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Book: Russian Strategic Aviation today


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Hi,

I have been searching for some reviews of the above title, but can't seem to find any...I was wondering if anyone has the book and if so whether it is worth getting? I am always keen to pick up stuff on Russian bombers, in particular the Blackjack.

Many thanks

Joe

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Holmes,

Your Amazon link gives us Yefim Gordon's book 'Soviet Strategic Aviation in the Cold War' - published in 2009.

The book that Joe wants is also by Yefim Gordon - but it is called, confusingly, 'Russian Strategic Aviation Today'

On the Amazon website :- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russian-Strategic-...n/dp/1902109120

But I don't think it is out yet.......

I have the former - but am waiting for the latter.

Both are published under the Hikoki banner - by Crecy

Oops - it looks like it IS out :- http://www.crecy.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=496

I'll have to get it.....

Ken

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Holmes,

Your Amazon link gives us Yefim Gordon's book 'Soviet Strategic Aviation in the Cold War' - published in 2009.

The book that Joe wants is also by Yefim Gordon - but it is called, confusingly, 'Russian Strategic Aviation Today'

On the Amazon website :- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russian-Strategic-...n/dp/1902109120

But I don't think it is out yet.......

I have the former - but am waiting for the latter.

Both are published under the Hikoki banner - by Crecy

Oops - it looks like it IS out :- http://www.crecy.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=496

I'll have to get it.....

Ken

Ken thanks for that...I have one or two of Yefims Book but not that one...Hmm interesting..Thanks again..

HOLMES

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Thanks for the replies - wasn't sure if it was out, as Amazon have a habit of announcing a release date and then if the book over runs then they say its out of stock - so I have emailed Crecy to clarify. Will have to order the Cold War book as well though, I think.

Joe

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This one is good too,the long range aviation section is well documented:

41xVE0mOFcL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

I agree - it's a good book about Russian military aviation today.

The only trouble is, Yefim has a habit of regurgitating stuff - so I suspect there will be a lot of info in the new book that has appeared before.

Either from the previous book on Strategic Aviation - or from the many 'Red Star' books.

I'd like to have a browse through the new book before purchasing - although having said that, I'll probably buy it anyway.

I'm just a sucker for all things Russian........ ;)

On a side note - Andrei Fomin has a new softback out on the PAK FA - I'm just about to email him to see if it will be available at Farnborough :monkeydance:

Ken

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I picked up Russian Strategic Aviation at Motor Books near Covent Garden in London when I was there last month. If you've read the earlier volume on Soviet Long Range Aviation, you'll know what to expect. It's got lots of nice photos of Tu-160s, Tu-22m3s and Tu-95MSs and the usual complement of Vasily Zolotov's profiles.

If you're actually looking to READ the book, I would venture that the earlier Soviet volume is much more interesting. 'Russian Strategic Aviation Today' contains a a fair amount of filler. There are whole chapters (complete with fuzzy images taken off the Internet or from video footage) on Putin's joyride in a Tu-160 in 2005 and the Tu-160 Venezuela visit in 2008 ('big whup', a cynic might say). There is an interesting chapter on the repatriation of Ukrainian Tu-160s and Tu-95MSs from Priluki and Uzin to Engels in 1999 and the scrapping of some airframes in Ukraine, and there's some rehashing of how the Georgians managed to bring down a Tu-22m3 during the August 2008 war. As is usual with this author's work, conspiracy theories abound, mostly pointing at the United States and 'The West', but it wouldn't be a Yefim Gordon book if it didn't contain that sort of stuff. And, as Flankerman points out, he really is an 'ecowarrior' among authors. I've never seen someone recycle so much material so many times...

The chapter on LRA bases is very interesting, as it includes information on FOBs such as Tiksi and Anadyr.

On balance, if you're a student of modern Russian aviation, the book is worth getting. Its RRP is GBP35/USD57

Edited by Linden Hill
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I picked up Russian Strategic Aviation at Motor Books near Covent Garden in London when I was there last month. If you've read the earlier volume on Soviet Long Range Aviation, you'll know what to expect. It's got lots of nice photos of Tu-160s, Tu-22m3s and Tu-95MSs and the usual compliment of Vasily Zolotov's profiles.

If you're actually looking to READ the book, I would venture that the earlier Soviet volume is much more interesting. 'Russian Strategic Aviation Today' contains a a fair amount of filler. There are whole chapters (complete with fuzzy images taken off the Internet or from video footage) on Putin's joyride in a Tu-160 in 2005 and the Tu-160 Venezuela visit in 2008 ('big whup', a cynic might say). There is an interesting chapter on the repatriation of Ukrainian Tu-160s and Tu-95MSs from Priluki and Uzin to Engels in 1999 and the scrapping of some airframes in Ukraine, and there's some rehashing of how the Georgians managed to bring down a Tu-22m3 during the August 2008 war. As is usual with this author's work, conspiracy theories abound, mostly pointing at the United States and 'The West', but it wouldn't be a Yefim Gordon book if it didn't contain that sort of stuff. And, as Flankerman points out, he really is an 'ecowarrior' among authors. I've never seen someone recycle so much material so many times...

The chapter on LRA bases is very interesting, as it includes information on FOBs such as Tiksi and Anadyr.

On balance, if you're a student of modern Russian aviation, the book is worth getting. Its RRP is GBP35/USD57

Thanks Guy

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Many thanks for the review, I think I will definitely have to get a copy - have already ordered the Cold War book - where would be best to order from? Amazon doesn't have it at present, and when I added it to the cart on the Crecy site got a warning about the sites security certificate...where else is good?

Thanks

Joe

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Many thanks for the review, I think I will definitely have to get a copy - have already ordered the Cold War book - where would be best to order from? Amazon doesn't have it at present, and when I added it to the cart on the Crecy site got a warning about the sites security certificate...where else is good?

Thanks

Joe

Joe,

The Aviation Bookshop has it in stock

I'll probably pick one up from Simon at Fairford......

Ken

Edited by Flankerman
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  • 2 weeks later...

Apologies for the bump, but I have just taken delivery of this book, and my first impressions are that it is excellent - Its true that some of the photos have already been used elsewhere, but many of them are new to me, and there are some nice shots of Blackjacks after dark and the aerial views of the bases are very impressive, especially the spread of Engels on pp126/7. I think possibly my favourite image has to be on pp250, of a Tu-95 and 2 MiG-29's overflying Moscow though.

Joe

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Apologies for the bump, but I have just taken delivery of this book, and my first impressions are that it is excellent - Its true that some of the photos have already been used elsewhere, but many of them are new to me, and there are some nice shots of Blackjacks after dark and the aerial views of the bases are very impressive, especially the spread of Engels on pp126/7. I think possibly my favourite image has to be on pp250, of a Tu-95 and 2 MiG-29's overflying Moscow though.

Joe

Thanks for the mini review Joe.

I'll try to pick one up at Fairford over the weekend.

Ken

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