Chronicles of the near bomber

The book is based on the dramatic biography of the Hero of the Soviet Union Anatoly Samochkin, who made 198 sorties during the war, most of which on the Su-2 aircraft. In addition, the material about many other pilots and navigators of near-bombarding aircraft is collected, the combat path of the 289th and 209th near-bombarding aircraft regiments, as well as the adjustment and reconnaissance squadrons, which were elite specialized units. Based on archival documents, memoirs and other sources, it is described in detail about the tactics of using close bombers in 1941-1942, numerous examples of their combat work on the southern, south-west, Bryansk and Voronezh fronts are given, and the system of awarding of pilots of near-gunstial aviation and others is analyzed.
The book also gives unique details about teaching methods, orders and morals in Soviet aero clubs and air schools in the pre -war period, it is described how the personnel composition of Soviet bomber regiments was created. The authors answer the questions why the combat survivability of the Su-2 aircraft was an order of magnitude higher than that of other types of strike vehicles of the Air Force of the Red Army, including IL-2 attack aircraft. The myth is debunked that in 1941 the Luftwaffe was completely dominated by the air on the entire Eastern Front, and Soviet aircraft everywhere suffered huge losses due to the fact that the pilots were allegedly sent to battle poorly trained and unprepared