Home  |  What's New  |  Features  |  Gallery  |  Reviews  |  Reference  |  Resource Guides  |  Forum  | 

Soviet and Russian Testbed Aircraft
by Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Komissarov

Hikoki Publishing
 

 S u m m a r y

Title and Author:

Soviet and Russian Testbed Aircraft by Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Komissarov
Hikoki Publications

Media:

Hard Cover, 416 pages

ISBN:

9781902109183

Price:

US$56.95 from Specialty Press

Review Type:

First Read

Advantages:

Systematic analysis of Soviet and Russian developmental aircraft from the 1950s to the present day, supported by numerous photos, drawings and colour profiles

Disadvantages:

None specifically noted

Conclusion:

A comprehensive document the broad range of testbeds, prototypes and experimental types that emerged from the Soviet and Russian aviation industry. Perhaps not an obvious modeller’s reference but certainly an excellent start to lift the lid off the strange prototypes that have only come to the attention of the West since the end of the Cold War.


Reviewed by Ken Bowes


HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com

FirstRead

 

Soviet and Russian Testbed Aircraft is the latest volume by well-known and prolific Russian aviation authors Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Komissarov. Unlike many of their previous books this volume does not focus on just one type but instead documents Russian technology and development from aircraft such as the Tu-4 Bull to the very latest Sukhoi Flanker variants. Many similar volumes adopt a chronological approach to such a topic, which of course helps the reader gain an understanding of the technological state of the art in defined time periods. This book takes a different tack though, instead grouping the subjects by theme.

 

  • Testbed Aircraft Book Review by Ken Bowes: Image
  • Testbed Aircraft Book Review by Ken Bowes: Image
  • Testbed Aircraft Book Review by Ken Bowes: Image
  • Testbed Aircraft Book Review by Ken Bowes: Image
Thumbnail panels:
Now Loading

 

With only the briefest introduction the book launches straight the main content broken into eight chapters being:

  • Aerodynamic testbeds

  • Aircraft systems testbeds

  • Propulsion testbeds

  • Avionics testbeds

  • Weapons testbeds

  • Weather research aircraft

  • Geophysical survey aircraft

  • Miscellaneous applications

Unsurprisingly given the sheer number of experimental types that academic institutes and design bureaus, many of the subjects only receive somewhat shallow entries with only small textual entries and limited photos. That said for important types such as the various IL-76 engine testbed airframes and the various developmental Flankers there are nice collections of colour photographs, profiles and line drawings to illustrate the changes in features and schemes applied.

It is important to highlight that this is more a volume for serious aviation enthusiasts and historians than a modelling reference. It will, however, certainly give some solid foundations for scratch building or conversion future projects. If you wish to expand your library to cover some of the more esoteric types or have an interest in developmental aviation then this volume should be considered an essential additio

Thanks to Specialty Press for the sample

Review Copyright © 2011 by Ken Bowes
This Page Created on 5 September, 2011
Last updated 6 September, 2011

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page