IL-2 Book

[Jim Oxley]

Just finished reading "Red Star Against The Swastika" by Vasily Emelianenko. IMHO it's one of the best books ever written, from any air force pilot.

Fascinating from several angles, including the various nicknames Russian pilots gave different aircraft eg TB-3 Transport was known as the Communal Grave; air battles covering less known fronts such as the Donets Basin, Caucasus and Kuban; the terrible casualty rate of IL-2 pilots - Emelianenko's Regiment (7th Guards) lost 202 men during the war; the strong competition and desire for medals and most interestingly life in a front line V.V.S. squadron.

Anyone who has a remote interest in the air war over Russia must read this book.

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Yes, the book written by Emelianenko, edited in Soviet Unin in 1973 (W woyennom ozduchie surovym) - 1- st edition, is very well written.
In 1973 or 1972 when was edited many informatin was shocking (this speciali cocnerning the first combat tour of 4. SzAP. The first operational regiment using the Il-2s. The events and their description were very open and present to good general view about VVS RKKA command power.

This book has 2-3 next edition ("upgarded"). In the 90-ties or on the begining of XXI country was edited the last one edition - text, and I am wonder on which edition this English version is based/translated?

The second Soviet Edition (in 70-ties) - if right remebr - had some censoral cuts due to fact of presenting to much true picture of Soviet air war in 1941-1945. The "1941" was presneted in terrible style (very realistik and open about the past) for the Soviet readers. So the second edition was slight changed to polish its "corners".

I had read the 1-st edition of this book a few years ago, in Russia, and in fact this is very well done book. NO it is also on the net in Russian internet liberary. So the text is open for Russian reading.

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzyński

[Evgeny Velichko]

Hi all!

First of all:

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=5746

Second: I see there are some interest about IL-2 pilots & actions...

Il-2 pilots memory books.

All following sourses in RUSSIAN. Use PROMT or other software for translating.

Enjoy

Main sourse of intervewes with Russian pilots of GPW:
http://www.iremember.ru/pilots/pilots_r.html

Pilots and gunners of Il-2, awarded medal of Hero of the Soviet Union, and twice.
MUST HAVE sourse for all who interested.
http://ilpilot.narod.ru/man/hsu/a/index_a.html

Pilots and gunners of Il-2, awarded all 3 classes of “Order of Glory” (Îðäåí Ñëàâû)
http://ilpilot.narod.ru/man/hsu/sl/index_sl.html

THE MAIN INTERVIEW SOURSE ABOUT IL-2 PILOTS, GUNNERS, TECHNICS, e.t.c.
Drabkin Artyom. I fought on Il-2.
Äðàáêèí Àðòåì. ß äðàëñÿ íà Èë-2
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/drabkin1/index.html

Yemelyanenko Vasilii Borisovich: In the rough sky of war. Version of 1971.
Åìåëüÿíåíêî Âàñèëèé Áîðèñîâè÷: Â âîåííîì âîçäóõå ñóðîâîì
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/...nko/index.html

Yemelyanenko Vasilii Borisovich: In the rough sky of war. Comments.
Êíèãà âîñïîìèíàíèé Åìåëüÿíåíêî Â.Á. "Â âîåííîì âîçäóõå ñóðîâîì"
http://www.iremember.ru/pilots/emeli...ianenko_r.html

MUST HAVE!
Lyadskii Timofei Sergeevich: Warnotes.
Ëÿäñêèé Òèìîôåé Ñåðãååâè÷: Çàïèñêè èç ë¸òíîãî ïëàíøåòà
http://militera.lib.ru/db/lyadski_ts/

Begeldinov Talgat Yakupbekovich: “Il’s” are attacking.
Áåãåëüäèíîâ Òàëãàò ßêóïáåêîâè÷: «Èëû» àòàêóþò
http://www.amyat.narod.ru/memo/begeldinov_t/index.htm

Efimov Aleksandr Nikolaevich: Over the battlefield.
Åôèìîâ Àëåêñàíäð Íèêîëàåâè÷: Íàä ïîëåì áîÿ
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/efimov/index.html
Very good book of TOP ALLIED TANK KILLER (126 tanks destroyed, 7 airvictories, + many other targets)

Egart M. Twise Hero of the Soviet Union A.N.Yefimov.
Ýãàðò Ì. Äâàæäû Ãåðîé Ñîâåòñêîãî Ñîþçà À. Í. Åôèìîâ:
http://www.amyat.narod.ru/bio/egart_efimov/index.htm

Chechelnitskii G.A. The warpath of 6th Guards “Moskow” order of Lenin, order of Red Star, order of Suvorov II class ShAP in Great Patriotic War.
×å÷åëüíèöêèé Ãðèãîðèé Àáðàìîâè÷
Ìîñêîâñêèé ãâàðäåéñêèé øòóðìîâîé: Áîåâîé ïóòü 6-ãî Ìîñêîâñêîãî ãâàðäåéñêîãî øòóðìîâîãî îðäåíà Ëåíèíà è îðäåíà Ñóâîðîâà II ñòåïåíè Êðàñíîçíàìåííîãî àâèàöèîííîãî ïîëêà â Âåëèêîé Îòå÷åñòâåííîé âîéíå
http://www.amyat.narod.ru/hist/chech...y_ga/index.htm

Belokon Kuzma Filimonovich: In the burning sky.
Áåëîêîíü Êóçüìà Ôèëèìîíîâè÷: Â ïûëàþùåì íåáå
http://www.amyat.narod.ru/memo/belokon_kf/index.htm

Aleksandrov Sergei Sergeevich: Flying tanks.
Àëåêñàíäðîâ Ñåðãåé Ñåðãååâè÷: Êðûëàòûå òàíêè
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/...rov/index.html

Pstygo Ivan Ivanovich: On the combat course.
Ïñòûãî Èâàí Èâàíîâè÷: Íà áîåâîì êóðñå.
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/pstygo/index.html

Romanov Mikhail Yakovlevich: Attackers over Carpatian Mountains.
Ðîìàíîâ Ìèõàèë ßêîâëåâè÷: Øòóðìîâèêè íàä Êàðïàòàìè
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/..._ma/index.html

Karpov Aleksandr Alekseevich. In the sky of Ukaina.
Êàðïîâ Àëåêñàíäð Àëåêñååâè÷. Â íåáå Óêðàèíû.
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/..._aa/index.html

Gareev Musa Gaisinovich: Assaults are going to the target.
Ãàðååâ Ìóñà Ãàéñèíîâè÷ Øòóðìîâèêè èäóò íà öåëü
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/..._mg/index.html

Gulyaev Vladimir Leonidovich. “Il’s” are in the air.
Ãóëÿåâ Âëàäèìèð Ëåîíèäîâè÷ Â âîçäóõå «èëû»
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/..._vl/index.html

Beregovoi Georgii Timofeevich: Three heights.
Áåðåãîâîé Ãåîðãèé Òèìîôååâè÷: Òðè âûñîòû
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/...voy/index.html

Palmov Vasilii Vasiljevich. Assaults over Dnieper.
Ïàëüìîâ Âàñèëèé Âàñèëüåâè÷ Øòóðìîâèêè íàä Äíåïðîì
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/palmov/index.html

Nedbajlo Anatolii Konstantinovich: In the Guards family.
Íåäáàéëî Àíàòîëèé Êîíñòàíòèíîâè÷: Â ãâàðäåéñêîé ñåìüå
http://www.amyat.narod.ru/memo/nedbaylo_ak/index.htm

Litvin Georgii Afanasjevich. Gunner of Il-2. There are 2 books:
Ëèòâèí Ãåîðãèé Àôàíàñüåâè÷
Exit from “dead sector”.
Âûõîä èç ì¸ðòâîãî ïðîñòðàíñòâà
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/litvin/index.html
I was a gunner.
ß áûë âîçäóøíûì ñòðåëêîì
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/...ga2/index.html

Filjushin Vladimir Vladimirovich. Interview.
Ôèëþøèí Âëàäèìèð Âëàäèìèðîâè÷
http://www.pobeda.vitebsk.net/nebo/?sky=filushin
Fragment:
“When we were on 1st Ukrainian Front, near Kharkow area, I was ill, & couldnot fly. Commander of squadron tells me, that he will take my gunner in his following combat mission. They took off in formation of 6 Il-2. NO ONE RETURNED. German fighters shot them all. My squadron commsnder was heavy injured, he was able to made an emergensy landing beside our lines. My gunner was woundede into stomach. They gave him a water to drink. He died there, near frontline, & buried there…”

Nikulin Aleksei Semjonovich. Gunner of Il-2. Interview.
Íèêóëèí Àëåêñåé Ñåì¸íîâè÷
http://www.pobeda.vitebsk.net/nebo/?sky=nikulin

[kurlannaiskos]

Thank You for all those links and the images.
I guess I will be busy doing some translating and reading......

[Evgeny Velichko]

New photoes

Note 100.jpg - its a Il-2M, of famous *white 100*, HSU Vasilii Yemeljanenko. Plane marked with music symbols.

[Jukka Juutinen]

Folks, Koala kustannus (www.koalakustannus.fi) will be publishing a Finnish edition of this book in March! Interestingly, it seems that for cost reasons it is translated from English, not Russian. Hopefully such double translation doesn´t harm the text too much.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Hhhmmmm....

[Jukka Juutinen]

Eugen, Hmmmm...what? BTW, not the first time this has done been here. The Finnish edition of Hara Tameichi´s famous memoirs Japanese Destroyer Captain was also translated from English, not Japanese.