Soviet-Era Airliners: The Final Three Decades

220 photographs 220 photographs, most of which have never been published before, and supported by many anecdotes, facts, and figures, this book conveys the nostalgia and wonder of this special, tumultuous time in aviation history. When the Soviet Union fell in 1991, there were close to 3,500 Soviet-built airliners that could be deemed operational. Thirty years later, they have almost all disappeared, dominated by state-of-the-art Airbuses and Boeings. This book follows the fortunes of the great Soviet airliners over the last three decades and looks at what happened to this immense fleet.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 13 April 2022
Publisher: Key Publishing Ltd

When the Soviet Union fell in December 1991, there were close to 3,500 assorted Soviet-built airliners that could be deemed operational - more than there had ever been before. The vast majority of these Antonovs, Ilyushins, Tupolevs, and Yaks flew for Aeroflot, and were scattered far and wide at bases across the Soviet Union. Thirty years later, they have almost all disappeared. Now dominated by state-of-the-art Airbuses and Boeings, the world's airports and airways will never be the same again without the noise, smoke, and charisma of these iconic designs from Soviet times.

This book follows the fortunes of the great Soviet airliners over the last three decades and looks at what happened to this immense fleet: the fragmentation of Aeroflot into a myriad of new operators in the 1990s, the bankruptcies and consolidation of so many airlines that followed, and then the slow, inevitable disappearance of these aircraft from our skies. Illustrated with 220 photographs, most of which have never been published before, and supported by many anecdotes, facts, and figures, this book conveys the nostalgia and wonder of this special, tumultuous time in aviation history.

Weight: 374g
Dimension: 172 x 243 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913870621