Assault aircraft of the USSR until 1941

For the first time, the book has been realized in the description and analysis of the development of the concept of an assault aircraft, the development of projects and the construction of experimental and serial machines of this type in bonding to change views on the operational-tactical use of ground forces in battle and operations, requirements for the direct aviation support of troops and tactical and technical requirements for assault aircraft. At the same time, a comparative assessment of the combat efficiency of the antique aircraft aircraft is made.
The author is very detailed and reliable, as far as the documents that have survived in the archives allow, the events and decisions related to the development of projects and the construction of experimental and serial attack aircraft are described. It is shown that the underestimation in the formation of the tactical and technical requirements of the actual state of Soviet aviation science, industry and technology, as well as the unbalanced flight-combat indicators of the aircraft became the main reason for the failure of the program to create a modern attack aircraft in the pre-war period.
The actual picture of the events preceded by the adoption of the Air Force Air Force Sturmovik IL-2 (BSh-2) of the construction of S.V. Ilyushin, who later became the legend of Soviet and world aircraft.
It shows that since the IL-2 was designed, built and brought for more than three years, by the beginning of 1941 it no longer met the requirements of the modern war. By this time, the Air Force, based on the experience of the Finnish War and the War in Europe, formed a different appearance of an assault aircraft - a diving attack aircraft with high flight and maneuverable qualities, powerful and various weapons, as well as a moderate allocation of a weight resource for a combat survivability system.
The book most fully sets out the history of projects and prototypes of multi-purpose and assault aircraft, such as TSh-1, TSh-2, Ivanov, HAI-52, Sh-Tandem, BSh-1, SB, SSH, MMSh, BMSh, SSB, SLB, VIT-1, VIT-2, Osh, OBSh, PBSh-1, OPB, BSh-MV, ITP, Su-6, ODBSh, Central Design Bureau-60, OKO-6 (TA 3).
In terms of quantity and volume of material collected, this work has no precedents. The text is illustrated by a large number (over 750 units) photos, schemes and sketches, including unique, published for the first time.
The book is intended for all those interested in the history of domestic aviation, will be useful to developers of aviation equipment, military specialists