Customer Reviews

Sukhoi SU-25 (Russian Aircraft in Action)

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Of all the Yefim Gordon books I have bought, this one regarding the Sukhoi Su-25 FROGFOOT is the most disappointing of the lot. Though chock full of some of the most fascinating aerial and ground photography, covering every modification of the FROGFOOT, the design and development history is only a few pages long. This book seems somewhat rushed in terms of writing, and Gordon's prolific output may be responsible. Details regarding its prototype history, modification history, combat record in Afghanistan and Chechnya, and current service are truncated and unusually brief. No comment is made on its obvious similiarities with the Lockheed Y-9 design that was beat out by the A-10 WARTHOG, and the book contains no really updated information from this decade.

All in all though, the pictures are the real reason to purchase this book. At $12.00 for 70 odd photographs of the FROGFOOT, it is worth the money. For an in-depth study of the Su-25, this is not the answer.

It gives me a kind of a funny feeling just to hold this book. I look at the pictures and read the descriptions of the various developmental models and then the production line machine. And all of a sudden I realize that not too many years ago this information would have been so secret that only the CIA (and other such agencies whose names I couldn't even guess) would have had them. Now, for only a few bucks, here is the complete story of this airplane from its first conceptual prototype to recently upgraded prototypes showing how it will be kept in service into the future.

This plane was designed after American experiences in Viet Nam showed the Soviet planners that ground attack aircraft were still needed. It finished it's development just in time for the Soviets to use it in Afghanistan. It's still flying in the air forces of the now separate republics and of course in Russia itself. I find myself wondering if there wouldn't be a place in the US inventory for such a plane, but I then recognize that this is an old design, still useful, as is the US A-10 Warthog. Both of these planes are now 30 years old.

Although a small book, this covers a plane little known in the United States.

This book isn't very big on text, but it does offer a good section of the development history of the Su-25. The vast majority of the book is devoted to photographs. Mostly of the Su-25UTB (of which pictures tend to be rare elsewhere) and all of the other later two and single-seat variants of the Grach/Frogfoot. A must have for any Frogfoot enthusiast or model builder!

this is a good picture book, but very little real information is provided. Although more expensive yefim gordan's other book on the Su-25 is a much better book. it contains a great wealth of information that the Russian Aircraft in Action book does not. although inexpensive this book i feel is not worth it.