Camouflage, Insignia and Tactical Markings of the Aircraft of the Red Army Air Force in 1941 Volume 1-2

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This landmark two-volume reference offers the most comprehensive study yet of camouflage, insignia, and tactical markings applied to Soviet military aviation during the pivotal year of 1941.

Following years of theoretical research after the Russian Civil War, camouflage became a critical concern only with the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War. Standardized black-and-green paint schemes and enlarged insignia were officially introduced, but in practice, aircraft units and factories often improvised their own patterns, producing a remarkable variety of markings across the Red Army Air Force. Alongside these, the red star emblem and tactical codes went through numerous changes, often with little uniformity between units.

Richly illustrated with more than 880 archival photographs and 470 color profiles, these volumes reconstruct the appearance of Soviet combat aircraft at a moment of dramatic transition and battlefield necessity.

Volume 1 examines pre-war camouflage studies, early factory and improvised paint schemes, the adoption of black-and-green standards, and the first winter camouflage applications.
Volume 2 details the VVS RKKA identification system, additional tactical markings, and regional variations in camouflage and insignia, including unique practices in the Leningrad and Transcaucasian Air Forces during 1941.
Together, they provide aviation historians, modelers, and enthusiasts with an essential visual and documentary record of the Red Army Air Force on the eve of its most desperate struggle.