Soviet Air Power, 1917-1976.
Abstract
This study is an attempt to describe in a short format how the Soviets built an Air Force and how they used it over the last six decades. It is not a work based on scholarly research in original sources, but rather a tale derived from the research of others. The story should be of interest to American military personnel since it concerns the infancy, adolescence, and present maturity of the Soviet Air Forces (VVS), now one of the two most powerful Air Forces in the world--and it seems as if the VVS is not averse to becomming number one. When the Bolsheviks came to power in November 1917, they inherited a higgledy-piggledy Tsarist Air Force made up of obsolescent foreign-type aircraft, either imported or manufactured in Russia under license. The one exception was Sikorsky's 'II'ya Muromets,' the largest bomber and only successful four-engine plane of that time. Air power was a negligible factor in the Civil War between the Reds and the Whites (1918-21) as aircraft were scarce, the little fuel available was unbelievably awful, and the combat threaters were enormous. Airplanes did, however, play havoc with cavalry since they could locate them easily from the air and were effective in low-level attacks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA086016
Entities
People
- Kenneth R. Whiting