The first twenty years of Sukhoi supersonic interceptor development, including the Su-15, a symbol of the Cold War and true guardian of the Soviet skies.Closed in 1949, the Sukhoi Design Bureau was reborn in 1953 to meet an urgent demand for a fast interceptor that would counter the threat posed by NATO bombers. It wasted no time developing a succession of missile-armed, Mach 2 interceptors characterized by delta wings; the single-engined Su-9 entered service in 196...

Developed in the early 1950s to meet a Soviet Army requirement and first flown in June 1957, the Mi-6 was the largest-yet helicopter created in the Soviet Union. Its notable features included a power-plant consisting of two turbo-shaft engines (for the first time on a Soviet helicopter) and stub wings offloading the main rotor in forward flight; the cabin was big enough to accommodate artillery systems and tactical ballistic missiles. Built by two plants, the Mi-6 saw service with the Sovi...

An illustrated guide to three of Russia's most renowned military helicopters and their equivalent model kits from an aviation historian.With profiles of a host of exciting designs, accompanied by a descriptive narrative history of the various types, Russian Gunship Helicopters combines practical information with reflective historical analysis, making for a visually rich volume providing modelers with all they need to know about the most exciting helicopter...

A history of this advanced Russian jet, including useful information for model makers.The MiG-31 started life as an advanced derivative of the famous MiG-25P interceptor, becoming the first Soviet fourth-generation combat aircraft. First flown in 1975, it differed from its progenitor primarily in having a crew of two (pilot and weapons systems operator), a highly capable passive phased-array radar—a world first—and new R-33 long-range missiles as its primary armame...

"A good look at the MiG-25 recce birds...Definitely recommended!"— Cybermodeler"Spy in the Sky" matters have long been a source of fascination for aircraft enthusiasts, historians, and modelers, and none more so than the elusive and secretive Soviet types of the Cold War era. Here, Yefim Gordon presents a range of such types, in a collection of photographs, profiles, and line drawings together with supplementary text detailing the history of each craft, en...

A history of this supersonic Soviet interceptor, including useful information for model makers.In the late 1950s, the Sukhoi Design Bureau, already an established fighter maker, started work on a successor to its Su-9 and Su-11 single-engined interceptors for the national Air Defense Force. Similar to its predecessors, the new aircraft, designated Su-15, had delta wings; unlike the Su-9/Su-11, however, it had twin engines and lateral air intakes freeing up the nose...

Brought out in the late 1970s as a successor to the obsolete Tu-126 airborne early warning aircraft, the A-50 co-developed by the Il'yushin and Beriyev bureaux is one of the most interesting military variants in the field of IL-76 military transport. Differing outwardly from the latter mainly in having a conventional saucer rotodome, the A-50 entered flight testing in 1980; the new Soviet AWACS entered service four years later. The improved A-50M was developed several years after that. The...