Military Model Scene

Title: Defending Rodinhu, Vol 2
Author: Krzysztof Dabrowski
Publisher: Helion & Co
ISBN: 978-1-804510-27-8

The second volume looking at the Development & Operational History of the Soviet Air Defence Force, 1961-1991, which is also No26 in the Europe@War series from Helion & Co. A 66-page soft-cover book in the usual series style. This one picks up where volume 1 left off at 1960, taking us through from then to 1990, when the old Soviet Union/Warsaw Pact collapsed.
This volume starts by looking at how, by 1960, the Soviet Union had developed their air defence system (the PVO), involving radars, interceptors and missiles, covering the vast area of the country, from Europe all the way over to the Far East. It created its' own problems in the sheer scale of it as technology developed. It simply wasn't possible to replace everything all at the same time, so changes were drawn out over time. After the well known story of the shooting down of the U-2 of Gary Powers (as covered in vol 1), they became faced with the height and speed of the newer SR-71 Blackbird. Their interceptors couldn't get high enough or fast enough, leading to the development of the Mig 25 and later the Mig 31. Development was continual with all equipment types, from the radars, the aircraft and the missiles they carried. There are then a series of issues that the system faced, including one which has been overlooked I think, the challenge of balloons simply floating over Soviet airspace. Add other surveillance aircraft, such as the Norwegian P-3B Neptune. Then there are defections, perhaps the best known being the flight of a Mig 25 to Japan by Viktor Belenko in 1976, but there were others which are also included. There were challenges such as intrusions from light aircraft which are featured, again, the best known being the young German, Mathias Rust, who landed his Cessna in Moscow itself. More tragic incidents included such as the shooting down of a Korean Airlines Boeing with huge loss of life.
Add the usual block of colour photos and super colour profile artwork in the middle of the book, and appendices listing the Commanders of the PVO from 1945 onwards, and a table listing the Aerial Victories of the PVO, 1945-1991.
Perhaps because there are plenty of stories in here that I remember from when they were in the news, but described in greater detail than I had seen before but I particularly enjoyed this one. Some had tragic consequences, others did not, and there are some stories I had not known about before as they never made the headlines at the time. I will say that I found the whole thing fascinating reading. The archive images and the section of colour profiles I always enjoy in this series of books, but the stories in this one I found I couldn't put down. Interesting how your own memories of a time can influence how you react to a particular book.
Thanks to Helion & Co for the Review copy.

Robin