Stormtroopers and Fighter-Bombers of the Northern Fleet Air Force in 1944, 2nd Edition

This book refutes the widespread myth about the ineffectiveness of the Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft and the superiority of the American P-40 Kittyhawk fighter-bomber over it. It summarizes numerous debates on the role of ground-attack aviation of the Red Army in the Great Patriotic War. Since the 1990s, a persistent belief has emerged that the combat effectiveness of the Il-2s was zero and that they could easily be replaced by fighter-bombers. Relying not on idle speculation, but on archival documents from both sides, the author impartially analyzed data on the damage inflicted on the enemy and the losses of the Northern Fleet Air Force in 1944. At the same time, he does not at all attempt to discredit Lend-Lease technology, considering the Kittyhawk to be, on the whole, a successful machine—but he provides figures and facts to prove that there was no real alternative to the Il-2s and that they effectively operated against German ships in the Northern theater of operations. The edition is illustrated with unique schemes of Soviet air attacks and rare photographs, including images documenting the results of combat work. The topic of the war in the North is virtually limitless, and much remains to be done for its study. However, after the publication of the book in 2016, the author gained access to many new documents, both Soviet and German, which allowed him to rethink the events of 1944 anew... Andrei Latkin.