Yefim Gordon

As early as 1979, Soviet aircraft designers started work on a programme called I-90, a fighter for the 1990s. Two Soviet aircraft design bureaux took on the task, Mikoyan and Sukhoi. Work began in 1983 but with the dissolution of the Soviet Union the project stalled.In 2002 the Russian government kicked off a new programme under which Sukhoi began development of what was then known as PAK FA (Future Tactical Aviation Aircraft System). Known in house as the T-50, this aircraft strongly resembled the American F-22 Raptor in overall appearance.The first prototype took to the air on 29th January 2010 and in 2017 the fighter was allocated the service designation Su-57. In 2018 the aircraft had its combat debut when four of the prototypes were briefly deployed to Syria during the Russian campaign against the IS terror network in that country. Production was officially launched in May 2019, with the Russian Air Force having 70-plus on order.The book charts the development and trials history o

By the turn of the century China had reaffirmed its position as one of the world's leading military powers. With much importance attached to fleet renewal; the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAA

An exciting new addition to the popular Flight Craft series, this time focussing on the Mikoyan MiG-31, one of the most interesting Soviet aircrafts of all time.

A brand new addition to the popular Flight Craft series, this time focussing on the A-50, a thrilling aircraft type with an intriguing history. It features around 180 photographs in total as well as o

Brand new addition to the Flight Craft series, this time focussing on the intriguing Sukhoi-Su-15 aircraft type, and providing a comprehensive overview of all model-making kits currently available on

As early as 1965, when the MiG-25 interceptor was in the midst of its test program, the Mikoyan Design Bureau started work on an even more capable two-seat interceptor meant to provide adequate protec

Closed in 1949, the Sukhoi Design Bureau was reborn in 1953 to meet an urgent demand for a fast interceptor that would counter the threat posed by NATO bombers. It wasted no time developing a successi

Originally conceived as a replacement for the famous MiG-21, changing priorities turned the MiG-23 into a STOL fighter with variable-geometry wings that first flew in June 1967. After two years of tes

Designed as a mass-produced and relatively cheap light tactical fighter, the MiG-29 first flew on October 6, 1977. After extensive flight testing, it entered production in 1982 and deliveries to the S

The Sukhoi Design Bureau was tasked in 1969 with developing a fourth-generation heavy fighter and thus began the story of the Su-27, known to the western world as the Flanker--an aircraft which turned

Created by the famous Mikoyan Design Bureau in the early 1950s, the MiG-19 fighter was the Soviet Union’s first true supersonic fighter that could exceed Mach 1 in level flight. The baseline version w

The Tactical Aviation branch (FA – Frontovaya aviatsiya) has always occupied an important place in the structure of the Soviet, and subsequently Russian, Air Force. In the 20-odd post-Soviet years the

The first recipient of Soviet military hardware in the Americas was Cuba in 1959. Since then the Cuban Air Force has operated the MiG-15 to the MiG-29, An-26 and Il-76MD transports and more. Cuban com

Developed as the answer to the American B-1, the Tupolev Tu-160 was the Soviet Union's most potent strategic bomber. Several project versions were rejected, and a highly controversial contest involvin

This detailed history is richly illustrated with unit badges, nose art, scale drawings, color side views and three-views. Previously unreleased photos and personal stories from pilots in the Great Pat

After the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union tried to exert its political influence on the Asian continent. A major pillar of this cold-war policy was the widespread supply of arms to the C

Photographs and illustrations sourced from the original project documents.

From the outset, the export of revolution and Communist ideology had been one of the cornerstones of Soviet Russia's (and later the Soviet Union's) foreign policy and by the mid-1950s the export of So

Arranged by country and using previously classified sources, Soviet and Russian Military Aircraft in the Middle East includes details of combat use and comprehensive fleet lists of all known Soviet/Ru

This book surveys all the Soviet/Russian aircraft that either remained “paper projects” (the work progressed no further than the design documents or even merely a design proposal) or were abandoned at

Soviet and Russian Testbed Aircraft investigates all categories of test and research aircraft: engine testbeds including the Il-76LL and Tu-16LL, radar testbeds such as the SL-18P based on the well-kn

In the late 1960s the Soviet Union was working on a fourth-generation jet fighter concept. These aircraft would form the backbone of Warsaw Pact air forces in the next decade. The Soviet aerospace ind

Developed to meet a Soviet Ministry of Defense requirement for a fast bomber that would counter the threat posed by NATO, the Tu-16 was a ground-breaking project. It was the first Soviet medium bomber

Gordon, Komissarov, and Rigmant trace the history of the Soviet Union's only supersonic commercial airliner, the Tupolev Tu-144. They recount its origins and design, testing, prototypes and technical

After World War II, the Soviet Union and the USA, who had been allies in the war, started moving towards political and military confrontation. The Soviet Union urgently needed a strategic bomber capab