Books on the Soviet Air Force

[Marcus Wendel]

Hello all,

Which books on the Soviet Air Force do you recommend for someone like me with next to no knowledge on the topic at the moment but looking to learn about it?
Thanks.

/Marcus

[MB]

'Black Cross/Red Star' by Christer Bergstrem and Russian co-authors;
'Red Stars in the Sky' series by Carl Geust and Gennadi Petrov;
'Stalin's Eagles' by Seidl.

[Ruy Horta]

Perhaps they are considered oldies but:

Red Phoenix
The Rise of Soviet Air Power 1941-1945
Von Hardesty

and

The Soviet Air Force in World War II
The Official History
Edited by Ray Wagner

IF you are able to read German than you can get biographies from Pokryshkin and Worosheykin, former DDR publications. Pokryshkin's autobiography is a classic IMHO.

[Dick Powers]

Dimirty Loza's
"Attack of the Aircobras - Soviet Aces, American P-39s & the Air War Against Germay", published in the US by Unversity Press of Kansas is a fairly unique book. Writen by a colonel in soviet army who commanded a Sherman tank batallion in WWII, this book gives new insight about the P-39 use in the VVS, and in particular, 9th Guards Fighter Division (Pokryskin's unit).

Dispelling old myths - the P-39 was NOT used as a tank buster by the VVS - this book has considerable insight into the development of VVS fighter tactics.

The translation, however, is brutal. It's Cumbersome, not an easy read.

[Marcus Wendel]

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

/Marcus

[Franek Grabowski]

Originally Posted by Ruy Horta

IF you are able to read German than you can get biographies from Pokryshkin and Worosheykin, former DDR publications. Pokryshkin's autobiography is a classic IMHO.

I do not know which Pokryshkin's book was edited in Germany but I suppose the first one. Anyway, I would not consider any memories and books written in the Soviet period a recommendable reading. There is an unbelieveable lot of crap in those books that often cannot be distinguished from the truth.
Personally I would recommend either to learn Russian or to wait for foreign editions of recent publications.

[Jim Oxley]

The only one to add to those listed above is Robert Jackson's 'The Red Falcons'.

Of those mentioned the best (IMHO) is the Black Cross Red Star series by Christer.

Really though the story of the VVS in WWII is yet to be told.

[Andy Fletcher]

Don't forget Stalin's Falcons by Tomas Polak and Chris Shores.

English text, brief biographical info on most Soviet aces (much like Stalin's Eagles). According to Russian researchers not always accurate but about as good as you'll get at the moment for a book with English text.

Regards

Andy fletcher

[Jens]

For me the best book written from a soviet fighter ace, woroshejikins (52 kills) "Jagdflieger" part 1 (dealing with I-16 Chalchin - Gol) and part 2 ( dealing with world war 2 (Kursk)) .

[kurlannaiskos]

Marcus,
it depends on what you are looking for.
there isn't as much on the men as on the machines.( at least it seems that way to me)
there are lots of books on the machines. (some good, some not so good)
are you looking for anything in particular? or just a general overview?