Red Star Against Black Cross: Il-2 Sturmovik

Red Star Against Black Cross is a rare memoir devoted to Soviet aviation during the Second World War. In these memoirs, Vassili Emelianenko recounts his experience as a Sturmovik pilot on the Eastern Front, at the controls of one of the most famous and feared aircraft of the Soviet Union: the Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik.

A heavily armoured ground-attack aircraft, the Il-2 was designed to strike enemy targets at very low altitude. Its firepower made it a formidable weapon, but its missions were extremely dangerous. The aircraft remained slow to manoeuvre and exposed to German fighters, which resulted in heavy losses.

Vassili Emelianenko flew 92 combat missions against German forces. His aircraft was shot down three times, but he managed to return to base each time. After 80 missions, he received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest Soviet decoration.

This book offers a direct view of the reality of aerial combat in the East: ground attacks, encounters with enemy fighters, forced landings, human losses, and the constant tension of missions. The narrative also sheds light on the tactics of the Soviet air force against an experienced German adversary.

With its 336 pages, paperback binding, and a 16-page photograph section, Red Star Against Black Cross is aimed at enthusiasts of military aviation, combatants' memoirs, the Eastern Front, and Soviet history during the Second World War.