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The Pencil Eraser by Stan Stokes.
In 1941 the advancing German forces had obliterated the Soviet Air Force. During the first week of fighting the Luftwaffe had destroyed more than 4000 Soviet aircraft. Huge numbers of aircraft were destroyed hopelessly on the ground, and those that took to the sky were often outclassed by superior equipment flown by more experienced pilots. The decimation of the Soviet Air Force during the fighting in 1941 was shocking, but even more remarkable is the story of the comeback of the Soviet Air Force. The Soviets had been blessed during their history with many excellent aviation designers and engineers. Zhukovsky, Sikorsky, Tupolev, Polikarpov, Mikoyan, Lavochkin, and Gurevich to name but a few. The Germans smashed the pride the nation had in its Air Forces, but the Soviets fought back. Most of the Soviet fighters at the start of the War were obsolete Polikarpov I-153s or I-16s. Some Mig 3s were available, but the Mig 3 was a poor performer at low altitudes, and was too unstable and too l.........
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