Messerschmitt Bf 110

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a WW2 heavy fighter aircraft. Known as the Zerstörer (Destroyer), it also carried out ground-attack missions to provide fire support to frontline German troops. In this latter role, it operated together with the Junkers Ju-87 as it played an important part in the Blitzkrieg warfare of the first two years of the war. It first saw combat action, in limited number, during the German invasion of Poland. From then on, the Luftwaffe would use it on every front until the end of the war.

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 had been designed in 1935 by a team of engineers of the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (later the Messerschmitt AG). The prototype, the Bf 110-V1, performed its first flight on May 12, 1936, achieving a maximum speed of 505 km per hour (314 mph) at 3,175 m (10,415 ft) high. Although it was not as maneuverable as single-engine lighter fighters, the Messerschmitt Bf 110 past the test as it was sturdy, fast, and had a long range capability. The test flights would continue for almost a year to improve and overcome technical problems. The first production version, the Messerschmitt Bf 110C-1, was delivered to the Luftwaffe Zerstörergruppen in mid 1939. As more variants would come out of the factory, with more than 6,000 aircraft produced by 1945.

Technical Characteristics

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a two-seat, two-engine monoplane. It had straight wing, which was mounted low on the all-metal fuselage. Its tailplane (horizontal stabilizer), however, was mounted high on top of the rear fuselage, with two fins (vertical stabilizers). It had two elevators, with a notch to allow full rudder deflection. The wing featured a single spar, which was joined to carry-through member in the fuselage that ran behind the pilot's seat. The wing trailing edge had large single-slotted flaps inboard. The slotted ailerons were outboard.

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was fitted with retractable landing gear, which was sturdy and simple single strut and of single-wheel construction. After take off, it folded up into bays located in the rear of engine nacelles. However, the tail wheel was not retractable. The Bf 110C-4 variant was powered by two Daimler-Benz DB 601N, delivering 1,200 HP each. The Bf 110D-1 featured the same engines but carried auxiliary tanks for long range flights.

Armament

This reliable heavy fighter was equipped with two 20-mm MG-151 cannons and four 7.92-mm MG-17 machine guns, all of them mounted in aircraft nose to fire forward. It also had an addition 7.92-mm MG-17 machine gun set up on a pivot in the rear cockpit to fire aft. For ground-attack mission, it carried two 250-kg bombs on two hard points on each wing.

Specifications

Type: Heavy fighter/ground attack aircraft

Length: 12.65 m (41 ft, 6 in)

Wingspan: 16.27 m (53 ft)

Wing Area: 38.40 sq. meters ( 413.3 sq. ft)

Height: 3.50 m (11 ft, 6 in)

Maximum Speed: 560 km/h (349 mph)

Range: 800 km (without external tanks)

Below, two Messerschmitt Bf 110 aircraft flying in the skies over France.

In this color photo, two Bf 110D variants flying over North Africa.

Below, the Bf 110C-1 version in an airbase in 1941

Heinkel He 100

The Heinkel He 100 was a German fast fighter aircraft that never made it to mass production. It was designed by Heinrich Hertel and Siegfried Gunter in December 1937. The first prototype, the He 100a, flew for the first time on January 22, 1938. This plane was powered by a Daimler-Benz DB-601 engine. It was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane, which was fitted with an all-metal fuselage and low-mounted wings.

The other prototypes were the Heinkel He 100B, 100C and 100D as several of them were made and put to the test. Fifteen He 100D were built. These were armed with a 20mm cannon, set up in the nose, and two 7.92mm machine guns. Despite their fast speed and acceptable maneuverability, the Luftwaffe never adopted them as the Third Reich gave priority to mass production of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 instead. However the Heinkel firm was authorized to offer it to foreign countries; thus, five He 100Ds were sold to Japan and three to Hungary for test.

Specifications

Type: single-seat fighter

Length: 8.19 m (26 ft, 10 in)

Wingspan: 9.42 m (30 ft, 10 in)

Wing Area: 14.50 sq. meters (156.08 sq. ft)

Height: 2.50 m (8 ft, 2 in)

Power Plant: one Daimler-Benz DB-601M, 12-cylinder, 'V' piston engine, which generated 1,175 HP.

Maximum Speed: 670 km/h (416 mph)

Range: 1050 km

Below, the Heinkel He 100 flying over Germany in 1939.

 

Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu

The Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu was a tactical reconnaissance aircraft used by Germany during World War II. It was an excellent military plane in all aspects, very maneuverable, versatile, and reliable, and it was liked by every Luftwaffe pilot that flew it. Designed in late 1937 by Kurt Tank, its first prototype, the V1, made its maiden flight in July 1938.

The Focke-Wulf engineers were delighted with its performance and they called it 'Eule' (Owl); however, the Luftwaffe would change its original nickname, calling it 'Uhu', which means eagle owl. Entering service in 1940, more than 800 aircraft in different versions would be produced until 1944. It would also carry out ground-attack missions to provide fire support to front-line troops.

Technical Characteristics

The Focke-Wulf Fw 189 was a three-seat, twin-engine monoplane. Like the American P-38 Lightning, it featured twin tail booms, with the cockpit lying in the middle, between the two booms and engines. Its wings were straight and were mounted low on the fuselage, which had an all-metal and stress-skin structure, with smooth flush-riveted exterior. The cockpit was fitted with a glazed central nacelle, with flat Plexiglas panels, with the pilot sitting well forward on the left.

The wings consisted of a rectangular center section and detachable panels bolted on outboard of the tail booms, tapering only on the leading edge. The booms were also all-metal, while the elevator and rudders were fabric-covered. The split trailing-edge flaps were electrically operated, while the ailerons, rudders and elevators were manually operated. It had retractable landing gear, with a H-shaped frame and twin shock-absorbers. The Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu was powered by two Argus As 410A-1, 12-cylinder, inverted 'V', piston engines, which delivered 465 HP each.

Specifications

Type: Reconnaissance and army cooperation aircraft

Crew: 3

Length: 12.03 m (39 ft, 5 in)

Wingspan: 18.40 m (60 ft, 4 in)

Wing Area: 38 sq. meters (409 sq. ft)

Height: 3.10 m (10 ft, 2 in)

Weight: 2,850 kg (empty)

Maximum Speed: 350 km/h (217 mph) at 2,400 m of altitude.

Range: 670 km (416 miles)

Armament: six 7.92-mm MG-17 machine guns, two in wing roots, two on flexible mounts in dorsal position, and the other two in powered cone turret. Four underwing racks for 50-kg bombs. The Focke-Wulf Fw 189A-4 variant also had two 20-mm cannons.

The Uhu flying in the skies over the Soviet Union in 1941.

Below, the first prototype, the V1, in 1938.

The Focke-Wulf Fw 189A-1, the first production version.

Focke-Wulf Fw 187

The Focke-Wulf Fw 187 'Falke' was a heavy fighter designed and developed for the Luftwaffe right before World War II. Although it was a relatively fast aircraft, it never entered mass production, since it could not compete with the Messerschmitt Bf 110, which was sturdier and more reliable.

The first prototype, the Fw 187-V1, made its maiden flight in the Spring of 1937, flown by Captain Hans Sander. Meanwhile the second prototype, the V2, flew in July 1937. Despite the fact it was only built in limited number to carry out test flights, three Focke-Wulf Fw 187A-0 pre-production example aircraft unofficially served with a Luftwaffe squadron in 1940, in Norway, with the 13. Zerstorer Staffel of JG 77.

Technical Characteristics

The Focke-Wulf Fw 187 was a two-seat, two-engine monoplane. Its straight wings were mounted low on the fuselage, which was all metal, but exceptionally slim. The cockpit was so small and cramped, that some instruments had to be set up on the inboard sections of the engine cowlings where they could be seen by the pilot. The aircraft was powered by two Junkers Jumo 210Ga, 12-cylinder, inverted "V" piston engines, which put out 700 HP each.

Specifications

Type: two-seat day heavy fighter

Length: 11.10 m (36 ft, 5 in)

Wingspan: 15. 30 m (50 ft, 2 in)

Wing Area: 30.40 sq. meters (327.23 sq. ft)

Height: 3.85 m (12 ft, 7 in)

Maximum Speed: 529 km/h (329 mph)

Range: 1,100 km

Armament: four 7.92mm MG-17 machine guns; two 20mm MG-FF cannons.

Below, the Focke-Wulf Fw 187

Helicopters in Korean War

The helicopters in Korean War went by unnoticed as an offensive weapon, for they were utilized mostly as transport aircraft to carry wounded soldiers. There were only two types of helicopters, and they were not used in combat missions. These choppers were the US Army’s Bell 47 (H-13) and the Sikorsky H-19 “Chickasaw”. Both of them were piston-engine transport helicopters employed by the 6th Transportation Company.

The Bell 47 was in service with the US Army under the name of H-13 Sioux helicopter. It operated only as a medical evacuation helicopter, carrying two stretchers or litters, one on the right and the other on the left side. It was a single-engine and single seat helicopter, which could reach the maximum speed of only 169 km/h as it had a range of 400 km.

From 1951 until the end of this armed conflict, the Sikorsky H-19 was also used as a medical evacuation, as well as tactical control, and cargo support aircraft; there were three versions: H-19A, H-19B, and H-19C. With a crew of 2, the Chickasaw, as it had been nicknamed, could carry up to 8 stretches or 12 armed soldiers. It had a maximum speed of 101 mph and a range of 405 miles.

Below, the H-19 Chickasaw in service with the US Army in the 1950s

Below, the Bell 47 (US Army's H-13 Sioux), being used as evacuation helicopter- video: historical footage.

Tupolev Tu-141

The Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh was a military drone used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War to carry out reconnaissance mission. Designed by the State-run firm Tupolev, it performed its first flight in 1974, entering service with the Red Army in 1979. It was the most advanced unmanned military aircraft at the time it was employed by the Russian military, with about a totaled of 150 drones being built until it was withdrawn from service in 1989.

Technical Characteristics

The Tu-141 Strizh had a cylindrical, all-metal fuselage, whose rear part contained its power plant; a Tumansky KR-17A turbojet engine, with its air intake being on top. It was fitted with small delta-wings, which were mounted low on the fuselage, and a pair of canards, which were set up on the forward part, near the tip of the drone. It employed a solid-propellant booster to be launched from a trailer. It was equipped with an imaging radar, infrared imagers, and powerful photographic and film cameras essential for its reconnaissance role.

Specifications

Type: remotely-controlled unmanned aircraft

Weight: 6.2 tons

Wingspan: 3.88 m (12ft 8.5in)

Wing Area: 10 m² (108 sq ft)

Length: 14.33 m (47 ft)

Maximum Speed: 1,100 km/h (683 mph)

Range: 1055 km (627 miles)

Below, the Tupolev Tu-141 drone being exhibited in a Russian museum

 

Antonov An-2

The Antonov An-2 was a small utility aircraft employed by the Soviet military during the Cold War years. Its first prototype flew for the first time in 1947, entering service in 1948. Although it had originally been designed for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, it was massively employed by the Soviet Air Force, with more than 5,000 An-2 air planes being manufactured by the Antonov State-run factory. It was also built in East Germany and China. There was also a sea plane version of it; the An-2V. It was very versatile as it was used for transport, parachute training, navigation, and ambulance service.

Technical Characteristics

The An-2 was a single-engine, biplane aircraft, which was built with an all-metal fuselage. Its straight wings were metal-framed, but it was covered with fabric aft of the front spar as was the tail surfaces. It was powered by a Shvetsov-ASh-621-R 1,000-HP engine, fitted with four-blade propeller. This versatile aircraft had a crew of two men and it could carry up to 14 armed paratroopers. It could carry about a 1 and 1/2 tons of freight.

Specifications

Wing Span: 18.19 m (59 ft 8 in)

Wing Area: 71.51 m² (769.8 sq ft)

Length: 12.4 m (40 ft, 8 in)

Height: 4.19 m (13 ft, 9 in)

Maximum Speed: 252.67 km/h (157 mph)

Range: 901 km (560 miles)

Below, side view photo of the Antonov An-2 in service with the Hungarian government.

Front profile of the An-2 from the blue-print design.

 

Antonov An-12

The Antonov An-12 is a military transport aircraft, which has been in service with the Soviet and the Russian Air Force since 1959. It was developed from the civil version An-10 in order to meet the need of a standard heavy transport plane, with its first prototype flying in 1957. The Soviet State-run firm Antonov produced more than 1,250 An-12 aircraft, most of which are still being used today. It was employed as a troop transport plane in major armed conflicts of the Cold War, such as in the Soviet-Afghan War.

The main difference between the An-12 and the An-10 is that the former is fitted with a rear loading ramp and doors. They were built into the rear fuselage, which was swept up when it was redesigned, allowing large freight boxes and motor vehicles to be loaded onto the plane. The military variant is also equipped with a 23mm gun set up in the rear portion of the aircraft. It can carry fully loaded trucks as well as small armored vehicles.

Technical Characteristics

The Antonov An-12 is a four-engine aircraft, which is fitted with straight, shoulder wings. The tips of its wings are anhedral, which means they slope downwards. The fuselage is all-metal, with its rear portion swing up. It is powered by four Ivchenko Al-20K turboprop engines, with each one of them driving four-blade propellers. This Russian plane can also be fitted with skis for arctic operations.

Specifications

Weight: 28 tons

Wingspan: 38 m

Wing Area: 121.7 m²

Length: 33.1 m

Payload Capacity: 25,000 kg

Maximum Speed: 660 km/h

Range: 5,800 km

Below, photo of the Antonov An-12 taken in the 1960s.

The profile of the An-12 shown in its blueprint image.

 

Tupolev Tu-98

The Tupolev Tu-98 was a Soviet prototype for a strategic long range bomber to replace the Tu-95 Bear. It was designed by the State-run factory Tupolev but only two were built and they never entered service. At the end of 1952, the Kremlin had issued a requirement for a bomber capable of flying at supersonic speed at high altitude over the target area. The first of the two prototypes was finally built and tested in 1956.

Technical Charasteristics

The Tu-98 was a large, streamlined supersonic aircraft, which was fitted with mid-mounted swept wings and low-mounted tailplanes. It was equipped with a conventional tricycle landing gear, which retracted backwards, with hydraulic steering. It had an internal bomb bay and a pressurized cabin, which lodged the navigator/bomb aimer, the pilot, and the radio operator/gunner. The fuselage was all-metal and the fuel tanks were located in the wings, with total fuel storage capacity being 23,500 liters. The air ducts were located one on each side of fuselage above the wings. It was powered by two Lyulka AL-7F turbojet engines.

Specifications

Length: 32 m

Wingspan: 17.3 m

Wing area: 87.5 m²

Height: 8 m

Maximum Speed: 1,365 km/h (Mach 1.1)

Range: 2,450 km

Below, the design drawing of the Tupolev Tu-98.

The one of two prototypes that were ever built, but only one flew.

 

Heinkel He 112

The Heinkel He 112 was a German military aircraft, which was in service with the Luftwaffe from the late 1930s until 1945. Although it was a very maneuverable and reliable fighter, it could not compete with the Messerschmitt Bf 109, which was much faster. Thus, only about 110 Heinkel He 112 aircraft were made, with more than half of them being exported to Japan. During World War II, it was also used as a ground-attack aircraft.

The prototype, the He 112V1, was flown for the first time in the Summer of 1935. It was powered by a 650-HP Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine. Operated with open cockpit, it would also be tested with different power plants. The first production variant, the He 112 A-0, would feature a Jumo 210C engine. The He 112 B-0 version was produced for the Imperial Japanese Navy as it had already been tested in combat action in the Spanish Civil War. In service with the Luftwaffe, it would be used during Operation Barbarossa, in the Summer of 1941, before it would be relegated to carry out ground-attack and reconnaissance missions.

Technical Characteristics

The Heinkel He 112 was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane. It had inverted gull elliptical wings, which were broad. The landing gear was retractable. The power plant consisted of one Junkers Jumo 210Da, V12, liquid-cooled piston engine, which put out almost 700 HP.

Specifications

Type: Fighter

Length: 9 m

Wingspan: 11.5 m

Wing Area: 23.2 sq. meters

Height: 3.7 m

Maximum Speed: 488 km/hour

Range:1,100 km

Crew: 1

Armament: two 7.92-mm MG-15 machine guns; two 20-mm cannons.

Below, front view of the Heinkel He 112 A-0 in 1937

Heinkel He 112 B-0s parked at a military base before the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder

The Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder was a supersonic bomber, which was developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s, during the Cold War. Designed by engineer Andrei Tupolev and produced by the State-run firm Tupolev Design Bureau, its prototype performed its first flight in 1959 and it entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1962. It first saw combat action during the Iraq-Iran War in the 1980s as it had been exported to Libya, Iraq and eastern European countries. The main versions of this bomber were the Tu-22B, Tu-22R (reconnaissance), and Tu-22K (the missile carrier variant). In the early 1970s, it would be developed into the Tu-22M.

Below, the Tupolev Tu-22B at a Soviet airbase in 1963

Technical Characteristics

The Tupolev Tu-22 was a two-engine, swept-winged aircraft, which was built with an all-metal, stream-lined fuselage, with a large circular section that measured an average of 2.5 m in diameter. The wings leading edge swept at 70° in first portion, at the root, then it changed to a 54° angle. The tailplanes swept backwards at 59° angle and they were fully powered by irreversible electro-hydraulic actuators. The aircraft was powered by two Dobrynin RD-7M-2 turbojet engines, with afterburner. It was fitted with retractable landing gear.

The pressurized crew capsule made up the first portion of the aircraft. It was made mainly with thick magnesium alloy, with insulation material on the inside. The navigator/bomb aimer sat below, right behind the radar, with an inclined bomb-aiming window and, on each side, two superimposed windows which gave a perfect view over the lower half of the forward hemisphere. On the upper level of the pressurized crew capsule, the pilot sat on the centerline, with the radio operator/gunner behind him.

Specifications

Type: supersonic medium bomber

Length: 41.6 m (136 ft, 6 in)

Wing Span: 23.6 m (77 ft, 7 in)

Wing Area: 151 m² (1,628 sq. ft)

Height: 10.15 m (33 ft, 3 in)

Crew: 3

Maximum Speed: 1,510 km/h (Mach 1.42)

Range: 5,800 km (with bombs)

Below, the Tupolev Tu-22 blue-print.

View of top side of Tu-22 bomber.

Below, the Tu-22 in flight in 1960. It featured a tail 23mm automatic gun, and camera between the two engines, and the PRS-3/4 radar dome.

Polikarpov R-5

The Polikarpov R-5 was a massively-produced light bomber in service with the Soviet Air Force. It performed its first flight in 1928 and it was introduced into service in 1930. It was a sturdy reliable aircraft, which was the result of the communist government effort to catch up with Great Britain and the United States in aviation development. The State-run factory Polikarpov built a large number of the R-5, more than 6,000 units, in several versions. A torpedo bomber variant was also produced; the R-5T, in 1932.

It was used in combat for the first time in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) in support of the Spanish socialist government. During the first three years of World War II, it also saw combat action but in the reconnaissance role. It was also employed in the Far East against the Japanese forces, especially the ground-attack version, the R-5Sh, which was armed with seven machine guns and half a ton bombload. By mid 1944, it had been withdrawn from service.

Technical Characteristics

The Polikarpov R-5 was a two-seat biplane. Its fuselage was built mostly of wood, while its upper and lower wings were joined by interplane struts on each side. The aircraft was powered by a Mikulin M-17, V12 engine, which delivered 680 HP. Its maximum speed was 145 mph (237 km/h). The bomb-load was 250 kg (525 lb).

Specifications

Type: biplane bomber

Length: 34 ft 9 in (10.5 m)

Wingspan: 51 ft (15.5 m)

Height: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)

Combat Weight: 3,250 kg

Below, the Polikarpov R-5 bomber at an airbase in Russia

 

Tupolev Tu-22M

The Tupolev Tu-22M is a strategic, supersonic bomber, which is part of the Russian Air Force arsenal. During the Cold War, it was known by NATO by the code name 'Backfire'. Its prototype rolled out of its State-run factory at Kazan, Russia, in May 1969 to perform its first test flight and entered service in 1972. Its design is based on the old Tu-22 'Blinder', which was in service with the Soviet Air Force until the late 1990s.

It has been built in five variants; the Tu-22M1, Tu-22M2, Tu-22M3, Tu-22M4, and Tu-22MR (reconnaissance), with a total of 500 aircraft being produced. About 120 of them are in service with the Russian Air Force. It first saw combat action in 1987, during the Russian-Afghanistan War. Then it would be used again during the Chechen Wars. As of today, it is fully operational, being in the war in Ukraine in its latest modern version: the Tu-22M3M, which includes the latest, hi-tech avionics as it can carry the new hypersonic Kalibr air-to-ground missile.

Below, a Tu-22M parked on the tarmac of a Soviet military base in Siberia in the Summer of 1979.

Technical Characteristics

When it came out of its manufacturing plant, the Backfire looked like new bomber as it was a complete upgrade from the Tupolev Tu-22. New variable sweep wings had replaced the old fixed swept wings. Its jet engines had been relocated; from being beside the tail-fin, they were moved into a new position on the sides of aircraft fuselage, with large square-shaped air intakes. Practically, it was a completely different layout. The new aircraft was powered by two new jet engines: Kuznetsov NK-22 afterburning turbofan engines, delivering 196 kN.

The fuselage of the new Tupolev Tu-22M consisted of an all-metal semi-monocoque, stressed-skin structure, which was made up of four sections (pieces). The forward section included the nose cone and the crew compartment. The lower half of the nose cone was the radome, with the upper half consisting of the refueling probe. The pressurized crew compartment had four seats, with the pilot and co-pilot sitting up front and the weapons system operator and navigator occupying the left and right back seats. Mounted low on the fuselage, the variable geometry wings had four sweep settings: 20°, 30°, 50°, and 60°. It had swept tailplane and hydraulically-controlled retractable landing gear.

Armament

Today, the Tu-22M is equipped with two remotely-controlled 23mm cannons, set up in tail turret. The aircraft is able to carry up to 24,000 kg of bombload, which include both supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles and smart bombs.

Specifications

Type: strategic bomber

Length: 42.46 m

Wingspan: 23.3 m (when wings set at 60°);

Wing Area: 183.58 m²

Height: 11 m

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.97 (2,090 km/h) at high altitude, and 1,050 km/h at about 100 m above sea level.

Mission Radius (combat range): 1,500 km.

Below, the underbelly of the Tu-22M1 version, with its wing extended out. Photo taken around in 1973

The Tu-22M3 Backfire taking off from a Soviet airbase runway in the 1980s.

 Below, the Tu-22M-0 prototype in mid 1969, parked at a Soviet airbase.

 

Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito

The Focke-Wulf Ta 154, Moskito, was a specialized night-fighter employed by the Luftwaffe during the last two years of World War II. Its prototype, the V1, performed its first test flight on July 1, 1943. It was flown by the German ace pilot Kurt Tank. With only 60 aircraft being produced, it entered service in late 1943.

Technical Characteristics

The Focke-Wulf Ta 154 was a two-engine, two-seat monoplane. It was fitted with straight wings mounted on shoulder of fuselage. The fuselage consisted of a truss frame covered with hardened wood. It had the conventional tail-fin and straight horizontal tail-plane. The landing gear was retractable. The Focke-Wulf Ta 154A-1 version was powered by two Jumo 211R, 12-cylinder, inverted V, piston engines, delivering 1,500 horse power.

Specifications

Type: fighter aircraft

Length: 12.10 m

Wingspan: 16 m

Wing Area: 32.40 sq. meters

Height: 3.5 m

Maximum Speed: 650 km/h

Range: 1365 km

Armament: two nose-mounted, 20mm MG-151 guns; two 30mm MK-108 cannons, which were set up in the rear portion of fuselage.

Below, the prototype of the Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito in 1943.

 

Ilyushin il-28

The Ilyushin il-28 'Beagle' was a light tactical bomber employed by the Soviet Air Force during the Cold War. It was designed and developed by the State-run company Ilyushin as a replacement for the Tupolev Tu-2, which had been used in World War II. It performed its first flight as a prototype in 1948, entering service in 1950.

With over 6,500 il-28s built, it was withdrawn from service in 1988. All the Eastern European countries, China and the Arab nations also included this tactical bomber in their arsenals. Even Cuba acquired ten il-28 aircraft. There was an advanced trainer variant, which was used by some communist countries. The il-28T was the naval torpedo bomber version and it was armed with torpedoes and rockets was well.

Technical Characteristics

The il-28 was a jet bomber aircraft. It was fitted with shoulder-mounted straight wings and swept-back tail. The design of its all-metal fuselage was straightforward simple and somehow reminded those used in World War II. The power plant consisted of two Klimov VK-I turbojet engines, which could develop 26.5 kN thrust each.

Armament

It was fitted with four 23mm Nudelman Rihkter NR-23 guns (autocannons), with two mounted in nose and the other two in the tail section. It carried up to 3,000 kg of bombs in internal bay, plus 2,000 kg on external hard points.

Specifications

Length: 17.65 m (57 ft 11 in)

Height: 6.7 m (22 ft)

Wingspan: 21.45 m (70 ft 4 in)

Wing Area: 60 m² (650 sq ft)

Weight: 12.9 tons

Maximum Speed: 905 km/h

Range: 2,180 km

Crew: 3

Below, a photo of the Ilyushin il-28 bomber taken at the end of the 1950s.

Below, the images of the il-28 taken from its design blue-print.

Sukhoi Su-24

The Sukhoi Su-24 (изделие Т-6) is a supersonic, ground-attack aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force. It was designed and developed by the State-run manufacturer Sukhoi for the Soviet Armed Forces during the Cold War, entering service in 1974. Due to its capacity to fly at supersonic speeds (both at very low levels and at high altitudes) and to having a payload of 8,500 kg, the Fencer, as it is known in the West, is much superior to the vaunted American A-10 Thunderbolt II, which is slow.

Having been constantly upgraded, there are different versions of this Russian aircraft: the Su-24M, Su-24M2, Su-24MK (export variant), Su-24MR (reconnaissance), and Su-24P (electronic warfare version for radar jamming).

Design characteristics

The Sukhoi Su-24 is fitted with variable sweep wings. These wings are shoulder-mounted, with four degrees sweep settings: 69°, for low-levels flight; 45°, for cruise speed; and 16°, for take-off and landing. It has swept tailplanes and one vertical fin. It is powered by two Lyulka Al-21F-3A afterburning turbojet engines, which allow the Fencer to fly at the maximum speed of 1,655 km/h (Mach 1.6). The power plant is equipped with two rectangular air intakes, which are located at the side of fuselage and under the wing. Equipped with a terrain-following radar and computerized navigation system, the Su-24 is an all-weather combat aircraft capable of penetrating any enemy air-defense detection system when flying at very low levels at supersonic speeds.

Below, the Su-24 parked a Soviet airbase in 1985. You can see its six hardpoints fitted with multiple ejector racks, each carrying three 250-kg free-fall bombs.

Weapons

As armament, the Su-24 Fencer has one 23mm rotary gun. It has a payload capacity of 8,500 kg, being able to carry four R-73E air-to-air missiles (for self-defense), two Kh-59 medium-range TV-guided cruise missiles and two Kh-31 anti-ship missiles, or two Kh-58 anti-radiation missiles, or five laser-guided anti-bunker smart bombs.

Specifications

Wingspan (with wings fully spread): 17.64 m

Wing area: 55.2 m²

Length: 22.5 m

Height: 6.2 m

Crew: 2

Hardpoints: 6

Below, you can see a cutaway drawing of the Lyulka Al-21F-3 turbojet engine that powers the Su-24 aircraft

Below, the Fencer with full-spread wings

The Su-24 in swept-back wing mode

Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer in flight (video) 

Tupolev Tu-95

The Tupolev Tu-95 is a Russian long range bomber, which was also used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Designed and developed by the State-run firm Tupolev, the "Bear", as it is known in the West, entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1955. More than 500 Tu-95s had been built until 1992, with only 70 units still in service with the Russian Air Force as of 2023. It carried out combat mission for the first time in 1980, during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989); it was also employed during the two Chechen Wars. The fact that it has a very long range flight capability, high payload, and reliable engines is the reason why this old aircraft still remain operational today.

Technical Characterisitics

The Tupolev Tu-95 is a turbo-prop monoplane, which is fitted with swept wings mounted in the middle of the all-metal fuselage. The wings, which are swept at 35°, and the engines were designed for high performance. It is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprop engines, which are turbojet engines specifically designed to drive counter-rotating propellers, delivering a total of 15,000 HP.

Specifications

Wingspan: 50.04 m

Wing Area: 284 m²

Length: 47.3 m

Height: 13.3 m

Weight: 77.5 tons

Maximum Speed: 925 km/h

Range: 12,000 km

Armament

The Bear is fitted with four 23mm cannons; two mounted as a twin gun on a dorsal turret; the other two set up in the tail. It carries 14 air-to-ground cruise missiles, with six of them being KH-55, or 3M-54 Kalibrs, in rotatory launcher in internal payload. The total aircraft weapon payload is 19,000 kg.

Below, the Tu-95 in flight in 1961

Below, the Bear's prototype blue-print

Mil Mi-24

The Mil Mi-24 is an attack helicopter, which was designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the State-run Mil Moscow helicopter factory. Although it entered service in 1972, it has been upgraded by the Russian Air Force several times to be one of the most lethal helicopter gunship in the world today. Developed from the Mil Mi-8 utility helicopter, it can transport a small a infantry unit. Almost 3,000 units have been built in different versions that bristle with different kind of weapons, which include anti-tank missiles. Main variants: Mi-24D/P/V; Hind-D, -E, -F, and Superhind.

The Mi-24 'Hind' first saw combat action in the Russian-Afghan War (1979-1989) as it would be used in several other armed struggles, such as the Bosnian Civil War (1992-1996), in both Chechen Wars, in the Syrian Civil War (2012-2022), and in the Russian-Ukrainian War (2022). It also took part in many other armed conflicts in Africa and Asia. It has been the Russian Air Force's flying workhorse which has been always on the front line to provide fire support to the infantry. Since it has been developed from an utility/transport helicopter, it can carry more weaponry than the USA-made AH-64 Apache.

Technical Characteristics

The Mil Mi-24 is a two-seat, tandem helicopter, which is fitted with blown canopies over separate cockpits, one for the pilot, the other for the gunner. It features two short mid-mounted wings for armament hardpoints. It has a streamlined airframe, equipped with retractable tricycle undercarriage landing gear. The helicopter is powered by two Isotov TV-3-117 turboshaft engines, delivering 2,200 HP each. It also features a forward-looking infrared sensor, a TV camera, and a radar dish as well as an electro-optical low-light sensor, which is mounted on the port side wing tip.

Armament

The Mil Mi-24 is fitted with a 12.7-mm, four-barrel machine gun, which is mounted on the chin turret, right beneath the gunner front cockpit. It is also equipped with a fixed, 30-mm twin autocannon (GSh-30-2). To attack armored vehicles, the Mi-24 carries 9K114 Shturm anti-tank missiles, rocket launchers, and bombs.

Specifications

Length: 17.5 m

Height: 6.5 m

Wingspan: 17.3 m (diameter of main rotor)

Main Rotor: five blades

Range: 470 km

Service Ceiling: 4,900 m

Maximum Speed: 340 km/h

Crew: two (pilot and gunner)

Capacity: 8 infantry soldiers

The Mil Mi-24 taking off from a base somewhere in Russia

Below, the Mil Mi-24D (Hind-D) at a former Soviet Union military base.

Below, a Mi-24D of the Hungarian Air Force in the 1980s

Antonov An-8

The Antonov An-8 was a military transport and commercial aircraft employed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was designed in 1954 by the State-run company Antonov's engineer Belolipetskiy, performing its first test flight in early 1956. It entered service with the Soviet Air Force the following year. Almost 200 An-8 aircraft were built between 1957 and 1962. However, it would be relegated to a secondary role by the four-engine An-12 transport.

Technical Characteristics

The Antonov An-8 was a two-engine aircraft, which was fitted with straight wings mounted on the shoulder of fuselage. The fuselage was all-metal and it featured a tail gate in the rear portion for loading and unloading logistics or troops. The aircraft was fitted with retractable landing gear and it was powered by two Ivchenko IV-20D turboprop engines, delivering 3860 kW each. It could transport 14,000 kg or 50 paratroopers. The plane was equipped with a 30mm cannon, which was mounted on the tail turret.

Specifications

Type: military transport

Length: 26 m

Wingspan: 30 m

Wing Area: 117.2 m²

Height: 9.7 m

Maximum Speed: 612 km/h

Range: 2,800 km

Below, the Antonov An-8 parked beside the runway of a Soviet military base in the 1970s.

 

Fieseler Fi 156 Storch

The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was a German reconnaissance and liaison aircraft. It officially entered service with the Luftwaffe on July 15, 1937. It was one of many German military planes that was developed and put into operational status before World War II broke out. It first saw combat action during the Spanish Civil War, being flown by the Condor Legion pilots. It was also used by the Hungarian, Finnish, and Romanian Air Force. After the war, the French government kept producing them under the name of "the cricket".

Technical Characteristics

The Fieseler Fi 156 was a single-engine monoplane, which was fitted with straight wings mounted high over the fuselage and fixed by struts. The aircraft had fixed landing gear, with long stroke and shock absorbers. The hardened fabric fuselage was built over a rigid metal tube truss, reinforced with struts. The most outstanding quality featured by this light aircraft was the ability to take off and land in very confined spaces. The reason for this capacity was its full-span leading edge slats, as well as its slotted flaps and ailerons all along the trailing edge of the wing. It was also very maneuverable and easy to fly.

The Fi 156C-1 variant flying in the skies over France in June 1940

Versions

The Fieseler Fi 156A-1 was the first production version, which was powered by one 8-cylinder, inverted "V", Argus AS-10C piston engine, delivering 240 HP. The Fi 156A-3 was fitted with floats for marine reconnaissance instead of landing gear. The Fi 156C-1 was fitted with aerial camera for reconnaissance missions. The Fi 156C-3 had an upgraded powerplant: a 270 HP, Argus AS-10P-1 engine. The Fi 156C-5 was a modified version for anti-submarine warfare, capable of carrying three 55-kg bombs or light depth charges. The Fi 156D-0 was an ambulance aircraft. The Fi 156F-0 featured two MG-15 7.92mm machines guns and loudspeakers for psychological warfare.

Specifications

Type: Reconnaissance/liaison/ambulance

Length: 9.9 m

Height: 2.8 m

Wingspan: 14.25 m

Wing Area: 26 square meters

Weight (empty): 845 kg

Maximum Speed: 180 km/h

Range: 400 km

The Fieseler Fi 156A-0 taking off a Berlin airbase

The Fi 156 in 1937

Sukhoi Su-30

The Sukhoi Su-30 is a Russian supersonic fighter aircraft. It was developed from the Su-27 by the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991, entering service with the Russian Air Force in 1996. In those years, Sukhoi was a Soviet, State-run firm. Now it is a Russian private company, which has built almost 700 Su-30 aircraft in different models. It is also used by Eastern European countries, Vietnam, Malaysia, Venezuela, and a few Arab countries. This versatile and fast fighter has seen combat action in the Second Chechen War, the Syrian Civil War, and the Russian-Ukrainian War.

Technical Characteristics

The Sukhoi Su-30 is a two-seat, jet aircraft. Due to its great maneuverability, payload capacity, and speed, it is considered a multirole combat aircraft, capable of performing interception, dog-fighting, and ground attack missions. Like the Su-27, it is fitted with cropped sweptback wings and twin tails. It has an airbrake, which is located right behind the aircraft canopy.

The modern Russian Airforce version, the Su-30SM (Flanker-H), features a pair of canards to improve flight stability and maneuverability. It is capable of performing dangerous and complicated maneuvers, such as dynamic decelaration and tailslide. It is powered by two Saturn AL-31F afterburning turbofan engines, with its air intakes being located on the belly of aircraft.

Below, the Su-30SM, the modernized version in service with the Russian Air Force.

Weapons

The Sukhoi Su-30SM is armed with one 30mm GSh-30 gun, two R-73 and R-77 air-to-air missiles. To carry out ground attack missions, it carries four Kh-59, or Kh-29, air-to-surface missiles, as well was anti-radiation missiles. Its payload capacity is 8,000 kg.

Specifications

Type: Multirole fighter aircraft

Length: 21.9 m

Wingspan: 14.7 m

Wing Area: 62 m²

Height: 6.36 m

Weight: 17.7 metric tons

Maximum Speed: 2,120 km/h (Mach 2)

Range: 3,000 km

Below, the Sukhoi Su-30 during military exercises in the skies over Russian territory

The dark-grey Su-30SM model parked on the tarmac of a Russian airbase

Another Su-30 on a military base in near the Finnish border