the primitive airfields found on the Russian front. Nevertheless, pilots such as Sergei Kurzenkov, Yakov Bakharev, Sultan Amet-Khan and Vasilii Adonkin became aces flying ex-RAF machines.

The P-40 and, especially, the P-39 were well regarded by Soviet fliers. Early P-40 models were rated highly for their ruggedness, heavy armament, long range and tight-turning abilities. Pyotr Belyasnik, Aleksandr Matveyev, Aleksei Khlobystov and Stepan Novichkov - Russia's top P-40 ace with 19 kills - were among the Stalin Falcons who did well with lend-lease Tomahawks and Kittyhawks.

Though considered a dog in USAAF service, the P-39, christened 'Kobra' in VVS service, performed superably over the Eastern Front. Heavily armed, fast and maneuverable at the altitudes where most combats took place, VVS pilots swore by the Bell fighter. Russia's most highly regarded fighter leader and ace, Aleksandr Pokryshkin, was so enamored of the Kobra that he refused demands from his superiors that his unit re-equip with Soviet-made fighters! The combats waged by Pokryshkin, Grigorii Rechkalov, Nikolai Lavitskii, Boris and Dmitrii Glinka, Aleksei Smirnov, the legless ace Zakhar Sorokin, Aleksandr Klubov and other Kobra aces are well covered in Mellinger's book.

How important were lend-lease fighters to Russia? Well, by war's end, over 100 Soviet pilots were aces thanks to lend-lease fighters, many of them becoming Heroes of the Soviet Union.

Over 80 black and white photos and nine pages of color sideviews of Hurris, Spits, P-40s, Kobras, P-47s and even an A-20(!) in Soviet livery help illustrate this fascinating chapter of Russia's air war.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book! Excellent edition to anyone's VVS library, January 18, 2007

By 

Mishka "VVS Fan" (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (Paperback)

Split into 4 main sections: Hurricane, P-40, Kobras (P-39), and other lend lease fighters. 80 B&W pictures mainly focusing on pilot portraits with aircraft behind. Hurricane section has more aircraft views and crash photos than others. Other lend lease fighters focus on Spits and P-63 in all of its 7 pages-2 pics of P-47 none of A-20. Nice, as always, art by Jim Laurier features 36 side views of all types covered and an A-20!! Only 1 written page (last one)devoted to A-20(with P-63 photo on it-???!!!), probably not much info on A-20 yet but good to at least include it and the P-63 photo haha. I enjoyed the Hurricane section and P-40 first hand accounts the most. Worth the money but as always WW2 VVS photo quality not as good as German or American books. Some repeat pictures from previous Osprey books on P-40 and P-39. All in all not bad and a must for modellers. Nice 7 page listing of Lend-Lease Aces Roster includes: Name, Rank, HSU, Unit, Victories, Sorties/Combat, Date KIA, and notes. 96pp. Recommended purchase for VVS historians, account of Lt. Kuznetsov cover story very interesting. Enjoy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous!!, April 27, 2009

By 

Ira Kepford "Jolly Roger" (Springfield MO) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (Paperback)

Now when I pick up George Mellingers' books I have high expectations, aaaannd this one left me wanting more as usual! He'd better not just think and better make that book on Polikarpov aces!! The third book I've read of his and it's the same as the others: Fantastic!!
The book starts with the British Lend-Lease Hurricane, then the American Tomahawk and Kittyhawk, then the Kobras, then to the other Lend-Lease planes, such as Spitfires and Thunderbolts, (even a A-20 Havoc!!).
I am about to build a P-39 and am going to paint it after the leading Lend-Lease ace, Aleksandr Pokryshkin.
The color plates show P-40s, Hurricanes, Spitfires, Kobras, Thunderbolts and even an A-20!!
All his books are almost the same, listing many aces, and a little about the plane in the beginning of the chapter.
I did feel, however, that he rushed over a few aces, but that could have been because not much was known of the particular person.
The average book in the Osprey 'Aces' series has about 80 pages, this one has 84 pages, which means that there is a lot of information you will find between the front and back cover.