This book is the second of three that deals with the Soviet Air Forces in the Baltic Region from the subjugation of the previously-independent Baltic republics in 1940 to the invasion by the Nazis in June 1941.

Using previously-classified documents and first-hand interviews and accounts, the Russian author Mikhail Timin goes into great detail to document the attempts to modernize what was a pretty bad organization, with poor aircraft, poor tactics, poor leadership and poor training, which had led to the humiliations of the attempted invasion of tiny Finland. Timin shows that despite much effort, none of these factors was substantially improved before Barbarossa. For example, pilot training was abysmal - trainees were sent to frontline units with just 50 or so hours, most of which was simple take-offs, circuits and landings, with no advanced maneuvers, formation flying or tactical training. This was all expected to be done by the units, to their detriment, especially as they were in the process of re-equipment and reorganization.

The new aircraft types being rushed into service were also abysmal – the MiG-1 was so mechanically unreliable when introduced that frontline units could only fly them for a handful of hours per month.

The text is very detailed but ponderous, having been translated from the Russian, and could have done with a thorough editing. It is not an easy read, with many long run-on sentences, and needless repetition of points. Many paragraphs are simple recitation of numbers and dates, which might have been better served by tabularization; this book is good for dipping into for reference, but it certainly isn’t a page-turner.

The blurb mentions “…more than 90 rare black and white photographs…” and this is technically correct. However, of the 73 photos of aircraft, remarkably, every single one is of a severely damaged or destroyed airframe. There are none of a complete airframe! Many of the rest of the photos are official portraits of various levels of unit commanders, all looking very stern as if posing for bad passport photos.

The highlight of the book for me was the colour profile section, many of which were created from those same crashed aircraft photos in the book. At least these give you the opportunity to see what they looked like before they were destroyed…

In summary, an arduous read, but a very useful reference for those who study Soviet air forces. Many thanks to Casemate for the review sample.