Steamer IL-2. The legendary "flying tank" of the Red Army. Rustenin O.

IL-2-the most massive combat aircraft of the Soviet Air Force (in total over the years of World War II, more than 36 thousand "silts" of various modifications were built) and is rightfully considered the pride of Russian design thought, one of the main symbols of victory over the third Reich. Even in a desperate bad weather, touching the clouds, the “silts” erupted through the fire of anti -aircraft guns, destroying bridges and crossings, launched enemy echelons, destroyed tanks, firepoints and a Wehrmacht infantry on the battlefield. The Nazis called the IL-2 “black death”, and our infantry was a “flying tank”. Stalin himself said that these aircraft “need our army, like air, like bread. We need not mi, but IL-2. ”

It was “Ilyushin” with special warmth and gratitude that veterans of the great battles near Stalingrad and on the Kursk arc recalled. This richly illustrated book of the leading historian of aviation is undoubtedly the best story about the history of the creation, improvement and combat application of the legendary IL-2.